Sunday, January 15, 2012

January 15



"Admittedly, it does sound a little like a ‘Saturday Night Live’ episode, sending tap dancers to the Congo."

--Professor Cynthia Schneider, regarding the State Department-funded program DanceMotion USA; DanceMotion USA image from

VIDEO

U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul: Introduction video; see also "Ambassador McFaul's YouTube Presentation from a Public Diplomacy Perspective"

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

The US and Turkish democracy - Gökhan Bacik, todayszaman.com: "[T]urning our attention ... to Turkey, the US strategy in this country is a legacy of the long Cold War, when military conditions were the main determinants. It is clear, in retrospect, that in the Middle East the US has worked with the armies, or with the political elites who were supported by the armies.

Thus, one should not be very optimistic about the US ability to create effective linkages with the nascent civilian governments of the region, not even Turkey's. It is 'INT'L 101' level knowledge that the main US weakness is public diplomacy." Image from

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to Present the 2011 Awards for Corporate Excellence - Notice to the Press, Office of the Spokesperson, U.S. Department of State: "This year 62 nominations were received for American companies operating in 38 different countries. The winners were chosen by the Principals’ Award Selection Committee. The Committee, chaired by the Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment, includes a representative of the offices of the Secretary, the Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights, the Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, the Under Secretary for Management, and various Assistant Secretaries."

Public Diplomacy and the National Museum of the American Indian - John Brown, Notes and Essays: "I was ... shocked by how little this cavernous building in central Washington tells (can tell?) about

the history and culture of Native Americans.  ... I wonder, former diplomat that I am, what public diplomacy impact this essentially vacant stone structure on the Mall, "sheltered by a roof that recalls a limestone overhang in a Southwest U.S. canyon" ... has on persons from other countries coming in search of enlightenment about the U.S." Image of the National Museum of the American Indian from

Public Diplomacy, Sports, and the Waning Influence of American Popular Culture - Sports Diplomacy in Motion: "Public Diplomacy, Sports, and the Waning Influence of American Popular Culture: In his analysis, Professor of Liberal Studies John Brown focuses on the weight of American popular culture on the world stage. According to him, the latter is losing its global influence. To highlight this statement, Brown uses the example of football (or soccer) and the mediatic success of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Indeed, this sport is not that much popular in the U.S., and could even be labelled as an 'un-American sport'. ttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-brown/public-diplomacy-sports-a_b_626955.html"

Russian culture centre in Memphis - english.ruvr.ru: "Memphis is a city of 700 thousand people in the southeastern American state of Tennessee. At a ceremony Saturday attended by the city’s who is who and several federal lawmakers, the NGO known as the New World Connection – campaigners for ties with countries in the former Soviet Union – opened a center of the Russian language and culture. There was ribbon cutting, bread and salt, a hot Russian pie and a samovar.

From now on, the 14th of January is Memphis’s Russia Day. Mr Yuri Zaitsev is the US officer of Russia’s Federal Agency for Humanitarian Cooperation and Ties with the Russian Diaspora. He was speaking to the Voice of Russia: 'The centre’s work to show Russia as it is in real life will bring forward an era of unfettered humanitarian cooperation between my country and the United States. This work will be promoting public diplomacy, in which ordinary people on the two sides build Russian-American ties. There will be exchanges and Russian language courses for beginners and teachers.'" Uncaptioned mage from article

Fresnozionism - Why Israel fails in public diplomacy (and strategic action) - Love of the Land: "Martin Sherman writes ('Comprehending the incomprehensible — Part I'), [']For anyone seeking the principal reason why Israel is losing the public diplomacy war, the answer is difficult to accept, yet very easy to prove. Israel is losing the battle because it doesn’t want to win.['] ... With regard to public diplomacy or information warfare, the battle is lost before it even begins, because 'the senior professionals charged with conducting the county’s public diplomacy are drawn from – and interface with – the elites discussed previously.'”

Israel's man in Paris: Israel's ambassador to Paris, Yossi Gal, is better versed in religious ceremonialism than the French language - Barak Ravid, haaretz.com: "Previous Israeli ambassadors to Paris like Elie Barnavi, Nissim Zvili, Yehuda Lankry and Daniel Shek knew the language well enough to conduct diplomatic talks with the French foreign minister, give live interviews or participate in question-and-answer sessions with students. Gal came to Paris with only basic French. Intensive French lessons he took before taking up the post only slightly improved his fluency in the language. In France, more perhaps than in any other country, the language is a national and cultural symbol. In the diplomatic community too, French is an official language in which international treaties and official United Nations and European Union documents are formulated. 'It's like sending to Washington or London someone who doesn't know English,' says a source at the Foreign Ministry. Gal hardly gives interviews on French radio or television. His second-in-command, Sammy Ravel, is not interested in media exposure. Spokesman Yaron Gamburg is a relatively junior diplomat, who is not very fluent in French either. In the situation that has developed, it is former office holders such as Avi Pazner who appear in the French media. 'The ambassador in France is not only a representative of Israel, but also a key figure in the Jewish community,' says a highly-placed Israeli source who is involved in what happens in the community. 'This is a person all of France knows and is at home in television and radio studios.

In the eyes of the Jewish community, when Israel gets criticized, the ambassador has to appear in the media, not only to defend Israel but also to bring honor to the community. This is something unprecedented, which is causing a great deal of embarrassment for Israel and the Jews of France.' The Embassy of Israel in Paris has responded [to claims in this article]: ... 'The embassy conducts daily activities vis-a-vis the media by means of press conferences, interviews and briefings. Articles about the ambassador have been published in the leading newspapers in France, and in addition many interviews and briefings have been given by the embassy staff: the ambassador, the attache, the speaker and the culture and public diplomacy advisors. The embassy has excellent working relations with all parts of the community and its organizations, as well as with economic, scientific, cultural and tourism authorities and more.'" Image from article, with caption: Israel’s ambassador to France, Yossi Gal. His speeches in French are limited to five minutes.

His Majesty the Sultan to discuss with Hwang-sik and discuss aspects of cooperation with Nabil next Arab summit preparations - apnaoman.blogspot.com: "His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, Sultan of Qaboos bin Said, Bait al Baraka yesterday the State of Kim Hwang-sik Korean Prime Minister, who arrived to the country yesterday. During the meeting many of the aspects of cooperation between

the two countries in various fields to achieve the common interests of both peoples Omani and Korean countries and ways of strengthening the relations and links between the two countries. ... He left the country yesterday evening Dr. Nabil el-Arabi and the delegation accompanying him where he was seen off upon departure Excellency Yousuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah, Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs HE Ahmed bin Yousef Al Harthy, Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy." Uncaptioned image from article

Must Read: “The language of Soft Power” - Candace Ren, Ren's Micro Diplomacy: "For a quick, yet thorough, insight into China’s soft power strategy and the terminology it uses to communicate its

public diplomacy messages, check out Qing Cao’s March 2011 article in Critical Arts. It’s featured in the 'Special Issue' on 'media discourses and cultural globalisation: a Chinese perspective.'" Candance image from her blog

Tang Guozhong was elected Vice Chairman of Guangdong Province (map) - 3abc.net: "Express News reporter Liu Zhengxu correspondent Lai Nanhui reported yesterday afternoon, the Fifth Session of the Tenth CPPCC Guangdong Province in Guangzhou closed. Wang Yang, Ou Guangyuan, Stoyanov, Zhu Xiaodan and other leaders attended. [Provincial CPPCC Chairman Stoyanov said in his speech, social and public spheres of life, civic and social concerns are increasingly becoming a major issue, members should lead by example, play their own actions and influence in public morality, public cause the construction of credibility, public diplomacy in the model first, striving to set an example."

17th Central Committee’s “Culture Document” – 10: Linking the Cultural Industries to the National Economy justrecently.wordpress.com: - "I’ve come across Dewey’s 'Democracy and Education' (New York, 1930)

online, and I would actually like to read that book, but that would take me too far from my translation task, and my current focus on the CCP’s cultural policies and public diplomacy." Image from

CULTURAL DIPLOMACY
(other items have appeared in January 8-14 PDPBR)

DanceMotion USA to take shows to countries off the beaten path - Rebecca Ritzel, Washington Post: "If you go to a modern-dance performance in Washington, you won’t see many people dressed in dark business suits. That attire is more appropriate for a State Department confab, even one held at a black-box theater. But wardrobe choices were where any sense of normalcy ended Wednesday afternoon at Dance Place, given that diplomacy typically involves tea and crumpets, not crumping. The Brookland venue hosted 160 performers and diplomatic guests at an event celebrating DanceMotion USA, the State Department initiative that will send four American dance companies to countries that are mostly off the beaten tourist path. The Boise, Idaho-based modern Trey McIntyre Project is headed for Asia. Philadelphia hip-hoppers from Rennie Harris Puremovement are off to the Middle East. New York’s Sean Curran Company will perform modern dance in Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and the Kyrgyz Republic. And California’s Jazz Tap Ensemble will tour Mozambique, Zimbabwe and the Democratic Republic of Congo. 'Admittedly, it does sound a little like a ‘Saturday Night Live’ episode, sending tap dancers to the Congo,' said Cynthia Schneider, a Georgetown University professor who teaches cultural diplomacy. 'But this is actually a really good program. It’s about making an impact through people-to-people relations, not government-to-government foreign affairs. And they’ve got some great partners on board.' Now in its second year, DanceMotion USA is a $1.7 million effort jointly funded by the State Department, J.P. Morgan, the Robert Sterling Clark Foundation and Pfizer. The program is managed by the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM)."

US official named Taiwan cultural ambassador - Kwangyin Liu, taiwantoday.tw: "A U.S. official was honored as cultural ambassador by the ROC government for his role in introducing Taiwanese culture to the United States, according to the Council for Cultural Affairs Jan. 12.

Frank Villani, manager of the cultural affairs department of San Antonio, Texas, received the title for his continued efforts in facilitating cultural exchanges between Taiwan and the U.S. over the past five years, the CCA said. ... Upon receiving the honor, Villani said he was grateful for the opportunity to be a promoter of Taiwanese culture. 'Cultural diplomacy has always played a crucial role in Taiwan-U.S. exchanges,' said the three-time visitor to Taiwan." Image from article, with caption: Frank Villani (left) becomes the latest cultural ambassador for Taiwan Jan. 12 upon receiving the honor at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York.

Putting on the West’s first big exhibition about the haj has been a challenge - The Economist: "Mr MacGregor and Venetia Porter, the BM [British Museum]’s keeper of Islamic art, spoke to the chairman of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities, Prince Sultan bin Salman (known locally as the 'astronaut prince' for being the only Saudi to have travelled in space). They also met Princess Adila bint Abdullah, a daughter of the king and one of the few princesses with a public role in Saudi Arabia, and her husband, Prince Faisal bin Abdullah, the new minister of education. At each meeting they outlined in detail the BM’s ambition: to put on the West’s first big show about the haj, the annual holy pilgrimage to Mecca.

All three royals were enthusiastic, which meant the project also had the king’s support. Conscious of the bashing that Islam had taken in the West since Saudi-born hijackers flew their planes into the twin towers in New York nearly a decade earlier, they saw the power of cultural diplomacy. A show that emphasised the ancient tradition of the haj, one of the five pillars of Islam, would be a source of pride for Muslims and a clear reminder of Saudi Arabia’s pre-eminent position in the Islamic world. But organising the show has posed considerable challenges. ... [I]t was only when the final shipment of loans left Saudi Arabia for London just before Christmas that the museum was certain the show would come off. And what a show it is. ... Rich as the BM exhibition is, much has inevitably been left out." Uncaptioned image from article

2011: successful year of Vietnam’s heritages - tuoitrenews.vn: "2011 was a successful year of Vietnam in terms of cultural diplomacy, as more heritages were recognised by UNESCO, said a senior official. Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Thanh Son, who doubles as Chairman of the Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO, made the comment at a conference to review the commission’s 2011 performance in Hanoi on Jan. 10."

Image from article, with caption: A temple in fourth-century My Son Sanctuary

Cyprus - The President of the Republic received the credentials of the new High Commissioner of the Federal Republic of Nigeria - isria.com: "The President of the Republic, Mr Demetris Christofias, received today, at a formal ceremony at the Presidential Palace, the credentials of the new High Commissioner of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Mr David Oladipo Obasa. Presenting his credentials, Mr Obasa said: ... Mr President, as Nigeria considers peace as sine qua non to development, another principal mandate given me to pursue, as the High Commissioner, is to strengthen Nigeria – Cyprus cooperation in the areas which include political consultations, trade and economic relations, power and energy, immigration, cultural diplomacy, aviation, counter terrorism, human rights, education and capacity building, etc."

RELATED ITEMS

Perry slams Obama team's response to Marines video - Catalina Camia, USA Today: GOP presidential candidate Rick Perry today criticized the Obama administration for its "over the top" rhetoric in response to a video that purports to show four U.S. Marines urinating on the corpses of Taliban fighters. Perry, speaking on CNN's State of the Union program, said the reactions from Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton to the video is indicative of what he says is a "disdain" for the military by Obama officials. "These kids made a mistake, no doubt about it," Perry said, adding that when you're 18 or 19 years old you do "dumb" things. "... "To call it a criminal act is over the top."

Obama's bold move out of Iraq - Marc Lynch, Foreign Policy: Withdrawing the last troops from Iraq was a risk, to be sure -- but it was exactly the kind of bold choice which needed to be taken.

It was bold in the best way: not militaristic bluster or bombing things to demonstrate resolve, but having the courage to take a risky but correct decision. Uncaptioned image from article

Is America A Victim of Israeli Aggression And False Flag Terror, Or Is That Just Clever CIA Propaganda? - gunnyg.wordpress.com: In an interview on the Chris Matthews show on MSNBC, former CIA officer Robert Baer said that Israel is behind the string of assassinations of Iranian nuclear scientists. The latest victim of this terror campaign was 32-year-old Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan. Baer said that Israel’s motive is to provoke Iran into a military response, which would force the United States of America to retaliate against Iran on the behalf of Israel. This narrative makes clear that America is the victim, not the fellow conspirator, of Israeli terrorism.

"Improved" Arab 'Apartheid' Propaganda - myrightword.blogspot.com: a) Israel does not have an "apartheid policy." b) there is no "openly violent form." c) no terror by Arabs, no security restrictions. d) there are no "Jews-only" roads except at certain security-risk locations and/or time periods. e) there are many more "Arabs-only" roads. f) there are no "Jews-only" signs because there are none.

Russia: The Revolution Will Be Tweeted and Facebooked and YouTubed - Simon Shuster, Time: The idea of an electronic democracy is unprecedented in Russia, but in other parts of the

world such projects have been known as Democracy 2.0, an umbrella term for letting regular folks influence politics through the Internet. The Russian opposition has little choice but to have their supporters vote online, because Putin's Democracy 1.0 has effectively locked them out. Via LJB; image from article

Book review: A fascinating look at 'Intel Wars' by Matthew M. Aid -- Former intelligence analyst Aid delves into recent successes, failures and contradictions of the covert war against Al Qaeda, including how operations play out on the ground - Ken Dilanian, latimes.com: [review of Intel Wars by Matthew M. Aid (Bloomsbury Press)]Aid's book is full revelatory anecdotes.

It's one thing to say that the Pakistan's spy service, the Directorate for Inter-Services Intelligence, has helped America's enemies; it's another thing to show precisely how. Image from article

AMERICANA

The Chinese-Takeout Container Is Uniquely American - Hilary Greenbaum and Dana Rubinstein, New York Times: The Chinese-takeout container, with its Japanese-influenced origami folds, is a uniquely American invention. On Nov. 13, 1894, in Chicago, the inventor Frederick Weeks Wilcox patented a version

of what he called a “paper pail,” which was a single piece of paper, creased into segments and folded into a (more or less) leakproof container secured with a dainty wire handle on top. The supportive folds on the outside, fastened with that same wire, created a flat interior surface over which food could slide smoothly onto a plate. Image from

Fatter cows, sicker people: The FDA has restricted the use of a minor antibiotic used by the meat industry. - Editorial, Los Angeles Times: Eighty percent of the antibiotics used in this country are given to chicken, pigs, turkey and cattle.


Image from article, with caption: The FDA is limiting some off-label antibiotic use in livestock. It said the rules were intended to slow the development of antibiotic resistance in microbes that can infect people as well as animals.

Why Is Europe a Dirty Word? - Nicholas D. Kristof, New York Times:

Who knew? Our president is plotting to turn us into Europeans. Imagine:

It’s a languid morning in Peoria, as a husband and wife are having breakfast. “You’re sure you don’t want eggs and bacon?” the wife asks. “Oh, no, I prefer these croissants,” the husband replies. “They have a lovely je ne sais quoi.”

He dips the croissant into his café au-lait and chews it with zest. “What do you want to do this evening?” he asks. “Now that we’re only working 35 hours a week, we have so much more time. You want to go to the new Bond film?”

“I’d rather go to a subtitled art film,” she suggests. “Or watch a pretentious intellectual television show.”

“I hear Kim Kardashian is launching a reality TV show where she discusses philosophy and global politics with Bernard-Henri Lévy,” he muses. “Oh, chérie, that reminds me, let’s take advantage of the new pétanque channel and host a super-boules party.”

“Parfait! And we must work out our vacation, now that we can take all of August off. Instead of a weekend watching ultimate fighting in Vegas, let’s go on a monthlong wine country tour.”

“How romantic!” he exclaims. “I used to worry about getting sick on the road. But now that we have universal health care, no problem!”

Look out: another term of Obama, and we’ll all greet each other with double pecks on the cheek.


ONE MORE QUOTATION FOR THE DAY

"In general, I think it can be said that most sections of the United States were first populated by failures. They are usually referred to as 'pioneers,' but that euphemism doesn't dispose of the fact that they were doing very badly where they were, and pulled up stakes to see if they couldn't do better somewhere else."

--From James M. Cain's 'Paradise'; Cain image from

1 comment:

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