Anne Anderson (diplomat) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Anne Anderson
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Anne Anderson in May 2013
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| Born | July 1952 (age 72) |
| Nationality | Irish |
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| Occupation | Irish ambassador to:
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| Children | Claire Anderson-Wheeler |
Anne Anderson (born July 1952) is a famous former diplomat from Ireland. A diplomat is someone who represents their country in other nations. She was the 17th ambassador for Ireland in the United States. An ambassador is the highest-ranking diplomat sent to another country.
Anne Anderson was also the first woman to be Ireland's Ambassador to the United Nations, the European Union, France, and Monaco. She has had a very important career in international relations.
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Anne Anderson's Early Life and Education
Anne Anderson was born in July 1952 in Clonmel, County Tipperary, Ireland. Her family moved a few times when she was young. First to Kilkenny when she was eight, then to Portrane, County Dublin, at age 11.
She was a very bright student. At just 19 years old, in 1972, she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from University College Dublin. She studied history and politics there. Later, she also got a diploma in legal studies from King's Inns.
Anne has one adult daughter named Claire Anderson-Wheeler.
Anne Anderson's Diplomatic Career
Anne Anderson started her career in 1972 at the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs. This is the government department that handles Ireland's relationships with other countries.
Working with the United Nations
From 1976 to 1980, she worked in Geneva. She was part of Ireland's team at the United Nations. The UN is an organization where countries work together for peace and human rights.
She returned to Geneva from 1995 to 2001. During this time, she was Ireland's Permanent Representative to the UN. This meant she was Ireland's main representative there. She even chaired the United Nations Commission on Human Rights from 1999 to 2000. She was only the fourth woman to hold this important position.
Experience in the United States
Anne Anderson also spent time working in the United States. From 1983 to 1987, she was an economic and press attaché at the Embassy of Ireland in Washington, D.C.. An attaché is a specialist who works at an embassy.
She learned a lot about labor issues during this time. She worked with important Irish-American labor leaders. These lessons helped her throughout her career. Her daughter, Claire, was born in Washington in 1985.
Focus on Fair Employment in Northern Ireland
Back in Ireland, from 1987 to 1995, she worked on important issues. She helped with the Anglo-Irish Agreement. This agreement aimed to bring peace and cooperation between Ireland and the United Kingdom.
She focused on creating fair employment laws for Northern Ireland. She used what she learned in the U.S. about fairness in jobs.
Leading Ireland in Europe
From 2001 to 2005, Anne Anderson was Ireland's Permanent Representative to the European Union in Brussels. The European Union is a group of European countries that work together.
She led the Irish team when Ireland held the Presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2004. She was even named "Diplomat of the Year" by a newspaper called European Voice.
Ambassador to France and Monaco
Anne Anderson became Ireland's ambassador to France in July 2005. She served in this role until 2009. From 2007 to 2009, she was also the ambassador to Monaco.
Ireland's Ambassador to the United States
In 2013, Anne Anderson made history again. She was appointed as the first female ambassador of Ireland to the United States. She arrived in Washington, D.C. in August 2013.
On September 17, she officially presented her credentials to U.S. President Barack Obama. This ceremony took place in the White House Oval Office.
During her time as ambassador, she worked on several key goals:
- Helping Irish people living in the U.S. to gain legal status.
- Increasing trade and investment between Ireland and the U.S.
- Encouraging more tourism between the two countries.
- Promoting Irish culture in the United States.
Retirement and Continued Work
Anne Anderson retired from the Department of Foreign Affairs on June 27, 2017. She was replaced as the U.S. ambassador by Daniel Mulhall.
Even after retiring, Anne Anderson continues to be active. She joined an advisory board for the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund. This fund helps countries rebuild after conflicts. She also serves on boards for Georgetown University, the Druid Theatre Company, and Smurfit Kappa.
She has also written a book about her experiences called Thinking With My Pen: Speeches from a Life in Diplomacy.
Images for kids
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Anne Anderson in May 2013
