While promoting the prominence of global diplomacy, former U.S. Ambassador Mark Brzezinski heaped praise on Florida State University for its commitment to international politics.
Brzezinski was the keynote speaker at the fourth annual D’Alemberte & Palmer Lecture in International Human Rights at the FSU College of Law. The topic of his address was “U.S. Embassies as ‘Force Multipliers’ for Democracy and Human Rights: The Case of Poland 2021-25.” Brzezinski was the U.S. Ambassador to Poland from 2021 to 2024 and also held the diplomatic post in Sweden from 2011 to 2015.
“The broad lesson is clear,” Brzezinski said as he spoke in the rotunda of the law school. “Embassies aren’t ancillary, they’re the operational core. For half a century, they’ve done this work in context ranging from post conflict reconstruction to stable democracies.”
Brzezinski reflected on his association with Sandy D’Alemberte, who was President of FSU from 1994 to 2003. He acknowledged D’Alemberte’s contribution to democracy itself, as the academic administrator and lawyer helped promote fair and open election laws in 21 countries through American Bar Association (ABA) programs.
“I am fortunate to have known Sandy D’Alemberte,” Brzezinski said. “He was a force of nature. Sandy was President of the American Bar Association in 1991 when the Berlin Wall was crumbling. Under Sandy’s leadership, the ABA initiated one of the most creative overseas assistance initiatives ever.”
Following his formal address, Brzezinski held question-and-answer forums with students on the FSU campus and noted how American universities are still playing a key role in advancing democracy and human rights across the globe. He credited FSU for upholding those objectives.
“There is not a leader I have met in any country I have served who did not study in the United States on a foreign exchange program,” Brzezinski said. “We are so lucky in this country with the universities and colleges that we have here, our resources, our offerings and the talent that a student is exposed to here.”
After the address and student interactions, FSU Law Dean Erin O’Hara O’Connor unveiled a new memorial wall on the third floor of the Rotunda that honors the memory of D’Alemberte.
