May 9

“Rap means: Respect for All People.”

--A young dancer at a Hip-Hop show that was shut down by Hamas security forces at the end of last month; image from

VIDEO

The Income Tax: WWII Disney Propaganda: Funded and approved by the US Department of Treasury in 1943, this Disney featurette was to encourage every good American to do his “duty” and pay his taxes, which, at this time, were at an all time high. Those who do not wish to pay or don’t pay it gladly are depicted as friends of Hitler and enemies of liberty and democracy. Even President Roosevelt himself had a hand in approving Donald Duck as the main character.

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

Experts on Terrorism Say Time Square Suspect's Radicalization Gradual - Ravi Khanna, Voice of America:

"As Faisal Shahzad tells his story to investigators, questions arise about why someone like him would become a terrorist. He once seemed to be living the American dream - an immigrant who had gained U.S. citizenship, after earning two university degrees and getting a job as a financial analyst. But Shuja Nawaz at the Atlantic Council points out that even some of the terrorists who attacked the United States in September 2001 came from affluent families. Jerrold Post, the author of 'Mind of the Terrorist,' points out that American newspapers quote officials close to the investigation as saying Shahzad told them he was inspired by Anwar al-Awlaki, the U.S. born Muslim cleric hiding in Yemen. ... [A]nalysts note that American Muslims are part of mainstream society, and for the most part do not face discrimination like they do in some European coutries. But Nawaz says that's not enough - there should be more moderate Muslim voices to provide an alternative to the Awlaki's provocative messages. 'Which I think has been a failing not only of the countries like Pakistan where some of the terrorists or suspected terrorists come from, but also on the part of the U.S. Public Diplomacy. They need to focus on bringing those leaders of the Muslim community from India, Pakistan and Indonesia who can relate Islam to modern times,' he said." Image from

Remarks at the 50th Anniversary of the East-West Center - Judith A. McHale, Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, Capital Hilton Hotel, Washington, DC, May 6, 2010 – posted at newsblaze.com (scroll down link for item): "The State Department's public diplomacy programs manifest the importance we place on strengthening our nation by enhancing the capacity of America and Americans to thrive in the interconnected world of the 21st century. But the time when we could leave the practice of foreign relations to the diplomats is long past. While we in government can lead, and convene, and even cajole, we can't do it all. This was the inspiration that animated the far-sighted men and women who built the East West Center. Back in the day when Americans and Asians hardly knew one another, the Center's role as a neutral, apolitical forum for trans-Pacific discussion and debate was crucial."

Turning Japanese - Laura McGinnis, manIC: "Japan seems to be emphasizing cultural diplomacy, particularly programs that involve exchanges, pop culture and language instruction.

But the objectives and targets of Japan's efforts are unclear, although the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website makes a vague reference to the importance of PD as a soft power resource and many of the sites listed below refer to the importance of dialogue, exchange and mutual appreciation." Image from

Governance for Complex Threats - Naveeta Kapoor, iNEWP- Freedom of Speech: "Our [Indian] 'democracy' is messy and yet we continue to formulate, plan, and execute engagement using 'regular' and 'homogeneous' bureaucracies and budgets. Today’s threats are increasingly complex and rarely conforming to neat lines of authorities and responsibilities across, or within, government agencies, most of which were designed in and for previous eras. ... In the context of national security, from strategic communication and public diplomacy to the balancing of diplomacy and military power, support and oversight of executive branch institutions, budgets, and programs need to be put in place."

How I Stumbled into the Foreign Service - Part II - Muttering Behind the Hardline: Rants of a Foreign Service Officer on the Things That Matter yo You -- and Matter to You Not At All. Image from


An Update - Surreality-A Writer’s Life: "One of my essays on the effectiveness of propaganda in the twenty first century, and the most striking thing is how some people want to believe their government’s lies–sorry, public diplomacy. Perhaps it makes them feel better, but denial is never good for a society. You’d think that it wouldn’t happen in so-called democratic countries (as a side note, I don’t believe democracy truly exists for a number of reasons). It happened in the USA, majorly, when people went into denial over their government’s true motives for war in Iraq. I knew that the regime did a good job, but I didn’t know they did that good a job. In this manner, the USA isn’t so different from China at all, at least as far as the sheeple phenomenon is concerned."

CULTURAL DIPLOMACY

The Arab League of Hip Hop - Joshua Asen, Foreign Policy: "As the Arab League weighs in on the value of restarting negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, another Arab League has formed and is poised to win more support, overseas and in the Middle East, than George Mitchell could ever dream of. I am speaking of the so-called Arab League* of Hip Hop, a conglomeration of rappers from across the Middle East, Europe, and the United States, who have joined forces to spread their message and their music to audiences worldwide. While Hamas security forces were shutting down the first hip- hop concert in Gaza, the leaders of the Arab hip-hop movement, namely Shadia Mansour, the group DAM, Lowkey, and The Narcicyst, were preparing for their first performance together, a historic event which would solidify not only their union, but their supremacy as the voice of the Arab hip-hop revolution. The growing political potency of Arab hip-hop has drawn the attention of the U.S. State Department, which last month sent out Brooklyn-based hip-hop band Chen Lo and the Liberation Family on a tour of North Africa and the Middle East. The group traveled to Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria and performed with some of the best local groups, such as NORES in Salé, Murder Eyez in Aleppo, and DJ Lethal Skillz in Beirut.

This was, by far, the most extensive and well-designed tour of its kind and showed a serious commitment by the State Department to expand its use of hip-hop as a cultural diplomacy tool, specifically in its inclusion of prominent local artists. However, the exclusion of the Palestinian territories and Gaza on the tour gave a strong impression that the State Department was playing it safe, while sacrificing its best opportunity for real impact. ... So, what can Hamas do to stop ... Arab hip-hop revolutionaries from taking a stage? And what can the U.S. government do to get them to promote its foreign-policy agenda? The answer to both is: very little. Nevertheless, both groups would be wise to rethink their approach to hip-hop and find new ways to get behind it, as opposed to standing in front or alongside. Whoever gets there first may discover a powerful and natural ally, insofar as hip-hop embodies both the spirit of diplomacy and that of armed resistance." Image (without caption) from article

Good news: Michael Kaiser staying at the Kennedy Center - Washington Post: "Michael M. Kaiser, president of the Kennedy Center since 2001, has agreed to remain in his post past the scheduled expiration of his contract next year and through 2014. ... Great performances require great performers, Mr. Kaiser stresses, but they also depend on passionate arts leaders who know how to raise money, balance budgets and market their wares. A master fundraiser for his own institution, Mr. Kaiser has worked hard to spread those skills to institutions across the country, large and -- especially -- small. Also announced this week was a $22.5 million grant from Michigan philanthropists Betsy and Dick DeVos, most of which will be used to create an endowment that will give permanence to the arts management institute Mr. Kaiser has created. In the past few years, the institute has extended itself globally. This summer, 45 artistic leaders from 28 countries will take up residence at the Kennedy Center to learn and share experiences about arts management, some for the first time, some for a second and some for their third and final summer. It is a kind of cultural diplomacy, Mr. Kaiser says, that can build long-term relationships for the United States, in a way that a traditional symphony orchestra tour cannot."

International Embassies Share Culture, Customs - Norma Porter Anthony, Washington Informer: "Thirty-five of the 135 international embassies along Embassy Row and Massachusetts Avenue in Northwest opened their doors to share their culture and customs

during Cultural Tourism DC’s annual Around the World Tour, Sat., May 1. ... Pat Wheeler, marketing director for Cultural Tourism DC, said that the European Union’s embassy tours three years ago inspired Cultural Tourism DC to feature the international attractions the District has to offer. ... Cultural Tourism DC is a nonprofit organization in Northwest that promotes local history through historic walking tours in the District. The organization sponsors the embassy tours as a kick-off event for Passport DC, a month-long series of activities in the District that celebrates international culture. ... 'We [Cultural Tourism DC] call this cultural diplomacy, it’s hard to be hateful or be suspicious of a people if you get to know about their country,' she said. 'The countries who participate in the event are promoting tourism, business opportunities and just reaching out a hand for friendship.'" Image from

Boy Scouts, Culture War And The Making Of The Middle East - Jonathan Kirsch, "The Jewish Journal of Greater L.A.: [C]ulture is always a weapon in the clash of civilizations, 'a sort of theatre where various political and ideological causes engage one another,' as the late Edward Said put it. The point is made by Jennifer M. Dueck, a post-doctoral fellow at Oxford University, with clarity, elegance and color in 'The Claims of Culture at Empire’s End: Syria and Lebanon Under French Rule' (Oxford University Press: $85.00). ... Dueck’s book is a specialized work of scholarship, but she offers a crucial insight in to the latest efforts of the West to win hearts and minds in the Muslim world. She compares the 'cultural diplomacy' of France in Syria and Lebanon to 'the soft power seduction trade' as it is being conducted today by the United States elsewhere in the Middle East. And she reminds us that the Arab street is also a kind of fighting front when it comes to culture war."

The importance of business groups: A business group creates a bridge between cultures - "Fabienne Lucas, Emirates Business: "[A] business group creates a bridge between cultures and helps build mutual trust and confidence, and encourages commercial collaboration with the host country, working alongside the diplomatic, cultural, educational and other ties between countries. ... Westernised companies have grouped themselves around their national business groups in Dubai.

Still here, we can see a difference in style and approach. Cultural diplomacy, educational ties, knowledge transfer and offset programmes are all part of the mix, when national prestige and commercial interests are at stake. There is a distinctive Anglo-Saxon style of doing business that we can see from the companies from English speaking countries, operating in the region, whilst the European styles reflect the national traits of the individual countries. While it is true that the French have a flair for many things, it is also true that French business has not always been as effective as others – such as the Anglo-Saxon approach - in networking and marketing. The writer is Director of French Business Council, Dubai & Northern Emirates." Image from

Nations forge stronger ties through the arts - Kim Mi-ju, JoongAng Daily: "Artists, scholars and representatives from the government and NGOs from Asia and Europe convened in Ha Long City, Vietnam, last week to find ways to forge stronger ties through cultural diplomacy. The Asia Europe Meeting (ASEM) workshop - which was initiated by the countries of Vietnam, Hungary and Italy and the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) - was held at the Ha Long Plaza Hotel from April 28 to 29 and involved approximately 112 participants from eight European and 10 Asian countries, including Italy, Britain, Korea, Vietnam and China. Topics discussed in the two-day long workshop included cultural diplomacy within the ASEM framework; the role of civil society in cultural dialogue; and enhancing ASEM’s visibility through cultural channels."

RELATED ITEMS

Afghan minister calls new Taliban offensive 'propaganda campaign' - earthtimes.org: Taliban announced Saturday the launch of a new "spring offensive" against NATO troops in Afghanistan, a warning that Afghan defence minister called it as a "propaganda campaign" by militants.

Nato joins Russia for parade - aljazeera.net: Russia has held its biggest military parade since the fall of the Soviet Union, and for the first time included foreign troops. The march across Red Square, in the capital Moscow, on Sunday commemorated the 65th anniversary of victory over Nazi Germany. It included the participation of Nato troops who were invited as a gesture of friendship to Western powers.

About 10,000 Russian troops took part as well as about 1,000 Nato soldiers, primarily from the US, UK and France. Al Jazeera's Neave Barker, in Moscow, said: "This is a hugely significant event this year because of the inclusion of Nato troops. "Historically this has been a chance to show off military muscle, very much a heavily choreographed piece of Soviet Union propaganda. "But for the first time the decision to include other nations that fought alongside the Russians in bringing about the end of the second world war is a major step forward in bilateral relations between Russia and a number of the other countries in Western Europe. "But also historically for a country that is slowly coming to terms with its brutal history." Image from article

TV drama: Britain's got talent: British audiences have long been in thrall to US drama series. But the BFI's celebration of home-grown television shows that we too have been enjoying a golden age, argues Gerard Gilbert - Independent: "Well, yes, but I do happen to believe that we have been living through – and still are – a bountiful era of exceptional US TV drama, just as we have been through a golden age of British reality TV – our native industry having spearheaded an exciting and (outwardly at least) democratic new genre that has swept the planet in the last 10 years, reinvigorating both documentaries and light entertainment in the process. Nearly all the most successful American entertainment shows of today – from American Idol to Dancing with the Stars – began life on these shores, while the likes of Gordon Ramsay and Supernanny Jo Frost are hot export items. Simon Cowell enjoys demigod status over there as well as over here."