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WASHINGTON, D.C. — More than 800 top military, business, faith, non-profit, and policy leaders gathered tonight in Washington D.C. to honor Ambassador Mark Green, Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Chairman Ed Royce (R-CA) alongside a tribute to the life and legacy of President George H.W. Bush.

The USGLC’s Annual Tribute Dinner brings together members of the foreign policy and international development community to honor outstanding champions of American global leadership. Tonight’s dinner was co-chaired by Michael Crow, President of Arizona State University, and David S. Taylor, President & CEO of Procter & Gamble.

The night was also a special celebration of America’s diplomats, development professionals, and Peace Corps volunteers who work to promote American values and interests abroad.

Ambassador Mark Green has long been a forceful advocate for America’s civilian tools of development and diplomacy, having served as a four-term congressman for Wisconsin’s 8^th district, U.S. Ambassador to Tanzania (2007-2009), and now as the 18^th USAID Administrator.

“Our approach—the American approach—moves countries from being recipients to partners to fellow donors,” said Ambassador Green. “It’s based upon the notion of a hand up, not a hand out. It helps position countries to grasp their own future.”

The USGLC also paid tribute to Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Co-Chair of the Senate Foreign Service Caucus and a steadfast champion of America’s global leadership. Throughout his tenure in Congress as a staffer, congressman and senator, he has championed America’s frontline of foreign policy – our nation’s diplomats and development professionals.

“As we pursue our values [abroad], it also reinforces our interests around the world: rule of law and making sure we have more freedom and opportunities for people around the world,” said Senator Van Hollen. “That’s good for America and that’s good for the world.”

Marking his more than 25 years of service in the U.S. Congress, Chairman Ed Royce (R-CA) was honored with the USGLC’s Lifetime Achievement Award for his leadership of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and unwavering bipartisan commitment to global development as an essential component of U.S. foreign policy and national security.

“It is so essential that we keep focus on our foreign policy engagement and U.S. leadership around the world,” said Chairman Royce. “We have seen what the world looks like without U.S. leadership. We have to lead.”

Also featured in tonight’s Tribute Dinner was Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI); Ambassador Barbara Stephenson; Michelle Nunn, President & CEO of CARE International; Ambassador Karl Hofmann, President & CEO of PSI; Sarah Thorn, Senior Director, Global Government Affairs, Walmart; Bill Lane, Executive Director of Trade for America; Michelle Kosinski, Senior Diplomatic Correspondent for CNN; Tony Sanneh, U.S. Department of State Sports Envoy; Freedom’s Boombox, part of the State Department’s American Music Abroad program; and Lt. General Kip Ward.

Top Quotes from the USGLC’s 2018 Tribute Dinner:

“At P&G, we believe that in order for the U.S. to stay competitive in the world, we need to be engaged and we need to invest in promoting global stability and creating new markets — this creates positive economic outcomes locally and here at home.” – David S. Taylor, President & CEO of Procter & Gamble 

“We are deeply committed to what we call ‘global engagement’ and deeply committed to the ideals of our democracy. We are tremendously excited…to be a part of helping the American ideal move forward with all the talent that we have.” – Michael Crow, President of Arizona State University

“Culture, sports, and music can build relationships even in some of the toughest parts of the world. As a Sports Envoy… I worked with youth from underserved areas – youth that are often looking for opportunities to engage when they don’t always have the educational and economic opportunities that we do. I did so sharing our American values which I still hold true to be based on respect, inclusion and opportunity.” – Tony Sanneh, U.S. Department of State Sports Envoy

“The USGLC is so proud to host tonight’s celebration of so many in this room and across the world – some of our most treasured public servants: America’s diplomats and development professionals. We salute their courage, character and commitment to building a better, safer world.” – Liz Schrayer, USGLC President and CEO