Amis Historiques – A Celebration of U.S.-French Diplomatic Relations

Name: Amis Historiques – A Celebration of U.S.-French Diplomatic Relations — Alliance Française MSP
Start: 2026-11-04T16:00:00-0600
End: 2026-11-04T17:00:00-0600
Location: Alliance Française

Wednesday, November 4, 2026
4:00 PM 5:00 PM 16:00 17:00

Alliance Française 227 Colfax Ave N Minneapolis United States (map)

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Presentation by Tom Selinger of the Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training

*Photo credit: Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, LC-DIG-pga-01591*

The U.S.-French relationship has a remarkable history, dating back to France’s support for the American War of Independence and Benjamin Franklin’s service as the first U.S. envoy to a foreign government. Through centuries of change, diplomacy, and cooperation, the relationship has remained an important link between the United States and Europe.

Join Global Minnesota and Alliance Française for a lively conversation about the people and stories behind this enduring diplomatic relationship. Tom Selinger of the Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training will explore how generations of American and French diplomats have carried forward Franklin’s legacy, navigating pivotal moments in history while strengthening the longstanding ties between the two countries.

This program will include the opportunity to view the traveling exhibit: United States Diplomacy: From Its Beginnings to Today, which explores the important role that diplomacy has played across American history.

This event is being presented as a part of the World Affairs Councils of America’s Engage America Program implemented by the Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training with support from the Una Chapman Cox Foundation. Thank you to Global Minnesota for their partnership.

Speaker: Tom Selinger

Tom Selinger served 27 years in the U.S. Foreign Service with overseas tours in Albania, Croatia, Denmark, Kyrgyzstan, and Trinidad and Tobago and portfolios ranging from security cooperation to American citizen services. In his retirement, he works for the Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training, a nonprofit where he directs outreach efforts to promote public understanding of the work of America’s diplomats. Prior to joining the Foreign Service, he served as an intelligence officer in the U.S. Army, including combat service with the 101st Airborne Division during Operation Desert Storm, and worked as a locally-employed political specialist for the Canadian government at their Consulate in his hometown of Minneapolis.