Tammy Merryweather holds a candle as she attends a vigil to honor the life and repair of Marine Employees Sgt. Taylor Hoover, one of many 13 U.S. service members killed by the terrorist assault at Hamid Karzai Worldwide Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Sunday, Aug. 29, 2021, on the Capitol in Salt Lake Metropolis. Shafkat Anowar, Deseret Information
The final yr has put America’s overseas relations to the take a look at. The exit from Afghanistan resulted in over 700,000 internally displaced folks. Whereas U.S. sanctions have slowed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, they gained’t be the catalysts for ending the struggle. And it'll take time to totally perceive the end result of Pres. Biden’s current go to to Saudi Arabia.
Usually, many imagine that solely these in Washington, D.C., can advance U.S. overseas relations. However that's not true.
Individuals in Utah ought to care about overseas relations additionally. Worldwide companies help greater than 95,000 Utah jobs, we have now a big refugee group and greater than 120 languages are spoken in Utah each day.
Moreover, 1000's of individuals worldwide go to our state annually, assembly 1000's of Utahns alongside the way in which. Whereas some go to Utah as vacationers, others are invited by companies, authorities businesses, nonprofit organizations, faculties and non secular establishments to construct worldwide relations. These interactions dispel adverse stereotypes and foster mutual respect and understanding.
So the key sauce to Utah’s world connectivity is its folks. Everybody could be a Citizen Diplomat. Everybody has the suitable, even duty, to form U.S. overseas relations, and it’s executed one handshake at a time.
Felecia Maxfield-Barrett
Salt Lake Metropolis