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Dear Friends,
Next week will mark the 130th running of the Boston Marathon, one of Boston’s most cherished traditions and one of the world’s most iconic sporting events. Eighty years ago, at the 50th running of the race in 1946, Stylianos “Stelios” Kyriakides gave the Marathon one of its most enduring legacies — and, in doing so, offered a powerful example of how sport can inspire action far beyond the 26.2-mile course itself.
Kyriakides, a Greek runner from Cyprus, arrived in Boston carrying far more than personal ambition. Greece was emerging from war, occupation, and profound hardship, and he ran with the suffering of the Greek people very much in mind. His victory captured attention not only because of the remarkable race he ran, but because of what his story came to represent. The humanitarian support that followed became known as the “Package Kyriakides,” a striking reminder that sport can move people not only to cheer, but to respond — building bridges between communities and helping galvanize compassion, solidarity, and international action.
That same potential remains very much alive today. At its best, sport creates a shared language across borders. It brings people together, deepens understanding, and opens the door to relationships that might not otherwise take shape. For WorldBoston, that is what makes sports diplomacy so compelling: the ability of athletic events and the communities around them to foster meaningful exchange, enduring partnership, and real human connection.
That spirit will be at the heart of our 9th annual marquee public program on April 29th, Diplomacy Now: Advancing Global Connection through Sport. One of the evening’s highlights will be a fireside chat with Dave Fortier, a survivor of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing and founder of One World Strong Foundation. Dave’s story begins in Boston, but it does not end here. What emerged from profound personal impact became a global mission to support survivors of civilian mass casualty events in other countries, most notably in Ukraine. Through connections grown from seed by engagement with WorldBoston's visiting international delegations, Dave's work has grown into a powerful example of how the bonds formed around sport can lead to healing, service, and global impact.
And this Marathon season, that mission comes even closer to home. Next Monday, WorldBoston’s own Elena Castellini will run her first Boston Marathon in support of One World Strong. Elena serves as our Citizen Diplomacy Associate, programming the very same program that helped spark the international relationships that enabled Dave to expand One World Strong’s reach beyond Boston. We are proud to cheer her on (quite literally) as she takes on this extraordinary challenge in support of a cause so closely connected to WorldBoston’s mission. We hope you are as well. (If you'd like to contribute to One World Strong on Elena’s behalf, click here.)
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Sarah Sibley
President & COO
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WorldBoston is excited to announce our Ambassador Circle. The Ambassador Circle is a curated network of former career U.S. ambassadors who bring diplomatic experience and global perspective to the organization’s work. The Circle enhances WorldBoston’s role as a platform for high-level international dialogue, offering access to experienced voices across geopolitical regions and specific issue areas.
The Circle is anchored by WorldBoston’s inaugural Ambassador-in-Residence, Mark Libby, who serves as the central point of coordination—convening members for select engagements, activating the network in response to emerging global issues, and integrating deep diplomatic and ambassadorial expertise into WorldBoston’s programming. Through this structure, the Ambassador Circle enables a more responsive, elevated, and connected approach to international engagement, reinforcing WorldBoston’s position as a trusted regional convener at the intersection of diplomacy, policy, and civic life.
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This month, WorldBoston welcomes Ellen Murphy to WorldBoston's Board of Directors. The entire WorldBoston team looks forward to working with Ellen.
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This month, WorldBoston welcomes Madeline Marsh as WorldBoston's inaugural Sports Diplomacy Fellow. Madeline previously served in the Outreach Associate role at WorldBoston as a Northeastern Co-Op.
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At WorldBoston’s 19th Annual John Carlson Academic WorldQuest Competition, 16 teams from across Massachusetts put their global knowledge to the test—demonstrating curiosity, critical thinking, and a deep interest in international affairs.
Wellesley High School emerged as this year’s champion, earning an impressive 75 out of 100 points and securing their place on the national stage.
Next, they’ll travel to Washington, D.C. to represent the Commonwealth at the National Academic WorldQuest Competition—competing alongside top students from across the country.
WorldBoston is proud to support Wellesley’s journey by covering travel and lodging costs, and this year we hope to expand the scope of their visit to Washington D.C. by providing the winning team with a curated international relations study visit, introducing Massachusetts students to professionals in diplomacy and international policy. And to do this we need your help!
By giving today you will help foster the next generation of globally minded leaders.
If you believe in the power of global education, please consider making a donation.
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This month, we have two more Global Engagement events for the Greater Boston community. As always, our events are free and open to the public. We encourage you to join whether in-person or virtually, and to help us spread the word!
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Join WorldBoston for our next Chat & Chowder featuring Samuel A. Worthington, Senior Fellow at Forus and former President & CEO of InterAction, the leading convener of the U.S. international NGO sector. Drawing on decades of leadership experience, Sam will discuss his new book, “Prisoners of Hope: Global Action and the Evolving Role of U.S. NGOs,” and share insights on the future of international development, humanitarian action, and global civil society.
Together, we’ll explore how international NGOs can strengthen partnerships with local organizations, support community-based leadership, and remain effective in complex global environments.
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Join WorldBoston for our annual Diplomacy Now program – focused this year on the power of sports in diplomacy, called Advancing Global Connection Through Sport.
WorldBoston’s signature public program will be a high-level opportunity to consider American diplomacy in our current global context. With the United States’ status as one of the host countries for the 2026 FIFA World Cup this summer and the future host of the 2028 Olympics, sports diplomacy has become increasingly relevant in American foreign policy. This year's program will look into how sports strengthens international relationships, advances cultural understanding, and connects America with the rest of the world.
Diplomacy Now will feature a fireside chat on the topic of “U.S. Sports Diplomacy Abroad” with Mark Libby, U.S. Ambassador (ret.) to Azerbaijan, Sally Roberts, U.S. Sports Envoy and Co-Founder and CEO of Wrestle Like A Girl, and moderated by Cody Damon, WorldBoston Sports Diplomacy Envoy. This event will also feture a fireside chat on the topic of “Localizing Sports Diplomacy in Boston” with Dave Fortier, Founder and President of the One World Strong Foundation, and Sarah Sibley, WorldBoston's President & COO. And we are happy to announce that joining us as keynote speaker is Shannon Sprenger, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Professional and Cultural Exchanges in the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
Taking place in Rabb Hall of the Boston Public Library, this event is free and open to the public and invites a broad audience into an engaging and timely conversation at the intersection of sports and global engagement.
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Citizen Diplomacy Highlight
To close out a busy March, WorldBoston hosted a group of visitors from Guatemala for an International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) centered around Combating Corruption and Money Laundering.
This group met with the Global Head of Financial Crimes and Anti-Money Laundering/Countering the Financing of Terrorism at State Street. The group also met with Morgan Stanley to discuss best practices for working with regulators and the governmental and independent bodies that set standards for fair business operation.
After these meetings, the discussions pivoted to ensuring compliance for current and future requirements at Bernstein Private Wealth Management. The following day started with meeting a criminal justice professor at Northeastern, who spoke on trade flows, sanctions, informal fund transfers, and financial regulation. To conclude the program, the group met with Santander Bank, who shared more on the evolution of U.S. anti-money laundering legislation and regulations, and how that impacts bank operations.
To experience the cultural side of our community, the group spent a few hours enjoying the Museum of Fine Arts and then were hosted by two different local hosts for an informal meal and opportunity for cultural exchange as part of the Dinner Diplomacy events that WorldBoston organizes.
Interested in bringing a group to Boston on a related topic? Reach out to Director of Citizen Diplomacy Programs Justin Dynia (jdynia@worldboston.org) to learn more information.
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This month, WorldBoston welcomes four groups to Eastern Massachusetts through the International Leadership Visitor Program (IVLP).
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In March, WorldBoston hosted a program titled “Regional Cybersecurity Fellowship Program,” bringing four women mid-to senior-level experts from Serbia, Moldova, North Macedonia, and Kosovo to Boston for three weeks. Over the course of their program, the cohort strengthened their technical skills, explored U.S. cybersecurity policy and regulatory frameworks, and engaged in hands-on mentorships with local leaders in areas including incident response, digital resilience, workforce training, and CISA policy.
Mentorships with cybersecurity organizations allowed fellows to receive direct one-on-one guidance from leaders in the field in the Greater Boston area. Thank you to the Tufts Cybersecurity Center for the Public Good, Squire Patton Boggs, and Per Scholas for sharing their time to provide fellows with valuable insights and support their promising capstone projects. Fellows will be presenting their independent capstone research projects in Romania later this spring.
During their time in Boston, fellows also met with the Director of the Rafik B. Hariri Institute – Boston University, the Chief Digital Officer of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, attended and presented at Venture Cafe at the Cambridge Innovation Center, enjoyed museums and a guided tour of the Massachusetts State House, and were welcomed for dinner diplomacy by a WorldBoston board member and WorldBoston executive leadership.
A special shoutout to the team at McDermott Will & Schulte for hosting a phenomenal networking session for the fellows and two follow up meetings which explored their unique interests and capstone ambitions. WorldBoston looks forward to continue facilitating connections between international visitors and cybersecurity experts in Boston.
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Asterisks indicate first-time sponsors to WorldBoston.
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