The Dartmouth Club of Washington presented today the 28th annual Daniel Webster Award to Ambassador Francis J. Ricciardone (’73), former US Ambassador to Egypt, the Philippines and Palau, and Turkey.
Ambassador Ricciardone is currently Vice President of the Atlantic Council, which promotes constructive leadership and engagement in international affairs, and Director of the Council’s Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East, one of the leading institutions addressing the issues of the Middle East’s current transitions and upheavals.
The Dartmouth Club of Washington presents the award annually to an alumnus who has performed distinguished public service. The award was presented at a formal dinner at the historic Whittemore House near Dupont Circle.
Ambassador Ricciardone is known for taking on leadership roles in critical global affairs challenges and emergencies. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called him back to the Service from the US Institute of Peace at the outset of the Obama administration to take charge of the US Embassy in Afghanistan for the civilian and military surge. Secretary Madeleine Albright and Secretary Colin Powell conferred other special assignments.
He is known for taking on leadership roles in critical global affairs challenges and emergencies, including taking charge of the US Embassy in Afghanistan for the civilian and military surge, working with the Iraqi opposition to Saddam Hussein as Special Coordinator for the Transition of Iraq, and leading the Department of State’s post-9/11 Task Force on the Coalition Against Terrorism. He also served in multinational military deployments, working with Egyptian and Israeli forces in the Sinai Desert, and as adviser to US and Turkish generals commanding operations in northern Iraq during Operation Provide Comfort to defend Kurds in the aftermath of the Persian Gulf War.
Dartmouth Professor John Rassias, former chair of the French and Italian Department, joined in presenting the award. At Dartmouth, Rassias was a mentor for Ricciardone, who served as a teaching assistant for French and Italian classes. Following graduation from Dartmouth, Ricciardone was a Fulbright scholar, taught school in Tehran, Iran, and traveled widely in Asia, Europe and the Middle East, before entering the Foreign Service in 1978. He speaks Italian, Turkish, Arabic and French.
For more information, please contact press@atlanticcouncil.org.