AFSA will host a full set of programs to welcome retirees back to Washington and the Department during our annual homecoming event—Foreign Service Day—which takes place on Friday May 3 this year. We invite all members in town to join us at one or more of the following events. Unless otherwise noted, events take place at AFSA HQ, 2101 E St NW.

Thursday, May 2, 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. - AFSA Open House / Complimentary Professional Headshots

Stop by AFSA HQ to meet staff, see colleagues and learn more about AFSA programs and benefits. We will have a professional photographer on hand to take headshots for members from 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. and 1:00-4:00 p.m. These free professional headshots are ideal for your current professional needs, LinkedIn profile, or post-retirement job website and a benefit of AFSA membership! We will also have food trucks available from 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. Come on over when you can and join the fun! Registration is not required.

Thursday, May 2, 12:00-1:00 p.m. – AFSA’s Advocacy Work on Capitol Hill

AFSA President Ambassador Barbara Stephenson will walk through AFSA’s work with our Congressional champions on Capitol Hill, who have rejected proposed cuts to international affairs funding two years in a row. She will outline AFSA’s advocacy efforts to shore up bipartisan support for fielding a full Foreign Service team in the face of great power competition and share AFSA’s messaging on the state of State and diplomacy that we are using in our national outreach efforts. Click here to register.

Thursday, May 2, 1:30-2:30 p.m. - Tips and Best Practices for Local Outreach

This session is geared toward retired members interested and/or engaged in local outreach to share ideas and best practices for finding opportunities in their community to talk about what diplomats do and why it matters. This session will be a facilitated discussion to share information with colleagues, ask questions and review resources available from AFSA. Come to share your best practices and/or learn new ideas for making the case for diplomacy and development to members of your community. Click here to register.

Thursday, May 2, 3:00-4:00 p.m. - Next Stage: Taking Up the Pen - Foreign Service Authors on How to Publish

As the second installment in AFSA’s Next Stage programming, this panel discussion will feature members of the Foreign Service who have focused on writing as a sideline or as a career. This program is geared toward members who may be interested in pursuing a career in writing in the “next stage” of their lives upon retirement and are interested in learning practical tips and advice for getting started and having work published. THIS EVENT IS NOW FILLED TO CAPACITY. THE DISCUSSION WILL BE RECORDED AND MADE AVAILABLE FOR LATER ONLINE VIEWING.

Our friends at DACOR will host a spring reception at 6:30 p.m. on May 2. Their doors are open for everyone and they welcome non-DACOR members. They are located at 1801 F St NW. Click here to learn more.

Click here to learn more about the annual AFSA memorial ceremony and closing reception, both of which take place on Friday May 3.