"Much more valuable than rural recruits for our guerrilla force, were American media recruits to export our propaganda.”
--Che Guevara; image from
PUBLIC DIPLOMACY
US Department of State Public Diplomacy Programs for Mongolia - Media Note, Office of the Spokesperson Washington, DC, U.S. Department of State: "The U.S. Department of State is committed to supporting a wide variety of people-to-people exchanges and programs that enhance mutual understanding between the United States and Mongolia. Through partnerships between the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, the United States and Mongolia have strengthened their diplomatic relationship through educational, cultural, citizen, alumni, and cultural preservation exchanges.
Noteworthy ECA programs in Mongolia include EducationUSA, which provides students comprehensive, unbiased information on educational opportunities in the United States. ... The Fulbright Program in Mongolia began in 1993, and is supporting the exchange of 20 U.S. and Mongolian students and scholars this year. ... Partnering with USA Wrestling, the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs’ SportsUnited Office will host 25 members of the men’s and women’s Mongolian freestyle wrestling team November 6 – 20, 2011. ... The Kate McGarry Quartet, a jazz ensemble, will travel to Mongolia as part of the Bureau’s Rhythm Road initiative in December 2011 to conduct performances, workshops, master classes, jam sessions, and media outreach with youth and local artists." Image from
US-India ties in primary colours - M K Bhadrakumar, Indian Punchline: Reflections on foreign affairs: "[W]hat the US wants is to tap into the vast Indian market for lucrative business and to cajole India to be a collaborator in its containment strategy toward China, which is, after all, what the strategic partnership is all about. India could well be paying the price for its dogged refusal to become part of the US’ containment strategy toward China. To ‘insiders’ and perceptive outside observers alike in Delhi, many recent developments were unmistakably suggesting for a while already that contrary to the soap operas of the US state department singing songs of glory about the US’ partnership with India, things were not exactly going well - and were getting to be more and more problematic. Delhi was getting to be wiser and wiser about the US strategies toward India but indeed wouldn’t feel the urge to contradict the US’ public diplomacy, which, therefore, misled the public perceptions. Indian diplomacy works in strange ways - and has quietly done an extraordinary amount of ‘new thinking’ as to how to steer the country ahead in a complicated regional and international milieu."
Some framework to Syrian crisis - Ari Rusila's BalkanBlog: "From June 10 the Syrian army began a siege on Jisr-al Shughour, NW Syria; local residents expected a massacre, proportional to the Hama massacre and in one week nearly 10.000 Syrians have escaped to Turkey. International media and public diplomacy is [sic] giving its high-flown statements about humanitarian crisis, some states may even demand to activate R2P principles – again.
These are normal cover ups to hide de facto inactivity of international community. United Nations Security Council is facing immense international pressure to condemn Syria how it is copying protests at home. Humanitarian aspect is however a minor point for international community, the key question is how events in Syria will affect on regional stability, what will be the outcome related to Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Lebanon, Palestine and Israel as Syria is a key player in this context. Any destabilization of Syria in the fall of al-Assad will change the geopolitical map of the Eastern Mediterranean. Image from article
Libya outcome central to Sahel security - Ademe Amine, magharebia.com: Centre for Strategic and Security Research (CRSS) director and Echaab Centre for Strategic Studies founder M'hend Berkouk:
"[D]ialogue between AFRICOM and the [Maghreb] countries ... is AFRICOM's remarkable activity. For the first time, we are seeing a regional command from a foreign country engaging in dialogue with African states. This is an attempt to undertake a certain kind of public diplomacy, to see the idea that at the end of the day, AFRICOM is not a tool for domination." Image from article, with caption: CRSS Director M'hend Berkouk notes a new spirit of security co-operation across the Sahel
Join a Dialogue with Young African Women Leaders - Karen Richardson, The first Lady's Trip to Africa: "Next week, the First Lady will travel to Johannesburg and Cape Town, South Africa and Gaborone, Botswana during an official visit to Africa. During the trip, which will go from June 21 – 26, Mrs. Obama will deliver the keynote address to a U.S.-sponsored Young African Women Leaders Forum in South Africa. Forum participants include young women from across sub-Saharan Africa, like Toyosi and Annah, who are leading or involved in social and economic initiatives in their own countries. The Forum will build on the Obama Administration’s ongoing engagement with the next generation of African leaders and the momentum of the August 2010 President’s Forum with Young African Leaders held at the White House. On Monday, June 20 at 8:30 AM EDT, join us for a pre-Forum overview and discussion with Edward Kemp, Deputy Director for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs in the Bureau of African Affairs; and Larry Garber, Deputy Assistant Administrator for Africa at USAID and me. Here's how you can join us to discuss the First Lady’s Forum and talk about the issues that matter to you and your community: •Join the discussion: https://statedept.connectsolutions.com/youngafrica
•Stream audio-only: https://statedept.connectsolutions.com/audioonly"
Snowe meets foreign exchange students living in Maine: Student at BAHS one of two from Germany - villagesoup.com: "United States Senator Olympia J. Snowe met with two foreign exchange students from Germany Wednesday, June 15, both of whom are currently living in Maine. Karl Richter of Hamburg attended Forest Hills High School in Jackman, and Ben Rabe of Chemnitz attended Belfast Area High School. The students spent the 2010-2011 school year in Maine as part of the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange program. 'I am grateful that Karl and Ben had the tremendous opportunity to study in our great state of Maine over the past school year,' said Snowe, in a press release. 'By enabling students to experience both Maine and our nation’s communities and citizens firsthand, exchanges play a vital role in fostering improved international relations.
When aligned with our public diplomacy efforts, these programs can help build trust and prepare the next generation of leaders to work together on the shared challenges of the 21st century.' The Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange program is sponsored jointly by the U.S. Congress and the German Parliament. Started in 1983, the exchange program is for high school students who want to live with a host family and attend school for one academic year. According to the program’s website, Congress-Bundestag scholarship recipients gain firsthand experience of American or German life, including family, school, culture, and recreation — and more than 17,000 students have participated since the program began." Image from article, with caption: Ben Rabe and Senator Olympia J. Snowe
In Baku, BBG member Victor Ashe discusses Azerbaijan's ban on international broadcasters - Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on International Broadcasting
Taiwan's Soft Power Potential - S. Lee, fareastforum.blogspot.com: "If Taiwan's goal is to gain a seat and voice in the international community, it needs to make sure that its country branding and public diplomacy policies broadcast two key messages: Taiwanese people are warm, open, and generous.
Taiwan intends to be a responsible stakeholder in the international community. The first message is important because, in the end, soft power is about making oneself well-liked. The second is important because it implies the notion that international participation isn't about nationalism or secessionist sentiment -- it's simply a matter of being responsible." Image from article
China begins new innings in Nepal - Times of India: "India [has] named Special Secretary (Public Diplomacy) in the External Affairs Ministry, Jayant Prasad, as the new ambassador to Nepal."
Israel's public diplomacy challenges: Your chance to volunteer - israelmatzav.blogspot.com: "just got this by email. [']Israel's Public Diplomacy efforts during these critical months ahead need YOUR help! A think tank that works closely with many Jewish diaspora movements, the Israeli government, and other civil society groups is coordinating international responses to issues like the unilateral declaration of a Palestinian state in September,
and the upcoming Flotilla II (should it set sail.) A situation room has been set up at the organization's headquarters in Herzliya to host volunteers. This will be an around the clock effort during times of national emergency. ... Please contact me on Facebook, Email: gregg.roman@gmail.com or by Phone: 054-678-5250 for more information. Shabbat Shalom! Gregg Roman[']" Image from article
BBC is not a state propaganda news channel? (17Jun11) - ufohunterorguk.com: "Russia Today’s Laura Emmett defends the tv station from verbal attack from The Times columnist Oliver Kamm, who said that RT is a state funded propaganda channel…. much like the BBC then. it’s ironic that you have to watch foreign* TV news to know more about what is going on in the UK, then from the BBC, or Sky News, or ITN. * Not just RT news channel."
RT (Russia Today) claims more than $500,000 in advertising profits from its YouTube pages - Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on International Broadcasting
American Councils Ranks Among 50 Best Nonprofits To Work For: American Councils for International Education was recently ranked 37 in Nonprofit Times’ "50 Best Nonprofit Organizations To Work For” in the entire United States! - PRWEB: "American Councils for International Education was recently named to Nonprofit Times’ second annual list of the '50 Best Nonprofit Organizations To Work For' in America, a prestigious group that includes the American Heart Association, the Alzheimer's Association and the Natural Resources Defense Council. American Councils placed 37th in the ranking, and 13th out of 20 medium-sized
organizations. ... About American Councils for International Education: ACTR/ACCELS [--]Founded in 1974 as an association for area and language professionals, American Councils for International Education advances scholarly research and cross-border learning through the design and implementation of educational programs that are well grounded in key world languages, cultures and regions. American Councils contributes to the creation of new knowledge, broader professional perspectives, and personal and intellectual growth through international training, academic exchange, collaboration in educational development, and public diplomacy." Image: Dr. Dan E. Davidson, president of American Councils for International Education: ACTR/ACCELS
PD: No Laughing Matter? - Laura McGinnis, manIC
My awesome bid list - You Can Call Me Al: I am Foreign Service Officer, and this is my life: "I have to look at the time that I will leave post (somewhere between June 1 and June 30, 2012), add my home leave (between 1 month and 6 weeks), functional training such as pol/econ or public diplomacy training (anywhere from 0 weeks for consular jobs to 12 weeks for GSO jobs), and language training (between 24 weeks for world languages and 36 weeks for German and 'super-hard' languages like Mandarin) and then calculate which month I can arrive."
RELATED ITEMS
Tone down Pakistan rhetoric: Angry threats from Congress jeopardize a critical relationship for fighting Islamic extremists - Editorial, latimes.com.
Leading Libya From Behind: The stalemate abroad and the rise of the antiwar right at home - Review & Outlook, Wall Street Journal: The Libyan campaign has been poorly led and half-heartedly fought, but the goal should still be to win it as rapidly as possible. We're happy to support Mr. Obama on Libya, but it would help if the President seemed to believe in his own policy and power. Republicans ought to be criticizing Mr. Obama's failure to lead from the front, not joining antiwar Democrats in wanting to bug out and let Gadhafi survive to terrorize his people and the world again.
Libya and the Potemkin alliance - George F. Will, Washington Post: America’s intervention in Libya’s civil war, the most protracted and least surreptitious assassination attempt in history, was supposed to last “days, not weeks,” but is in its fourth month and has revealed NATO to be an increasingly fictitious military organization. Since Sept. 11, 2001, U.S. military spending has more than doubled, but that of NATO’s 27 other members has declined 15 percent.
Nato accuses Gaddafi of using mosques and children's parks as shields - The Guardian: Nato has accused Muammar Gaddafi of using mosques and children's parks as shields after the Libyan leader taunted the alliance in an address broadcast to protesters in Tripoli. In a speech piped through loudspeakers to a few thousand people demonstrating in Green Square,
Gaddafi railed against Nato's intensified air strikes in the capital. "Nato will be defeated," Gaddafi yelled in a hoarse, agitated voice to the crowd. "They will pull out in defeat." Nato spokeswoman Oana Lungescu dismissed Gaddafi's speech as propaganda. Image from article, with caption: Supporters of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi brandishing pictures of him during a pro-regime rally in Tripoli, Libya. Nato has accused Gaddafi of "systematically and brutally attacking the Libyan people."
Why Europe no longer matters - Richard N. Haass, Washington Post: NATO as a whole will count for much less. Instead, the United States will need to maintain or build bilateral relations with those few countries in Europe willing and able to act in the world, including with military force. The era in which Europe and transatlantic relations dominated U.S. foreign policy is over. The answer for Americans is not to browbeat Europeans for this, but to accept it and adjust to it.
An assortment of views about the role of the social media and international TV in the Arab Spring - Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on International Broadcasting
Comparison of NK and USSR - Andrei Lankov: koreatimes.co: Very few educated North Koreans nowadays buy the official propaganda message wholesale. They know that the official media lies, and sometimes lies quite shamelessly. While being more or less loyal subjects of their state, they entertain significant (and growing) skepticism about its institutions and the official pronouncements of its leaders. We have a curious picture. Ideology still pretends that almost nothing has changed in the last 50 years (it’s telling that the official media has never mentioned the market economy, as if it doesn’t exist). The political consciousness is less dominated by the state, but still remains under its control. However, the North Korean state has almost completely lost control of the economic life of its people. This picture has no parallels in the history of the Soviet Union or, for that matter, in the histories of other ex-communist countries, even though all its elements (if taken separately) would appear familiar to the people with Soviet-era experience.
Cuba Celebrates Che's 83rd Birthday with New Diaries - Humberto Fontova, FrontPage Magazine: This week Castro’s propaganda ministry published another portion of Che Guevara’s “diaries.” Entitled “Diaries of a Combatant,” these passages were allegedly composed by Ernesto “Che” Guevara between 1956-58, and were published “unedited.”
We know this because a minister of the Stalinist regime (Che Guevara’s widow, Aleida March), vouchsafed this scoop to all foreign “news” agencies bestowed Havana Bureaus by the Cuban government. According to Guevara’s widow, the goal of this latest release was “to show his work, his thoughts, his life, so that the Cuban people and the entire world get to know him and don’t distort things anymore,” reported CNN. Image from article
World War II Canadian Propaganda Wartime Information Board, Ottawa Canada, early 1940s "Danke Schön! Thanks for the Tip-Off." Poster 18" X 24" - Russel A.J. Taber, flickr.com: Although Canada was not under attack during WWII, propaganda posters played an important role in encouraging enlistment and financial support of the war effort as well as making appeals for discretion and secrecy. In this ominous image, a German U-Boat captain with a menacing grimace leans over the side of his U-Boat as a ship sinks in the background. Canadian WWII posters largely omitted graphic violence, but as shown here, delivered instead a direct message about the threat of spies. Posting contains image of poster.
AMERICANA
KFC: support diabetes research by buying an 800 calorie, 56 spoonful of sugar "Mega Jug" - Cory Doctorow, Boing Boing: A KFC franchise in Utah is asking customers to help fight diabetes -- by purchasing an 800-calorie Mega Jug of sugary soda to wash down their meals. The reaction: It's hard to imagine what KFC was thinking, says Joe Waters at Selfish Giving.
Although after "the dreadful Double Down," it's no surprise these folks have "deep fried their reputation again." Give this franchise owner credit for wanting to do some good, says Jenn Savedge at Mother Nature Network. But why not tie the promotion to something healthier like, say, grilled chicken? Trying to link a drink with 56 spoonfuls of sugar to a health cause has to qualify as one of the biggest PR misfires ever. Image from article
EMBASSYTOWN
China Miéville, one of today's most exciting fabulist writers, starts off his science fiction novel "Embassytown" in mid-story and races forward, not slowing down for explanations. The barrage of terms and mysterious references is a command to hop to: Intellectual challenges lie ahead.
In what we would consider her mid-30s, Avice Benner Cho, part of the far-flung human diaspora, has returned to the planet where she was born. Brought up by minders in the ghetto of Embassytown, Cho, through a combination of luck and talent, got out. She became an Immer — a navigator needed to guide ships jumping through space — with demi-star status that has accorded her plenty of money, adventures and lovers. Cho has just married (third man, fourth time), and her new husband's keen interest in the Ariekei, the native creatures of her home planet, propels her there with him in tow. ...
To communicate, the off-world humans who built and inhabit Embassytown have developed Ambassadors, clone-twins that can speak individually to people but together to the Ariekei. The Ambassadors, with names like CalVin and MagDa, are trained and technologically enhanced so that communication with the Ariekei is possible.
Maintaining Embassytown is important for two reasons: the planet's unusual technologies and its position at the edge of unexplored space. Embassytown
is sheltered by a bubble of breathable air within the Ariekei's city — Embassytowners call the Ariekeis "Hosts" — and its infrastructure is partially organic, as is all the infrastructure of the host planet. "Beyond kilometres of roofs, past rotating church-beacons, were the power stations," writes Miéville in the first chapter, signaling but not explaining the unusual technology. "They had been made uneasy by the landing, and were still skittish, days later. I could see them stamping."
That landing is the arrival of a new Ambassador, who throws a wrench in the workings of Embassytown — and that is when Cho begins telling the story, unfolding forward and back as the novel progresses.
--From: Book review: 'Embassytown' by China Miéville: In this science-fiction tale of semiotics, the focus on language can leave the characters seeming alien - Carolyn Kellogg, Los Angeles Times; image from
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