Benjamin Franklin Award for Public Diplomacy is an American

award An award, sometimes called a distinction, is something given to a recipient as a token of recognition of excellence in a certain field. When the token is a medal, ribbon or other item designed for wearing, it is known as a decoration. An awar ...

by the

United States Department of State The United States Department of State (DOS), or State Department, is an executive department of the U.S. federal government responsible for the country's foreign policy and relations. Equivalent to the ministry of foreign affairs of other n ...

which recognizes individuals, foundations, associations, and corporations that actively contribute to advancing America's ideals around the globe through public diplomacy. The award is named in honor of

Benjamin Franklin Benjamin Franklin ( April 17, 1790) was an American polymath who was active as a writer, scientist, inventor, statesman, diplomat, printer, publisher, and political philosopher. Encyclopædia Britannica, Wood, 2021 Among the leading inte ...

because, as the nation's first envoy, he was "known for his creative ways of using culture, business and science to attract the attention of foreign audiences". The establishment of the award was announced by US Secretary of State

Condoleezza Rice Condoleezza Rice ( ; born November 14, 1954) is an American diplomat and political scientist who is the current director of the Hoover Institution at Stanford University. A member of the Republican Party, she previously served as the 66th Uni ...

in January 2007, as the most prestigious honor that the Department of State can bestow on U.S. citizens and non-governmental organizations, giving special emphasis to activities that: #provide hope and opportunities in the core areas of education, culture, and information #empower, educate, and inspire key audiences such as women, students, and educators #engage under-served communities and grassroots organizations.US Department of State: Benjamin Franklin Award for Public Diplomacy
/ref> The awards are presented in four categories: *Individuals *Corporations *Academic institutions (schools, universities, etc.) *Not-for-profit organizations (non-governmental organizations, foundations, associations, etc.)

Recipients

2016 * Individual Category Winner: Eric Treene,

Ehsan Zaffar Ehsan Zaffar is a civil rights advocate, educator and policymaker and the founder of the Los Angeles Mobile Legal Aid Clinic ( LAMLAC), which helped to pioneer the delivery of mobile legal care to vulnerable populations in California and across ...

, Catherine Newcombe – for their work on advancing religious freedom issues under

United Nations Human Rights Council The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), CDH is a United Nations body whose mission is to promote and protect human rights around the world. The Council has 47 members elected for staggered three-year terms on a regional group basis. ...

Resolution 16/18. ;2008 *Non-Profit Category Award Winner:

Search for Common Ground Searching or search may refer to: Computing technology * Search algorithm, including keyword search ** :Search algorithms * Search and optimization for problem solving in artificial intelligence * Search engine technology, software for findi ...

*Academic Category Award Winner:

University of Southern California The University of Southern California (USC, SC, or Southern Cal) is a Private university, private research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Founded in 1880 by Robert M. Widney, it is the oldest private research university in C ...

*Corporate Category Award Winner:

Johnson & Johnson Johnson & Johnson (J&J) is an American multinational corporation founded in 1886 that develops medical devices, pharmaceuticals, and consumer packaged goods. Its common stock is a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the company i ...

*Individual Category Award Winner:

Dave Brubeck David Warren Brubeck (; December 6, 1920 – December 5, 2012) was an American jazz pianist and composer. Often regarded as a foremost exponent of cool jazz, Brubeck's work is characterized by unusual time signatures and superimposing contrasti ...

References

{{reflist Awards and decorations of the United States Foreign Service

Recipients

See also

References