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In a time when turmoil and conflict dominate the headlines, it can be difficult to maintain belief in the often slow-moving process of diplomacy. Yet, diplomacy remains a critically important method for facing and overcoming the challenges facing the United States and the world. Diplomatic endeavors have a long history of successes, from the opening of China and the agreement to end the Vietnam War, to the Abraham Accords. How can today’s seemingly insurmountable struggles be softened or solved by negotiation? What lessons from the past can we apply to the present?

CCWA is honored to host Ambassador Stuart Eizenstat to share the lessons he has learned not just from studying modern diplomacy, but actively practicing it. As author of the new book, The Art of Diplomacy, Ambassador Eizenstat will draw upon his wealth of experience from his distinguished career in public service, as well as his numerous interviews with key figures in American diplomacy, to suggest a framework for the U.S. to conduct successful negotiations. Ambassador Eizenstat will provide a 360-degree view of international negotiations at the highest level, as he takes us behind-the-scenes of major international agreements from the Good Friday Agreement to the Kyoto Protocols and the Iranian Nuclear Accord.

Throughout his career in public service across six presidential administrations, Ambassador Stuart Eizenstat held a number of key senior positions, including U.S. Ambassador to the European Union, Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade, and Under Secretary of State for Economic, Business and Agricultural Affairs, among others. He served as Special Adviser on Holocaust-Era Issues to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Secretary of State John Kerry during the Obama Administration, and held positions on the Defense Policy Board for Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel and Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter. Currently, Ambassador Eizenstat is Senior Counsel in Covington & Burling LLP’s international practice, where he focuses on resolving international trade problems and business disputes with the U.S. and foreign governments.

He has written multiple books, including Imperfect Justice (2003), President Carter: The White House Years (2018), and most recently, The Art of Diplomacy (2024). Copies of The Art of Diplomacy will be available for purchase at the event.