Raffi Balian Stands Inside the State Department in Washington, D.C

Raffi Balian stands inside the State Department in Washington, D.C.

THE ART OF DIPLOMACY Serving a nation by representing its interests abroad with Rafﬁ Balian Public

Service SPECIAL

Raffi Balian Title: Senior Advisor, Office of Commercial and Business Affairs Organization: U.S. State Department Location: Washington, D.C. Affiliation: AGBU New York Summer Internship Program (NYSIP) ong before Armenia young Armenian-Americans. It was a very Raffi Balian, middle, speaks at the high-level declared independence moving experience for me to meet the panel discussion on integrated approaches and established official team and to hear firsthand the value of for energy, water, food and health nexus during diplomatic relations with people to people exchanges.” the 2015 Vienna Energy Forum. Washington, just a stone’s As the Balians continued to assist the throw from the nation’s victims of the earthquake, helping estab- capital in Arlington, lish a sister city relationship between “Connecting my own history, my fami- LVirginia, the Balian household served as Alexandria, Virginia and Gyumri, that ly’s history and perhaps a naïve teenaged a de facto “embassy.” On many evenings meaningful experience cemented Raffi’s dream to make a positive difference in the Rita and Vartkess Balian could be found interest in global politics and diplomacy, world, I had a very strong sense of public hosting D.C.’s diplomatic set, engaging which had taken root previously at the service and of wanting to give back to the in lengthy discussions on pressing issues prestigious St. Albans School at the country that had welcomed my family as they related to the Armenian people. Washington National Cathedral, where escaping civil war in Lebanon and allowing When a powerful earthquake devastated he had established an international us to build a new life in the United States. the city of Gyumri, the Balian home trans- affairs club, inviting ambassadors and I now have the profound honor of serving formed into a command center overnight. senior diplomats from nearby embassy as an official representative of the United Calls were coming in with pleas for help row to speak to students. States, and that is very meaningful and a and requests to inform the U.S. govern- Having been raised listening to stories great motivator for me to be able to repre- ment that Armenia was in desperate need from his grandmother who survived the sent the American people.” of assistance. Te well-connected couple Genocide and grew up in an orphanage Whether promoting democratic transi- began working the phones immediately, in Beirut, Balian had also inherited an tion as a Cultural Affairs Officer in Sofia, reaching out to the State Department. ingrained sensitivity to injustice best Bulgaria, helping temper commercial rela- Within days, a specialized Urban Search encapsulated in one of his favorite quotes tions in Damascus, Syria in the wake of and Rescue crisis response team from from a letter Martin Luther King Jr. U.S. economic sanctions as Deputy Chief nearby Fairfax County, Virginia—one of wrote while imprisoned in a Birmingham, of the Economic Section at the Embassy, two in the United States at that time—was Alabama jail: “Injustice anywhere is a navigating a complex NATO enlargement preparing to be deployed to Gyumri. threat to justice everywhere.” as the Political-Military Officer in the For the Balian’s teenaged son Raffi, the As if pre-ordained to a life dedicated to Office of South Central Europe, or advo- coordinated international response, partially resolving international issues, it came as no cating for the use of modern sustainable orchestrated right from his parents’ home, surprise that Balian later applied to the U.S. energy throughout the world as the sole left a powerful impression. “Tat event really Foreign Service. Te entrance exam process Foreign Service officer selected at that time brought it home for me and demonstrated however—designed to weed out the top to join the State Department’s Office of the value of diplomacy and diplomatic work 300 from 30,000 applicants—would not Global Change, Balian excelled in each very tangibly,” he recalled. “Later, my parents come easy. Unsuccessful on his first two assignment, transitioning with ease from invited the Urban Search and Rescue team attempts yet undeterred, Balian persevered role to role and capital to capital, creating to our home to thank them and my mom in true Armenian fashion and was finally consensus and helping to achieve U.S. asked me to say a few words on behalf of accepted on his third try. foreign policy goals with tact and aplomb. WILLMAN NOAH PAGE: PREVIOUS ORGANIZATION DEVELOPMENT INDUSTRIAL NATIONS UNITED

14 THE INSIDER | www.agbu.org As Director of the Regional Environ- achieve an outcome that helped American asked to help solidify U.S. engagement mental, Science & Technology, and Health citizens return home safely.” with the International Renewable Office for Central and Eastern Europe In addition to a longstanding family Energy Agency. With 158 member based at the American Embassy in Budapest, connection to AGBU, Balian’s Armenian states, the Agency is the leading global Hungary, Balian leveraged the convening identity is also influenced by his involve- voice for renewable energy with a mis- authority of his position to implement major ment with St. Mary Armenian Church in sion to promote sustainable energy, initiatives to improve energy efficiency and Washington, D.C., where he served on the including for the 1.3 billion people support environmental sustainability mea- Parish Council and as a Diocesan Delegate around the world who do not have access sures throughout the region. One of his and is now actively involved in an ecu- to modern energy resources. proudest accomplishments he says, involved menical dialogue in the United States. It In his current role as Senior Advisor in working through a regional multilateral was at the AGBU Center in Beirut where the Office of Commercial and Business environmental organization to assist seven his parents met and fell in love. When the Affairs in the State Department, Balian municipalities in Ukraine develop multi- family moved to Arlington, Virginia, they advocates for the interests of American stakeholder processes that engaged citizens were instrumental in helping transform business globally. It is a welcome opportu- and officials alike to formulate local strategic AGBU in North America. Inspired by the nity from what has increasingly become a action plans. Tese plans helped initiate a words of Vahan Tekeyan to ‘Rise and raise more challenging role for U.S. diplomats transformation toward much more energy others up with you,’ Raffi’s father Vartkess abroad. “After 9/11, the rightfully increas- efficient communities from one of the served as Chairperson of AGBU North ing importance of security and the critical region’s least energy efficient. “When we America and founded, along with his need to protect men and women serving began the process, there was skepticism mother Rita, the New York Summer overseas has made it even more challeng- about the approach; after two years of Internship Program (NYSIP) to help ing in some parts of the world to connect effort, we had built cohorts of citizens and young Armenians become leaders in the directly with people, which is a fundamen- officials across the country who not only community. tal part of a diplomat’s job,” he observed. believed in the process, but also became “I was there from the very first day of the In performing his own job effectively, advocates of its effectiveness to their launch of NYSIP over 30 years ago, and Balian lists a few essential qualities that neighboring towns and cities.” after my father passed away ten years ago,” anyone considering a career in the Foreign Sometimes in the most challenging of Balian remembers, “I helped take over the Service should possess. circumstances, Balian succeeded in over- responsibility, along with others, to ensure “For me, the first trait that is critical is coming seemingly insurmountable diplo- the program continues to have a meaning- humility: know what you don’t know; be matic obstacles thanks in no small measure ful impact in the lives of Armenians who humble about admitting you don’t know it; to his Armenian heritage. are fortunate enough to be a part of the and ask for help to learn. Connected to that While working in the Consular NYSIP experience.” is an ability to listen, find the scientists and Section in Damascus, Balian was assigned A NYSIP alumnus and now co-chair of other policy experts in the U.S. government to provide consular support to U.S. citi- the program, Balian has always felt a great and really learn from them. Te role of a diplomat is also to be able to translate complex technical issues and make it relevant to broader policy objectives. Te third attri- bute is critical thinking. You have to under- I always felt being Armenian is not something stand where your sources are coming from, assess the validity of the information, and insular to our nation. Our responsibility is not weigh that information to understand “ what is important and what is not.” just to preserve our culture and identity Balian advises young people considering for the sake of the Armenian people, but also to a career in diplomacy to do so with their eyes give back as part of the global conversation. wide open and to be fully aware of the chal- lenges they will face. Before committing, he encourages students to apply for an internship at the State Department or at any one of the embassies around the world and then decide if it is the right fit for them, just as his zens. “I would go into meetings with sense of responsibility and pride carrying early exposure at home guided him. Syrian officials seeking help they nor”- out that mission to rise and raise others up “I always felt being Armenian is not mally would not be predisposed to offer, around him, providing opportunities to something insular to our people,” he says. but after they asked about my back- help other Armenians succeed. “I do so “As a people with a diverse global dias- ground and discovered that my grandfa- knowing full well I will never reach the pora, our responsibility is not just to pre- ther lived in Aleppo before moving to level my parents achieved, but I am grateful serve our culture and identity for the sake Beirut, they could relate to me because to continue their legacy,” he adds. of the Armenian people, but also to give their neighbor or best friend growing up Back home in Washington, D.C., back as part of national and global con- was Armenian and had a similar story. I Balian’s workload hasn’t diminished. As versations, contributing to all human civi- was fortunate to be able to break through a result of his expertise on international lization, bringing the best of who we are PREVIOUS PAGE: NOAH WILLMAN NOAH PAGE: PREVIOUS ORGANIZATION DEVELOPMENT INDUSTRIAL NATIONS UNITED a wall of coldness and separation to energy and environmental issues, he was as Armenians to the world.”