August 25

"How did the world turn before acronyms? I think it probably did just fine."

--Cathy Davidson, "MOOC, SPOC, DOCC, Massive Online Face2Face Open . . . (Uh Oh!): Age of the Acronym," hastac.org; image from

CONFERENCE

Eastern Partnership – Perspectives of Cultural Diplomacy | Conference 29-31 August, Kraków, Poland - eastbook.eu: "The main goal of this event is to initiate discussion on prospects of development of the Eastern Partnership and set new goals in the context of Cultural Diplomacy. The organizers want to analyse completed projects and try to anticipate future policy. The conference will promote active cooperation between state institutions and non-governmental organisations from the European Union and the countries of the Eastern Partnership that carry out activities in the domain of culture and art. ... Project co-financed by the Department of Public and Cultural Diplomacy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland as part of the Call for Proposals 'Cooperation in public diplomacy 2013'."

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

Nigeria: U.S. - Nigeria Requires Strong Character to Overcome Terrorism - Chineme Okafor, allafrica.com: "A statement issued Wednesday, from the Public Affairs Section of the US Diplomatic Mission to Nigeria in Abuja, which contained a summary of propositions presented to the federal government by its Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Wendy Sherman, disclosed that Sherman had also asked the Nigerian government to provide more training for the Nigerian military and other services to address the challenges it faces, particularly with the insurgency in the North. The statement, which was part of the conclusion reached at the ninth meeting of the

Nigerian-US Bi-National Commission (BNC), also stated that the US acknowledged the need for greater public diplomacy in terms of communicating to the people that justice and accountability are important in the fight against terrorism." See also (1) (2). Image from

U.S. Consul urges Nigerian youths to emulate Luther King’s virtues - ngrguardiannews.com: "United States (U.S.) Consul General, Jeffrey Hawkins, has urged Nigerian youths to emulate the late American civil rights leader, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., by tapping their creative abilities to dream big in order to forge a better and brighter Nigeria. Hawkins made the call through the Public Affairs Officer of the United States Consulate General in Lagos, Mrs. Dehab Ghebreab, at an event marking the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington and the 'I Have a Dream' Speech by Luther King, Jr. at the Magnolia Hall of the City Mall in Lagos. The event was attended by almost 1,000 Nigerian youths, mostly members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and the Lagos State Coordinator of NYSC, Mrs. Adenike Adeyemi. ... Also, Public Diplomacy Officer Rhonda J. Watson announced the consulate’s launch of a 'Dream or Prophecy' essay /speech contest and delivered remarks aimed at motivating the youth to be inspired by King’s selfless dedication to service to improve the lives of others. Using MLK’s ability to articulate his dream for equality for all people using persuasive oratorical skills as a model, she announced the launch of the consulate’s essay speech contest from September 1 to October 31, 2013 and encouraged Nigerian youth between the ages of 18-30 to submit their 500-word essay entry explaining their dream for Nigeria and what role they can play to improve the country. Essay entries should be submitted to: http://tinyurl.com/essay50mlk."

Lebanon: Strida Geagea’s Failed Media Spectacle - Ibrahim al-Amin, english.al-akhbar.com: "Despite being thoroughly prepped for her first television appearance on MTV, Lebanese Forces MP Strida Geagea – wife of civil war militia leader Samir Geagea – nevertheless missed her cues and forgot her lines. The Lebanese Forces decided to bring out the heavy guns. Feeling compelled to respond to many unanswered questions and a recent report in Al-Akhbar about marital problems with her controversial husband, Strida Geagea took to the airwaves to set the record straight.

The interview was little more than a co-production between the Lebanese Forces and MTV, planned carefully to avoid any embarrassing gaffes on the part of the Lebanese Forces’ first lady. ... Strida and MTV in American Eyes [:] ... [a] cable in February 2009 (BEIRUT147), this time by [U.S. Ambassador] Michele Sison, takes up the issue of MTV’s intention to begin broadcasting again after being closed down for a few years: [']A MTV senior source told Embassy Public Diplomacy [PD] staff there are two main reasons for re-launching the station. The first reason is that, during this election period, many politicians are willing to pay money and, therefore, this is the best time to raise funds. The other reason is that Arab advertising tycoon Antoine Choueiri pulled out from LBCI (the major TV station in Lebanon) and is willing to cover MTV. They can now guarantee at least ten million dollars in advertising revenues but they are still negotiating the deal.['] Image from entry, with caption: Poor Strida. She apparently got lost in all the details and may have memorized her lines wrong, for the first edition of Al-Akhbar did not appear until several months after both men were killed!

Hanging out with Chimamanda and friends - Akintayo Abodunrin, tribune.com.ng: "The National Institute for Cultural Orientation got a surprise gift during its 20th anniversary marked with a series of activities last weekend in Lagos. It was celebration galore for the National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO) last weekend as it marked its 20th anniversary with two events in Lagos. The first was its fourth annual public lecture entitled ‘Nollywood as an Instrument for Nigeria’s Cultural Diplomacy: Reflections of a Cultural Administrator’ on Friday, August 16 while the maiden convocation ceremony of its training school happened the following day. Actor and academic, Professor Ayo Akinwale delivered the lecture at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Victoria Island.

Eminent theatre and film scholars, filmmakers, culture activists and people of goodwill gathered to hear Akinwale speak on the phenomenal Nollywood and its utility as a tool for cultural diplomacy. ... Chair of the occasion and Deputy Vice Chancellor (Management Services), University of Lagos, Professor Duro Oni, noted that the lecture was in line with NICO’s mandate and that the topic was timely and significant. He said that given the popularity of Nollywood, it has not only become a phenomenon in the art circuit, it has also become a potent tool for Nigeria’s cultural diplomacy. ... Akinwale, the Dean, Faculty of Arts, University of Ilorin appraised the content, form and structure of Nigerian films to highlight the ones that can promote the country positively and those that cannot. He highlighted how countries are increasingly using their films to sell their cultural values and images but that this is not the case with majority of Nigerian films." Image from entry

Mozambique Seeks Diamond Partnership With Angola - Israel Diamond Portal: "Angola has vast experience in the area of diamond mining, and Mozambique, its neighbor two countries over to the east, would like to draw on that experience, All Africa reports. Mozambique

Minister of Mineral Resources Esperanca Bias met in Maputo, the nation's capital, with her Angolan counterpart Minister of Geology and Mines Manuel Queiroz, and stated publicly that his country could benefit from Angolan technical knowledge. ... Queiroz noted that the two countries have long coordinated their public diplomacy but potential economic ties between the two southern African nations have not been maximized - a situation their respective governments now hope to remedy, according to All Africa." Image from entry, with caption: Diamond miners in Africa

Foreign Policy: Formulation and Strategy; Interview with Dr. Anindya Jyoti Majumdar - "Graduated from Presidency College, Kolkata, Dr. Anindya Jyoti Majumdar pursued Ph.D. program of studies in Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi where he specialized in Disarmament Studies. He at present teaches in the Department of International Relations, at Jadavpur University, Kolkata. He had been a Research Consultant with the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations, New Delhi. He visited University of South Carolina, USA, under a Fulbright Program and attended various other international schedules including regional Defence and Cooperative Security workshops in Shanghai and Colombo. ... [Q:] 1. How can more youth participation be ensured in matters of foreign policy formulation, keeping the level of expertise intact? Foreign-policy makers in the Ministry of External Affairs have initiated the Public Diplomacy Division to establish links with the civil society ostensibly for better interactions. The youth may use the PD programs as a platform to express their views, provide feedback and response and influence the decision-making process. However, formulation of foreign policy still remains a domain of the experts. The youth may be encouraged to enter the channels of diplomacy via the Indian Foreign Service and thereby bring in a fresh outlook."

4 tips for an effective outreach into India - Madhur, The Public Diplomacy Blog: This year’s been difficult for India. From economic policy paralysis, corruption of a scale unheard of earlier and a rapidly depreciating Rupee, it is not a very happy situation. Nonetheless, given the country’s strong institutional framework, its influence in South Asia, commitment to a democratic tradition, size of economy and size of population, attempts to engage with India (politically, socially, culturally or for business) will continue. Besides, India underwent a lot of changes in the last two decades and is a very different country today. For an effective communications outreach into India, remember to factor in the following: I. AUDIENCE: Youth will be the primary drivers of your message. ... II. MESSAGE: Localize your message and content for India; for each of its regions. ... III. TONALITY: Aspiration is what it should represent. Irrespective of geography or socio economic standing. ... IV. MEDIUM: Do not forget alternative media, the ubiquitous mobile phone and social co-creation. ... See this excellent slideshare presentation below by Mohit Chhabra:

Bayani V. Mangibin: Promoting culture, pride and the Filipino identity - Pacific Daily News: "Consul General Bayani V. Mangibin says having pride in the Filipino national identity means spreading cultural awareness to the community through leadership, determination, dedication, and passion. ... To this end, the Philippine Consulate General, in cooperation with the group, Guam-Filipino Artists, has tried to promote Filipino culture in Guam through the arts.

Bayani says every first Friday of the month, the PCG ... feature[s] Filipino and Filipino-Guamanian artists, showcasing their works of art through various media. In addition, every Independence Day, the PCG and Guam Reef Hotel sponsor a Filipino food festival to promote the national cuisine. ... From a broader perspective, Mangibin is currently tasked with implementing the CUISIA Plan for Guam. CUISA stands for Country USA Intensified and Strategic Integrated Action. The plan aims to develop Guam as a staging post to maximize its resources, and political and commercial potential based on its strategic position in the Asia-Pacific region. The plan requires intensified cooperation between the PCG in Guam and the Philippine Embassy in Washington, DC. The plan will essentially adopt and promote a variety of programs focused on national and economic security, the welfare and interest of Filipino nationals, Philippine culture for national development, public diplomacy towards the improvement of the nation's image and organization development AND institution building." Image from entry, with caption: Consul General Bayani V. Mangibin delivered opening remarks during the 8th Guam Filipino Artists' Monthly Exhibit held on Sept. 7, 2012 at the Philippine Consulate General.

How Powerful Is The Pro-Russian Lobby In Ukraine? - news.kievukraine.info: "On August 9, the leader of the Ukrainian Communist Party, Parliamentarian Petro Symonenko, told Golos Rossiyi that the Communists would begin a campaign to collect four million signatures (a three million threshold is required) for a referendum for Ukraine to integrate into the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Community (EurAsEC) and the Customs Union, and not into the European Union.

Russian leaders and think tanks close to the Kremlin support these public efforts, which appear to be lobbying to restrain Ukraine from its Western integration path. The Moscow-based Gorchakov Fund for the Support of Public Diplomacy, which describes itself as a 'public-private partnership' to promote Russian foreign policy objectives, serves as one of the key sponsors of this activity. In June–July 2013, the Gorchakov Fund supported the Eurasian Youth Camp Forum in the Crimea, a geopolitics conference in Odessa, and several other policy events in Russia and Belarus, where Ukrainian representatives participated. These events clearly promote the Russian policy of Ukraine’s Eurasian integration, which also means Kiev’s actual subordination to Moscow’s power in relations with the EU. ... Source: The Jamestown Foundation." Image from entry: Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov

Climate Change May Disrupt Monarch Butterfly Migration: Scientific … - Umberto Tassoni, umberto-tassoni.net: "Climate Change, Terrorism, and Public Diplomacy [:] Perhaps the greatest deterrent to extremism is prosperity. If people have a decent place to live, can put food on the table for their families, and see their children healthy and being educated, they are likely to tune out recruitment efforts by … See all stories on this topic."

Disruptive Force? Or Force Multiplier?: Foreign Policy and Diplomacy in the Digital Age - James Stavridis: The Fletcher School, Tufts University: "Dean James Stavridis is the 12th leader of The Fletcher School since its founding in 1933. A retired Admiral in the U.S. Navy, he led the NATO Alliance in global operations from 2009 to 2013 as Supreme Allied Commander. ... [W]e’ll be hosting some exciting speakers here at Fletcher, drawn in part by this extraordinary alumni network and contacts

we’ve made throughout our careers. Our Edward R. Murrow Center of Public Diplomacy, named for the American journalist who essentially reinvented news in the 20th century, will be working on this." Image from entry, with caption: Dean Stavridis with his basset hound, Lilly.

School sets fall Research Colloquium schedule - Indiana University School of Journalism: "The Research Colloquium is designed to give researchers and scholars an opportunity to discuss their work with colleagues for feedback and advice. ... Nov. 22 Assistant professor Emily Metzgar, 'Charting a Discipline’s Development: A

Meta-Analysis of Public Diplomacy Literature.'” Image from

Michael B. Goodman, Ph.D. - corporatecomm.org: "Michael

is Professor and Director of the MA in Corporate Communication at Baruch College, The City University of New York. ... He has edited a Special Issue of the Journal of Business Strategy on 'The Role of Business in Public Diplomacy.'" "Michael" image from entry

RELATED ITEMS

A report card for U.S. policy in the Mideast: How Washington is doing on such issues as winding down military involvement, fighting terrorism and reducing our dependence on its oil - Aaron David Miller, latimes.com: U.S. credibility and its image in the Middle East have taken a real beating. And our policy on the so-called Arab Spring, or what's left of it, is pretty much at sea, largely because we can't shape the internal dynamics of these societies. Still, on many things that really count and those we can actually affect, the situation isn't as gloomy as many suppose. We are now less bogged down in the Middle East than ever before. That growing independence — along with a recognition that there are limits to U.S. power and we can't fix everything — is a good thing. And it couldn't have come at a better time, particularly for a nation whose own house is so badly in need of repair.

Foreign Policy by Whisper and Nudge - Thomas L. Friedman, New York Times: Our rising energy efficiency, renewable energy, hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling are making us much less dependent on the Middle East for oil and gas. The Middle East has gone from an addiction to a distraction.

Obama knows all of this. He just can’t say it. But it does explain why his foreign policy is mostly “nudging” and whispering. It is not very satisfying, not very much fun and won’t make much history, but it’s probably the best we can do or afford right now. And it’s certainly all that most Americans want. Image from article, with caption: Protesters in Giza, Egypt, near Cairo earlier this month. American foreign policy cannot be fully effective unless locals accept responsibility, too.

In Syria, America Loses if Either Side Wins - Edward N. Luttwak, New York Times: Maintaining a stalemate should be America’s objective. And the only possible method for achieving this is to arm the rebels when it seems that Mr. Assad’s forces are ascendant and to stop supplying the rebels if they actually seem to be winning.

Yesterday’s report of an alleged ‘chemical weapon’ attack near Damascus has prompted the US and UK media machines to spin into overdrive in the push for a military intervention and regime change in Syria - 21stcenturywire.com: ‘Chemical Weapons’ media propaganda in US, UK is designed to hide the truth in Syria - The report of an alleged ‘chemical weapon’ attack near Damascus has prompted the US and UK media machines to spin into overdrive in the push for a military intervention and regime change in Syria.

Image from article: Today’s headline on the UK Daily Mirror. Who are these children in the photo, are they alive and what exactly happened to them?

Olympic Ban On Political Propaganda Is “A Means To Protect The Athletes,” IOC Official Says -- “It is thanks to this rule that athletes from over 200 nations can and will continue to compete in a neutral environment,” a spokeswoman from the International Olympic Committee says - Chris Geidner, BuzzFeed: A rule banning “political … propaganda” from Olympic sites is not “a sanction,” an International Olympic Committee spokeswoman told BuzzFeed, but rather “a means to protect the athletes” from outside pressure. The possibility of protests at the planned Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, because of the country’s passage of a law that could ban almost all public support of LGBT rights sparked the response from the IOC. The response came after BuzzFeed published a report detailing a series of questions the committee has not answered in advance of games. Specifically, the IOC has invoked Rule 50 of the Olympic Charter, which bans “demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda” from Olympic sites, when asked about the potential for pro-LGBT displays at the games. “Rule 50 of the Olympic Charter is in place to ensure the Games remain free from proactive protests and demonstrations of any kind.

It should not be seen as a sanction but rather as a means to protect the athletes who might be pressured to use the Games as a platform to make statements,” Emmanuelle Moreau, an IOC spokeswoman, told BuzzFeed Monday. She added, “It is thanks to this rule that athletes from over 200 nations can and will continue to compete in a neutral environment.” Notably, Moreau’s statement did not respond directly to BuzzFeed’s request for information about how Rule 2 — the Olympic rule that mandates the IOC “act against any form of discrimination affecting the Olympic Movement” — figures into the IOC’s consideration of whether an action would be subject to the confines of Rule 50. Regarding the secondary question of what would happen to athletes who take action in violation of Rule 50, Moreau continued to provide an indefinite answer — although she did say that “often” an “informal conversation” would be the first step in addressing any situation that might arise. “[T]he IOC will always take a sensible approach when dealing with potential actions and always act on a case by case basis. This often starts by having an informal conversation with the athletes concerned who in most cases understand the spirit of the rule and subsequently refrain from any proactive action,” Moreau told BuzzFeed. Image from article

“The Butler” and other Hollywood propaganda - neoneocon.com: Propaganda is extraordinarily powerful. It exploits hearts, it shapes minds, and it affects history. Films are just one form of propaganda, but an exceptionally popular one that often reaches people who are disinclined to dig deeper and find the historical truth, and yet still vote. As Churchill said, “A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on.” Nowadays the only revision I’d make to that comment is that the lies travel even faster and further. How are we to counter this? Yes, there’s the internet and conservative newspapers and TV and talk shows and even movies and books. But they are few and far-between compared to the absolute barrage of the opposite messages, plus of course what is delivered every day by the school system.

FOUND ON THE WEB

Patrick Jagoda, "Public Diplomacy and the Emergent Future of Massively Multiplayer Online Games," hastac.org

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