This past Thursday, I had the honor of meeting Ambassador James Zumwalt, the guest speaker for the International Affairs Forum October event, and viewing his presentation in NMCs Miliken auditorium free of charge. Our student committee had the privilege of meeting with the Ambassador prior to his presentation, where he explained to us the challenges and great experiences he has encountered in his career involving international relations, and was kind enough to provide insight as to what qualifications would be needed and sought after for those of us who aspire to pursue similar career paths.

Throughout his presentation, Ambassador Zumwalt drew upon his many years of diplomatic experience with America’s closest Asian ally Japan, to describe to the audience the very close and mutually beneficial relationship between the two nations. As an individual with limited perspective on such matters, I was grateful for the opportunity to learn some of the many complex components of foreign relations, and the great benefits that diplomacy creates. The Ambassador’s presentation inspired comradery and peace, and enlightened me as well as hopefully many others to the concept of how two countries both embodying vastly different cultures and histories, can forge an alliance that promotes the common goals of amity, and unity.

This past Thursday, attendees at the International Affairs Forum were reminded just how interconnected our world is today, and how important allies are. Ambassador Zumwalt, who has represented the United States in Senegal, Guinea Bissau, and Japan over his long diplomatic career, gave the crowd a small taste of the true extent of the ongoing U.S. - Japanese alliance. This diplomatic friendship our country has with Japan, which has been continuous following the second World War, provides many benefits to both parties. From our prosperous trade relationship to the enhanced military presence the United States has in the Southeast Pacific, Japan is an invaluable ally to the United States.

The value of our partnership isn’t only seen in the tangible exchange of goods however. Japan, as Ambassador Zumwalt pointed out, is one of the most diplomatically savvy nations in the world. Having a skilled ally who can promote the United States and our interests when we aren’t there to do so ourselves is invaluable. Whether we care to admit it or not, we live in a globally connected world. If the United States wishes to remain a powerful actor on the global stage, we must focus on forging strong alliances with friendly countries instead of cutting ties with the world and attempting to do everything ourselves.

As a student of NMC, I was fortunate enough to attend a forum discussion with the distinguished diplomat Hatem Atallah at our very own Milliken Auditorium, free of charge. Mr. Atallah, the former ambassador from Tunisia to the United States and many other countries, came to NMC to talk about his firsthand experience of the Arab Spring, and more precisely the “Tunisian Spring”, that occurred close to a decade ago. Mr. Atallah went over the history of Tunisia, the general political climate that led to such unrest in his country, the process Tunisia went through to transition into a democratic nation, and finally the troubles the Tunisian people face today.

Throughout the entire forum, Mr. Atallah spoke very eloquently about an incredibly complex and ongoing issue. As someone with limited knowledge of the Arab Spring going into this forum, I came away feeling far more educated. And while the ambassador would be among the first to inform you of the myriad of issues Tunisia still faces, he also left me feeling incredibly impressed with how far they’ve come, and optimistic about the future of the country. One of the most impactful sentiments I left with was the idea that youth need to become more engaged in politics, from voting to actual policy making. He brought great attention to the fact that the uprising his country went through was all youth led and organized. With the new government in its infancy, Mr. Atallah feels it is critical to engage the youth and give them a seat at the table. Or as he humorously opined, “like drivers ed," adults need to move to the passenger seat and let the youth drive, only stepping in when we’re about to drive into a wall.