July 30

"Government is not especially relaxed about innovation but is exceedingly comfortable with hierarchy."

--Blogger/diplomat John Matel

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

Europe loves Obama. Does it matter? - Bernd Debusmann, Reuters: "Obama has only been in office for six months and he has achieved more in polishing America’s image than a succession of public diplomacy czars who for years attempted to sell Bush’s foreign policies in a more attractive package, much like trying to market the same corn flakes in a new box. Or shining a car to a high polish and trying to sell it - without an engine. … [B]ut concrete results of what some call Obamamania may remain elusive in Europe, where it runs strongest, and even more in places where his charisma, brilliant speeches and brilliant smile have made less of an impression. In Turkey and Pakistan, both countries of key importance for U.S. foreign policy, negative views of America did not change with the election of Obama. If history can serve as a guide, a president’s popularity abroad has limited effect. … In the end, it will be the policies that count, not affection for a charismatic leader with a compelling only-in-America life story." Image from

Assessing the IDP crisis of Pakistan: Wendy J. Chamberlin, President of the Middle East Institute: Testimony before the Subcommittee on Near Eastern and South and Central Asian Affairs - Press Release, Relief Web: Chamberlin: "I believe the trust deficit is the single biggest obstacle to both our nations [U.S. and Pakistan] attaining our goal – the goal we share – of guaranteeing a stable, prosperous, democratic Pakistan. Effective public diplomacy can play a role in closing the trust gap."

Mapping US Public Diplomacy: What if Most of Us are “American”? - Scott Lucas, US Foreign Policy: "On his blog Wandren PD, our colleague Ali Fisher, who is producing breakthrough work on public diplomacy and networks, of a 'global' audience for a US Government initiative. Noting that the majority of responses came from within the US, he asks, 'What does it mean if the demographic of two-thirds of your audience is not your target demographic?'” Image from

Hierarchy & Order – John Matel, World-Wide-Matel: "I have written a lot about the new media being applied to public diplomacy because we are currently in one of those exciting transition times. Lots of people are trying lots of things and even more people are talking about, pretending to or 'going to' try lots of things. We are reaching out in many directions and in many of those directions it is becoming clear that our reach is exceeding our grasp."

Blogshop Of Pesta Blogger 2009 Started From Malang - Equalist, Equal Life: "Blogshop, part of The 2009 Blogger Party: One Spirit One Nation (Pesta Blogger 2009) to be conducted in 10 major cities in Indonesia starting from the city of Malang. …


Organizing this event is a collaboration between the American Corner at the University of Muhammadiyah Malang (UMM) and the United States Embassy in Indonesia. Meanwhile, the Public Diplomacy Officer United States Embassy in Jakarta, Tristram Perry said, the U.S. support to organize the 2009 blogger party wichs is already the second time since the first in 2008 and now in 2009." Image from

Fran Drescher to Launch Skin-Care Line for HSN - Sharon Clott, nymag.com: "Fran Drescher — yes, she of The Nanny — is launching a collection of organic skin-care products exclusively with HSN this fall. Named FranBrand, the nine-piece line includes a cleanser, toner gel, day lotion, eye gel, night eye cream, night face cream, body moisturizer, face serum, and lip balm … .

When she's not hocking FranBrand, Drescher's continuing to spend her time working for the State Department as a public-diplomacy envoy for women’s-health issues. 'I'm sent all over the world. I'm going to the Middle East in November, right after I launch FranBrand. Hillary is my new boss. I love her. She's great. I already spoke at the White House — Mrs. Obama invited me.' So did she give Michelle any FranBrand yet? 'No, not yet. I can't wait.'" Drescher image from article.

Lexicon – Diplomatic wordlist - Ism Khan, multipak: "Beer diplomacy can be defined as 'as aiming to cool temperature between two parties by calling them for an informal session.' However, beer diplomacy is one of the many novel ways of engaging in dialogue. Not only in U.S., but in other countries around the world too, there were some informal terms which were coined in to refer to a way of dealing with the issues. Setting aside the formal terms like public diplomacy, preventive diplomacy or coercive diplomacy, here’s an interesting list: Big stick diplomacy … Cowboy diplomacy … . Cricket diplomacy … . Dollar diplomacy ... . Gunboat diplomacy … . Mango diplomacy … . Panda diplomacy … . Ping-pong diplomacy … . Shuttle diplomacy … . Sports diplomacy … . Track-II diplomacy … . Track-III diplomacy."

CPD in Washington: A New Public Diplomacy - USC Center on Public Diplomacy: Monday, Sep 14, 2009 6:30 PM Venue: Newseum, Washington DC Knight Conference Center 6th Street Freedom Forum Entrance 555 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20001 The USC Center on Public Diplomacy is proud to host an evening at Newseum to consider 'A New Public Diplomacy.' The evening will begin with a panel discussion to celebrate a new book, Toward a New Public Diplomacy: Redirecting U.S. Foreign Policy, and a new book series, The Plagrave Macmillan Series in Global Public Diplomacy. … Toward a New Public Diplomacy explains public diplomacy and makes the case for why it will be the crucial element in the much-needed reinvention of American foreign policy."

Indian "Peace Corps" - Can it be an effective Public Diplomacy tool for India? - Madhurjya Kotoky, The Public Diplomacy Blog: "India, with its resources, know how and skilled personnel can definitely play a role in helping countries in the neighborhood by sending trained volunteers overseas."

Tearing Down Old Kashgar: Another Blow to the Uighurs - Ling Woo Liu, The China Blog, Time: Comment by johnsmith9876: "China's Ambassador to the UK, Fu Ying, (formerly Ambassador to Australia) thinks China needs to do more on the public diplomacy front. In a recent interview with Xinhua she said: 'No country in this world is perfect, and China also has its own problems at the current stage of development, thus through public diplomacy, we should make the outside world not only learn our achievements, but also our active attitude in facing and resolving our problems,' said Fu. But she is totally mistaken, and have an ulterior motive in trying to convince us otherwise. Everyone knows China's 'active attitude in facing and resolving' problems. Just take the riots in Tibet and Xinjiang as example. It is cover up, cover up, name calling, lying, blaming others for the trouble, arrest the innocent and promote the guilty." Fu Ying image from

Israel's Turkish-born consul-general to start office in İstanbul next month - Today's Zaman - "Ambassador Moshe Kamhi, who previously served at the Israeli Embassy in Ankara as a senior official, is expected to begin work in İstanbul in mid-August. … He said his appointment to the top Israeli state job in İstanbul would contribute to Israel's public diplomacy efforts to improve its image among Turks."

Land of a million vending machines – Paul Rockower, Levantine: "Today we went to the US Embassy [in Tokyo]. We hopped the metro down to the embassy in the absolutely sweltering heat. In the best public diplomacy move, the embassy had a　box of give-away fans done up with American flags. Public diplomacy of the deed in full force. In full irony, the flag fans were made in China. We received a lecture from the Embassy staff on the various positions at the embassy, and a little about about what brought the staff to their respective positions. I asked the public diplomacy chief about the embassy's pub d outreach using new media technology and social networking." Image from

50 Years Later: The American National Exhibit in Moscow - presszoom.com: "To mark the Sokolniki Exhibition — a milestone in U.S.-Soviet people-to-people cultural exchange — the George Washington University’s Institute for Public Diplomacy and Global Communication hosted a full-day seminar titled 'Face-off to Facebook: From the Nixon-Khrushchev Kitchen Debate to Public Diplomacy in the 21st Century.'”

RELATED ITEMS

Tough on Israel: Why President Obama's battle against Jewish settlements could prove self-defeating – Editorial, Washington Post: The Pew Global Attitudes Project reported last week that Israel was the only country among 25 surveyed where the public's image of the United States was getting worse rather than better.

U.S. shifting drones' focus to Taliban: In Afghanistan, the military is moving away from targeting Al Qaeda in favor of stabilizing the country - Julian E. Barnes, Los Angeles Times: U.S. military leaders have concluded that their war effort in Afghanistan has been too focused on hunting Al Qaeda,

and have begun to shift Predator drone aircraft to the fight against the Taliban and other militants in order to prevent the country from slipping deeper into anarchy.Airborne attacks carry their own set of risks for the war effort. Afghan officials have repeatedly complained about civilian deaths resulting from airstrikes, and the Taliban seeks to make maximum use of such incidents' propaganda value. Image from article

Korea’s 'Peace Corps' Launched - Na Jeong-ju, Korea Times: The government launched a group of volunteers Thursday to strengthen its goodwill activities in underdeveloped or developing countries around the world in an effort to become a more responsible member of the international community.The group, named World Friends Korea, is the country's version of the Peace Corps in the United States, launched in 1961 to promote peace and friendship worldwide, officials here said.

The Power of Hospitality: When Russian circus performers were stranded by their promoter in Dallas, some welcoming Texans came to the rescue.

Don Teague reports - CBS Evening News; image from