BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//ChamberMaster//Event Calendar 2.0//EN METHOD:PUBLISH X-PUBLISHED-TTL:P1H REFRESH-INTERVAL:P1H CALSCALE:GREGORIAN BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/Los_Angeles BEGIN:DAYLIGHT RRULE:FREQ=YEARLY;BYMONTH=3;BYDAY=2SU DTSTART:20070101T000000 TZOFFSETFROM:-0800 TZOFFSETTO:-0700 TZNAME:Pacific Daylight Time END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD RRULE:FREQ=YEARLY;BYMONTH=11;BYDAY=1SU DTSTART:20070101T000000 TZOFFSETFROM:-0700 TZOFFSETTO:-0800 TZNAME:Pacific Standard Time END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260206T113000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260206T133000 X-MICROSOFT-CDO-ALLDAYEVENT:FALSE SUMMARY:High School Program: The Art & Impact of Diplomacy DESCRIPTION:The Los Angeles World Affairs Council is proud to partner with our co-host\, The Difference Engine at Arizona State University\, for a special high school program\, "The Art & Impact of Diplomacy"\, on Friday\, February 6 from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm at the ASU California Center in Downtown Los Angeles. \na { text-decoration: none\; color: #464feb\; }\ntr th\, tr td { border: 1px solid #e6e6e6\; }\ntr th { background-color: #f5f5f5\; }\n\na { text-decoration: none\; color: #464feb\; }\ntr th\, tr td { border: 1px solid #e6e6e6\; }\ntr th { background-color: #f5f5f5\; }\n\na { text-decoration: none\; color: #464feb\; }\ntr th\, tr td { border: 1px solid #e6e6e6\; }\ntr th { background-color: #f5f5f5\; }\nThree distinguished diplomats will share their personal journeys\, explain the roles and responsibilities of a diplomat\, and discuss the vital relationships between their countries and the United States. This interactive program offers students a unique opportunity to engage directly with global leaders and gain insight into the practice and influence of diplomacy. Thanks to our generous sponsor\, this program is free for high school students and their chaperones teachers or parents who can provide transportation to and from the venue. Lunch is provided to all attendees. If you are a teacher\, educator\, or parent interested in bringing students to this program\, please contact Krista Seitz at kseitz@lawac.org or (424) 258-6160.Missed the Event?If you were unable to attend The Art & Impact of Diplomacy\, you can still view photos from the event and watch the full program online.View photos: https://lawac.smugmug.com/High-School-Program-The-Art-Impact-of-Diplomacy\nWatch the program: https://youtu.be/s76tgpy7WEMThank you to everyone who joined us and we hope to see you at future events.\nLearn more about our co-host The Difference Engine here.The Difference Engine MissionWe build things to help people.\n\nThe Difference Engine at Arizona State University is a venture studio that creates practical solutions to inequality by leveraging student innovation\, faculty expertise\, and community leadership. We believe that communities experiencing inequality are best positioned to solve their own challenges they just need the right support\, tools\, and facilitation to launch their ideas and transform the institutions that affect their lives. As a university-wide initiative housed in ASU's Office of University Affairs\, we draw expertise from across ASU's academic landscape\, from law and liberal arts to engineering and business.\nEhsan Zaffar\, Chief Difference Engineer\, The Difference EnginePanel:Consul General Raffaella ValentiniConsulate of Italy in Los AngelesRaffaella Valentini was born in Rome\, on October 28\, 1975. She graduated in 1999 in Political Sciences at La Sapienza University in Rome and in 2001 she received a Post-Graduated Degree in European Union Law and Business at the Economic Department of the same University.At the end of 2003 she joined the diplomatic career within the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. After five years at the Directorate General for Development Cooperation as Deputy Head of MENA region and Balkans Department\, she served from 2008 to 2013 at the Italian Embassy in Tirana\, where she was the Head of the Economic and Commercial section. In March 2013 she moved to Egypt\, where she served as Political Counsellor at the Italian Embassy in Cairo. In 2016 she returned to Rome\, where she was posted\, until March 2023\, at the Office of the Diplomatic Adviserto the Italian Prime Minister. In this capacity\, she dealt with: Global issues\, International Organizations\, Sub- Saharan Africa and G7-G20 dossiers.Deputy Consul General Seoung-ho Francis Cho Consulate of the Republic of Korea in Los AngelesSeoung-ho Francis Cho is the Deputy Consul General at the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Los Angeles. He has served in Seoul at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as Advisor to the Minister\, Press Director\, and Director of the North America Division 1. He has also served at the Republic of Korea's diplomatic missions in London\, Amman\, Washington\, D.C.\, and San Jos (Costa Rica)\, and was a Visiting Fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). Honorary Consul General Jaak TreimanHonorary Consulate of Estonia in Los AngelesOur panelist\, Jaak Treiman\, has served as Estonia's Honorary Consul since 1986. Jaak received his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Southern California and a master's degree from the University of Chicago\, where he studied international relations.After serving two years in the United States Army\, he returned to Los Angeles to establish his own law practice. He has written or co-authored three books\, the most recent being "Carried by a Magic Fan: Memoir of an Estonian Refugee Family." He has also written a number of magazine articles and op-ed pieces\, including those that have appeared in the Christian Science Monitor\, the Wall Street Journal (European edition)\, and the Los Angeles Times. Jaak was the former Board Chair of the U.S.-Baltic Foundation while USBF administered a 3-million-dollar "Democracy Network" grant from the United States Agency for International Development for the Baltic States of Estonia\, Latvia\, and Lithuania.Moderator:The Honorable Michael Postl\, Ph.D.Former Austrian Ambassador & Consul General in Los AngelesMichael Postl is a senior Austrian diplomat with more than 30 years of experience in international diplomacy\, economic relations\, and public international law. He most recently served as Consul General for the U.S. West Coast (Los Angeles\, 2021 2025).Previously\, he was Ambassador of Austria to Malaysia and Brunei Darussalam and Head of the Department for Multilateral Economic Relations at the Austrian Ministry for European and International Affairs. His diplomatic career also includes ambassadorial postings to Iran\, Armenia\, and Georgia\, and senior roles covering\, inter alia\, the Western Balkans.In parallel with his diplomatic career\, Michael Postl has been a lecturer in public international law and international relations at the University of Innsbruck since 2004. As of January 2026\, he has held the position of Executive-in-Residence at California Lutheran University.\nEvent Recap:The Los Angeles World Affairs Council hosted a High School Program Event: "The Art and Impact of Diplomacy" on February 6th\, 2026\, at the ASU California Center.The panel featured three distinguished diplomats: Consul General of Italy\, Deputy Consul General of Korea\, and the Honorary Consul of Estonia. In their discussion\, they discussed the impact of various geopolitical events and the evolving role of diplomats in addressing today's global challenges. Additionally\, they shared personal insight into their experiences as a diplomat\, and the journeys that got them there. We are very grateful to the Boone Foundation and the Steinmetz Foundation for their continued support for youth education in global affairs. Additionally\, we would like to thank The Difference Engine at ASU for co-sponsoring this event. \nBelow are the links to the photos and video from the event:Photos: The Art & Impact of Diplomacy - Los Angeles World Affairs Council Video: 26-02-06 The Art and Impact of Diplomacy.mp4 X-ALT-DESC;FMTTYPE=text/html:

The Los Angeles World Affairs Council is proud to partner with our co-host\, The Difference Engine \;at Arizona State University\, for a special high school program\, "\;The Art &\; Impact of Diplomacy"\;\, on Friday\, February 6 from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm at the ASU California Center in Downtown Los Angeles. \;

Three distinguished diplomats will share their personal journeys\, explain the roles and responsibilities of a diplomat\, and discuss the vital relationships between their countries and the United States. This interactive program offers students a unique opportunity to engage directly with global leaders and gain insight into the practice and influence of diplomacy. \;

Thanks to our generous sponsor\, this program is free for high school students and their chaperones&mdash\;teachers or parents&mdash\;who can provide transportation to and from the venue. Lunch is provided to all attendees. \;

If you are a teacher\, educator\, or parent interested in bringing students to this program\, please contact Krista Seitz at kseitz@lawac.org or (424) 258-6160.

Missed the Event?

If you were unable to attend The Art &\; Impact of Diplomacy\, you can still view photos from the event and watch the full program online.

View photos: https://lawac.smugmug.com/High-School-Program-The-Art-Impact-of-Diplomacy
Watch the program: https://youtu.be/s76tgpy7WEM

Thank you to everyone who joined us and we hope to see you at future events.


Learn more about our co-host The Difference Engine here.

The Difference Engine Mission
We build things to help people.

The Difference Engine at Arizona State University is a venture studio that creates practical solutions to inequality by leveraging student innovation\, faculty expertise\, and community leadership. We believe that communities experiencing inequality are best positioned to solve their own challenges&mdash\;they just need the right support\, tools\, and facilitation to launch their ideas and transform the institutions that affect their lives. As a university-wide initiative housed in ASU'\;s Office of University Affairs\, we draw expertise from across ASU'\;s academic landscape\, from law and liberal arts to engineering and business.

Ehsan Zaffar\, \;Chief Difference Engineer\, The Difference Engine

Panel:

Consul General Raffaella Valentini

Consulate of Italy in Los Angeles

Raffaella Valentini was born in Rome\, on October 28\, 1975. She graduated in 1999 in Political Sciences at La Sapienza University in Rome and in 2001 she received a Post-Graduated Degree in European Union Law and Business at the Economic Department of the same University.

At the end of 2003 she joined the diplomatic career within the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. After five years at the Directorate General for Development Cooperation as Deputy Head of MENA region and Balkans Department\, she served from 2008 to 2013 at the Italian Embassy in Tirana\, where she was the Head of the Economic and Commercial section. In March 2013 she moved to Egypt\, where she served as Political Counsellor at the Italian Embassy in Cairo. In 2016 she returned to Rome\, where she was posted\, until March 2023\, at the Office of the Diplomatic Adviserto the Italian Prime Minister. In this capacity\, she dealt with: Global issues\, International Organizations\, Sub- Saharan Africa and G7-G20 dossiers.

Deputy Consul General \;Seoung-ho Francis Cho \;

Consulate of the Republic of Korea in Los Angeles

Seoung-ho Francis Cho is the Deputy Consul General at the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Los Angeles. He has served in Seoul at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as Advisor to the Minister\, Press Director\, and Director of the North America Division 1.  \;

He has also served at the Republic of Korea&rsquo\;s diplomatic missions in London\, Amman\, Washington\, D.C.\, and San José\; (Costa Rica)\, and was a Visiting Fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).  \;

Honorary Consul General Jaak Treiman

Honorary Consulate of Estonia in Los Angeles

Our panelist\, Jaak Treiman\, has served as Estonia'\;s Honorary Consul since 1986. Jaak received his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Southern California and a master&rsquo\;s degree from the University of Chicago\, where he studied international relations.

After serving two years in the United States Army\, he returned to Los Angeles to establish his own law practice. He has written or co-authored three books\, the most recent being &ldquo\;Carried by a Magic Fan: Memoir of an Estonian Refugee Family.&rdquo\; He has also written a number of magazine articles and op-ed pieces\, including those that have appeared in the Christian Science Monitor\, the Wall Street Journal (European edition)\, and the Los Angeles Times. 

Jaak was the former Board Chair of the U.S.-Baltic Foundation while USBF administered a 3-million-dollar &ldquo\;Democracy Network&rdquo\; grant from the United States Agency for International Development for the Baltic States of Estonia\, Latvia\, and Lithuania.

Moderator:

The Honorable Michael Postl\, Ph.D.

Former Austrian Ambassador &\; Consul General in Los Angeles

Michael Postl is a senior Austrian diplomat with more than 30 years of experience in international diplomacy\, economic relations\, and public international law. He most recently served as Consul General for the U.S. West Coast (Los Angeles\, 2021&ndash\;2025).

Previously\, he was Ambassador of Austria to Malaysia and Brunei Darussalam and Head of the Department for Multilateral Economic Relations at the Austrian Ministry for European and International Affairs. His diplomatic career also includes ambassadorial postings to Iran\, Armenia\, and Georgia\, and senior roles covering\, inter alia\, the Western Balkans.

In parallel with his diplomatic career\, Michael Postl has been a lecturer in public international law and international relations at the University of Innsbruck since 2004. As of January 2026\, he has held the position of Executive-in-Residence at California Lutheran University.


Event Recap:

The Los Angeles World Affairs Council hosted a High School Program Event: "\;The Art and Impact of Diplomacy"\; on February 6th\, 2026\, at the ASU California Center.

The panel featured three distinguished diplomats: Consul General of Italy\, Deputy Consul General of Korea\, and the Honorary Consul of Estonia. In their discussion\, they discussed the impact of various geopolitical events and the evolving role of diplomats in addressing today'\;s global challenges. Additionally\, they shared personal insight into their experiences as a diplomat\, and the journeys that got them there. \;

We are very grateful to the Boone Foundation and the Steinmetz Foundation for their continued support for youth education in global affairs. Additionally\, we would like to thank The Difference Engine at ASU for co-sponsoring this event. \;


Below are the links to the photos and video from the event:

Photos: The Art &\; Impact of Diplomacy - Los Angeles World Affairs Council \;

Video: 26-02-06 The Art and Impact of Diplomacy.mp4 \;



LOCATION:1111 S Broadway Los Angeles CA 90015 UID:e.4331.1368507 SEQUENCE:3 DTSTAMP:20260429T135937Z URL:https://members.lawac.org/events/Details/high-school-program-the-art-impact-of-diplomacy-1614691?sourceTypeId=Hub END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR