At the corner of 23rd and Wyoming street in Kalorama, surrounded by embassies, ambassadors' residences and private homes, one stately mansion is not quite like the others.
Even from the street, it's evident the house has a sort of stillness to it. The blinds are drawn at midday on some windows; others windows are bricked over entirely. The landscaping has been reclaimed by the wild, creeping over a gate that seems more rusted shut than locked, snaking over the life-sized sculpture adorning the front lawn.
Were this any other vacant house in one of Washington's most prestigious zip codes, a discreet realtor's sign might have sat off to one side, although not for long during the early days of a new presidential administration. But there are other, more telling signs; a plaque next to the door, its letters scratched off. An empty flagpole protruding from a once-elegant Juliet balcony, now sealed shut for so long that its doors have become little more than ghosts of an exit, framed in iron and memory.
Walking by, you'd never know that a U.S. president died here. And a Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Or that the building itself became a matter of a diplomatic dispute when two countries merged, then separated a short time later. You probably wouldn't be able to guess just by looking at what was once an embassy, that its diplomats were expelled when the U.S. severed ties.
You might not know that a decade after it was abandoned, it might soon have new life.Read Kalorama's Forgotten Embassy on Diplomatica.
Canada and the United States share one of the world’s most significant and enduring partnerships. Geography, history, economics, and security have bound these two nations together, but it is the leadership at the highest levels that has shaped and sustained this relationship. Over the decades, Canadian prime ministers and U.S. presidents have worked side by side, navigating global crises, strengthening trade, and reinforcing a commitment to democratic values. Amid growing tensions between the current president and the U.S.’s closest ally, a new exhibition at the Embassy of Canada’s gallery offers a compelling look at the defining moments of the bilateral relationship, seen through the lens of key leaders from both nations.
Read about the latest exhibit at the Embassy of Canada in The Unique Bond Between Canadian and American Leaders on Diplomatica.
Explore all of the embassy-nominated books in our curated literary collection. We are adding countries and recommendations weekly.If your country isn't yet represented, please get in touch.
February 28 - The Ibero-American Cultural Attachés Association (AACIA) presents the seventh edition of Ibero-American Night, an evening celebrating culture, cuisine, and music.
For the first time, the annual gala will be co-hosted by two member institutions—the Spanish Cultural Center and the Mexican Cultural Institute. These neighboring venues will open their doors for a night of performances, exhibits, and immersive cultural experiences.Read Diplomatica's profile of the Spanish Cultural Center, in The Inside-Out Residence, and our profile of the Mexican Cultural Institute, in The Mysterious Mansion with History Written on Its Walls.Purchase tickets here.
The Capital Irish Film Festival
Friday, February 28, 2025: To celebrate the extraordinary legacy of Norman Houston, the former director of the Northern Ireland Bureau in the United States, the festival will host a special screening of TRAVEL SOCKS, by 2025 Norman Houston Short Film Award winners, writers and directors Tess Annan and Joseph Madden, presented in a double bill with THE WISE GUY, the award-winning debut feature film by Northern Irish director, Sam O'Mahony.
Guests to the event will be welcomed by Richard Cushnie, Director of the Northern Ireland Bureau, North America, and following the screenings there will be a reception at AFI, sponsored by the Northern Ireland Bureau, North America.Purchase tickets here.*Disclosure: Diplomatica has donated to the Norman Houston Short Film Award.
