AWARDS: NCAFP Annual Gala Dinner 2026

As the United States marks its 250th anniversary, the National Committee on American Foreign Policy invites you to an evening that honors our nation’s legacy and looks toward the future. This year’s Gala will celebrate the leaders, partnerships, and ideas shaping America’s role in an increasingly complex world.

For more than five decades, NCAFP has brought together policymakers, diplomats, business leaders, and scholars to advance diplomacy, dialogue, and international engagement. As we look ahead, these principles remain as important as ever.

The evening will recognize visionary leaders whose service, leadership, and commitment to international cooperation are helping build a more peaceful, prosperous, and secure future.

This year’s Gala honors leaders whose work reflects that continuity across time and fields of service. Stephen E. Biegun, former U.S. Deputy Secretary of State, will receive The George F. Kennan Award for Distinguished Public Service in recognition of his principled diplomacy and leadership on critical international issues. Michael J. Dowling, Chief Executive Officer Emeritus of Northwell Health, will be honored with The William J. Flynn Initiative for Peace Award for his lifelong commitment to strengthening institutions and communities in service of the public good. Denise Murrell, PhD, Merryl H. and James S. Tisch Curator at Large, Office of the Director, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, will receive the Award for Excellence in Cultural Diplomacy for expanding cultural understanding through her scholarship and curatorial vision.