America Abroad Media (AAM) brought together some 200 diplomats, lawmakers, journalists and entertainment executives for its 13th annual awards dinner Oct. 19 at Washington’s Fairmont Hotel.
The evening honored Saudi filmmaker, actress and writer Fatima AlBanawi; historian, author and documentary host Sir Niall Ferguson; UAE-based technology company G42 and the Bee:wild initiative and documentary; and Netflix’s acclaimed series The Diplomat.
PBS NewsHour White House correspondent Liz Landers served as master of ceremonies.
AAM Founder and President Aaron Lobel noted his nonprofit’s goal is to “empower local voices and support media and creative content that informs, educates and connects audiences across cultures.”
Business leader and philanthropist Adrienne Arsht presented the first AAM Award of the evening to AlBanawi as a pioneering creative voice whose work predates the recent growth of Saudi Arabia’s film industry.
“Long before the opening of commercial cinemas in the Kingdom, she was telling authentic stories rooted in Saudi society, establishing herself as a pioneering voice in the country’s creative landscape,” Arsht said. “Throughout her career, Fatima has been deeply committed to elevating women’s voices and experiences.”
In a video shown during the presentation, AlBanawi described the purpose at the heart of her work: “I would aspire to always connect humans through storytelling, to share our experiences in owning our narratives and our imperfect moments.”
AlBanawi was recognized for a body of work that includes Barakah Meets Barakah and Basma, which she wrote, directed and starred in, as well as her broader work across film, performance and visual storytelling. Unable to attend in person, AlBanawi’s award was accepted by Fatimah Baeshen, senior adviser to Princess Reema bint Bandar Al Saud, her country’s ambassador in Washington.
Elliott Abrams, former US deputy national security advisor, presented Ferguson the AAM Award, praising his ability to bring history, economics and global affairs to audiences far beyond academia.
“Niall Ferguson’s contribution of learning, of insight, of common sense, leavened with a deep knowledge of history, is invaluable,” Abrams said. “His documentaries, his podcasts and, of course, his writings—long and short—enrich our discussion of the fateful challenges we face.”
Accepting the award, Ferguson warned about declining historical knowledge and underscored his continued belief in the ability of ideas and history to shape public life.
“I continue to believe…that ideas can transform the world,” he said. Despite the challenges of engaging in historical debate across TV, podcasts, newspapers and books, he added, “Nevertheless, I shall continue, even in old age, to do those things.”
Ferguson won recognition for his work as one of the world’s leading public historians and for documentary series including The Ascent of Money, Empire and Civilization: Is the West History?
Former senior White House official Brett McGurk presented the AAM Award to G42 and Bee:wild.
“Bees help sustain life on our planet,” he said, pointing to G42’s use of “AI to help scientists and conservationists sustain this critical pollinator population.”
Accepting the award on behalf of G42, Marty Edelman said: “In a world where people are afraid of AI, it’s important to realize that AI can actually have value for things other than large language models.”
Added Eva Kruse, co-founder and executive director of Bee:wild: “Without bees, none of us are here. They underpin all of the ecosystems we all depend on. They need all of us, and they need all the technologies and everything that we have at hand.”
The Bee:wild initiative combines AI, conservation science and storytelling to build awareness of the critical role pollinators play in biodiversity and global food systems.
The evening concluded with AAM’s award to Netflix’s acclaimed series The Diplomat, presented by Ambassador James Jeffrey—former US ambassador to Iraq and Turkey—and former State Department spokesperson and senior US official Morgan Ortagus, with special remarks by video from former CIA Director and Deputy Secretary of State Ambassador William J. Burns.
Jeffrey praised the series for showing not only what diplomacy accomplishes, but the people responsible for carrying it out.
“It not only brings home how foreign policy is done,” Jeffrey said of The Diplomat, “but also describes not just what is done in diplomacy and international relations, but how and who does it.”
Burns discussed the series’ relevance at a consequential time in international affairs.
“I can’t think of a moment when diplomacy mattered more than it does today, on an international landscape that’s more crowded, more contested, more combustible than any I’ve ever seen,” Burns said. “I also can’t think of a TV series or a film which does a better job than The Diplomat does of bringing diplomacy to life, with all of its pressures and its personalities and its hard choices and its occasional absurdities.”
Ortagus highlighted the series’ portrayal of women in senior foreign policy positions and the personal realities behind positions of power.
“I, for one, am proud that this series captures the humanity behind the woman in charge that the public so often forgets about,” Ortagus said. “The work may be twice as hard for us ladies, but the future of female diplomats coming behind us is bright.”
The award was accepted by The Diplomat creator and showrunner Debora Cahn, executive producer Janice Williams, and cast members Ali Ahn and Ato Essandoh.
Cahn reflected on the relationship between storytelling, public service and the US role in the world.
“One of our greatest resources is the story of this country,” Cahn said.
She explained that the series grew in part from conversations with veteran diplomat Ambassador Beth Jones, whose experiences inspired the creative team to tell stories about the largely unseen work of American diplomats.
“We called her a superhero in a pantsuit,” Cahn said, “and we made a show about her because it seemed like a good idea to make a funny show about decent people who did cool things that nobody knew about.”
Cahn also thanked AAM for recognizing the role storytelling can play in public life, telling Lobel: “Thank you…for not just helping to keep alive the idea of this country, but for sharing the weapon that is storytelling around the world.”
AAM honorees include Mathias Döpfner, Bela Bajaria, Kathryn Bigelow, Paul Greengrass, the films Argo and Contagion, the series Homeland, Egyptian actress Yousra, Princess Rym Ali of Jordan, and Oscar-nominated Lebanese director Ziad Doueiri.
All photos courtesy of Tony Powell.
