The selection was made by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, which also tapped the museum to administer its culturaldiplomacy effort known as smARTpower.
Gustavo Araoz joined with the Director-General in underscoring the challenges of the Convention in a globalized world and the imperative for the United States of America to stay actively engaged in contributing to strengthen the Convention's implementation worldwide as a tool for culturaldiplomacy but also for sustainable development and social inclusion.
And if you're going to be about cultural affairs and culturaldiplomacy and you're going to be about traveling around the world, you represent something much larger than yourself.
In his role as President of the Intergovernmental Committee for the promotion of the return of cultural property to its country of origin or its restitution in case of illegal export, his diplomacy and spirit of cooperation empowered him to overcome obstacles to the work of the Committee, and the high quality of his contributions have always been appreciated.