Is an hour. Hello, and welcome. I have the exact Vice President of the Atlantic Council. Thank you for joining us today. I am delighted that we are joined today by the deputy secretary of state to help markley state departments own celebrations. The Atlantic Council commemorates pride by featuring analysis and hosting national and Global Leaders that are advancing the rights and protections. Our own Staff Company lgbt advisory council, working with policy fellows, seeking to elevate and spotlight contributions that the Lgbti Community has on Foreign Policy and National Security. We recognize the importance of allies that affect all communities affected by injustices of societal norms. By president today anderson, who will closeout the event. Those of you who are joining from outside the u. S. Government, full disclosure, i served as a Vice President over 20 years ago. For those of you who are not familiar, by many accounts, one of the most engaged organizations in the federal government on these issues. Days, advocated to end restrictions on security clearance. Later, it successfully pushed to clarify policies for transgender employees. Important organization for development policy. At the Atlantic Council, hourly our mission is all about u. S. Leadership, working alongside allies to solve global challenges. By the u. S. D department u. S. Deputy secretary of state, steven bacon stephen biegun. Byor to being appointed secretary pompeo in 2019, he served as the u. S. Special representative for north korea. Prior to that, he was Vice President for intergovernmental relations for ford motor company. He has served as National Security advisor to senator bill frist. He served as Foreign Policy advisers for members of the senate and house including only Foreign Relations committee including on the Foreign Relations committee. Here to joinof you the conversation with atpride. If you are on the zuma platform, you can also submit questions a function. Ater, we will have discussion. Before all that, i will turn to you, mr. Deputy secretary. Greetings to all of you today. Let me start by thanking you for your warm introduction and many years of friendship. Thank you, jeff, for all of our colleagues here today. Years, it has been instrumental in advancing the for department of state employees. American values of equal treatment for every person with respect, decency, and equality under the law. I welcome the opportunity to join you all here today for an engaged discussion on advancing persons. R lgbti i served on the board of Freedom House years ago and it is my privilege to continue these efforts in the United States government, working to protect the rights at the heart of our american Foreign Policy. The United States probably advances our efforts around the globe to protect lgbti populations from violence, criminalization, discrimination, and stigma. Lgbti persons must be free to enjoy their full human rights and fundamental freedoms. In support of the Lgbti Community, President Trump has pledged to help and criminalization around the world. He has established a working group led by our Human Rights Bureau to formalize a decriminalization strategy for each country. Efforts to repeal Legal Provisions that criminalize lgbti status or conduct in the roughly 70 countries that currently maintain such laws. In march, we issued our annual human rights reports which spotlighted the stark reality that human rights abuses against lgbti persons remain commonplace in many countries around the world. But we are holding countries accountable. We are seeing some signs of progress, including in countries gabonotswana, angola, and. We understand that the pandemic on had an outsized impact marginal communities around the world and we are looking to make the lgbti responsive to the impact the pandemic is having on individuals in community. Capacity building, security training, and legal assistants through the Global Equality Fund. It is not just a broad where we focus on these issues. We need to lead by example here at home. At the state department, our Management Team led by the undersecretary for management are working hard to recruit, retain, andrew and promote the most diverse possible workforce went workforce and build inclusion. We work to make our workplace more inclusive for all of our employees. One area of focus is affording our lgbti personnel and their families full diplomatic privileges and immunity. Secondly, we are exploring policies that will better address the needs of our transgender colleagues. Our society has come a long way. Many of us, individually, have come a long way as well. There is so much work to be done. Jeff for thenk leadership they have shown. I want to thank the efforts of the Atlantic Council. I look forward to continuing our cooperation together to create a world where every person is treated equally with respect, dignity, and equality under the law. Thank you very much. Thank you. Really appreciate that. Thank you for that unambiguous message not only to your workforce but to a broader american and global audience. I work at the Atlantic Council, which is obviously in Foreign Policy. In the wake of all of the protests we have seen in our country, we have had our own conversations about the underpinnings of u. S. Foreign policy. You mentioned yourself that we have to lead here at home. How american democracy impacts americas role in the world, how do you think about the connection between domestic and foreign, how to the values and principles behind american democracy, the american way of life, how do they relate to american foreignpolicy . Mr. Biegun moments like this are incredibly challenging for democracies like our own. Many of our warts are on full display for the world to see. That is a function of our democracy. Our citizens have the ability to bring into clear focus the challenges that our society continues to grapple with. Opportunitys full to publicize them broadly. It feels, had a moment of challenge like this, almost like a vulnerability. Is that youlity ,ave to go for the full picture we go to repair, improve, move beyond, address those challenges. This is the great renewal of the american spirit that we have seen over and over again. At efforts are aimed perfecting ourselves. That is a judgment that we have to make in order to advance the strong and full picture. If the story just ended with horrible events like the killing of george floyd, if that was the end of the story, we would all be worse off for it. We will see a process play out where our people demand better. Those who are demanding equality of opportunity and treatment, they will Work Together in a democracy. I am confident that there is no greater statement in the value of our democracy. Worked in our society, as a leader in the world many times, to produce that same equality for lgbti citizens. This is the rights of the individual, what democracy provides. I think if we can complete the makes democracy stronger in the world. I really appreciate that answer. As on theng a few q zoom platform. We have a we have a comment from david kramer. David says, thanks for what you are doing. Question, into his area of expertise on russian Foreign Policy, where we have seen weaponization, a few will, of lgbt rights in russia, sometimes in eurasia, whether it is georgia, ukraine, countries moving towards the west, towards the european union. How do you think of a Foreign Policy issue when you see all of these foreignpolicy tools, weapons . Mr. Biegun what i will say, maybe to flippantly, we can thank flattering put in in one respect, because we can tell we are on the right side of history by the position he takes in juxtaposition to ours. Any of us who follow and work on russian issues daytoday know that this is just one element of an overall authoritarian and increasingly repressive society in russia, and one that we should push back on all fronts. Let me say thank you to my dear and thankid kramer, him for those kind words. David and i walked down this path. He has been a great role model for international affairs. His integrity got russia. And he has done so with leadership over many years. You talked a little bit about u. S. Foreign policy, how to equate some of our values to the commitments criminalization, stigma of lgbti communities. How do you work this into a foreignpolicy equation when there are a lot of things in play when you are dealing with countries . I think you mentioned several countries still have criminalization on the books. How do you put this forward in a portfolio when you have a lot of issues on the plate . Your foreignpolicy engagement in countries whose records lag behind. It is no different than so many other challenging issues we have. It is always a complex balancing act between our issues and our values. The goal is not to compromise either. Ini commented a moment ago, societies like russia, moving towards a more liberal governing structure is often times a core part of the solution to moving towards more equitable treatment. It is not divisible. The same fundamental demands that we have that the world has come actually, because these are ideals shrine in international agreements. Divisible from americas Foreign Policy. You know this from our Work Together over many years, sustaining the unity of the transatlantic alliance, that it is not simply about interests or values. It is about a marriage of the two. These issues fit into the broad suite of foreignpolicy and Human Rights Concerns that the United States has consistently sung to advocate over many decades. Im going to bring back a question. U. S. Representative on the Rainbow Railroad and a former board member. Tomorrow, theat, film welcome to chechnya from ersan hbo. Premieres on hbo. I will confess, i refugee the exact excuse me, asylum status that we have provided to anyone involved in the terrible actions we have seen in chechnya. Those of you who follow pressure closely know that our reach into candy or off into khadirovs realm has been limited. We have been vocal in our criticism and pushing back against. It is unacceptable and i am looking forward to seeing the movie, although i am sure it is going to be a very trying and painful movie. The mistreatment and the killing islgbti people in chechnya an evil that the world should not tolerate. The United States, as long as i am here, will behave vocal critic will be a vocal critic of actions like that. Let me close with a final question. You said the work you are doing to create a diverse state department. Where do you see the most important priorities there . I know, working on getting accreditation for folks overseas. I think you referred to working on policies that relate to transgender employees at the state department. What do you see as a priority for a Diverse Workforce in the department . We have to not only create equal treatment, but equality of opportunity. I was recently speaking with a Foreign Service officer who, with his husband, feels limited in the posts he can serve in worldwide. I was stunned that that was a consideration, but i know it is. Looking at comedy countries actually looking at how many countries actually maintain laws that criminalize or even worse punish very severely the lgbti life. I never even thought about it in terms of somebody making career searches. I am of the view that we should be quite insistent that countries protect our diplomats. Accreditation gives them certain rights in that respect, and also the immunities they bring with them. ,hat a minimum, less tolerant but we need to work at that. I was sobered by that example. It is one of many i had in recent weeks of really having an opportunity because of some of the challenges our society is facing today, to take pause and see things through the eyes of eone who does not have we are committed. The secretary sent out a war message today through his monthly send out a warm message today through his monthly mail about pride month. We will carry that mission forward, representing the mission of all Foreign Affairs community worldwide. With concerted effort, we can begin to change. Thank you so much. Thank you for kicking off this virtual pride celebration. Really appreciate your time. Thank you for being with us. Mr. Biegun thank you. My best to you and your family. Thank you so much. We are going to continue the conversation. I want to thank the secretary for his words. Thent to turn, to continue conversation, we will be joined by the Program Manager at dignity for all. The chair of the council for global equality. Thank you all for joining us. We want to hear reaction to this but also get your thoughts on how the United States can be engaging to support a Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy portfolio. I would like to turn to ambassador gilchrist if i could first. The current u. S. Ambassador to lithuania. And just ask how these issues have become part of your you reachutreach, how out to even hostile audiences, while being respectful to the culture, your hosts, and the environment you work in . I want to thank you for giving a shout out to that organization. Tremendousave a amount of respect and admiration and i think it is an organization that any people do not know much about. As an openly gay ambassador, i think what i have learned in my five months here so far is that i have to be who i am. I speak openly about my sexual orientation. I have spoken openly about my activism and what i have done. I have met with organizations. At the same time, i think i demonstrated firmly that my goal is to be a strong and effective ambassador advocating for American Interest but also working in a way for lithuania as well. For me, not to compromise on my am, and look at ways that i can perhaps be a role model for others. Those who may to have homophobic ideas that an American Ambassador can be quite gay,tive, can bk can be and can be a good guy. That is what i am planning to do for the rest of my tenure in lithuania. Thank you, bob. I think the program youre running, dignity for all, the support of the u. S. Government. A little worried about this program and how this factors in to u. S. Foreign policy. You, and it is great to be here on this panel. Dignity for all is a mechanism through the Global Equality Fund. Which the u. S. Government is also part of. It is a mechanism that provides assistance to lgbti rights defenders, organizations globally. As folks have mentioned earlier, there is a lot of violence, discrimination, that affects this community. Our mechanism supports those communities in three different ways. One of them is through the Emergency Funding, so we are able to quickly mobilize resources and support human rights, whether they need legal assistance, medical wellbeing, just kind of different ways. We are also able to move some rapid response. Opportunityefore an or threat that has emerged that we were not aware of. To secure retrainings because our communities are very vulnerable. It is important for them to have the resources they need. Especially right now with covid, there is a lot of vulnerability right now. Damon i am going to pick up with mark and bring all three of you into this conversation. Comedy mark, you have followed the policy issues over time more closely than anyone i know. Think should be or could be seen from the u. S. Government today in promoting equality . First of all, thanks for this conversation. Secretary mentioned President Trumps call for decriminalization at the u. N. General Assembly Last year. That really builds on a policy begun in 2011 under president obama when he issued a president ial memorandum calling for all Foreign Affairs agencies to leverage diplomacy and investments. Since 2011, the state department usaid, havessies, been investing in Civil Society with the Global Equality Fund through the programs mentioned. Ourave been working with International Law enforcement academies on hate crimes laws, rule of law issues. There has been some really spectacular diplomacy through our embassies on these issues. I would note in particular, the u. S. Ambassador who, in zambia in december, really went out very publicly to denounce the prosecution of two individuals, a samesex couple, sentenced to prison under the sodomy law, and was essentially kicked out of zambia for his outspoken concern. So, there have been some really important investments in diplomacy and funding around decriminalization and violence abatement. But i think we are concerned that increasingly, in this administration, we see the Administration Acting unilaterally. There was recently a statement from the core group of countries at the u. N. That addressed Human Rights