November 12

"1 billion per thousand troops."

--The cost, in dollars, of deployment in Afghanistan; image from

ANNOUNCEMENT

The U.S. Center for Citizen Diplomacy is pleased to announce a National Summit for Global Citizen Diplomacy to be held in 2010 in Washington, D.C. The Summit will launch a national initiative that includes a multi-year educational campaign and calls upon the private sector in partnership with the public sector to expand the number of American volunteers of all ages who are engaged in international activity both at home and abroad. The Summit broadens the momentum generated from the work of the U.S. Center for Citizen Diplomacy (USCCD)

a national resource base and network for Americans to be engaged as citizen diplomats, two major leadership forums held in 2008 (USCCD & The Johnson Foundation) and 2009 (The Leaders Project & The Gilman Foundation), and extensive reports conducted by the Center for Global Leadership, the Building Bridges Coalition, and the Center for Strategic International Studies, among others. These forums and reports engaged more than 200 leaders in international affairs and diplomacy who strongly endorse a revival of citizen diplomacy as a critical component of U.S. public diplomacy strategy and U.S. foreign policy. Image from

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

Obama visits Asia – Kim Landers, ABC Online: "Walter Lohman is the director of the Asian Studies Centre at the Heritage Foundation in Washington. He says the President's public diplomacy efforts are important but he thinks Barack Obama's engagement with Asia so far has lacked substance."

Exporting Democracy in a Suitcase - Jonathan Broder, CQ Weekly, posted at US Cuba Normalization: "[M]easures introduced in the House by Kansas Republican Jerry Moran and New York Democrat Charles B. Rangel and in the Senate by Montana Democrat Max Baucus and Indiana Republican Richard G. Lugar would [relax] the regulations for trade payments that Bush ordered [regarding Cuba]. ... Lugar, who wrote Obama earlier this year urging greater engagement with Havana, agrees that it is time for an overall change in U.S.-Cuba policy.


'Our whole protocol of sanctions has not worked to bring down the Cuban government or modify the power of Cuba in any substantial way,' he said. Driving such calls for change, especially among Republicans, is the potential for increased trade. With all of the obstacles that have been put in the way, U.S. food and pharmaceutical sales to Cuba earned a paltry $712 million in 2008. But with a relaxation of travel and trade restrictions, that figure is bound to grow, Lugar says. 'This is a very good time for public diplomacy,' he said. 'And it can occur very profitably for Americans though trade in food and medicine.'" Image from

Imagining USIB [US international broadcasting] without the BBG. As in more like Voice of Russia than the BBC - Kim Andrew Elliott discussing International Broadcasting and Public Diplomacy: Ellliott comment on article on the Board of Brodcasting Governors by Lydia DePillis, The New Republic, 10 November 2009: "Sorry, readers, for being a broken record: International broadcasting has an audience because it provides news that is more comprehensive and reliable than the state-controlled news in the audience's own country. Credibility is the therefore key commodity of international broadcasting. Credibility is achieved through journalistic independence. There is no way to achieve that independence other than a bipartisan board, with fixed and staggered terms, appointing the top executives of US international broadcasting. A CEO overseeing all of USIB is needed, but without a board to appoint that person, the CEO would be nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate. Less independence, less credibility, less audience. The TNR piece includes this: 'I really wonder what the utility of this board is,' says Nancy Snow, an associate professor of public diplomacy at Syracuse University.


'A lot of people who are on this board, what are they doing?' Well, the BBG appointed directors of VOA and presidents of RFE/RL and RFA. It has determined which language services will be dropped, added, reduced, or expanded. It has set priorities for the investments in the various media of international broadcasting, including radio, television, the internet, and mobile devices. And, on occasion, the Board has had to activate its firewall shield. (I thought experts were quoted because they provide answers rather than ask questions.)" Image: Nancy Snow enjoying a traditional Chinese dish.

Is Alhurra immune from writs against foreign media in Iraq? - Kim Andrew Elliott discussing International Broadcasting and Public Diplomacy: "US-government-funded Alhurra presumably remains on the air in Iraq, where (unlike its other Arab target countries) it has a network of terrestrial television transmitters. This could put Alhurra in a unique position to provide uncensored news to Iraq."

Campaign to bring the RFE Romanian archives to Romania - Kim Andrew Elliott discussing International Broadcasting and Public Diplomacy

Duncan MacInnes on State Department Public Diplomacy Initiatives – Liriel, iDiplomacy: "Duncan MacInnes from the State Department spoke about some of the challenges at the department and the way that they are incorporating new media to augment their programs. [He said: ] 'Why is iDiplomacy so important? iDiplomacy is actually … more than public diplomacy.

We have to look at the new media communications technologies as important for public diplomacy but also important for AID, programs in Africa – so you’re doing AIDS and other kinds of health programs via cell phone – you have marshalling communities such as the ‘No Mas Farc’ movement, and others where whole communities have come together against terrorism, against women; we see possibilities to use it in microfinancing, using cell phones to give loans to Africans and others. Those are not public diplomacy but ways that iDiplomacy can actually use new media to make a difference in the world today.'” MacInnes image from

Twitterati head to O2 -- Marina Thomas, docklands24.co.uk: "The world's twitterati will talk all things social media at a conference at the O2 next week. Stephen Fry - ... at the centre of a Twitter debate last week - will headline The 140 Character Conference on November 17. The event will focus on the effect of Twitter on business now and in the future. Talks will include 'how the internet is killing our culture' and 'investing in real-time internet'.

Fry, who was recently called 'boring' for his Tweets by one of his 970,000 followers, will discuss the effect of the tool on an ever-expanding range of topics. The event is one of many created by Jeffrey Pulver, an early investor in Twitter. He said the early idea behind the conferences was to explore the social networking tool and its effects on celebrity, media, advertising and possibly politics. He said: 'Over time the scope expanded to look at the effects of twitter on topics ranging from public safety to public diplomacy. It is my intention to provide a platform for as many people as possible to share their thoughts and engage in conversation with the attending delegates.'" Image from

UN IGF: Virtual Worlds and Public Diplomacy in the Digital Age - tVPN Admin,virtualpolicy.net: "The UK Government’s Department of Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) has proposed a workshop on virtual worlds and public diplomacy to be held as part of the 2009 United Nations’ Internet Governance Forum meeting being held between 15 and 18 of November 2009 in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt."

The Borderline Blues - Patricia Lee Sharpe, Whirled View: "[T]here are so many ways in which countries attempt to control events beyond their formal boundaries. War is one. The threat of war is almost as effective. Diplomacy is another way to achieve influence across borders, as is its hand-maiden public diplomacy, which characteristically attempts to distinguish itself from propaganda. The latter is no small debate. It concerns the borders

to be respected when attempting to influence. At one end of the spectrum is rational persuasion through information and facts; at the other end is emotional manipulation—or worse. At what point does legitimate persuasion turn into fraud, deceit, duplicity, conning? All of the latter are usually considered to be immoral and/or illegal, however effective they may be in achieving the manipulator’s ends." See also John Brown, “Public Diplomacy & Propaganda: Their Differences,” American Diplomacy. Image from

Bush to outline vision for his institute – Associated Press, Dallas Morning News: "Former President George W. Bush and his wife, Laura, are expected to outline their vision for the ex-president's think tank during speeches Thursday at Southern Methodist University. Set to begin in spring 2010, the George W. Bush Institute

will be part of Bush's presidential center at SMU. The center, which includes a library, museum and archives, will become the first presidential library complex to house a policy institute. Last week, James K. Glassman, an undersecretary of state for public diplomacy and public affairs in 2008, was named the institute's director. Then Bush said the institute will be world-class and promote policies and programs rooted in the ideals of freedom, opportunity, responsibility, and compassion." Image from

Experts to debate NATO's engagement in live video session - ISRIA: "On 12 November at 16:00 CET, NATO experts will discuss your comments and questions on 'NATO’s Engagement in an Era of Globalization' in a live online video session. How should the Allianceincorporate the lessons of current operations into its future strategy? How should it deal with evolving threats? And how can it ensure the success of the 'comprehensive approach'? Diego Ruiz Palmer, Head of the Planning Section of NATO’s Operations Division, Adrian Kendry, Senior Defence Economist with the Political Affairs and Security Policy Division, and moderator Dr Stefanie Babst, Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Public Diplomacy, will discuss your comments ahead of the second experts seminar on the new Strategic Concept to take place in Brdo, Slovenia, on 13 November."

Australia is also confused about the difference between international broadcasting and public diplomacy - Kim Andrew Elliott discussing International Broadcasting and Public Diplomacy: "First, Australia must decide if it wants its international television channel to be a news station or a public diplomacy station. Which is the same thing as deciding whether it wants its international television channel to have an audience or not. This is because a channel devoted to public diplomacy won't have an audience, or at least not much of an audience.

The audience for international broadcasting views or listens to get news that is more comprehensive, reliable, and credible than they news they get from their domestic media. If Australia wants to do public diplomacy via television, it should purchase 60-second spots on television stations that have large audiences because they do news rather than public diplomacy. These would include international channels such as CNN International and BBC World, and the more popular domestic channels in countries important to Australian foreign policy." Image from

Chinese Spokesman Qin Gang on Lincoln, Dalai Lama and Slavery - Charles Burton, Principled realism: "Chinese authorities really don't do public diplomacy very well. They grasp at straws to defend their Tibet policy very badly yet again. But as Lincoln put it at the end of his address at Gettysburg, I do believe that China before long 'shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.'"

New Norwegian Ambassador accredited at Fairview - Office of the President, Republic of Guyana: "In a first, the new Norwegian Ambassador to Guyana, Torbjørn Holthe, presented his letter of credence yesterday to Head of State Bharrat Jagdeo on the banks of the Essequibo River at Fairview village, Region Nine. ... Before the assignment as the Ambassador to Guyana, he served as the Senior Advisor, Department for Culture, Public Diplomacy and Protocol with the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs."

President Jacob Zuma congratulates President Armando Guebuza on his re-election - press release, BuaNews Online: "For more information contact the Head of Public Diplomacy, Mr. S. Molobi - 0829401647."

RELATED ITEMS

Japan Cools to America as It Prepares for Obama Visit- Helene Cooper, New York Times

Reshaping an Asian partnership- Sheila A. Smith, Washington Post: The historic political transition underway in Tokyo is rattling Washington and has produced a puzzling rigidity in an administration known for its capacity for reaching out to the world. President Obama's visit to Asia offers a much-needed opportunity to calm and energize the U.S.-Japan relationship.

Don't leave us, an Afghan radio programmer tells U.S. audiences: The former anti-Soviet jihadi who later went to Harvard before returning home says a troop pullout could spark chaos in the whole region - James Rainey, latimes.com: "'Afghans have taken to local media like fire to dry grass,' said Kathleen Reen, a onetime journalist and vice president for Asia at Internews,

an NGO that receives support from the U.S. State Department and numerous foundations. 'Afghanistan has such a rich, vibrant, independently minded media that has spread across the country and continues to grow.' Although the Afghan regime still threatens and jails journalists who get too bold, Western reporters say the press has considerably more freedom there than in most of the surrounding nations.Internews helped germinate many of the fledgling news operations, with the conviction that countries cannot thrive on crops and clean drinking water alone." Via. Image from

Fixing foreign aid: A Cold War-era system with too many agencies and not enough coordination needs an upgrade - Editorial , latimes.com: On Tuesday, after a 10-month delay that further rattled a demoralized staff at the U.S. Agency for International Development, Obama finally announced his nominee to head the agency. Dr. Rajiv Shah, currently an undersecretary at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is a popular choice among aid experts, a medical doctor who, at 36, has a resume that would be highly impressive for a man twice his age. The USAID nomination should have been made months ago, and the defects of the current system are widely known and well documented.

Taliban waging effective propaganda war – UPI: The Taliban has stepped up use of visual arts on the Internet and television in a campaign to win the Afghan propaganda war, officials say. In its war of minds against NATO, the Taliban

has made hay with often misleading images paraded across the computer screen, pointing to alleged military successes under a banner proclaiming "Voice of Jihad" and a ticker tape entitled "Hot News." This is the Web site of the Taliban, who have banned TV and the Internet, yet since 2006 have been harnessing that same despised technology in an escalating campaign of propaganda, See also. Image from

Nato’s voice is stifled as propaganda newspaper ends up as food wrapping - Jerome Starkey, Times Online: It is used to wrap kebabs, chips and glistening jalebi sweets, but rarely is Nato’s flagship propaganda newspaper read in Afghanistan. Bundles of Sada-e Azadi — The Voice of Freedom — are sold by the kilogram as scrap in Kabul’s black market bazaars. The fortnightly free sheet is packed full of pro-Nato stories about school openings and new wells, printed in full colour, in three languages, and distributed across the country. But it rarely reaches its key target audience.

Vietnam, Afghanistan and learning from history What can Obama learn from the Vietnam War, and how can he apply it to the war in Afghanistan?- Gordon M. Goldstein, latimes.com:

In Vietnam, the United States never rigorously questioned the viability of its military strategy in advance. Is counterinsurgency a viable mission in Afghanistan? Should the United States pursue a military strategy with a historically low rate of success -- one that in Vietnam proved to be open-ended in its duration, indeterminate in its goals, dependent on intangible political factors and effectively countered by the tactics of asymmetric warfare? Image from

Zimbabwe: West Using Media As Propaganda Tool - Reason Wafawarova, The Herald

AMERICANA

Guantanamo-based McDonald's seeks applicants - Carol Rosenberg, McClatchy Newspapers: Out of work and willing to relocate? McDonald's is advertising for an assistant manager for its sole franchise in Cuba - serving up burgers and fries that sometimes feed detainees at the prison camps at Guantanamo Bay.

Image: Guantanamo Bay McDonalds

November 11

"We will not overcome ... suspicion and hostility overnight, nor will neatly packaged public diplomacy be a substitute for compelling policies – and actual results – on issues that matter most to people in the Middle East."

--William J. Burns, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs; image from

Thought Experiment No. 1


Dan Mooney for Errol Morris / Library of Congress: "Question: What is the difference among these three photographs? ... Is it photojournalism, propaganda or art, and why? ... Answer: There is no difference. The photographs are the same. (Although the three captions are different.)"

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

The Obama-Clinton Administration – Andrew Sullivan, Atlantic Online (blog) - ‎"Hillary's globe-trotting role as a new kind of public diplomacy secretary-of-state is one the more astonishing things in the last nine months. What she did in Pakistan was quite something."

Hillary visit: beginning of soft-power diplomacy? - Shamaila Farooq, Pakistan Observer: "The visit was therefore of much importance than usual as it may have sharp impact on the US foreign policy towards Pakistan. Ms. Clinton visited the country in an unprecedented manner this time. Never in the history, had any US official spent the time had she spent in Pakistan.

It reflects that Obama administration attaches much importance to public diplomacy to achieve foreign policy objectives particularly in “war against terrorism”. ... There are no easy alternatives of what has been done in making the relations between US and Pakistan more strained, even it’s premature to see any big difference in the US policy towards Pakistan but we may hope to see the real end to the 'cow-boy diplomacy,' exercised during eight-year rule of Bush be replaced with the 'soft power diplomacy' of Obama administration. Although her visit has been depicted as a charm offensive the way she used diplomatic language with admiring smile that inspired everybody but she strictly stood by what the US had devised for Pakistan." Image from

Seeking foreign aid but not with conditions - Muhammad Asif Raza, Thought of the day: "The recently enacted Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act of 2009 of the United States (Kerry-Lugar law) has come in for adverse criticism from various quarters for allegedly being a blatant attempt to undermine the sovereignty of Pakistan and to create a rift between civilian and military institutions. ... [N]ow the Pakistan government has the Hobson’s choice to either accept the Act as it is or reject it altogether. The Kerry-Lugar law provides for annual economic assistance of $1.5 billion to Pakistan for the period 20102014. The purposes of the assistance include consolidation of democratic institutions, supporting expansion of rule of law, promoting sustainable economic development, supporting investment in people and strengthening public diplomacy."

America and the Middle East in a New Era - William J. Burns, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, US Department of State. "As President Obama has emphasized, and as Secretary Clinton discussed at length at the recent Forum for the Future meeting in Morocco, healthy relationships between America and the countries of the Middle East are about ties between societies, not just between governments. We have a long and painful history of mutual mistrust and misunderstanding to overcome across much of the region.

We will not overcome such suspicion and hostility overnight, nor will neatly packaged public diplomacy be a substitute for compelling policies – and actual results – on issues that matter most to people in the Middle East. But we ought not to underestimate the importance of simple human contact, using tools ranging from exchanges and scholarships, to English-language teaching programs, science envoys, and cultural and sports diplomacy." Image from

A Meaningful Agenda for President Obama's Meeting with Southeast Asian Leaders - Walter Lohman, Heritage.org: "The Bush Administration did a great deal for U.S. relations with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). ... Unfortunately, the Bush Administration’s public diplomacy was not as successful. President Bush’s decision to cancel a U.S.–ASEAN leader’s summit in 2007, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice’s intermittent attendance at regional meetings, and Assistant Secretary Chris Hill’s seeming indifference to Southeast Asia contributed to a damaging impression of American withdrawal. That conclusion was neither fair nor accurate, but it proved difficult to shake. President Obama has the opposite problem. His attention to the region is helping to correct the impression of a declining American commitment. ... But, thus far, his engagement has lacked substance."

Deputy PM Nguyen Thien Nhan visits US – DZ Times: "Nguyen Thien Nhan paid a visit to the US from Nov. 7-9 to seek ways to boost bilateral cooperation in education-training and response to climate change. ...

Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Judith A. McHale acclaimed the two nations’ building and approval of the education task group’s reports, including directions and measures to elevate education ties as agreed upon by senior leaders during Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung’s visit to the US in June 2008." Nguyen Thien Nhan image from

Obama's Choice, By the Numbers - Bill Glucroft, Multiple Reality Disorder: "Meanwhile, we could pull back from Afghanistan, save our people and our money, and still thwart that same terrorist attack 10 years from now with good law enforcement, intelligence and collaboration, the true pillars of counter-terrorism. Add to that a comprehensive public diplomacy program that treats people like partners instead of subordinates, and we could actually have the beginnings of an effective, worldwide rollback of terrorist activity."

State Department Social Networking Connects America with the World - Mitchell Polman, Understanding Government: "It seems an unlikely match — the U.S. federal government and social networking. But the Department of State apparently didn’t think so in October 2008 when the department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) became the first U.S. government agency to launch a social networking site, called 'ExchangesConnect'. ECA entered the world of social media world in order to enhance its existing international exchange programs, creating a portal open to people of all ages from all over the world.

Hoping that alumni of exchange programs will attract other people to the site from their personal networks, the State Department makes a special effort to inform participants and alumni of student exchanges and other State-sponsored programs about it. ... I looked at the site and while I found it to be an innovative idea, the site presently has a few limitations. ... ExchangesConnect is indeed bringing people together for dialogue and some exchange. Cyberspace, however, is not a substitute for face-to-face encounters."

Board to Death - Lydia DePillis, New Republic: "[T]he eight-person Broadcasting Board of Governors, which oversees the five media entities—Voice of America foremost among them—[is] tasked with broadcasting American culture and journalism around the globe. .... The sad saga of the BBG began almost as soon as it was created in its current form, when the U.S. Information Administration [sic; should be United States Information Agency] was dissolved in 1999. ... Some in the public diplomacy world are at a loss to even describe why the board is there at all. ... [T]he inability to get people through a politicized confirmation process has contributed to a sad situation for the more than 3,000 employees under the BBG’s jurisdiction: In the most recent survey of 37 federal agencies, the BBG finished dead last in three out of four categories of staff performance. This is the kind of problem that full-time leaders are brought in to fix. Picking an empowered executive who could devote his full attention to the issues—like any cabinet secretary!—would almost certainly be more effective than confirming eight people for whom international broadcasting is an extracurricular activity."

Eight observations - 4th - telling - Cynthia Kurtz, Story Colored Glasses: On Organizational and Community Narrative: "Telling a story is not always the best way to tell a story In theory, telling a great story seems like a perfect way to achieve goals. In practice, things are rarely so simple. I'm often amazed by the way people talk about stories as if they were levers or buttons people can pull or push to make an impact or have an effect. One example is the tension between 'cultural' and 'public' diplomacy. According to Richard Arndt

in his book The First Resort of Kings, cultural diplomacy involves the respectful exchange of cultural treasures, while public diplomacy is closer to public relations campaigning. This review of the book calls the distinction 'between two-way exchange and storytelling' (which is sad, because storytelling didn't use to deserve such a bad rap). Arndt maintains that while cultural diplomacy has been used to mutual positive effect in the past, in more recent years American diplomacy has been mainly of the 'public' kind." Arndt image from

Master’s student brings images of the world to USC - Sarah Bennett, Daily Trojan: "Selected from thousands of images taken during his [Paul Rockower’s] adventures around the globe, 21st Century Family of Man exhibit features a lobby and conference room’s worth of professional-grade photos documenting the commonality among the people and places Rockower has encountered. ...

As a student in the country’s first and only public diplomacy program, Rockower hopes that by bringing the images of the world to USC, he can create a two-way dialogue that will inspire students to travel and see for themselves how alike humanity can be. India, Israel and China are among the countries he has visited." Image of Rockower exhibit from article

Exclusive: Fort Hood Massacre – Is It Too Late For Corrective Measures? Margaret Hemenway, Family Security Matters - "Five years ago, in October 2004, Abdurahman Alamoudi of the American Muslim Council, pled guilty and was sentenced to 23 years in prison for his role in a Libyan plot to kill Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah. ... From about 1993 to 1998 (virtually during the entire Clinton Administration), the Pentagon retained Alamoudi on an unpaid basis to nominate and vet Muslim chaplain candidates for the U.S. military. The State Department was similarly conned and selected Alamoudi as a representative of the United States in its public diplomacy mission, anointing him as a 'goodwill ambassador' to numerous Arab states."

Consul General of Israel to New England Reaches Out to Teen Leaders for Peace - press release, PR.co - ‎ "The Consulate General of Israel is the official representative of the State of Israel to New England. We serve as the liaison between the residents of New England

and the State of Israel. Through the fields of academia, culture, politics, economy, press and public diplomacy, we promote knowledge and understanding of Israel. The Consulate's district encompasses Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont. Through the fields of academia, culture, politics, economy, press and public diplomacy, we promote knowledge and understanding of Israel." Image from

New York Film Academy to train Nigerian filmmakers – Rara, Nolly Zone: "Del-York International has entered into an agreement with the world’s most prestigious film-making Academy, the New York Film Academy (NYFA) to bring the academy’s world-class training courses, facilities and tutors to Abuja, Nigeria. Nigeria will be the first country on the African continent to host the NYFA team to an intensive hands-on training workshop on a diverse range of disciplines, including film making, public diplomacy, broadcast journalism, documentary-making, directing, screen writing, editing, 3D animation and master classes exclusively designed for professionals, marketing communications executives, lawyers, advertising agencies and government institutions."

NATO Public Diplomacy Division - Photo competition - Mreza Kreativnih Ljudi: "NATO Public Diplomacy Division is organizing a photo competition foryoung people from the region. ... Sincerely Yours, Jan Vlkovský Embassy of the Czech Republic, Belgrade." Below image from



State Secretary Bogdan Aurescu attending European Security and Defence Forum in London - Financiarul: "It is worth mentioning the series of public diplomatic events that the Center for Conflict Prevention and Early Waning [sic], in cooperation with MAE, the Romanian Defence Ministry and the National Defence College organized over Sept. 21 – Oct. 23 with the support from NATO Public Diplomacy Division."

A Statement on the Concept of the “Defamation of Religions” Has Been Signed by the International Civil Liberties Alliance – Liberties Alliance: "[L]egal efforts alone cannot foster an environment of respect and religious freedom. Education and public diplomacy are vital tools in the protection of a peaceful and robust exchange of ideas and beliefs."

Reinvigorating the Museum of Asia Africa - pied-piper, diplomatic knots: "[A]s one walked through the dilapidated walls of the Museum of the Asian-African Conference,

one cannot but feel that maybe we in Indonesia are also to blame for this. We have failed to raise awareness of Indonesia’s relations with Asian and African countries, notwithstanding our supposed efforts to implement the NAASP [New Asian-African Strategic Partnership] . ... [T]he museum should revamp itself from being only a center for learning on the Asian-African Conference to being a museum that features Indonesia’s foreign policy towards the Asian and African continents. ... [S]ouvenirs [should be made] available that could create some form of lasting attachment between the museum and its visitors. Indeed, much of most souvenirs these days are simply made to satisfy the public’s consumerist appetite. Nonetheless, if looked from a broader perspective, souvenirs could become means of public diplomacy." Museum of Asia Africa image from

RELATED ITEMS

To mark 20 years since fall of Berlin Wall, leaflets lofted over North Korea - Kim Andrew Elliott discussing International Broadcasting and Public Diplomacy

A strategy needs some steel - Michael Gerson, Washington Post: Military choices must be announced and pursued with neon clarity. It is the purpose of wartime presidential leadership to turn a debatable strategy into a national commitment.

We have yet to see this type of leadership from Obama. His rhetorical focus has been mainly domestic. Communication concerning Afghanistan and Iraq has come when there is no other choice. These wars have fallen into the category of inherited problems -- less national causes than a distant uncle's debt. Obama's high-profile international speeches, such as his Cairo remarks and United Nations address, have sought to transcend ideological debates, not engage them on one side. Image from

Blackwater Said to Pursue Bribes to Iraq After 17 Died – Mark Mazzetti and James Risen, New York Times: Top executives at Blackwater Worldwide authorized secret payments of about $1 million to Iraqi officials that were intended to silence their criticism and buy their support after a September 2007 episode in which Blackwater security guards fatally shot 17 Iraqi civilians in Baghdad, according to former company officials.

No time to ease up in Afghanistan: A ‘counterterrorism-lite’ approach is based on three critical fallacies - Michael Chertoff, USA Today:

Counterinsurgency efforts in Afghanistan will be difficult, painful and expensive, with significant casualties. Critics are entitled to argue that the price is too high and the challenge too arduous. But we should not fool ourselves: An insufficient effort in Afghanistan will significantly raise terrorism risks at home and around the world. Image, with following inscription: "Ease up there big boy. I watched this ages ago, don't remember there being anything memorable enough to write about to be honest. The crowd was always gonna go against Kulez."

Justice and Guantanamo Bay: It is a mistake to try some detainees in federal courts and others by military commissions - Morris Davis, Wall Street Journal: China, the U.S. and Taiwan: The U.S. could use arms sales as leverage to ease tensions between mainland China and Taiwan, pave the way for closer Sino-American ties and promote peace and stability in Asia.

America Leaves Itself Behind: A world of trade deals without the U.S. - Review & Outlook, Wall Street Journal: President Obama heads for Asia this week to talk about U.S. economic recovery and reform, and one theme that we expect he'll hear from Asian leaders is this: America is leaving itself behind as the rest of the world tries to liberalize trade.

AMERICANA

Buzz Aldrin named L.A. County's lunar diplomat - Richard Winton, latimes.com: The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors is heading for the final frontier: Space. At the behest of Supervisor Mike Antonovich, the board Tuesday appointed Gemini 12 and Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin as its "Honorary Consul General to the Moon from Los Angeles County." Aldrin was the second man to step on the moon in July 1969.

The Board of Supervisors, famous for presentations of elaborate scrolls, gave one to Aldrin, who accepted on behalf of the 24 Apollo astronauts who reached the vicinity of the moon. The astronauts represent the "highest ideals of a seasoned American military officer, American military aviator, American veteran, and American space explorer," the board's agenda stated. Aldrin image from

IMAGE

British Propaganda Posters of the Second World War - Women of Britain come into the factories

November 10

"He was willing to accept a job as lead supervisor in shipping and receiving, even though he has a degree in international relations and public diplomacy."

--The Janesville Gazette (Wisconsin), regarding Christian Lopez, who prepares packages for shipment at Professional Power Products of Darien; image from article

VIDEO

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton: 21st Century Statecraft

EVENT

Communication Roundtable - Winning Hearts and Minds: American Public Diplomacy in the 21st Century a Johns Hopkins University Date: 11/16/2009
via ninjaclectic: .@JohnsHopkins

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

International letdown - Helle Dale, Washington Times: "Once in office, Mr. Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton emphasized a new era of communication with audiences worldwide. Public diplomacy had been a problem area for the George W. Bush administration, but the new administration pushed its message aggressively to young audiences via the new media, Internet and cell-phone technology. Marketing the personal appeal of the president to audiences in Africa and the Muslim world seemed especially promising.

Being personally popular and publicly apologetic about the United States may be enough to win a Nobel Prize, but it's no way to conduct effective foreign policy. Indeed, setting the bar of expectations so high has actually created a problem. Even media solidly on the side of the Obama administration have started to notice. … What about institutional means of transmitting U.S. policy to foreign publics - as well as foreign leaders? The administration is still working on that. The Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review process has just begun. The Broadcasting Board of Governors, which oversees Voice of America and other U.S. international broadcasting services, remains in limbo. The terms of all nine board members have expired, and the White House has made no nominations to fill the posts. Such inaction typifies the Obama administration's failure to engage substantively in public diplomacy - despite all the president's appealing imagery, symbols and oratory." Image from

US committed to Pakistan: Holbrooke - Anwar Iqbal, DAWN.com: "Mr Holbrooke said that in Pakistan, Mrs Clinton ‘embarked on two trips at once’, the private meetings with the president, the prime minister, the foreign minister, the military and the opposition. But at the same time, she also did massive public diplomacy, making herself available to editors, television, radio, Fata leaders, students, women and business leaders, and ‘very hostile journalists, very aggressive sceptical journalists’, said Mr Holbrooke. ‘In every discussion, when there was a disagreement — and there were plenty of disagreements — she said, in effect, the same message: We are friends who have some disagreements.’"

Testing Pak-US Ties - Maleeha Lodhi, Khaleej Times: ‎"The US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton’s visit to Pakistan was a striking and impressive display of public diplomacy. Rarely has a visiting American official, much less a secretary of state, reached out to speak directly to such a wide cross section of Pakistanis.

Ms Clinton’s energetic three-day trip aimed to reset the tone of an increasingly troubled bilateral relationship. How far this diplomatic mission to 'clear the air' helps to narrow the trust gap between the two countries is another matter." Image: Hillary Rodham Clinton, second right, prays together with Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, right, in front of the grave of the Poet Muhammad Iqbal, at the Iqbal Memorial in Lahore on Thursday. Photo: APAP, Islamabad

Don't Take Netanyahu to the Woodshed - Steven J. Rosen, Middle East Forum: ‎"If the president wants to avoid the appearance that a positive meeting with Netanyahu means he is deaf to Palestinian concerns, a solution is close at hand. The meeting, or at least the public diplomacy about the meeting, should be primarily about Iran, not the Israeli-Palestinian morass."

PMO: Friedman wrong about Israel - Gil Hoffman, Jerusalem Post: "Veteran New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman made waves in Israeli politics on Monday for suggesting that the US abandon efforts for an Israel-Palestinian peace deal. ...

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's media adviser, Nir Hefetz, responded on Israel Radio that Friedman's analysis was wrong when it comes to the Israeli side but right regarding the Palestinians. ... But Netanyahu's minister of Diaspora affairs and public diplomacy, Yuli Edelstein, told Army Radio that he agreed with Friedman that the US should stop pushing for concessions to move the peace process forward." Image from

Dangerous Trajectories: Obama's Approach to Arms Control Misreads Russian Nuclear Strategy - Ariel Cohen, Heritage.org: "As the deadline for START follow-on treaty negotiations approaches, U.S. policymakers and Congress need to focus on the long-term objectives rather than the short-term goal of simply concluding arms control agreements at any price. Specifically, the U.S. should [inter alia] : ... Fight anti-Americanism with more effective public diplomacy. The Russian state-controlled media and some in Moscow's expert community are propagating a negative image of the U.S., repeatedly alleging that America wants to undermine Russian security. This often plays into the hands of those who seek to justify increased military budgets. Through the State Department and independent research institutions, the U.S. should promote a robust debate on U.S.-Russian relations, encouraging those who seek improvement. U.S. security experts should engage their Russian counterparts and the media in in-depth discussions of common security threats, such as Afghanistan and radical Islamist terrorism. Through international broadcasters, Internet communities, joint conferences, and visits of American security experts to Russia, the U.S. should engage Russian opinion leaders in debating nuclear weapons, arms control, and other defense-related subjects. The U.S. should communicate to the Russian people the truth that America is not entertaining plans to attack Russia."

Dangerous Trajectories: Obama's Approach to Arms Control Misreads US-Japan collaboration on high-speed rail - The Daniel Kliman, Japan Times: "[D]uring President Barack Obama's upcoming visit, Japan could propose a recurring dialogue on high-speed rail. ...

[T]he dialogue would serve as a powerful tool for public diplomacy. Most Japanese would view collaboration on high-speed rail as a symbol of the bilateral partnership's continued dynamism. Additionally, Japan's position of leadership in an endeavor involving the U.S. would be a source of national pride. In the U.S., the dialogue would raise Japan's public visibility." Image: Now Kawasaki Heavy Industries has unveiled plans to develop a new high-speed train which is expected to achieve a speed of 217 mph (350 kph).

Farewell and thanks - Tamara Cofman Wittes, Middle East Strategy at Harvard: "This will be my last post on MESH for the foreseeable future. On Monday I will take up new responsibilities that will take me away from the wonderful discussion that unfolds on this page. I’ll be serving as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, with specific policy responsibilities that include democracy and human rights (and, yes, the Middle East Partnership Initiative) along with public diplomacy."

JW 'Bill' Marriott to Receive Churchill Centre Award For Leadership - press release, SYS-CON Media: "The Churchill Centre today announced that it plans to bestow its Award For Leadership to J.W. 'Bill' Marriott

for his lifelong commitment to promoting democracy through progressive free market practices and fostering an open and transparent global business culture. Mr. Marriott will receive his award at a ceremony and dinner on Tuesday, November 10 at the Washington D.C. Four Seasons Hotel. ... The ceremony and dinner will include tributes to Bill Marriott by former Governor Mitt Romney, U.S. Senator Susan Collins, U.S. Senator Evan Bayh, U.S. Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Judith McHale and former U.S. Senator Gordon Smith." Marriott image from

How VOA inspired Roman Polanski - Kim Andrew Elliott discussing International Broadcasting and Public Diplomacy

Not the voice to sell our values - Tim Wilson, The Australian: "Australia's support for liberal democracy, human rights and free markets is essential for a prosperous world, and the least we could do is practise them in tendering out the job to broadcast them to the world. Instead of granting the ABC [Australian Broadcasting Corporation]

Australia's public diplomacy responsibilities, Australia should have an open tender process, and include in the selection criteria the obligation to prove a strong track record of promoting Australian values. At least then, if the ABC fails in its bid, they'll only have themselves to blame." Image from

History of Public Diplomacy – Liriel, idiplomacy: "Matt Armstrong, mountainrunner.us blogger, gave a history of public diplomacy, starting off with the pronouncement: 'We are at our very heart propagandists.'”

The failure of the “diplomatic” argument - Lena, SIS 640 Communiacs: The Creative Domain Of The Fall 2009 Sis 640 [AU]: "Modern-day conduct of foreign affairs heavily depends on communication, especially when it comes to public diplomacy and non-traditional warfare. After all, it’s about perception management

and 'manufacturing consent,' be it domestic, or within a foreign public: control over info. That’s the key." Image from

International Reporting: Get Into It! –Nick, SIS640 Manic: "It becomes clear, rather quickly, from both a public diplomacy perspective and an international reporting mindset that the 'CNN Effect' is likely an unfounded myth. I find it interesting to see the differences in background ideologies between public diplomacy and international reporting as they are described in the different readings."

War on Terrorism”, more like Scare the people! -nikole.fernandez SIS640: "The Group Four Blogging Corps: In this week’s reading by Robin Brown, he explains the importance of presenting international events and how the flow of information is utilized. To do this, he uses the example of the 'War on Terrorism' that took place after the attacks of September 11, 2001. The author mentions that the United States has used three different paradigms in communicating the war on terrorism. These are: the Information Operations (IO) doctrine,

which is 'any effort to attack or defend the information necessary for the conduct of operations'; public diplomacy, which joins international broadcasting, cultural diplomacy, educational exchanges, and overseas information activities; and lastly, political news management, or otherwise known as the ‘spin’, which tries to persuade the public that one side of the truth is actually the reality of it. Brown then goes on to describe the flaws of each paradigm that leads to each one’s loss of effectiveness and credibility." Image from

South Africa - Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane to undertake a visit to Srilanka, 11-12 November 2009 - ISRIA: "For more information contact Chief Director for Public Diplomacy, Saul Kgomotso Molobi on 082 940 1647."

RELATED ITEMS

Why 'Surge Light' won't work- Richard Cohen, Washington Post: America has been at war there since 2001, at war in Iraq since 2003, and like Britain between the world wars, is out of both treasure and patience. Leave Afghanistan to the drones and the Special Forces. It's no way to win, but it's a good way not to lose. Below image from



The U.S. needs to teach Hamid Karzai a thing or two: The Afghan leader needs to learn how to act as a wartime leader. Perhaps George W. Bush could offer some pointers - Max Boot, Los Angeles Times: Maybe it's time for Obama to summon his predecessor -- as Bush himself summoned his own father and Clinton on several occasions -- and ask him to undertake a special mission: Give Karzai some pointers on how to be a leader in wartime.

Why die for Karzai? Does U.S. support for the Afghan president really make sense?- Tom Hayden, latimes.com: T he United States seeks to gain the military upper hand with more troops, thus strengthening a negotiating position, while at the same time curbing Karzai's desire to enter talks with his Afghan adversaries. This is the choice facing Obama: Whether to send more Americans to their graves in support of Hamid Karzai while at the same time blocking the emergent quest for peace negotiations in Afghanistan

In Defense of Hamid Karzai: Afghanistan's failures are not the fault of its president – Bret Stephens, Wall Street Journal: Our failures in Afghanistan so far have mainly been our own, and they are ours to fix. To blame Mr. Karzai is to point the finger at the wrong culprit in the pursuit of disastrous, dishonorable defeat.

From Berlin to Baghdad: Will the peoples of Islam tear down their walls as the people of Central and Eastern Europe tore down theirs? – Fouad Ajama, Wall Street Journal:

Once again, there arises the question in our midst of whether political freedom, broadly conceived, can and ought to be taken to distant lands. In the George W. Bush years, American power and diplomacy gave voice to a belief in freedom's possibilities. A different sentiment animates American practice today. For the peoples of Islam, the question can be squarely put: Will they tear down their walls in the manner in which the people of Central and Eastern Europe tore down theirs? Image from

'Strategic reassurance' that isn't - Robert Kagan and Dan Blumenthal, Washington Post: No serious person would imagine a grand alliance and "special relationship" between an autocratic China and a democratic United States. For the Chinese -- true realists -- the competition with the United States in East Asia is very much a zero-sum game. For that reason, "strategic reassurance" is likely to fail.

Walker film series documents Chinese propaganda - Erin Carlyle, City pages; Minneapolis/St. Paul News Blog: One of the best ways to understand a culture is through the films it produces. The Walker's ongoing film series is the motherlode of Chinese political culture.

If you want to understand the cultural forces shaping China over the past 60 years, "The People's Republic of China: 60 Years of China on Film" will do the trick. Marked with the imprint of Mao Zedong's Cultural Revolution and its aftermath, the films are a fascinating look at Chinese ideas and propaganda. Image from article.

November 9

“This is mass madness, you maniacs! In God’s name, you people are the real thing! We are the illusion! So turn off your television sets. Turn them off now. Turn them off right now. Turn them off and leave them off! Turn them off right in the middle of the sentence I’m speaking to you now! TURN THEM OFF…"

--"UBS Evening News" anchor Howard Beale, in the film Network; image from

NEW BOOK

Nicholas J. Cull, Public Diplomacy: Lessons from the Past (Figueroa Press, Los Angeles)

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY IN THE NEWS

Ringing the alarm - DAWN.com: ‎"There is an Alice in Wonderland quality to America’s dealings with Pakistan. Late last month, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited Pakistan to undertake a highly visible campaign of public diplomacy to placate Pakistanis about their worst fears regarding the intentions of the US foreign-policy and security establishments. Then yesterday, The New Yorker published an article by Seymour Hersh that is sure to send chills through many here. The article is subtitled: ‘In an unstable Pakistan, can nuclear warheads be kept safe?’ Quoting unnamed senior US government and security officials, Mr Hersh reports:

‘[The Obama] Administration has been negotiating highly sensitive understandings with the Pakistani military. These would allow specially trained American units to provide added security for the Pakistani arsenal in case of a crisis.’ ... In all the recriminations over the ‘mixed signals’ that the Pakistani security establishment sends to the US in the fight against militancy, what is often overlooked is that the US, too, sends highly damaging signals to Pakistan and its people. The obsession with the ‘safety and security’ of Pakistan’s nuclear programme is as counter-productive to US-Pak relations as any issue can get." Image from

What's in a Name? - Sol Schindler, American Diplomacy: "The basic question is not whether we want public diplomacy. The question is to what end."

Toward a New Public Diplomacy: Redirecting U.S. Foreign Policy [review of Philip Seib, editor, Toward a New Public Diplomacy: Redirecting U.S. Foreign Policy New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2009,ISBN: 978-0-230-61744-5, 257 pp. Trade Paperback, $30.00; Hardcover, $90.00] - John H. Brown, American Diplomacy:

"[T]he main message of the book — that PD is in deep trouble and needs to be redirected — has been the subject of dozens of reports and countless other publications in recent years, including by some of the distinguished authors of this volume."

The Backlash Against Cultural Diplomacy – John Brown, Huffington Post: "While it can always use rejuvenation and must avoid becoming propagandistic, cultural diplomacy remains as important as ever."

How much spin can one take? - Jaxiecracks, Sis 640 Communiacs:

The Creative Domain Of The Fall 2009 Sis 640 [Au]: "[M]aybe what we really need is a more structural approach to winning over hearts and minds. Perhaps we should be targeting our public diplomacy efforts less on getting people to like or love America, and more on getting them to tap into the ideas and beliefs already present in their culture that underscore social and institutional structures that are in line with American ideologies." Image from Spin-Art Gallery

A World Without Walls – ISN Blog: "Meir Shlomo, the Strategic Adviser of the Public Diplomacy Division of the Foreign Affairs Ministry of Israel, outlined Israel’s strategy to promote a more positive picture in the world. He clearly answered a question from the audience regarding the wall between Israel and Palestine: It helped to keep terrorists out, and that means it’s necessary."

RELATED ITEMS

Thinking through the sales pitch: There is an obligation by citizens to ask the crucial questions about war - Susan A. Brewer, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Now, after years of war in Afghanistan, U.S. leaders reassess the mission. If President Barack Obama were to follow in the tradition set by many of his predecessors, he would announce a decisive policy that promised progress and victory. But, as much as the American people might like to be told there is a simple solution to the complex problems confronting the United States in Afghanistan, they know better. Image from

Who Caused the End of the Cold War? – Joseph Nye, Huffington Post: The lessons for today are clear. While military power remains important, and Reagan's rhetoric played some role, it is a mistake for any country to discount the role of economic power and soft power.

Four Little Words: Reagan deliberately confronted criminal regimes with what they fear most: the publicly spoken truth about their moral weakness - Anthony R. Dolan, Wall Street Journal: Reagan spoke formally and repeatedly of deploying against criminal regimes the one weapon they fear more than military or economic sanction: the publicly-spoken truth about their moral absurdity, their ontological weakness. This was the sort of moral confrontation, as countless dissidents and resisters have noted, that makes these regimes conciliatory, precisely because it heartens those whom they fear most—their own oppressed people.

Reagan's understanding that rhetorical confrontation causes geopolitical conciliation led in no small part to the wall's collapse 20 years ago today. Image from

Mr. Obama, stay away from this wall: Democrats tried to thwart Reagan's Cold War vision – Editorial, Washington Times: Some have criticized President Obama for not visiting Berlin to commemorate this historic moment, but he made the right choice. Mr. Obama should not attempt to associate himself with that historic moment, when a man with vision had the ability to see the future and the courage to realize it.

Hitler: football coach?

The Scottish veterans charity Erskine surveyed 2,000 young people between the ages of nine and 15 about World War I and II. Apparently, five percent thought that Hitler was a German football coach;

sixteen percent believed that Auschwitz is a WWII theme park; five percent said the Holocaust was a bash to celebrate the war's end. (STV News). Cited in Boing Boing. Image from

November 8

"No, I am not a postman."

--Vladimir Nabokov, when asked whether his novels contained a message; Nabokov image from

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

Secretary Clinton Announces Civil Society 2.0 Initiative to Build Capacity of Grassroots Organizations Marrakech, Morocco November 3, 2009 - U.S. Department of State: "In her remarks today to the Forum for the Future, Secretary Clinton announced Civil Society 2.0,

which will help grassroots organizations around the world use digital technology to tell their stories, build their memberships and support bases, and connect to their community of peers around the world. Building the capacity of grassroots civil society organizations will enable them to do the work that, in the past, Western NGOs and governments have done. With increased capacity, communities are better able to initiate, administer and sustain their own programs and solutions to shared problems." Image from

"Foreign bureaucracies should not manufacture messages of democracy" - Kim Andrew Elliott discussing International Broadcasting and Public Diplomacy – Elliott comment on article by Cynthia P. Schneider and Nadia Oweidat, “Where are the moderate voices from the Arab world?” Global Arab Network, 4 November 2009:" "The administration can condemn censorship and encourage internet access until it is blue in the face, but regimes such as those in Iran, Burma, and Zimbabwe won't comply until those regimes are replaced. International broadcasting must therefore step in to provide news and information to places where that information is denied. A lack of government fingerprints is good, whenever possible, but with limited commercial potential for international broadcasting in languages such as Persian, Pashto, Burmese, and even Arabic, government funding must be provided, coupled with the necessary guarantees of autonomy. As for the 'failure' of 'al-Hurrah' (Alhurra), see previous post."

Iran blames latest unrest on international broadcasts - Kim Andrew Elliott discussing International Broadcasting and Public Diplomacy

Assorted stories of RFE/RL's past and present - Kim Andrew Elliott discussing International Broadcasting and Public Diplomacy

CULTURAL DIPLOMACY

Edward Norton, Forest Whitaker, Sarah Jessica Parker, More Sign on to President Obama's Arts Committee - Christina Lee, Paste Magazine: "As Variety reported Monday, the White House appointed a total of 25 arts and entertainment personalities to serve in its Committee

on the Arts and Humanities. ... To further promote the arts, the committee will communicate with federal cultural agencies, in addition to public and private sectors. It will address cultural diplomacy, economic revitalization and education matters in the arts and humanities vein." Image from

Obama Names Picks for President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities - Steve Delahoyde, mediabistro.com (blog): "While President Obama was busy rocking it with his new Google Glasses on, we assume one of the things he got up to while looking so nerd-cool was selecting the members of the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities, the list of whom has just been released. And what an odd list it is. The ones the celebrity watching outlets will pick up on are Yo-Yo Ma, Vogue's Anna Wintour, Edward Norton, and Sarah Jessica Parker (no doubt for her efforts pitting artists against one another). For those whose interests lie elsewhere, you'll be pleased to hear that starchitect Thom Mayne also made it in, as did designer/architect Christine Forester. It's a strange

group of people, for sure, and if you're a little unclear as to how they'll all be working together (we'd like to see a Norton vs. Wintour argument the most), here's a brief synopsis of the committee: Our committee focuses on arts and humanities education, cultural diplomacy, economic revitalization through the arts and humanities and special events dedicated to recognizing excellence in these areas. Since our members include government agencies and private individuals, we provide a dynamic link between the public and private sectors. All of our efforts are collaborative, and we work primarily with the White House and our cultural partners, the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Update: The LA Times' Christopher Knight has a few more things to say about the group's makeup, like why aren't there any visual artists included?" Image from

Anna Wintour joins Obama! - Grazia: "So this is a nice 60th birthday present. Anna Wintour

is joining Obama in the White House! Kind of. The US Vogue editor-in-chief has just been appointed honorary chair on the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities, which will focus on ‘arts and humanities education, cultural diplomacy, economic revitalisation through the arts and humanities and special events dedicated to recognising excellence in these areas, and for the promotion of really great shoes’ (OK, we made that last bit up). The committee will basically advise the President on how to elevate the role of the arts in society." Wintour image from article

Obama's Art Gurus - Jessica Bumpus - Vogue.com: "Anna Wintour and Sarah Jessica Parker have been recruited by president Barack Obama to advise on the arts. The American Vogue editor and Sex and the City actress

are among a group of Hollywood and fashion figures - which also includes a cellist, a theatre and film producer and a ballet dancer - who have been given the task to bring attention to education, cultural diplomacy and economical development through the arts. First Lady Michelle Obama holds the role of honorary chairperson to the 25-member arts and humanities committee. 'The arts are not just a nice thing to have or to do if there is free time or if one can afford it,' she said. The committee was set up in 1982 during the presidency of Ronald Reagan, reports The Daily Telegraph." Jessica Parker image from article

What is Obama's policy on the arts? - Marianne Combs,Minnesota Public Radio: "[W]ith all this talk about health care and the economy, you may not know just exactly what President Obama has planned for the arts (I certainly couldn't point to any projects off the top of my head). Well I did a quick search and found this from his campaign trail days, when candidate Obama needed to have talking points on every issue out there. In summary, our President has promised America the following [among them]: … - To promote cultural diplomacy. By that he means put more money into U.S. embassy programs that send American artists on tour around the world. - To attract foreign talent. Since 9/11 it's been difficult, if not impossible to get a visa to perform in the United States. President Obama has promised to streamline the visa process so artists and art students can make their way here more easily."

Connecting cultures - Don Aucoin, Boston Globe: "During a visit to Boston two years ago, King Abdullah of Jordan heard the Boston Children’s Chorus perform at the Harvard Club and was bowled over. The king told chorus executive director David Howse

to let him know if there was anything he could do for the chorus in the future. Howse had an idea: Why not bring the chorus to Jordan? After all, part of the mission statement for the multiracial ensemble, founded six years ago by Hubie Jones, is that the singers 'proudly represent the city of Boston as ambassadors of harmony.’ Working with the Royal Court in Jordan, the US State Department, and cultural organizations in Jordan, Howse laid the groundwork for what eventually became a two-week visit to Jordan in July by 65 members of the chorus. Ranging in age from 11 to 18, the chorus members gave a total of seven performances in the city of Amman and in rural towns. Call it cultural diplomacy, chorus-style." Howse image from

First Lady Presents After-School Arts and Education Awards - press release, Media Newswire: "Mrs. Obama ... [is] the honorary chairman of the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities (PCAH), which sponsors the Coming Up Taller awards in partnership with three federal agencies. The PCAH focuses on arts and humanities education, cultural diplomacy and economic revitalization through the arts and humanities. The committee includes both government officials and private individuals. It works primarily with the White House, the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Institute of Museum and Library Services to connect the people of the United States with each other and with the rest of the world through dance, music, literature, painting, sculpture, and heritage and cultural tourism."

The British Museum brings the dead to life: The British Museum's Day of the Dead celebrations did more than offer a joyous take on Mexico's annual spectacle. It revived its own standing on the cultural landscape, too - Jonathan Jones, guardian.co.uk ‎: "The Day of the Dead at the British Museum on Sunday was the ultimate consummation of Neil MacGregor's transformation of the Bloomsbury collection into a meeting place of world cultures. This autumn's theme at the museum is Mexico. … But the sheer scale of this festival was mind-blowing.

The crowds were so huge and joyous, the events such an artful cocktail of entertainment – skeleton parades, macabre ballets, those stiltwalkers – and education. The crowds didn't just gawp; we listened to erudite talks as well. And there were the two Mexican exhibitions to make part of your visit, adding up to a revelatory cultural encounter. As it happens I was in a debate the other day on the theme of museums as agents of cultural diplomacy. Dr Tiffany Jenkins, a trenchant critic of the British Museum's global vision of itself as cultural melting pot, was another speaker. There was no one from the BM on the panel, so I found myself defending it, pointing out how rich the aesthetic rewards of its 'cultural diplomacy' have been. But in light of yesterday, it needs no defender." Image from article

Leading article: Cultural diplomacy - Independent: "Sino-British relations have had their share of ruptures over the centuries, from the Opium Wars to the disturbed progress of the Beijing Olympic torch through London's streets a few years ago. And until yesterday it looked as though The X-Factor had created another awkward diplomatic incident. There were reports that the Chinese ambassador, Madam Fu Ying, had been annoyed by the noise from the fans of the ITV show's contestants (who are being housed near Madam Fu's London residence). But not a bit of it. The Ambassador has made it known that she is actually very pleased to be 'caught up in X Factor fever' and even claims to be a fan. It used to be said that 'an ambassador is an honest man sent to lie abroad for his country'. But who could doubt the sincerity of Madam Fu's admiration for Stacey, Jamie and, of course, Jedward? We say: a new era of sweet harmony between our two great nations begins here."

Benjamin R Barber: Cultural diplomacy doesn't change how countries do business - Independent : "The trouble with cultural diplomacy – don't get me wrong, I like cultural diplomacy – is that it is redundant. Culture is diplomacy. Why? Because the medium in which the arts swim is not really words or deeds but imagination.

Which is to say, cultural diplomacy cannot pretend to change how countries do business and probably should not even try. … The truth is that democracy needs the art more than the art needs democracy." Barber image from

The Liberal vision: A cultured Canada - Pablo Rodriguez, National Post: "Michael Ignatieff was in Montreal last week to meet with theatre, television, film and video industry stakeholders, as well as representatives of Quebec's museums. ... Our Liberal leader is ... committed to ensuring stable funding to CBC/Radio-Canada, allowing long-term planning so the broadcaster can continue to offer unique, quality programming, as per its mandate as a Crown corporation. Lastly, Michael Ignatieff promised to re-establish and improve cultural programming cut by the Conservatives, especially programs that develop our role in international markets as well as initiatives in cultural diplomacy (like the scrapped PromArt and Trade Routes programs)."

The flute gathers dust - Rahul Ghai, HardNews Magazine: "Encouraging people in rural regions to develop traditional forms of livelihood based on cultural resources should be considered an investment in development. Such a development would go a long way in fulfilling the promise of preserving our cultural heritage. It would also provide solace to the arid and parched urban sensibilities."

Eastern Promises - Baladas Ghoshal, Times of India:

"Strategic objectives need not be promoted through projection of hard military power alone, as the 'realist' school would have it. Exercise of soft power could be more effective. The liberal institutional approach emphasises culture, ideology and institutions. Soft power strategies rely on common political values, peaceful means of conflict management and economic cooperation to achieve common solutions. India's objectives in its Look East policy and visibility in South East Asia can be furthered through areas education (human resources development), democracy and culture where it has a comparative advantage over other Asian countries. Indian and Indonesian cultures and values, for instance, are closely related. Civilisational contact between India and South East Asia spans over 2,000 years. If pursued, cultural diplomacy can further cement the bond between the two regions based on pluralist traditions and belief in 'unity in diversity'. Tourism as a means of people-to-people contact can be an instrument of cultural diplomacy." Image from

Sizzling Entertainment - David Tumusiime, Observer: "Just how much can four years away from Uganda change a person? A lot, if the transformation of The Missing Link (real name Abba Lang) of Klear Kut is anything to go by. … Although he is the programme coordinator on cultural diplomacy in Africa team for The Institute for Cultural Diplomacy in Berlin, Germany, the Link believes he can still get back to making music. It was one of the reasons that saw him come back to Uganda on August 24, 2009 although he said this was just a visit."

RELATED ITEMS

The President Whose Words Once Soared - Peter Baker, New York Times:

After Mr. Obama gave his speech in Cairo reaching out to the Muslim world, some aides argued that the address itself was responsible for Iranians taking to the streets of Tehran to protest a disputed election. But David Axelrod, the president’s senior adviser, said the White House is realistic. “No one ever believed that the power of communicating was in and of itself enough,” he said. “It’s important to communicate what you’re doing and why. But without the what and the why, the communicating is of little value.” Image from

Obama's unlearned lesson: Treading in Carter's unsuccessful footsteps - Oliver North, Washington Times: Like the Carter administration, Mr. Obama and his advisers apparently are convinced that "engaging" the Iranian regime will somehow make things different. After 30 years, they still don't get it.

For China trip, lose the old baggage - Zachary Karabell, Washington Post: Hundreds of billions of dollars in annual trade, trillions in loans and investments, and two decades of ever-closer integration have transformed both countries, and the mutual dependence has only deepened during the financial crisis of the past year. Another summit-as-usual won't do.

More Official Thoughts on Re-branding Propaganda – China Digital Times: David Bandurski of China Media Project translates “Employing Innovation to Raise the Level of Public Opinion Channeling in Television” by Ma Laishun, vice-chairman at Hebei Television and head of the station’s News Center. A portion of David Bandurski’s introductory remarks to Ma’s article: “Public opinion channeling” seems to encompass an ambitious nationwide project to re-package and modernize propaganda. The piece below refers explicitly to “all-around packaging” and “branding” even as it emphasizes serving the interests of party superiors.

It is crucial to understand that this modernization project seeks to take the boring and the boilerplate out of propaganda, not the propaganda out of news. The emphasis on discipline and the party line is still there. But there is a recognition too that traditional media control tactics, while still crucial, are no longer as effective in the age of modern communications. So to all of you phoning to ask whether the Internet has made a difference. Yes. Of course. But be careful how you understand that change. Chinese media are changing. And so are controls. Image from

ONE MORE QUOTATION FOR THE DAY

“Wrestling isn’t fake. It’s predetermined. So what?”

--Hulk Hogan

IMAGE


A copyeditor at the Toronto Star greeted the news that union copyeditor jobs were being eliminated in favor of freelancers by heavily editing the publisher's memo announcing same, pointing out all the ways in which the publisher could benefit from editorial aid.

From Boing Boing

November 7

"a useful idiot for Soviet propaganda."

--Howard Phillips of the Conservative Caucus, regarding Ronald Reagan; image from

BLAST FROM THE PAST

After the honeymoon: Electing Barack Obama president won't be enough to improve America's standing in the world - John Brown, guardian.co.uk, Thursday 26 June 2008

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY IN THE NEWS

Remarks at No Limits Public Policy Conference Luncheon - Hillary Rodham Clinton, US Department of State: "Every conflict we have in the world today is really bound up in whether people will invest in the future, whether they will seek common ground with others, or whether they will either stay frozen or go backwards. And part of our job in the State Department is to better explain what it is the United States represents. We got a little off track over the last eight years. We’re trying to get back on track today. I was very pleased that – some of you know Judith McHale was appointed the Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy, and she is traveling the world, looking for the ways that we can better connect so that we can tell our story. Because everyone has a story to tell, and everyone needs to be thinking about how we better tell America’s story. Whenever I travel, as Terry said, I try not just to meet with diplomats and officials, but to go out and meet with people.

And that’s been kind of a interesting experience the last nine months, because a lot of people thought, 'Well, why are you doing that?' Well, it’s because no matter what society you’re in, public opinion matters to a greater or a lesser degree, but it matters. You can be an authoritarian dictator, but you still have to listen to what people are saying and thinking. And we needed to do some concerted work to try to create a better communication between our country and others. … I said when I got to the State Department on the very first day that I wanted to see smart power in action. And smart power requires smart people, and we have just a wonderful group of really smart, dedicated people here in the State Department, at USAID, and around the world." See also. Image from

Redesigning Pak-US relations: The Nation, Pakistan: "Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, on her arrival in Pakistan, had said that she had come to 'turn the page' in the US-Pakistan relations. Undoubtedly, the page has yet to be turned. The Kerry-Lugar Bill was meant to win 'hearts and minds.' Therefore, she sought to clarify, dispel doubts and convince. Hillary Clinton used logic and exuded charm. She met every point raised. Certainly, it was an impressive display of public diplomacy - something Pakistan has, yet, to acquire, learn and practice. ... The controversy generated by the Kerry-Lugar Bill has done a considerable good to the people of Pakistan. For one, they are no longer willing to take things lying down."

Obama diplomacy lost in confusion – TedLipien.com: "Speaking softly to dictators while insulting faithful allies seems to be the essence of President Obama’s confused diplomacy. The Obama administration has repeatedly offended Poland’s pride in recent months, making Polish officials extremely suspicious and anxious about foreign policy and military commitments of the new U.S. administration. ... The final blow came when President Obama made his decision to cancel U.S. plans to build the anti-ballistic missile system in Poland and the Czech Republic, and chose to announce it on the very day the Poles were commemorating the tragic anniversary of the Soviet invasion of their country. Countless public diplomacy experts in the White House and the State Department, including President Obama’s future ambassador to Poland, did nothing to prevent this completely avoidable insult.

Wired headline said it all: Dear Poland, Happy Soviet Invasion Day. Love Uncle Sam. ... President Obama had canceled his plans to attend the 20th anniversary observances in Germany of the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will represent the U.S. Hoping to score a public diplomacy coup ... . Mr. Obama is too busy to Berlin to honor those who fought against communism in Eastern and Central Europe." Image from

What, perhaps, Voltaire would have advised Judith McHale regarding Public Diplomacy - John Brown, Notes & Essays: "Entertaining readers was the key to selling them books and winning their minds: he [Voltaire] didn't want their hearts. But in reality, Voltaire had always been a natural teller of tales. ... To various correspondents he explained what was required. Be brief (short, of course, but more importantly, expeditious), keep the mood jaunty (and casually louche), and above all amuse the reader ... .

Every story should have a central idea which intrigues the reader and makes him think. Be as bold as you wish, but root imagination in truth, not in the commonplaces of fiction, and do it with a lightness of touch that makes fantasy, farce, horror and even startling anachronisms chime with the reader's experience and knowledge of the world. Deal in broad types, not individuals, so that the reader is insulated against his feelings and constantly exposed to the idea, which is the point of the exercise. Never lecture, never be merely frivolous, and never triviliaze the idea at the heart of the tale." --David Coward, "To get the Beast by the tale: Voltaire and especially Candide are still 'infiniment actuel' after 350 years," Times Literary Supplement, October 23, 2009, p. 14. Voltaire image from

Marshall Islands: Ambassadors Fund For Cultural Preservation-Project Grant, Yokwe - "Marshall Islands: Ambassadors Fund For Cultural Preservation-Project Grant [:] Ambassador Martha Campbell, of the Embassy of the United States of America, to the Republic of the Marshall Islands, announcest opening of grant competition for the The Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP).

This annual competition supports projects in the following categories: 1. Objects and collections of objects from a museum, site, archive, or similar institution; 2. Cultural sites; 3. Forms of traditional cultural expression. Complete project proposals are due to the U.S. Embassy by THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2009. Summaries of proposed projects may be submitted to the Public Diplomacy Office at the US Embassy by THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2009 to facilitate further guidance and/or acceptance criteria to proposing agencies." Campbell image from

"Leveraging" US international broadcasting is a good way of eliminating its audience - Kim Andrew Elliott discussing International Broadcasting and Public Diplomacy

Revitalizing Iraq's Youth, One School at a Time - Staff Sgt. Jason Douglas, Systems: "FORWARD OPERATING BASE WARRIOR, KIRKUK, Iraq – The village of Chemin, Iraq, commemorated the opening of a new primary school with a ribbon cutting ceremony, Nov. 3.Attending the ceremony was Deputy Director General of Education Fawzia Abdullah Awanis, representatives from Kirkuk's Provincial Reconstruction Team and Soldiers from 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, based at Forward Operating Base Warrior. According to Stacy Barrios, the Kirkuk PRT chief of Public Diplomacy, the project was a combined initiative between the Kirkuk PRT, the Director General of Education, and U.S. forces in Iraq, in an effort to improve the educational infrastructure and environment in Kirkuk province."

The GAO Report (Beltway Edition): Need-blind admission for the whole world 'round: Shelley Gao, The Stanford Daily: "There are many benefits to ensuring that Stanford be open to the best and brightest around the world. International diversity ensures an exciting experience of peer-to-peer learning. American undergraduates can learn firsthand about different cultures and worldviews from their international friends.

Equally important is the opportunity for Stanford to educate individuals who will return to their home countries. International students have the duty to undertake positions of public leadership and help the world understand American values and ideas. This is the most valuable way they can give back to the United States. Indeed, the 'smart power' approach in foreign policy involves an increasing focus on international education and cultural exchanges. Public diplomacy is crucial to reviving America’s global leadership and advantageous to the United States’ long-term security and strategic interests. Simple interactions have the tremendous potential to break down barriers and help us recognize our shared humanity." Stanford club baseball logo from

USC's Annenberg School for Communication Brings Soft Power to Taiwan: Part I - Jerome F. Keating's writings: "'National Security, Public and Cultural Diplomacy, Smart Power: Future Directions for Smart Nations,' isn't that a mouthful. Yet that was the long and unusual title for the conference on October 29, 2009, a conference sponsored by Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). ... Ernest Wilson III, the Dean of the Annenberg School, [spoke about] trends for soft power that were global and the USA, as well as its core of unresolved issues. The need for recognition of and investment in public diplomacy (PD) in human rights as well as showing social groups are making alliances in this is important. Likewise Wilson gave comparisons between Bush and Obama in their uses of PD, but the real problem lay in the unresolved issues. Internally how will citizens exchange work and externally how soft power can be intelligently integrated with hard power, how public diplomacy faces off with trade diplomacy etc.? These remained challenges for the future.

Adam Clayton Powell III, USC Vice Provost for Globalization spoke about innovations in global PD and their implications. He pointed out how the ability of international broadcasting, internet radio and video can reach hundreds of millions and how competitive and comparative advantages must be leveraged, how NGOs must be used and how relationships with diasporas must be maintained. Powell emphasized how nations must not fight the last war but must anticipate the latest technologies from facebook, twitter etc. to the upcoming experiential media. ... Frank Yee Wang, Deputy Director of the International Information Department of the Government Information Office (GIO) spoke on the key tools of PD as Cultural Diplomacy, Global Education and International Broadcasting. But while Wang's topic was on how Taiwan should tell its story and its uniqueness, his lackluster presentation missed a clear opportunity to exemplify just that. ... The Q&A section brought up the matter of financial and political resources are involved, how the nation's leadership must be convinced and tie PD into the national interest to make the message more effective. University think-tanks should aid in convincing leadership. The irony of how the People's Republic of China (PRC) uses Confucian Centers (a name that was anathema in the Cultural Revolution) to spread its PD. Taiwan needs an agency for PD, like Great Britain has a British Council to coordinate and govern its PD." Image from

Diplomacy expert to visit MSU - news.msu.edu: "A public diplomacy expert will visit Michigan State University on Nov. 10 to explain how academia can help improve the global image of the United States. Cari E. Guittard, a nationally recognized expert on cross-culture communication, will host a lecture titled, 'U.S. Public Diplomacy and Global Engagement, Diplomatic Action and Public-Private Partnerships: Where Do We Go from Here?' … Guittard, executive director of the consulting firm Business for Diplomatic Action, believes America has lost the worldwide respect she said it used to enjoy."

Defence application communication: "The recently approved NATO Policy on Strategic Communication defines Strategic Communication as 'the coordinated and appropriate use of NATO communications activities and capabilities – Public Diplomacy, Military Public Affairs, Information Operations and Psychological Operations, as appropriate – in support of Alliance policies, operations and activities, and

in order to advance NATO's aims' (SG(2009)0794). 'It is important to underline that Strategic Communication is first and foremost a process that supports and underpins all efforts to achieve the Alliance's objectives; an enabler that guides and informs our decisions, and not an organization in itself. It is for this reason that Strategic Communication considerations should be integrated into the earliest planning phases - communication activities being a consequence of that planning.'" Image from

Toronto's Middle East proxy war: When Jerusalem's top PR man set out to rebrand his country abroad, he chose Toronto as his test market. As Michael Posner discovers, he had his work cut out for him - Globe and Mail: Toronto ...[is] home to some of Israel's harshest critics . ... Toronto is where the now-annual Israeli Apartheid Week began Moreover, in his regular rounds of public diplomacy with business and community leaders, his core message about Israel - a dynamic and secular society. ... Amir Gissin [former director of public affairs at the Israeli Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem and now Israel's consul-general for Toronto] knows only too well how subtly the paint from his palette must be applied. Any suggestion that his government - or even other Jewish organizations - is somehow orchestrating positive coverage of Israel would immediately negate the benefits. In other words, he says, 'we can lose even when we seem to win.' ... It's to [a] more nuanced narrative - Israel as the creative incubator of quality-of-life enhancements - that Mr. Gissin thinks his target audiences will respond. 'Remember, this is not an ad campaign for mineral water or an election campaign for a politician. Rebranding has no end date. Israel is here forever. So what happens tomorrow is less important than the long term. And the more we are able to tell the truth about who we are, the more friends we will win.'"

November 9, 2009. 10:00 am -12:00 noon. Involving the Citizen in Building the New Europe – Democracy Digest: "The Delegation of the European Commission to the United States and Partners for Democratic Change are co-hosting this seminar to discuss the in what ways participation and consultation can be used to deepen citizens’ support for a united Europe and desire to be 'European'? ... Presenters include: ...

Anthony Smallwood, First Counselor and Spokesperson, Head of Press and Public Diplomacy, The Delegation of the European Commission." Smallwood image from

RELATED ITEMS

Prospect of More U.S. Troops Worries Afghan Public - Alissa J. Rubin, New York Times: As Americans, including President Obama’s top advisers, tensely debate whether to send more American troops to Afghanistan, Afghans themselves are having a similar discussion and voicing serious doubts. The grass-roots view among Afghans is at odds with those of top Afghan officials, as well as many American military commanders, who strongly endorse a full-blown counterinsurgency strategy, including a large troop increase. These doubts do not tally with some surveys, like the poll taken by the International Republican Institute, in which a majority of Afghans appeared to be positive about Americans and said they thought that the country was going in the right direction.

Martial mythologies - Victor Davis Hanson, Washington Times: We have experienced soldiers and military leadership, a just cause and Western unity. In other words, we have everything we need to defeat the Taliban - except a commander in chief as confident about fighting and winning as he once was as a candidate.

Coup, Uninterrupted – Editorial, New York Times: The Obama administration has worked hard, if somewhat episodically, to try to resolve the political crisis in Honduras. Last week, it looked as if the administration had pulled it off. The deal is now unraveling because of the obstinacy of Honduras’s ousted president, Manuel Zelaya, and the man who ousted him, Roberto Micheletti. But we fear Washington also miscalculated that obstinacy.

Next Step in Russian PR Blitz: Rehabilitate Stalin - Nathan Hodge, Wired. below image from article

November 6

"There is no single article that illustrates more aptly the playfulness of the cultural impulse than the periwig as worn in the seventeenth an eighteenth centuries."

--Dutch historian Johan Huizinga, in his "Homo Ludens"; image from

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

Five things learned from Hillary Clinton's trip - Laura Rozen, Politico:


"Secretary Clinton, like candidate Clinton, tries to win over audiences with her homework and her obvious command of policy substance, as well as with her ability to connect on a personal level. She also tactically deploys the odd flash of authenticity, lowering her voice to speak 'frankly' and get real. In a complex environment like Pakistan or the Middle East, such efforts sometimes backfire, or at least counteract the rest of her major public diplomacy message du jour. But with Clinton, ever aware that her audience is both domestic and international, it’s hard to know how much such misfires may be unintentional — or not." Image from

Graphs, Cold War Deer, Evaluating Hillary, An Armey of Tea Baggers, and Rubio - 2parse.com: Evaluating Hillary. "Joe Klein has a balanced and insightful evaluation of Hillary Clinton’s tenure as Secretary of State. It is a bit early – as he acknowledges. But while the piece is worthwhile, he gives too little credit for the positive progress made by Hillary and the Obama administration in checking the deterioration of U.S. interests around the world, especially with regards to public diplomacy."

The Role of Humanitarians in Government: Perspectives on Advocacy and Impact - Sierra Express Media (blog): Eric P. Schwartz, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, Brookings Institute, Washington, DC:

"[H]umanitarians in government must raise the profile of our work – among our colleagues in government, within the Congress, and among civil society and the public at large. Public awareness of our issues is a critical pre-requisite to political support for international humanitarian objectives. We must engage in more vigorous public affairs and public diplomacy, information-sharing with Congress and the NGO community, and travel to regions of the world where key humanitarian issues are implicated." Schwartz image from

What Obama Should Say to North Korea: The president's visit to Seoul is an opportunity to speak out on human rights - Melanie Kirkpatrick, Wall Street Journal: "When he's in Seoul this month, Mr. Obama could meet with refugees and hear their horror stories of life in their homeland. Even better, he could visit the offices of Radio Free Asia, Voice of America or Free North Korea Radio (run by refugees) and broadcast a message of support to the North Korean people themselves."

Ambassador Todd Welcomes MFAT's Participation In IVLP - Bru Direct: "Hajah Fauziah Haji Abdul Hamid, Acting Senior Special Duties Officer, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT), is currently in the United States as part of a US State Department-sponsored International Visitor Leadership Programme (IVLP). … US Ambassador [William E.] Todd

said, 'I am pleased that Hajah Fauziah was selected for this important and very timely programme. Asean has increased focus and attention on human rights and I believe this programme will be of benefit to both Hajah Fauziah and Brunei. The State Department's fully sponsored IVLP is an important part of our public diplomacy programme globally, regionally, and in Brunei.' … The IVLP programme is an all-expense-paid trip supported by the US Department of State. Hajah Fauziah will join 10 other participants from Asean member countries with varying backgrounds. The participants will include members of local human rights organisations, academics, journalists and other members of civil society involved in human rights issues." Todd image from

Pesta Blogger 2009: Broadening the scope of Public Diplomacy - Madhurjya Kotoky, The Public Diplomacy Blog: "As we discuss the need & possibility of broadening the understanding of Public Diplomacy in India, there have been some interesting developments around the world with PD 2.0

worth taking note of. Last week, I received this interesting bit of information from the US state department that the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia, is sponsoring Pesta Blogger 2009 - Indonesia’s only national-level bloggers’ gathering for the second consecutive year." Image from

Cinema diplomacy failing? - Jenny Schuch, 2nd Parallel South: Life working in Sumatra and other excursions. "With the movies at the local theatre only $1 on weeknights it has quickly turned into a fun, budget friendly, language/culture lesson for me. The theatre actually frequently has American movies passing through- always at least a year after they came out in the US- and after seeing a couple I think I have figured out why the American stereotype here is so extremely Hollywood-centered. In a city that gets very few, if any, tourists each year and is obviously outside of the US Embassy’s Public Diplomacy reaches, these cheap movies that make it to the theatre in Sumatra are really one of very few representations of American culture and people."

Culture's Purpose and the Work of Cultural Diplomacy Conference – John Brown, Notes & Essays: An account of the conference, held at American University on November 5.

The blog notes that “[a]ll too often discussions (and appreciations) of cultural diplomacy omit one of its key elements: that it's meant to be a joyful and pleasurable activity . ... In contrast to the more 'serious' sides of public diplomacy (e.g., being an arm of national security), cultural diplomacy is at heart a playful, often unpredictable, enterprise, one that appeals to the homo ludens element of our humanity; play being, according to the noted Dutch historian Johan Huizinga, 'primary to, and ... a necessary (though not sufficient) condition of the generation of culture.'" Image from conference announcement

Quoting history: engaging in the information sphere - Matt Armstrong, MountainRunner.us: "Years ago, the House Appropriations Committee opened an inquiry into 'cultural diplomacy.' The response from the Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs at the time was that it was a necessary response to the 'enormous sums' our adversary was spending on propaganda, 'possibly more than the rest of the world combined.'”

Research Announcement - email to PDPBR compiler from Aimee Fullman Consultant, Development, Arts and Cultural Policy, Globalscope-Developé:

"The Robert Sterling Clark Foundation has released the second publication in its Series on International Cultural Engagement, 'The Art of Engagement: Trends in U.S. Cultural Exchange and International Programming.' This document presents an overview of the results from the International Programming and Cultural Exchange Survey administered between September 2007 and June 2008. 134 artists and organizations representing 12 arts disciplines and the humanities weighed in on challenges, impact, and lessons learned from their experiences with international cultural exchange. ... Further information about this initiative and the U.S. Public and Cultural Diplomacy Timeline 1999-2009 is available at. The Timeline will be included as part of the 2009 Winter Journal of Art, Management, Law and Society-the online version." Image from

'We were looking for cracks in the façade' - The Local: ‎ "As a public affairs officer for the US Embassy in East Berlin just before the Berlin Wall fell, Peter Claussen

had a unique view of life in the German Democratic Republic. The Local spoke with him about how he remembers the historic time. … [Q:] Would you describe any of the public diplomacy work or cultural programmes you proposed as edgy or objectionable to East German authorities? [A:] Not on the face of it. We were essentially looking for cracks in the façade - organisations, institutes, offices or schools that seemed more amenable to the kinds of things we had to offer. [Q:] How closely connected with intelligence gathering was this? [A:] It’s a fine line, but in the organisation I was working for there was a very strict line between that and the kind of cultural work we were doing – it was deliberate, there was nothing clandestine about it. That was part of being a cultural diplomat – to establish clearly and convincingly that this is what you did for a living, and not the other." Claussen image from article

20 years after: The world, a wall, the Cold War and triumph of will - The Guardian, Nigeria: "Activities marking the fall of the Berlin Wall, the symbol of the Cold War era, will peak on Monday, the 20th anniversary of the triumph of will over human-erected obstacles. ... In the U.S., the German Embassy is coordinating a public diplomacy campaign with the motto 'Freedom Without Walls' to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Wall. The campaign is focused on promoting awareness among current university students, and students at over 20 universities will participate in 'Freedom Without Walls' events in late 2009."

El cielo sobre Berlín

- Felipe Santos, diplomacia pública: A blog in spanish by Felipe Santos on Public Diplomacy, Smart Power and the common ground shared by Strategic Communication, Politics, Diplomacy, Security and Defense. Image from article.

British Council’s 75th birthday - David Miliband, Britishcouncilvoices: "In 1936 The British Council’s Chairman William Tyrrell defined the Council’s role as 'removing misunderstanding and promoting understanding'. Today, public diplomacy is arguably more important than ever. Citizens are more literate and more informed. They are connected to the outside world through trade, media and travel; more able to communicate with each other, to organise, to hold power to account, and to exert influence over political decision making. This is not just true in established democracies – public opinion also constrains more authoritarian leaders. So if we are to promote our values and influence our world in the 21st century, we must renew our soft power."

Diplomacy or credibility? ABC director will have to decide in his plans for Australian international broadcasting (updated) - Kim Andrew Elliott discussing International Broadcasting and Public Diplomacy

Voice of Russia wholeheartedly congratulated for glorious 80th anniversary! - Kim Andrew Elliott discussing International Broadcasting and Public Diplomacy

Fighting Iran on the high seas - Yaakow Katz, Jerusalem Post: "[T]he seizure [of ships in an ‘international battle that Israel is waging to win the war against weapons smuggling in the Mediterranean’] ... helps Israel ... with its public diplomacy efforts."

How to score a spot on Obama's arts team - Pia Catton, Politico:

"It’s not like being named the ambassador to London or Paris, but an appointment to the President’s Committee on Arts and Humanities is one of the cushier rewards for supporting a presidential candidate. ... Committee Co-Chairwoman Margo Lion is in the Harvard Public Diplomacy Collaborative." Image from article: This social map illustrates what PCAH members have in common, from Harvard University to the Aspen Institute to Hollywood.

Pioneering Public Diplomacy Advert – Paul Rockower, Levantine:

"This is the new Public Diplomacy Magazine advertisement, designed by Matt Schrader and moi, and used for ad swaps with other journals." Image from article

Internal/External Communication Specialist - jamiiforums.com: "The US Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) is seeking an individual for the position of Internal/External Communication Specialist. ... MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: ... Work with Public Affairs colleagues and the Office of the PEPFAR Country Coordinator to leverage interagency opportunities such as the new PEPFAR Tanzania Voluntary Visitor Program, Ambassador’s Small Grants Programs, U.S. Guest Speaker Program, the Performing Arts Initiative and the Sports Envoy Program. ... Attend Public Affairs/Public Diplomacy weekly staff meetings and participate in other interagency processes involving communication issues."

RELATED ITEMS

Young Russians’ About-Face From the West: When the Berlin Wall fell, young Russians clamored for all things Western. Now they rail against anything that is - Owen Matthews and Anna Nemtsova - Newsweek Web Exclusive

Reviews Raise Doubt on Training of Afghan Forces - Thom Shanker and John H. Cushman Jr. – New York Times: A series of internal government reviews have presented the Obama administration with a dire portrait of Afghanistan’s military and police force, bringing into serious question an ambitious goal at the heart of the evolving American war strategy -- to speed up their training and send many more Afghans to the fight. Below image: Afghans attacking the retreating British and Indian army


Obama's Unrealistic Afghan Assumptions Before the surge, Iraq's Maliki also wasn't considered credible - Elise Jordan, Wall Street journal: Mr. Obama who must now prove himself through deeds, not words. A military strategy that would reinforce the message that the U.S. will not abandon Afghans would do a lot of good. A renewed commitment from Mr. Obama would bolster U.S. efforts on the ground in Afghanistan and help our credibility in Pakistan.

Warlords R Us - Arnaud de Borchgrave, Washington Times: The key lies in Pakistan. Almost all terrorist trails in Europe lead back to Pakistan - and its madrassas. These are the free Koranic schools that have stepped into the vacuum of no education system for the poor as the military take up 50 percent of government revenue. A fraction of what the U.S. has spent in Iraq and Afghanistan would go a long way to turning Pakistan around.

Bunkers or Breakthrough?- Roger Cohen, New York Times: The Islamic Republic needs to move on. It has sullied and weakened itself in recent months. It needs to put an end to the paralyzing behind-the-scenes fight over who would claim credit for any rapprochement with America.

Tehran gains time: How much longer should the Obama administration tolerate the regime's intransigence? – Editorial, Washington Post: The Obama administration and European governments have set the end of the year as a deadline for the transfer of the uranium out of Iran and for progress in the overall negotiations. But the administration must consider whether it makes sense to grant the regime two more months of grace.

The War Against the War on Terrorism: Italy convicts U.S. spooks for carrying out Italian policy – Wall Street Journal: Armando Spataro

cut his teeth as a prosecutor hunting down Red Brigade terrorists in Italy. But Wednesday in Milan he secured the conviction of 23 Americans charged with kidnapping and spiriting out of the country Osama Mustafa Hassan Nasr in 2003. Their conviction and sentencing -- in absentia -- is one more dubious milestone in the legal war against the war on terror. Spataro image from

The right place to try terrorists - Michael B. Mukasey, Washington Post: The very transfer of prisoners from Guantanamo to this country has consequences. The question of what constitutional rights may apply to aliens in government custody is unsettled, but it is clear from existing jurisprudence that physical presence in the United States would be a significant, if not a decisive, factor.

Italy got it right: CIA renditions are wrong - The conviction of 23 Americans in the abduction of Muslim cleric Abu Omar may be largely symbolic, but it sends an important message to the Obama administration, Editorial, Los Angeles Times

Obama must stand firm on Honduras crisis: A U.S.-brokered deal to return ousted Honduran President Manuel Zelaya to office is unraveling, and the Obama administration seems to be wavering – Editorial, Los Angeles Times. Below image from


Ideologues hijack a compromise- Edward Schumacher-Matos, Washington Post: Opposing a U.S.-brokered agreement reached a week ago by Hondurans to defuse the crisis, the senators, led by South Carolina's Jim DeMint, have been grandstanding on principles that have little to do with reality, contributing to looming chaos in that Central American country and undermining U.S. policy in the region.