Tea Diplomacy

Learn about the remarkable role of tea diplomacy to address humanitarian issues at Grace Farms with one of the world’s leading experts in the field, Kent E. Calder. Calder joins James Kondo, Chairman of the International House of Japan, for a timely conversation about the way tea ceremonies build community and connection across cultures. They will also explore the inspiration behind Calder’s newest book, Chado Gaiko: Japanese Tea Diplomacy in a Global World. As part of the experience, enjoy Grace Farms Tea & Coffee, which reflects Grace Farms’ foundational commitment to sharing tea as a means of fostering grace and peace in the world. Calder is the Edwin O. Reischauer Professor and Director of the Edwin O. Reischauer Center for East Asian Studies at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. Join earlier in the day for a Grace Farms Tour of the River building and Barns designed by Pritzker Prize-winning firm, SANAA. Explore the River building and its unique glass walls, intended by SANAA to dissolve boundaries between people and the natural world, and explore the many other places on site where tea is a communal part of dialogue and reflection. This program has been developed in collaboration with Grace Farms, the International House of Japan and American Friends of the International House of Japan.