Embassy press attaché mixer highlights International Correspondents Committee agenda

The National Press Club International Correspondents Committee has launched an ambitious new agenda to build relationships with the Washington embassy community.

The highlight of the committee’s effort this fall was the Club’s first-ever reception for embassy press attaches, which was held Oct. 14 in the First Amendment Lounge.

The Club wants to “provide attaches with mechanisms to more effectively communicate their countries’ bilateral and multilateral agendas here in the United States and globally,” said Club President Lisa Nicole Matthews. “We are here to support them and their countries.” 

Former Club Presidents Jeff Ballou and Myron Belkind joined Matthews in hosting the reception, which drew representatives from 26 embassies. The event provided them an opportunity to get to know Club journalist and communicator members.

The ICC sponsors cultural activities that showcase international leaders and journalists to strengthen the relationship between the Club and the international community. Nearly 200 countries have foreign missions in Washington that include embassies, ambassadors’ residences and international cultural centers. 

The ICC’s plans to build a bridge to the press attaché community were sidelined by the coronavirus pandemic for two years, as the team waited for in-person events to resume.  

Jan Du Plain, an ICC member and event chair, continued to build the program during the pandemic with ICC co-chairs Elizabeth Hagedorn and Carmen Russell. Others who helped lead the October event included ICC members Claude Porsella, Aileen Roberta Schlef, Dan Macy and Omar Archer as well as Club Marketing Communications Director Kaitlyn Cotter. 

The committee is continuing to meet with embassy attaches to build its agenda. It will soon  recruit new members to participate.