Pittsburgh Expatriates in the News

I enjoy reading about the successes of ex-Pittsburghers and I expect to see more of such stories in the IntoPittsburgh part of the website for Pittsburgh Quarterly. Donna Tabor now lives in Nicaragua and will receive a National Awards for Citizen Diplomacy for her work there:

The awards are sponsored by the U.S. Center for Citizen Diplomacy in Des Moines, Iowa -- www.uscenterforcitizendiplomacy.org -- founded in 2006 to promote the role that private citizens can play in cross-cultural relations.

The event will be held in conjunction with the 2008 National Summit on Citizen Diplomacy, a two-day conference to recruit more Americans to serve as citizen diplomats.

In addition to the award, Ms. Tabor will receive a $5,000 cash donation from the center. She will contribute the money to Building New Hope -- www.buildingnewhope.org -- the Pittsburgh-based nonprofit for which she volunteers. The group has done grass-roots development in Central America since 1992.

Building New Hope provides a vital connection between Central America and Pittsburgh. Private citizens can be diplomats for their hometown as well as their home country. I would characterize IntoPittsburgh as the Pittsburgh Center for Citizen Diplomacy (international and domestic). Through ex-Pittsburgher, the region can develop relationships with the rest of the world.