The Cosmos Club is proud to present the 53rd Cosmos Club Award to Thomas R. Pickering in recognition of his stellar diplomatic service that spanned four decades and included ambassadorships to the United Nations, Russia, India, Israel, El Salvador, Nigeria and Jordan. He also served as Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs and later earned the rank of Career Ambassador, the highest rank in the U.S. Foreign Service.
He has been described variously as a “five star diplomat,” “the best-ever senior representative to the United Nations,” and, by King Hussein of Jordan, “the best American ambassador I’ve dealt with.” He served in Republican and Democratic administrations and speaks six foreign languages, three of them fluently. His tireless commitment to the craft of diplomacy has created a lasting legacy at the State Department and in the broader foreign affairs community.
