Please join us for a conversation with French diplomat Gérard Araud, who since 2014 has served as Ambassador of France to the United States. Only two months into the job, Vogue reported that Araud made a splash in Washington’s formal social circles with his forthrightness and fiery Twitter feed, adding that “adhering to political correctness isn’t Araud’s style.” During his more than thirty-year career in diplomacy, Araud has served as France’s ambassador to Israel, a Middle East expert for the French Embassy in DC and as permanent representative to the United Nations in New York. Over the course of his career, he has developed specialized knowledge in two key areas: the Middle East and strategic and security issues, having also served as the French negotiator on the Iranian nuclear issue from 2006 – 2009. Araud will discuss his rich diplomatic career, including his unconventional approach, and opportunities for academic collaboration between the university and France. Araud is France’s first openly gay ambassador.
Lunch will be provided.