A pivotal educational and diplomatic exchange unfolded recently at the Embassy of Antigua and Barbuda in Washington D.C., where the country’s top envoy to the United States, Sir Ronald Sanders, opened the doors of the mission to a cohort of students and faculty from Cornell University’s Brooks School of Public Policy.
The off-campus discussion was integrated into the institute’s summer curriculum, specifically as a core activity for the “Democracy Policy in the World” course co-led by Cornell scholars Marian Vidaurri and Thomas Garrett. Bringing academic theory into direct contact with on-the-ground diplomatic practice, the session was centered on the provocative, thought-provoking central question: “Is Might Right?”
Over the course of the dialogue, Sanders drew on his decades of diplomatic experience to unpack multiple key themes for the emerging policy leaders in attendance. He walked attendees through the daily realities of diplomatic negotiation and statecraft, detailed the longstanding collaborative relationship between Antigua and Barbuda and the United States, articulated the critical value of multilateral cooperation in addressing 21st-century global challenges, and emphasized how strong democratic governance forms the foundation of sustainable, equitable national development.
Following the hour-long exchange, Sanders praised the gathering as a dynamic and insightful cross-generational sharing of perspectives, noting that the participating students represented an exceptionally talented cohort of the world’s future decision-makers. The event highlighted how academic institutions and small-state diplomatic missions can collaborate to expand students’ real-world understanding of global politics and bilateral relations.