The American Foreign Service Association established its award for Lifetime Contributions to American Diplomacy in 1995.  The award honors those who have made extraordinary contributions to diplomacy over a period of many years.  By giving this high-profile award, AFSA also seeks to bring greater recognition to its other awards, including its unique annual awards for constructive dissent.  Candidates are proposed by AFSA’s Awards and Plaque Committee.  The AFSA Governing Board makes the final decision. 

Originally, there were no criteria beyond those implied by the award’s name.  In 2009, the AFSA Governing Board specified that “lifetime” means at least a decade of service to diplomacy, ideally including continuing involvement after retirement.  The contributions should include involvement in foreign policy development and/or implementation as well as efforts that advance the diplomatic profession.  Recipients will normally be career diplomats, but may include other individuals in exceptional cases.  Recipients must attend the annual AFSA awards ceremony.

The presentation takes place during AFSA’s annual Awards Ceremony in June in the Benjamin Franklin Diplomatic Room of the State Department.  The Secretary of State is invited to present this award.  If the Secretary is unable to attend, a distinguished individual who has worked with the recipient is asked to present the award.  Colin Powell presented the award to Thomas Pickering and to George Shultz; Elliot Richardson presented the award to Frank Carlucci; Mr. Carlucci presented it to Lee Hamilton; Robert Zoellick presented it to Richard Lugar; Senator Lugar presented to award to Senator Nunn; and Lawrence Eagleburger presented the award to Joan Clark.  Honorees are presented with a framed certificate.

For information on these awards, please contact AFSA's Coordinator for Special Awards and Outreach, Perri Green, at green@afsa.org or 202-719-9700.