The Cultural Diplomacy and Development Foundation (CDDF) is an independent Washington, D.C.-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, established in 2025, dedicated to fostering global understanding, peace, and sustainable development. Through intercultural dialogue, cultural heritage preservation, and community empowerment, CDDF bridges divides and strengthens connections between diverse communities worldwide.
Our mission is to harness the transformative power of culture to promote peace, social development, and cross-cultural exchange. We achieve this by organizing art exhibitions, cultural exchanges, workshops, public forums, and community engagement initiatives that align with global sustainable development goals.
By bringing together thought leaders, artists, scholars, and policymakers, CDDF creates platforms for collaboration, education, and cultural appreciation. Through our initiatives, we aim to preserve cultural heritage, empower marginalized communities, and promote mutual understanding across borders.
Our Advisory Board brings decades of experience to the Cultural Diplomacy and Development Foundation (CDDF).
Our Staff
Leyla Mammadli
Co-founder and CEO of the Cultural Diplomacy and Development Foundation (CDDF)
Leyla Mammadli is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Cultural Diplomacy and Development Foundation (CDDF) and a Peace Ambassador with UN Women in Azerbaijan. She holds a distinguished degree in International Relations and International Law from Baku State University and a Master’s from the School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) at Johns Hopkins University.
Leyla has over 10 years of experience in international relations, peacebuilding, and nonprofit leadership. She has served as an Adjunct Professor at Baku State University and Khazer University for more than a decade, focusing on international relations and diplomacy. Leyla’s work emphasizes intercultural dialogue, sustainable development, and conflict resolution.
Her expertise extends to organizing events, fundraising, and establishing international partnerships for cultural affairs. Leyla is fluent in Azerbaijani, Turkish, and Russian and is currently learning Italian.
She is based in Washington, D.C., where she continues to advocate for cultural diplomacy and global cooperation for better future
Alexander Cromwell
Research Director and Board member
Alexander Cromwell is an Assistant Professor in Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences at Utah Tech University, where he teaches interdisciplinary research and conflict resolution-focused courses. He has conducted research on peace education and peacebuilding in contexts such as Pakistan, Afghanistan, Indonesia, Cyprus, and the US. His work has been published in International Studies Perspectives, Action Research, the International Journal of Educational Development, Compare: A Journal of Comparative and International Education, Journal of Peace Education, and in edited volumes. He previously taught at George Washington University, American University, and George Mason University, where he received his PhD in Conflict Analysis and Resolution. He is also a peacebuilding facilitator and has been working for over 15 years on conflict resolution and leadership programs with youth from the Middle East, South and Central Asia, Southeast Asia, Africa, Europe, and the US.
Gulnur Aghakisiyeva
Secretary and the Youth Ambassador
Gulnur Aghakisiyeva is pursuing a B.A. in International Affairs concentrating in Security Policy, at George Washington University. Her interests include cultural diplomacy, political philosophy, conflict resolution, and the politics of the Middle East.
Her work includes providing youth engagement with contemporary affairs of cultural diplomacy, planning, initiating, and fostering collaborations with external organizations, along with partial event planning, management, and interpersonal communication.
Aidin Eminov
External Affairs officer and researcher
Aidin is a dynamic professional with over five years of experience in project coordination and leadership across various sectors. Currently pursuing a master’s in international affairs with a focus on global governance from American University, he has developed strong analytical and research skills, having contributed to impactful projects such as evaluating citizen education programs in Northern Ireland. As a Program Fellow at Civica, Aidin supports initiatives in civic education, policy advocacy, and leadership development, contributing to research, communication materials, and event coordination. He played a key role in InterAction’s congressional fellowship and helped develop an ethnic leadership voter education toolkit for the Common Ground for America initiative. His expertise centers on the Caucasus and Central Asia, where he conducts in-depth research on the region’s economic, political, security, and energy dynamics. He is also a frequent commentator on international news networks, providing analysis on key regional developments. As the founder of the Azerbaijani Student Association and head delegate for Florida International University’s Model United Nations program, Aidin has demonstrated leadership in fostering cultural exchange and organizing large-scale events. Fluent in Turkish and Azerbaijani, he excels in high-pressure environments, ensuring efficient project execution and meaningful outcomes.
Anvar Mustafazade
Program Officer
Anvar Mustafazade is a data-driven business strategist with expertise in management, leadership and finance. He is pursuing his master’s degree in Management and has built a strong record in both private companies and government ministries. Anvar has started and managed two businesses, one in e-commerce and one in wholesale retail, achieving measurable growth in both. He has also led several projects that connect people from different cultures and support their personal and professional development. In addition, Anvar organizes cultural events in the DMV area to build community connections. With strong analytical skills and a business mindset, he works to find strategic solutions for today’s biggest challenges.
Advisory board
Diana Cohen Altman
Advisory board member
Diana Cohen Altman is the former executive director of the Karabakh Foundation (a cultural organization focused on Azerbaijan and the Caucasus) and a longtime advocate for cultural diplomacy. Her professional experience includes a lengthy tenure as a Smithsonian exhibition editor, several years as director of the B’nai B’rith National Jewish Museum and Archive, and an extended appointment as editor-in-chief of the magazine later acquired by the American Alliance (now known as Exhibitions). She has published in popular media about a broad range of cultural
topics.
Paul Michael Taylor
Honorary Advisory member
PAUL MICHAEL TAYLOR, a research anthropologist at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, is head of that museum’s Asian Cultural History Program, and serves as Curator of Asian, European, and Middle Eastern Ethnology. He has written or edited many books and numerous scholarly articles on the ethnography, ethnobiology, languages, and art (or material culture) of Asia. He has also curated twenty-one museum exhibitions (including five on-line virtual exhibitions). Outside his Smithsonian work he previously served as Senior Consultant to the World Bank Inspection Panel for social safeguard policies; and also as the Director of Ethnographic Film Development for Essential TV (Overseas) Ltd to develop twelve documentary anthropological films. During his studies of rural social, ecological, and poverty-alleviation issues, and his work on documentary films, he lived for over four years in small tribal or rural villages of Southeast Asia. The recipient of numerous international grants and awards, he has served on the Board of Directors of the Association for Asian Studies, and has been a longtime member of the Smithsonian’s Asian-Pacific American Heritage Committee. He has worked closely with many individuals and community organizations to establish “Heritage” projects at the Smithsonian, including the Smithsonian’s Sikh Heritage project, Korean Heritage, Heritage of Thailand, Taiwan Heritage, and others.
Dr. S. Frederick Starr
Advisory board member
Dr. Starr is the founding Chairman of the Central Asia-Caucasus Institute and Silk Road Studies program, a transatlantic research center between Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies and the Institution for Security and Development Policy. Dr. Starr was also the founding Chairman of the Kennan Institute and was involved in planning the University of Central Asia and the Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy. He has conducted extensive research and published both articles and books on the history, development, and domestic situations of greater Central Asia, as well as on US policy in Central Asia. Dr. Starr furthermore writes about the region for media outlets and journals.
Lutful Kabir
Advisory board member
Lutful Kabir is a multi-lingual professional and had held numerous senior leadership and management positions with UN Systems for about 12 years, about 21 years with International NGOs (CARE, SCF-UK, Plan International, SCF-USA and IMC) and 7+ years with Academic Institutions, in South Asia, South-east Asia, Africa, South Caucasus and Central Asia. He has undertaken numerous consultancy assignments, successfully established several country/program offices, trained national and international staff of numerous organizations and managed large program and operational budgets. ODM (Organizational Development & Management), Resource Mobilization, Civil Society Development and HICD (Human & Institutional Capacity Development) are some of the courses Lutful regularly taught. On numerous occasions, Lutful had worked as advisor/trainer for WB, ADB, USAID, OSCE, EU, DRC, NRC, numerous INGOs and UN agencies on various aspects of their works.