[Applause] by the time I was a freshman in college
by the time I was a freshman in college
by the time I was a freshman in college I had lived in Nigeria Sweden Burkina
I had lived in Nigeria Sweden Burkina
I had lived in Nigeria Sweden Burkina Faso Vietnam in the United States five
Faso Vietnam in the United States five
Faso Vietnam in the United States five countries four continents and the reason
countries four continents and the reason
countries four continents and the reason I lived in all these countries is
I lived in all these countries is
I lived in all these countries is because my dad was a diplomat and so as
because my dad was a diplomat and so as
because my dad was a diplomat and so as a kid I would watch as he sought to
a kid I would watch as he sought to
a kid I would watch as he sought to maintain international relations as they
maintain international relations as they
maintain international relations as they pertain to peace war trade economics
pertain to peace war trade economics
pertain to peace war trade economics human rights and the environment
human rights and the environment
human rights and the environment I observed as he sought to establish
I observed as he sought to establish
I observed as he sought to establish common ground with us colleagues locally
common ground with us colleagues locally
common ground with us colleagues locally and internationally I studied him
and internationally I studied him
and internationally I studied him I even had his morning routine down
I even had his morning routine down
I even had his morning routine down every morning before he went to work he
every morning before he went to work he
every morning before he went to work he would sit down on the dining table flip
would sit down on the dining table flip
would sit down on the dining table flip out the newspaper
out the newspaper
out the newspaper bear in mind who was the midnit so
bear in mind who was the midnit so
bear in mind who was the midnit so people still read that but he will break
people still read that but he will break
people still read that but he will break out the newspaper go with the rid from
out the newspaper go with the rid from
out the newspaper go with the rid from front to back and then he would turn on
front to back and then he would turn on
front to back and then he would turn on the news it’ll be CNN at first and then
the news it’ll be CNN at first and then
the news it’ll be CNN at first and then BBC and then the local news station now
BBC and then the local news station now
BBC and then the local news station now as a seven-year-old kid I didn’t quite
as a seven-year-old kid I didn’t quite
as a seven-year-old kid I didn’t quite understand why my dad did all these
understand why my dad did all these
understand why my dad did all these things and so I asked him dad well why
things and so I asked him dad well why
things and so I asked him dad well why do you do all these things and he looked
do you do all these things and he looked
do you do all these things and he looked at me and said something to the effect
at me and said something to the effect
at me and said something to the effect of I can’t I owe the world is bigger
of I can’t I owe the world is bigger
of I can’t I owe the world is bigger than you and so if you want to be
than you and so if you want to be
than you and so if you want to be successful in it you have to understand
successful in it you have to understand
successful in it you have to understand it so you know to my preteen years that
it so you know to my preteen years that
it so you know to my preteen years that didn’t quite resonate so I just did what
didn’t quite resonate so I just did what
didn’t quite resonate so I just did what any seven-year-old kid would do I
any seven-year-old kid would do I
any seven-year-old kid would do I continued to mimic my dad anyway so I
continued to mimic my dad anyway so I
continued to mimic my dad anyway so I took in the same information that he
took in the same information that he
took in the same information that he took it I would read the same newspapers
took it I would read the same newspapers
took it I would read the same newspapers I would even fill out the occasional
I would even fill out the occasional
I would even fill out the occasional crossword puzzle if I saw and then I
crossword puzzle if I saw and then I
crossword puzzle if I saw and then I would turn on to the news and follow the
would turn on to the news and follow the
would turn on to the news and follow the same thing but it wasn’t until I found
same thing but it wasn’t until I found
same thing but it wasn’t until I found myself in Burkina Faso in middle school
myself in Burkina Faso in middle school
myself in Burkina Faso in middle school that I finally got what my dad was
that I finally got what my dad was
that I finally got what my dad was trying to do he was trying to understand
trying to do he was trying to understand
trying to do he was trying to understand the difference is around him so that he
the difference is around him so that he
the difference is around him so that he could find the commonalities that
could find the commonalities that
could find the commonalities that existed within them you seen Burkina
existed within them you seen Burkina
existed within them you seen Burkina Faso I was embedded in a sea of
Faso I was embedded in a sea of
Faso I was embedded in a sea of difference I was this skinny kid with a
difference I was this skinny kid with a
difference I was this skinny kid with a thick Nigerian accent and a
thick Nigerian accent and a
thick Nigerian accent and a french-speaking country and an American
french-speaking country and an American
french-speaking country and an American International School going through
International School going through
International School going through puberty and I suddenly found myself as
puberty and I suddenly found myself as
puberty and I suddenly found myself as the odd one out in a place where
the odd one out in a place where
the odd one out in a place where everybody was already different from who
everybody was already different from who
everybody was already different from who I was and so for me to make friends I
I was and so for me to make friends I
I was and so for me to make friends I had to understand the differences around
had to understand the differences around
had to understand the differences around me and find the commonalities that
me and find the commonalities that
me and find the commonalities that existed within them that ladies and
existed within them that ladies and
existed within them that ladies and gentlemen is the art of diplomacy
gentlemen is the art of diplomacy
gentlemen is the art of diplomacy understanding the differences around you
understanding the differences around you
understanding the differences around you and finding the commonalities that exist
and finding the commonalities that exist
and finding the commonalities that exist within them every year diplomats are
within them every year diplomats are
within them every year diplomats are posted out to new countries new
posted out to new countries new
posted out to new countries new environments with thousands and
environments with thousands and
environments with thousands and sometimes millions of people that are
sometimes millions of people that are
sometimes millions of people that are vastly different from from who they are
vastly different from from who they are
vastly different from from who they are and their job is to find the common
and their job is to find the common
and their job is to find the common thread that weaves through this new
thread that weaves through this new
thread that weaves through this new environment I believe that this skill of
environment I believe that this skill of
environment I believe that this skill of cultural competence is the most
cultural competence is the most
cultural competence is the most important skill that we can develop in a
important skill that we can develop in a
important skill that we can develop in a 21st century I also believe that this is
21st century I also believe that this is
21st century I also believe that this is the best way that we can combat the fear
the best way that we can combat the fear
the best way that we can combat the fear and hate that we experience today the
and hate that we experience today the
and hate that we experience today the fear and hate that is contributing to
fear and hate that is contributing to
fear and hate that is contributing to the glowing divide that we experience in
the glowing divide that we experience in
the glowing divide that we experience in as a world today you see if we’re to
as a world today you see if we’re to
as a world today you see if we’re to ever have a chance of attaining a
ever have a chance of attaining a
ever have a chance of attaining a peaceful future we must learn how to
peaceful future we must learn how to
peaceful future we must learn how to come together and find common ground and
come together and find common ground and
come together and find common ground and it’s with this in mind that I’d like to
it’s with this in mind that I’d like to
it’s with this in mind that I’d like to share three ways with which we can
share three ways with which we can
share three ways with which we can embrace the art of the policy the first
embrace the art of the policy the first
embrace the art of the policy the first way numero uno the first way to embrace
way numero uno the first way to embrace
way numero uno the first way to embrace the art of diplomacy is to collect and
the art of diplomacy is to collect and
the art of diplomacy is to collect and gather information
gather information
gather information I would watch as my dad did this because
I would watch as my dad did this because
I would watch as my dad did this because he did this all the time he had his
he did this all the time he had his
he did this all the time he had his little pens and
little pens and
little pens and books and he would observe his
books and he would observe his
books and he would observe his environment take notes
environment take notes
environment take notes read on this culture and then interview
read on this culture and then interview
read on this culture and then interview ways that you all can apply that is by
ways that you all can apply that is by
ways that you all can apply that is by taking notice of your current
taking notice of your current
taking notice of your current surrounding observing what brings people
surrounding observing what brings people
surrounding observing what brings people together what put smiles in people’s
together what put smiles in people’s
together what put smiles in people’s faces and what causes them to frown
faces and what causes them to frown
faces and what causes them to frown taking mental notes of that reading up
taking mental notes of that reading up
taking mental notes of that reading up on the cultures around you and then
on the cultures around you and then
on the cultures around you and then interviewing asking questions ensure
interviewing asking questions ensure
interviewing asking questions ensure that as your interview and you ask an
that as your interview and you ask an
that as your interview and you ask an open-ended questions questions that
open-ended questions questions that
open-ended questions questions that allow them to tell you about themselves
allow them to tell you about themselves
allow them to tell you about themselves questions that allow them to tell you
questions that allow them to tell you
questions that allow them to tell you how they interpret things in the world I
followed this same exact process when I
followed this same exact process when I found myself in that very different
found myself in that very different
found myself in that very different environment in Burkina Faso I looked
environment in Burkina Faso I looked
environment in Burkina Faso I looked around me and I saw that the activity
around me and I saw that the activity
around me and I saw that the activity that brought the most people together
that brought the most people together
that brought the most people together was basketball and so I went to the
was basketball and so I went to the
was basketball and so I went to the library and I checked out all the books
library and I checked out all the books
library and I checked out all the books in basketball studied up on the history
in basketball studied up on the history
in basketball studied up on the history and the culture of the game so what
and the culture of the game so what
and the culture of the game so what natural ten-year-old to do and then and
natural ten-year-old to do and then and
natural ten-year-old to do and then and then I picked up the the magazines the
then I picked up the the magazines the
then I picked up the the magazines the Sports Illustrated for kids
Sports Illustrated for kids
Sports Illustrated for kids once again that’s something that’s not
once again that’s something that’s not
once again that’s something that’s not available anymore but I picked up on
available anymore but I picked up on
available anymore but I picked up on that to make sure that I I knew who the
that to make sure that I I knew who the
that to make sure that I I knew who the current players were the current
current players were the current
current players were the current basketball players were so I was well
basketball players were so I was well
basketball players were so I was well versed in the game of basketball once I
versed in the game of basketball once I
versed in the game of basketball once I I felt well versed enough I went to the
I felt well versed enough I went to the
I felt well versed enough I went to the best basketball player on campus Michael
best basketball player on campus Michael
best basketball player on campus Michael Albright and asked him hey could you
Albright and asked him hey could you
Albright and asked him hey could you show me some of this crossover I’m
show me some of this crossover I’m
show me some of this crossover I’m trying to cross over like Allen Iverson
trying to cross over like Allen Iverson
trying to cross over like Allen Iverson I’m trying to you know you know do that
I’m trying to you know you know do that
I’m trying to you know you know do that dunk that Kobe Bryant did the other day
dunk that Kobe Bryant did the other day
dunk that Kobe Bryant did the other day and that that conversation led to me
and that that conversation led to me
and that that conversation led to me asking him to teach me how to play the
asking him to teach me how to play the
asking him to teach me how to play the game of basketball and our one-on-ones
game of basketball and our one-on-ones
game of basketball and our one-on-ones became two on Tuesday and at three and
became two on Tuesday and at three and
became two on Tuesday and at three and three and then four and four and five
three and then four and four and five
three and then four and four and five and fives
and fives
and fives so pretty soon I found myself in a
so pretty soon I found myself in a
so pretty soon I found myself in a position where I had new friends and my
position where I had new friends and my
position where I had new friends and my new friends were now inviting me to do
new friends were now inviting me to do
new friends were now inviting me to do thins outside of school what this
thins outside of school what this
thins outside of school what this experience taught me was the importance
experience taught me was the importance
experience taught me was the importance of coming together for a common goal you
of coming together for a common goal you
of coming together for a common goal you see a lot of my new teammates they spoke
see a lot of my new teammates they spoke
see a lot of my new teammates they spoke different languages they had
different languages they had
different languages they had accents and they came from different
accents and they came from different
accents and they came from different parts of the world but we realized that
parts of the world but we realized that
parts of the world but we realized that in order for us to win to grow and to be
in order for us to win to grow and to be
in order for us to win to grow and to be a good team we have to leverage our
a good team we have to leverage our
a good team we have to leverage our unique talents for that one goal now
unique talents for that one goal now
unique talents for that one goal now imagine what could happen if we applied
imagine what could happen if we applied
imagine what could happen if we applied that to communities today magic could
that to communities today magic could
that to communities today magic could happen if we learn how to leverage each
happen if we learn how to leverage each
happen if we learn how to leverage each of our unique differences and talents to
of our unique differences and talents to
of our unique differences and talents to solve a problem today understand the
solve a problem today understand the
solve a problem today understand the differences around you and find the
differences around you and find the
differences around you and find the commonalities that exist within them the
commonalities that exist within them the
commonalities that exist within them the second way to embrace the art of
second way to embrace the art of
second way to embrace the art of diplomacy is by being an active listener
diplomacy is by being an active listener
diplomacy is by being an active listener now good diplomats when they’re posted
now good diplomats when they’re posted
now good diplomats when they’re posted into new countries they make sure that
into new countries they make sure that
into new countries they make sure that they understand the national interests
they understand the national interests
they understand the national interests of that country they make sure that they
of that country they make sure that they
of that country they make sure that they understand the intellectual and popular
understand the intellectual and popular
understand the intellectual and popular culture of their new environment and so
culture of their new environment and so
culture of their new environment and so what they do is they establish mutual
what they do is they establish mutual
what they do is they establish mutual trust and relationships with the
trust and relationships with the
trust and relationships with the influential members of this new
influential members of this new
influential members of this new environment they do this so they can
environment they do this so they can
environment they do this so they can foster a positive collaboration between
foster a positive collaboration between
foster a positive collaboration between their national countries as well as the
their national countries as well as the
their national countries as well as the countries they’re posted into and then
countries they’re posted into and then
countries they’re posted into and then the best way they do this is by becoming
the best way they do this is by becoming
the best way they do this is by becoming active listeners ways that you all can
active listeners ways that you all can
active listeners ways that you all can become active listeners is by learning
become active listeners is by learning
become active listeners is by learning not to listen to obtain information
not to listen to obtain information
not to listen to obtain information learn now to listen to learn and learn
learn now to listen to learn and learn
learn now to listen to learn and learn not to listen to understand I learned
not to listen to understand I learned
not to listen to understand I learned this lesson at the age of 20 when I
this lesson at the age of 20 when I
this lesson at the age of 20 when I found myself lost in Greece it was a
found myself lost in Greece it was a
found myself lost in Greece it was a group trip a couple of my friends and I
group trip a couple of my friends and I
group trip a couple of my friends and I at somehow managed to get lost and we
at somehow managed to get lost and we
at somehow managed to get lost and we found ourselves in the position where we
found ourselves in the position where we
found ourselves in the position where we were in a foreign country and didn’t
were in a foreign country and didn’t
were in a foreign country and didn’t speak a word of Greek and so in a
speak a word of Greek and so in a
speak a word of Greek and so in a frantic attempt to reconnect with the
frantic attempt to reconnect with the
frantic attempt to reconnect with the rest of our party we started to approach
rest of our party we started to approach
rest of our party we started to approach the locals and we used the combination
the locals and we used the combination
the locals and we used the combination of English Spanish sign language in
of English Spanish sign language in
of English Spanish sign language in French whatever we could piece together
French whatever we could piece together
French whatever we could piece together to try and communicate to them and we
to try and communicate to them and we
to try and communicate to them and we approached the locals and we
approached the locals and we
approached the locals and we would engage with them and this went on
would engage with them and this went on
would engage with them and this went on for about 20 minutes before we realized
for about 20 minutes before we realized
for about 20 minutes before we realized that we weren’t actually listening to
that we weren’t actually listening to
that we weren’t actually listening to them we were more focused on whether we
them we were more focused on whether we
them we were more focused on whether we were being understood and so after about
were being understood and so after about
were being understood and so after about 20 minutes we realized that we should
20 minutes we realized that we should
20 minutes we realized that we should change our approach and so we started to
change our approach and so we started to
change our approach and so we started to observe the body language and read
observe the body language and read
observe the body language and read between the lines if you will and pretty
between the lines if you will and pretty
between the lines if you will and pretty soon we were able to get to a final
soon we were able to get to a final
soon we were able to get to a final destination and the key takeaway for
destination and the key takeaway for
destination and the key takeaway for from this experience for me was that it
from this experience for me was that it
from this experience for me was that it takes an insane amount of concentration
takes an insane amount of concentration
takes an insane amount of concentration and determination to become an active
and determination to become an active
and determination to become an active listener you have to remind yourself
listener you have to remind yourself
listener you have to remind yourself that the goal is to understand what the
that the goal is to understand what the
that the goal is to understand what the other person is saying and so be
other person is saying and so be
other person is saying and so be deliberate with your listening
deliberate with your listening
deliberate with your listening paraphrase ask questions paraphrase back
paraphrase ask questions paraphrase back
paraphrase ask questions paraphrase back to them if you will to make sure that
to them if you will to make sure that
to them if you will to make sure that there is a mutual level of understanding
there is a mutual level of understanding
there is a mutual level of understanding because if you don’t you find that
because if you don’t you find that
because if you don’t you find that whatever you’re saying and whatever the
whatever you’re saying and whatever the
whatever you’re saying and whatever the other person is saying are amazingly
other person is saying are amazingly
other person is saying are amazingly different understand the differences
different understand the differences
different understand the differences around you and find the commonalities
around you and find the commonalities
around you and find the commonalities that exist within them the third way to
that exist within them the third way to
that exist within them the third way to embrace the arts of diplomacy wish to
embrace the arts of diplomacy wish to
embrace the arts of diplomacy wish to become an active member of your
become an active member of your
become an active member of your community whether you go to school
community whether you go to school
community whether you go to school whether you go to work or whether you
whether you go to work or whether you
whether you go to work or whether you live in a different neighborhood ensure
live in a different neighborhood ensure
live in a different neighborhood ensure that you become an inactive member of
that you become an inactive member of
that you become an inactive member of this community I’ll use diplomats to
this community I’ll use diplomats to
this community I’ll use diplomats to illustrate this example diplomats when
illustrate this example diplomats when
illustrate this example diplomats when they’re posted out into a new country
they’re posted out into a new country
they’re posted out into a new country they understand they are the
they understand they are the
they understand they are the representatives of the heads of state of
representatives of the heads of state of
representatives of the heads of state of the country and so they must have a firm
the country and so they must have a firm
the country and so they must have a firm grasp of the politics the geography the
grasp of the politics the geography the
grasp of the politics the geography the economics of the new environment and so
economics of the new environment and so
economics of the new environment and so I ask you do you have a firm grasp of
I ask you do you have a firm grasp of
I ask you do you have a firm grasp of the politics of the economics of the
the politics of the economics of the
the politics of the economics of the geography of your current environment if
geography of your current environment if
geography of your current environment if the answer to that question is no I’d
the answer to that question is no I’d
the answer to that question is no I’d encourage you to start because it’s
encourage you to start because it’s
encourage you to start because it’s important for us to understand how the
important for us to understand how the
important for us to understand how the same set of rules affects different set
same set of rules affects different set
same set of rules affects different set of people the reason why this is
of people the reason why this is
of people the reason why this is important because this widens
important because this widens
important because this widens spective and allows you to see things
spective and allows you to see things
spective and allows you to see things from different lenses you see things
from different lenses you see things
from different lenses you see things from different lenses you’re able to
from different lenses you’re able to
from different lenses you’re able to solve a problem that you might not have
solve a problem that you might not have
solve a problem that you might not have been privy to before you’re able to
been privy to before you’re able to
been privy to before you’re able to approach a problem with much more
approach a problem with much more
approach a problem with much more understanding now once you’ve embedded
understanding now once you’ve embedded
understanding now once you’ve embedded yourself in this community and you’ve
yourself in this community and you’ve
yourself in this community and you’ve understood your community I would
understood your community I would
understood your community I would encourage you to expand your committee
encourage you to expand your committee
encourage you to expand your committee and seek to understand that as well I
and seek to understand that as well I
and seek to understand that as well I got my start in this in eighth grade
got my start in this in eighth grade
got my start in this in eighth grade when mrs. McDonald came in one morning
when mrs. McDonald came in one morning
when mrs. McDonald came in one morning and scrapped what we were supposed to do
and scrapped what we were supposed to do
and scrapped what we were supposed to do that day and said you all are going to
that day and said you all are going to
that day and said you all are going to learn every single country in capital of
learn every single country in capital of
learn every single country in capital of the world and I’m going to add bodies of
the world and I’m going to add bodies of
the world and I’m going to add bodies of waters to that that will be your final
waters to that that will be your final
waters to that that will be your final exam now she said that she was making
exam now she said that she was making
exam now she said that she was making sure we did this because it allowed us
sure we did this because it allowed us
sure we did this because it allowed us to connect what we heard that the news
to connect what we heard that the news
to connect what we heard that the news to places in the world and allowed us to
to places in the world and allowed us to
to places in the world and allowed us to see that the world is much more
see that the world is much more
see that the world is much more connected than we initially thought you
connected than we initially thought you
connected than we initially thought you see the lesson that she was trying to
see the lesson that she was trying to
see the lesson that she was trying to tell us was what my dad was trying to
tell us was what my dad was trying to
tell us was what my dad was trying to tell me at a 7 years old who world’s
tell me at a 7 years old who world’s
tell me at a 7 years old who world’s bigger than you and if you wanted to
bigger than you and if you wanted to
bigger than you and if you wanted to succeed in it you have to understand it
succeed in it you have to understand it
succeed in it you have to understand it so I wanted you all to do the same thing
so I wanted you all to do the same thing
so I wanted you all to do the same thing I understand the geography of the world
I understand the geography of the world
I understand the geography of the world but don’t just stop there
but don’t just stop there
but don’t just stop there travel more embed yourself in this new
travel more embed yourself in this new
travel more embed yourself in this new environments and if you at work join an
environments and if you at work join an
environments and if you at work join an affinity group that has nothing to do
affinity group that has nothing to do
affinity group that has nothing to do with you if you’re at school
with you if you’re at school
with you if you’re at school join a school club that has nothing to
join a school club that has nothing to
join a school club that has nothing to do with you constantly put yourself in a
do with you constantly put yourself in a
do with you constantly put yourself in a place where you are the different one so
place where you are the different one so
place where you are the different one so that you can learn how much bigger the
that you can learn how much bigger the
that you can learn how much bigger the world is than you understand the
world is than you understand the
world is than you understand the differences around you and find the
differences around you and find the
differences around you and find the commonalities that exist within them a
commonalities that exist within them a
commonalities that exist within them a lot of today’s problems are caused
lot of today’s problems are caused
lot of today’s problems are caused because of people’s unwillingness to
because of people’s unwillingness to
because of people’s unwillingness to accept change whether it’s due to race
accept change whether it’s due to race
accept change whether it’s due to race gender orientation or ethnic background
gender orientation or ethnic background
gender orientation or ethnic background but I believe if we tap into our inner
but I believe if we tap into our inner
but I believe if we tap into our inner diplomacy we can learn how to come
diplomacy we can learn how to come
diplomacy we can learn how to come together as one
seek to understand more because the less
seek to understand more because the less you understand the more you fear and the
you understand the more you fear and the
you understand the more you fear and the more afraid that you are the more
more afraid that you are the more
more afraid that you are the more dangerous you become and to expose
dangerous you become and to expose
dangerous you become and to expose yourself to new environments explore
yourself to new environments explore
yourself to new environments explore your curiosity and be in a state of
your curiosity and be in a state of
your curiosity and be in a state of constant learning because this is the
constant learning because this is the
constant learning because this is the best way that you can build empathy
best way that you can build empathy
best way that you can build empathy tolerance and acceptance collect and
tolerance and acceptance collect and
tolerance and acceptance collect and gather information become an active
gather information become an active
gather information become an active listener and be part of your community
listener and be part of your community
listener and be part of your community so that you can embrace the art of
so that you can embrace the art of
so that you can embrace the art of diplomacy thank you very much
diplomacy thank you very much
diplomacy thank you very much [Applause]
”
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