Friday, November 29, 2013

November 28-29


BLAST FROM THE PAST


“You will at the first opportunity offered call attention of the Government, to which you are accredited, to the fact that on the last Thursday of November this country according to customs will celebrate a national day of thanksgiving and prayer.



You may add that at this time, when there are such profound reasons for gratitude, the other victorious nations may consider it appropriate to designate Thursday, November twenty-eight, a national day of thanksgiving for the blessings bestowed upon us.”


--Secretary of State Lansing’s telegram (November 13, 1918); from Domani Spero, "Ninety-Five Years Ago, We Tried to Export American Thanksgiving Day Around The World," DiploPundit

UPCOMING IMPORTANT WASHINGTON, D.C. PUBLIC DIPLOMACY EVENTS

A) (Repeat announcement): The third Public Diplomacy Council/USC  "First Monday" Forum, "Public Diplomacy as a Global Phenomenon: The Baltic States."


The following distinguished diplomats will speak about their country's public diplomacy and how it is planned and implemented in the United States: Maria Belovas, Press and Cultural Officer, Embassy of Estonia; Jurijs Pogrebņaks Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Latvia; Simonas Satunas, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Lithuania. Date/Time:

Monday, December 2
The American Foreign Service Association (AFSA)
2101 E Street NW
Washington DC (Foggy Bottom metro).
12:00-1:00 PM

For more information, including about attendance, please contact: eva.harder.pdc@gmail.com;  image from

B) Metzgar presents research to U.S. commission - SoJ Web Report: "Assistant professor Emily Metzgar will present her research work to the U.S. Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy Dec. 2 in Washington D.C. At the conference, 'The State of Public Diplomacy in 2014,' Metzgar will discuss her work, a meta-analysis of public diplomacy literature that examines more than 600 articles from 1966 to present. ... The first panel will focus on appraisals of public diplomacy and international broadcasting the past decade from the U.S. government’s perspective. It will include Jason Bair, assistant director of International Affairs and Trade at the Government Accountability Office; Seth Center, historian at the U.S. Department of State; and Michael Hurley, senior public diplomacy inspector at the U.S. Department of State."


The presentation will be focused on literature since 2001. She will present insights based on findings, and will address how to characterize the existing research and how best to translate academic findings into insights that might prove useful to practitioners. Her presentation is set for the second panel event, which focuses on scholarship in the past decade from the external researchers’ perspective. Professor Craig Hayden of American University also will serve as a panelist." Metzgar image from entry

C) Soft-Power in Eastern Europe: The Role of Cultural Diplomacy - bu.edu: "Join us for a conversation on 'Soft Power in Eastern Europe: The Role of Cultural Diplomacy' with Ambassador John Beyerle. Russia and its sphere of influence have long been the focus of American public diplomacy, and remain a relative bastion of such efforts today, when funding elsewhere have been slashed. In recent years, Russia has also been trying its hand at ‘Soft Power,’ and yet Joseph Nye–who coined the term in 1990–recently wrote an article in Foreign Policy magazine entitled ‘What China and Russia Don’t Get About Soft Power.’ As Ambassador to the Russian Federation (2008-2012) and to Bulgaria (2005-2008), as well as in previous stints in Moscow John Beyrle was a proponent of American cultural diplomacy, and a great specialist on not only Eastern-European politics, but the region’s culture.


This event will explore what works and what doesn’t in the region and why cultural diplomacy matters. ... This event is organized by the The Ballets Russes Cultural Partnership and co-presented with the Center for the Study of Europe. Attendance at this special event is limited. Kindly RSVP to eamrien@bu.edu by Monday, December 9." Beyrle image from entry

U.S. PUBLIC DIPLOMACY IMAGES

Telling America's Stories - Public Diplomacy Council: Among the photos the below, with the caption: Council Member Yale Richmond provided this photo of "Duke" Ellington chatting with Ukrainian composers and musicians


in Kiev in 1971 -- an off-stage event typical of cultural presentations.

NEW BOOK

Propaganda, Power and Persuasion: From World War I to Wikileaks (International Library of Historical Studies) [Hardcover] David Welch (Editor) October 2013 - Amazon: "Propaganda came of age in the Twentieth Century. The development of mass- and multi-media offered a fertile ground for propaganda


while global conflict provided the impetus needed for its growth. Propaganda has however become a portmanteau word, which can be interpreted in a number of different ways. What are the characteristic features of propaganda, and how can it be defined? The distinguished contributors to this book trace the development of techniques of 'opinion management' from the First World War to the current conflict in Afghanistan." Via GR on Facebook; image from entry

ATLAS

Looking for a Christmas Present?  - Public Diplomacy, Networks and Influence: "Do you have someone in your life who is obsessed with public diplomacy or cultural relations? ...  do they read French? Is your other half asking you what you want for Christmas?  Then PD Networks can recommnent the perfect present: it’s the Atlas de l’Influence Francaise au XXIe Siecle new from the Institut Francaise [sic]."

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

Defining the NSA Scandal - Kurt Lining, fortsanity.com: "The United States of America has many enemies. Ideally, we gather intelligence to defend against these enemies and counter-attack when provoked. The NSA is a military organization, and cannot afford to waste its personnel and resources monitoring international opinion by spying on its allies. If we want the world to love us, let our diplomats make the case via public diplomacy: alienating our friends by getting caught spying on them is counterproductive to that end.



Instead, let the NSA fulfill its actual mission, so our warfighters have the information they need to secure US interests overseas, identify real threats to US persons and interests, and target our actual enemies." Image from

Anatomy of Iranian Nuclear Deal - Matthew Lee and Brian Murphy, abcnews.go.com: "The marathon talks in Geneva appeared at times to be a study in Internet-age brinksmanship and public diplomacy — with all sides sending out signals and statements by Twitter and Facebook — but they also were the culmination of a painstaking process of old-school contacts and secret sessions between Iranian and American envoys that began even before the surprise election of Iran's moderate-leaning President Hassan Rouhani last June."

EU foreign policy chief Lady Ashton comes of age in Iran talks - Peter Spiege, Financial Times: "High quality global journalism requires investment. For three years, Catherine Ashton has navigated the quarters of Brussels with a virtual target on her back – the subject of withering and constant criticism over her performance as the EU’s foreign policy chief. ... Lady Ashton compounded the difficulties by showing a thin skin towards criticism and relying only on a close-knit group of advisers. She also failed to engage in the kind of public diplomacy needed from a modern jet-setting diplomat, where foreign ministers not only regularly project 'soft power' through the media but via Twitter as well." See also [subscription]

Spin Wars: How the Nuclear Deal Is Playing in the U.S. and Iran [November 25] - worldnewsviews.com: "The day after world powers struck a historic nuclear deal with Iran, the headlines say it all. Over at USA Today, one reads, 'Kerry: Iran has to prove its nuclear deal compliance.' Iran’s Fars News Agency, meanwhile, has a somewhat different take on the road ahead: ' 'Iran to Verify World Powers’ Compliance with Geneva Talks Undertakings.' It’s either a sign of a good agreement


(each side sees something in it for them) or an indication of just how much still divides the parties as they begin the difficult work of fashioning a longer-term accord on Iran’s nuclear program. Or both. But whatever the case, U.S. and Iranian leaders spent Sunday pitching the diplomatic breakthrough to domestic audiences in remarkably different ways. ... Here’s video of Zarif’s press conference [included in entry], with English-language subtitles courtesy of the Tehran-based @MeetIran Twitter feed, which appears to be part of a larger Iranian online public diplomacy campaign." Image from


Turkeymenistan Day - Paul Rockower, Levantine: "As followers of this blog may remember, last year I spent Turkey Day in Turkmenistan with Della Mae. Our cultural diplomacy adventures coincided with culinary diplomacy outreach, as the Thanksgiving meal was prepared


by Chef Jim Leahy of Sullivan Street Bakery in New York.  Chef Leahy, who had made the delicious baked good for the State Dept's Diplomatic Culinary Partnership kick-off in Foggy Bottom, was brought out to discuss American food traditions in conjunction with the U.S. Cultural Days and the State Dept's culinary diplomacy initiative." Image from entry

Gastrodiplomacy! - Paul Rockower, Levantine: "The Dance Motion USA program's twitter account tweeted their @gastrodiplomacy feasts around the world on their great cultural diplomacy program."

International Experience is Crucial for Our Education - depauwprindle.blogspot.com: "Founded in 1948, the National Association of Foreign Student Advisers states that, in regards to foreign policy, 'International exchanges have often been cited as one of our strongest and most effective public diplomacy tools.' We cannot effectively lead a world we do not understand. This understanding is crucial for a nation that pursues global issues and faces global threats. I believe that every student should be given the opportunity to be educated internationally—especially as a means to better understand the cultures we affect, and are affected by. International education is a worthwhile investment that institutions should make for their students; it should not be reserved solely for privileged students. This is why the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education wish to promote these types of programs and experiences—there’s a lot to gain, and little to lose."

Décrypter la communication européenne - lacomeuropeenne.fr: "Communiquer sur la valeur ajoutée de l’Union européenne [.] Publié le 25 novembre 2013 par Michael Malherbe [.]Aujourd’hui et demain, le Conseil économique et social européen (CESE) organise un séminaire : ' Vers


les élections européennes – Communiquer sur la valeur ajoutée de l’Europe'. Que prévoit le programme ? Image-building de l’Europe: les leçons de la ' public diplomacy ' et du 'corporate branding ' Habitué des cénacles européens, encore récemment lors d’EuropCom en octobre, Simon Anholt, l’inventeur du concept de 'nation branding ' devrait sûrement faire un keynote speech remarqué sur la construction de l’image de marque de l’Europe." Image from blog headingsee also. 

Lebanese satirist takes on British ambassador: Public diplomacy gets a satirical spin with dueling open letters for Lebanon's Independence Day - aljazeera.com: "A mock diplomatic spat went viral after a popular Lebanese satirist lampooned an open letter by the British Ambassador to Lebanon. British Ambassador to Lebanon Tom Fletcher wrote the letter to mark the 70th anniversary of the Lebanese republic. He praised Lebanon's accomplishments, lamented its political shortcomings, and offered what he called 'some unsolicited advice'. Though many took Fletcher's letter as an earnest expression of concern and hope for Lebanon, others responded defensively, calling the tone demeaning."

Book Review: Post Cold War Austria: With compelling contributions from two serving diplomats, Günter Bischof’s latest edited collection fills an important gap - "Compelling are the contributions by senior Austrian diplomats who played pivotal roles in the development and conduct of Austrian foreign policy at the time: ... Emil Brix, current Ambassador in London takes on 'Austria’s Cultural and Public Diplomacy after the Cold War.' ... Says Brix, ...: “It is an obvious choice for Austria to concentrate its public diplomacy efforts on national assets which are either well known internationally


or sought after in international relations.” Fittingly, he writes, 'The self-understanding and perception of Austria as a Kulturgroßmacht (cultural superpower) will continue to serve as the core asset for public diplomacy. With the end of the Cold War, Austria seized the chance to communicate its renewed Central European position by means of a strengthened cultural cooperation in the region.' Austrian politicians have made a fine art out of the 'special path,' and Austrian diplomats have firmly rooted the country in its own Central European cultural, historical, diplomatic, and geographic context. Austria, the 'cultural superpower,' is alive and well.” Image from entry

Highlights of UK-Russia Year of Culture unveiled in London: With over 250 events in the works, the year of cultural exchange between Russia and Britain will see an unprecedented showcase of Russian culture in the UK - Tatiana Rubleva, Russia Beyond the Headlines: Among other key events from the UK programme are a display of works byKazimir Malevich at the Tate Modern, as well celebrations to mark the 200th birthday of Russian poet Mikhail Lermontov and commemorative initiatives for the 100th anniversary since the start of the World War I. In turn, Russia will play host to the recent Barbican exhibition Designing 007: Fifty years of Bond Style, displays on British art from the 1990s and fashion in film, and theatre productions by UK companies in celebration of the 450th anniversary of Shakespeare’s birth. Via NI on Facebook

Young Russians interested in Vietnam too, says Vietnophile [interview by Phan Xuan Loan] - thanhniennews.com: "Originally a journalist for Pravda newspaper, Petr Tsvetov first came to Vietnam on a field trip in December 1977 after successfully defending his doctoral thesis on Vietnamese history, and has since spent about 10 years living and working in Vietnam. He was a director of the Russian Culture and Science Center in Ho Chi Minh City in the 1980s and 90s. Petr Tsvetov: Vladimir Putin’s third visit to Vietnam is first marked with new breakthroughs […] in all our traditional cooperative fields – energy, military technology, personnel training – with important new agreements being signed. I would particularly like to draw your attention to the fact that at the time of the visit to a prominent place, questions were asked of education, science and culture. The very presence of the presidents of the two countries at the opening ceremony of the Days of Russian Culture says a lot. Add to this the agreements for the joint establishment of universities to expand the training of specialists for Vietnam’s economy and army and navy. A lot of cooperative documents were signed. The challenge is implementation. ... [T]he vast majority of news and commentaries about Russia that Vietnamese journalists can get are from western news feeds. And for the US and Western Europe, critics of the Russian government like Navalny and Pussy Riot are more interesting – they are more scandalous than good clever Russian writers.


After all, not everyone reads books. But on the other hand, Vietnamese journalists who know Russian should read Russian websites and get a variety of information first-hand. ... I do not think people's diplomacy in our relations needs to be revived and developed a new: it is still there. The Society of Russian-Vietnamese Friendship works and the Russian public is aware of it; so are the president and the prime minister of Russia. The Vietnamese-Russian Friendship Society is in an even stronger position […] The only thing I would like to wish is for both societies to recruit more young people. It feels sad when I see that our joint events are attended by people mostly older than me. ... By the way, related to the point made about [public diplomacy], it is necessary to use more ways to attract the younger crowd. For example, the friendship societies of the two countries can arrange exchanges of youth tour groups and sports events or organize teleconferences involving famous entertainers. Funds for these activities could be obtained from Russian-Vietnamese joint ventures." Image from entry, with caption: Vietnamese children wave Vietnamese and Russian flags to welcome President Vladimir Putin during his visit to Hanoi earlier this month.

The partition plan and Jewish refugees - Eli Hazan, israelhayom.com: "Sixty-six years ago this Friday, the United Nations General Assembly passed Resolution 181, under which the Land of Israel was to be partitioned into Jewish and Arab states. ... In the wake of the partition plan, hundreds of thousands of Jews living in Arab states were subject to harassment and other forms of violence. The scope of these actions forced them to flee and make aliyah to Israel. Over the years, the Arab leadership exacerbated human suffering by making sure the refugees would not be integrated into their new countries. ... The Palestinian refugee issue keeps coming up in international propaganda and various peace initiatives. Until recently, the Israeli establishment chose not to deal with the plight of the Jewish refugees. But this has changed. First, their story is gradually becoming part of the mainstream and is making inroads into published works.


Various people have come out and provided testimonials on their experience, to the point that the Senior Citizens Ministry has launched a project dedicated to passing the story on to the younger generations. And finally, a special caucus has been formed in the Knesset. What is needed is more vigorous public diplomacy efforts in key places around the world. Although some campaigns are already underway, they should be bolstered because international recognition is essential if justice is to be served. The campaign may result in more people understanding the events that led to the establishment of the Jewish state. The world would realize that those who were persecuted after Nov. 29, 1947, found a safe harbor in Israel and built a new home, albeit with great difficulties." Image from, with caption: Jewish refugees in ma'abarot or tent camps in Israel

Knowing the Enemy: How to cope with global jihad - Ariel Cohen, hoover.org: "Public diplomacy/strategic information is yet another area in which Israel utterly failed and which requires a major revamping. Throughout the world, Islamist insurgents masterfully use images and propaganda, relying on sympathetic elements among Western media and nongovernmental organizations to focus international attention on civilian collateral casualties (even to the point of staging them). ... Stigmatized yet again by the conflict with Hezbollah, Israel lost what little support it enjoyed at the beginning of the conflict in Europe, among the American left, and in many developing countries, while the hatred of the Arab world was easily further inflamed by the daily stream of “atrocity news” being served up by Al Jazeera and Al Manar, the Hezbollah satellite tv network. However, Israeli efforts to engage in strategic information operations were and remain virtually nonexistent. The budget of Al Manar is greater than the entire Israeli foreign ministry public diplomacy (hasbara) budget. The architect of this failing public diplomacy/strategic information policy under former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, Raanan Gissin, has admitted himself that Jerusalem was particularly lacking on this battlefield."

'Could we kill an Arab?' - Belen Fernandez, mwcnews.net: "A few years ago, the Israeli Ministry of Public Diplomacy and Diaspora Affairs unveiled an English-language website with the aim of repairing Israel's image, which was said to be under unfair attack abroad. A Jerusalem Post article marking the debut of the (now defunct) site noted that it 'provide[d] hasbara material related to current events, tips for the 'novice ambassador', myths and facts about Israel and the Arab world, and lists of Israel's most prominent achievements in science, medicine and agriculture'.


Among alleged image-improving factoids listed by the ministry was that '[a]n Israeli invention for an electric hair removal device makes women happy all over the world.' The catalogue of 'myths' included that the West Bank settlements are an obstacle to peace - a notion debunked on the website as follows: 'The Palestinian Authority sees the roots of the conflict as being the '1948 settlements', whereas the facts show that the settlements were founded after the 1967 war.' Via this attempted sleight of hand, the ministry endeavored to dismiss the problematic issue of 1948 by triumphantly 'proving' that the post-1967 settlements were indeed established after and not before 1967 - something that no one argues with anyway. The real myth, of course, is the one propagated by Israel, whose refusal to atone for, or even acknowledge, that the crimes upon which the nation is founded constitutes the principal obstacle to peace." Uncaptioned image from entry

Japanese royal visit symbolises advancement of pro-India policy - vancouverdesi.com: "The Emperor and Empress of Japan will arrive in India for the first time Saturday to raise the 'mutual interests' of people of the two countries. Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko will be on a six-day official visit that has already drawn considerable media attention because of the good ratings the two democracies enjoy among their people and the number of policy dialogues both have been holding on trade and investment, energy, security and global governance. ... Under Japan’s post-War constitution, the emperor is 'the symbol of the State', who 'reigns but does not govern'. Yet, he wields significant influence, for being a unifying figure and the Japanese people’s respect for the monarchy. The emperor makes select overseas visits that are viewed as exercises in public diplomacy which convey important signals about Japan’s foreign policy."

Japan's wrestling diplomat in final Sudan bout - AFP, timesofindia.indiatimes.com: "A wrestling diplomat from Japan challenges a Sudanese Nuba opponent for the sixth and final time on Friday, hoping for his first win. But even if he loses yet again, Yasuhiro Murotatsu says he will still have secured a victory of sorts, helping to unify a divided and war-torn land. The Nuba Mountains of South Kordofan state are home to a linguistically and religiously diverse group of people collectively known as 'Nuba'. Their form of wrestling, practised for thousands of years, is completely different from the iconic national sport of sumo in Murotatsu's homeland. Wrestling is central to the Nuba's farm-based society despite a more modern form of combat that has devastated the region for more than two years. ... 'This is a historical achievement and can be considered as successful public diplomacy,' said Murotatsu, who leaves his Sudanese post next week to pursue further education in Scotland."

‘Secret Talks’ On Nile Waters Spark Debate - Fred Oluoch, africanglobe.net: "Some Nile Basin countries are concerned that they have been kept in the dark on the tripartite negotiations involving Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan over the use of the Nile waters. ... Ugandan ambassador to Egypt Richard Angualia said that the rest of the Nile Basin countries were hoping that those involved in the tripartite talks would


come out and brief them because they are important members of the Great Lakes region. ... But Egyptian government spokesman and the Director of Public Diplomacy Badr Abdellatty argued that the issue was between three countries, and that the progress report would be revealed after a meeting of water ministers from the three countries scheduled for Khartoum on December 8." Image from article, with caption: Arabs in Egypt believe they have a right to Africa’s resources.

Chinese Martial Arts in the News, November 25th, 2012: New Books, Martial Arts in the Public Sphere and Snubbing a “Grandmaster” - chinesemartialstudies.com: "Obviously readers will be well familiar with the accounts of the devastation that Typhoon Haiyan inflicted on the Philippines.  The question of Chinese aid in the wake of this natural disaster has also led to some controversy.  As such I was interested in this article run by the South China Morning Post.  It profiles a local martial arts and fitness association (Wing Chun and Pilates) that has started a fundraising campaign to assist storm victims. Chinese martial arts association have a long history of contributing to various causes.  Often these have been more local or regionally focused.  Still, I have always wondered to what degree we can think of martial arts schools as nodes for community organization and the creation of social capital.  This story suggests that those sorts of dynamics may be in place, at least in Hong Kong. The martial arts have also been playing a prominent role in other aspects of public diplomacy The last six months or so have seen a steady stream of news stories discussing the deepening ties between martial artists in China and Africa.  These exchanges are often facilitated through the sponsoring of Wushu instruction in Africa or the recruitment of 'martial exchange students' to come and study in China itself.


This is a decent article profiling a group of African students working with instructors at the Shaolin Temple in Henan.  I suspect that this program has gotten more press than other like it because of the Shaolin connection.  Nevertheless, I have been hearing reports of talented African martial artists working in a variety of traditions from Beijing in the north to Guangzhou in the south.  This appears to be one of the more successful attempts to harness the “soft power” of Kung Fu for public diplomacy that I have seen in recent years.  Its a story that is well worth following. Image from entry, with caption: Female student studying Wushu in a scene from Inigo Westmeier’s Dragon Girls.


Cuba, EEUU y la comunicación estratégica: ¿Hacia dónde vamos? - Olga Rosa González Martín, cubadebate.cu: "Conferencia presentada en el VII Encuentro Internacional de Investigadores y Estudiosos de la Comunicación y la Información (ICOM 2013), el 28 de noviembre de 2013. A partir de la importancia que ha ganado en la última década la comunicación estratégica como elemento de la política exterior de los Estados Unidos, la ponencia se propone analizar los cambios que debe experimentar la Oficina de Transmisiones hacia Cuba (OCB) y el impacto que estos puedan tener para la mayor de las Antillas.


Definiré primero el concepto de comunicación estratégica para, luego, explicar la esencia de la OCB, lo que significa su estatus federal y su papel en los llamados programas de conectividad efectiva. Por último, explicaré el impacto que el proceso de desfederalización puede tener para Cuba. Me basé en la perspectiva cualitativa y dividí el desarrollo en dos epígrafes a los que le siguen unas breves conclusiones que no pretenden poner punto final a un proceso que todavía no se ha iniciado pero que aspiro sirvan de llamado para que se reconozca la importancia que la comunicación tiene para la seguridad nacional de la nación." Image from entry

ABC Managing Director, Mark Scott, Bites The Hand That Feeds Him. And He Still Has A Job. Sack the traitor bastard” - pokiepleasures.com.au: "Scott: 'A public broadcaster like the ABC, gives us the best possible means – with Radio Australia and Australia Network given to us in perpetuity


by bed-jumping Gillard – of representing Australia’s international interests through broadcasting… 'It’s worth asking if the entrepreneurial talent, daring and risk that give you an edge in commercial media are also the right credentials for the world of public diplomacy and I am confident that, when Australia’s reputation is at stake, international broadcasting by an energetic, independent (give me bloody strength to continuing paying this creep’s salary) broadcaster owned by the Australian people, is the right way to continue' &; BULLSHIT ON BULLSHIT. This guy has friends?? Methinks this moron has breached his contract." Image from entry

Romanian violinist public diplomacy ambassador 'coo Alexandru Sat scalpel' Visit Korea [Google "translation"]: newswire.co.kr: "South Korea's public diplomacy ambassador (Goodwill Ambassador for Public Diplomacy) was appointed as the Romanian violinist Alexandru Sat scalpel Cruz (Alexandru Tomescu) comes Mr. 12.2 (May) to 7 (Saturday) between South Korea and visit. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the increase in foreign interest in South Korea, and to spread a positive image of people as foreign minister from 2012, foreign celebrities (artists, sportsmen, artists, etc.) a term of two years public diplomacy ambassador (Goodwill Ambassador for Public Diplomacy) to be appointed. Goodwill Ambassador Cruz this Saturday against the cold scalpel instrument of the KBS Symphony Orchestra and, Embassy of Romania Embassy celebrates National Day Concert, Korea National University of Arts for Students Master Class lectures will focus on the exchange is through the arts. jotaeyeol also the Goodwill Ambassador Cruz Sat scalpel second Deputy Foreign Minister, Capt promote KBS Korean leader, Korea National University of Arts, etc."

Korea Foundation for Advanced Studies, University jihanpa a positive foreign [google "translation"] - news.jkn.co.kr: "Korea Foundation for Advanced Studies of the SK Group Chairman Chey 故 choejonghyeon seonchin fleet of state and society that contribute to the President and to train personnel to four appearances, founded in 1974, is a non-profit public foundation. The Foundation was established early in the domestic top talent from abroad to acquire advanced academic scholarship programs put emphasis on. ... Secretary-General of Korea Foundation for Advanced Studies bakinguk (前 ambassador to the United Nations), the 'foundation of the international academic exchange programs expanded to Asia and the Middle East Asia and contribute to the development of academic exchanges, the de facto place to train hanhakja foundation of international academic position caught,' said a 'new diplomatic area of ​​public diplomacy (Public Diplomacy) in the exemplary practices in the future, as well as South Korea's SK Group's main businesses are going to continue with a similar contribution hope to precedent." See also:(1)(2)

Brand New Sweden Q and A with Swedish Institute’s Frida Roberts: Earlier this month, Sweden unveiled its new brand identity with the launch of its redesigned site, Sweden.se. We spoke to Frida Roberts, head of communications at the Swedish Institute about the rebranding initiative -


Sophie Woodrooffe: "The Swedish Institute and the Council for the Promotion of Sweden Abroad, which are a collection of organizations working for the promotion of Sweden abroad, have had a joint communications strategy since 2007, but the strategy was lacking a joint visual design. The joint visual identity, which includes the website, acts as a clear centre of information for Sweden. We also have a wonderful brand identity toolkit. We can just pick and choose which assets to use depending on the communication activity. This flexibility means we will be able to use our money and personnel resources to improve the content instead. 'It’s important that the government prioritize this area, which we call public diplomacy.'" Image from entry, with caption: Sweden’s new logo includes a custom font, Sweden sans.

A 30-year-old Qatari is the most powerful person in art—even if she didn’t buy a $142 million painting - Newley Purnell, "Sheikha Al Mayassa, sister of the emir of Qatar, is by more than one account the most powerful person in the art world due to her position as head of the free-spending and ridiculously well-funded


Qatar Museums Authority.  ... The Qatar Museums Authority, which she heads, is said to spend a whopping $1 billion per year on artwork, dwarfing outlays from famous institutions like MoMA and the Tate Modern. The QMA administers Doha’s IM Pei-designed Museum of Islamic Art, the National Museum of Qatar, and several other institutions.The Qatar Museums Authority, which she heads, is said to spend a whopping $1 billion per year on artwork, dwarfing outlays from famous institutions like MoMA and the Tate Modern. The QMA administers Doha’s IM Pei-designed Museum of Islamic Art, the National Museum of Qatar, and several other institutions." Via ACP III on Facebook, with note: "Cultural diplomacy dominated by a little-known woman from Qatar"; image from entry, with caption: Sheikha Al-Mayassa between tennis players Caroline Wozniacki and Kim Clijsters at the WTA Championships in Doha.

The Pillars of Qatar’s International Sport Strategy - Mahfoud Amara, e-ir.info: "Sport is an integral part of Qatar’s diplomacy, in building alliances with the world of finance and politics and in establishing a presence in terms of international prestige, image-making and branding."

Fear and Loathing on Social Media - Blake Sitwell, "This year, I spent a lot of time reading the work of Marshall McLuhan, looking for insight in the use of social media as it relates to public diplomacy. ... I began to wonder what the human attraction of various popular social media really is. It’s more than a news feed for most people. For others, posting new material is an almost obsessive habit. Even so, the 'new' material


we post isn’t really all that different. ... So social media users create new material, but it all tends to be similar. Twitter users are repetitious to a fault. ... The rise of the 'selfie' might make one think it narcissism driving much of our own media creation. The whole point of the story of Narcissus is that people can become overly fascinated by any extension of themselves. As it relates to media, McLuhan thought this was a misperception. ... Twitter allows us to quantify our thoughts, ideas, and things we deem to have significance, things we would previously need to write in diaries, or later, on blogs. The magic of Twitter is that no explanation is required. Here is my idea, in 140 characters. There is no space for explanation. Image from bog entry

Honors Tea Talk – first-ladies.blogs.american.edu: “Afghanistan and the Path to Peace through Education” - "On Tuesday, November 12th, Anita McBride, Executive-in-Residence at the School of Public Affairs, was invited to moderate an Honors Tea Talk panel discussion at American University. The panel focused on 3 themes – the importance of education as a path to peace in Afghanistan; raising awareness about the progress made in Afghanistan since the fall of the Taliban; and the challenges that lay ahead during this period of great transition in the country. The participants included ... Eileen O’Connor, the Public Diplomacy Deputy Assistant Secretary for South Central Asia, an Advisor the U.S. State Department, and


who also served as a CNN Network Correspondent in Afghanistan." Image from entry, with caption: Eileen O’Connor, Public Diplomacy Deputy Assistant Secretary for South Central Asia, discusses the importance of providing technical skills to young Afghans who comprise 60% of the population.

Annenberg Honor students and alumni make great strides - schoolofcdeansblog.blogspot.com: "Vanessa Rozier, class of 2009, print journalism. She is a public diplomacy officer in the U.S. Foreign Service."

8 Public Diplomacy Rules for Surviving the Holidays - Naomi Leight, PD News–CPD Blog, USC Center on Public Diplomacy: Among them: "If you are a guest, ask questions and offer help to your host. Whether host or guest, don’t put up a facade for the holidays, be yourself, be thankful, and have fun."

RELATED ITEMS

What defusing Iran would mean: Forging a nuclear deal serves the broader world goal of nonproliferation - Joseph Cirincione, latimes.com: Stopping Iran would not just eliminate the most discussed nuclear threat facing the United States, it would also bring us closer to the end of nuclear proliferation.

Iran -- the next stage - David Ignatius, Washington Post: Now that the Obama administration has won its breakthrough first-step nuclear deal with Iran, officials are planning strategy for the decisive second round that, over the next six months, will seek a broader and tougher comprehensive agreement. This “end state” negotiation, as officials describe it, promises to be more difficult because the United States and its negotiating partners will seek to dismantle parts of the Iranian program, rather than simply freeze them. Another complication is that negotiators will be fending off even more brickbats from hard-liners in Israel, Congress and Tehran.

Final Iran deal needs to balance out the concessions - Editorial, Washington Post: The interim arrangement with Iran is worthy because it checks Iran’s progress toward a bomb and is far preferable to the military action that otherwise might have been necessary. But the agreement leaves the United States and its partners at a disadvantage in negotiating the comprehensive settlement. The concessions made to Iran will have to be balanced by a major rollback of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure — with no automatic expiration date.

Interim Win For Diplomats Slows Down March To Another War. For Now - Domani Spero, DiploPundit: For every foreign minister present in the


photo above, there were numerous nameless individuals who made the work in Geneva possible. Bravissimo for a win that did not involved a drone, a gun, or a deadly karate chop! Diplomacy still works and it did not wear combat boots this time. Image from entry, with caption: (L to R) British Foreign Secretary William Hague, German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle, EU’s Catherine Ashton, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, US Secretary of State John Kerry, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Laurent Fabius, the French Foreign Minister

Cleric: Iran’s Success in Geneva Talks Debunks Enemy Propaganda Campaign - tasnimnews.com: A senior Iranian cleric praised the country’s diplomatic efforts in the Geneva talks that resulted in a nuclear deal between Tehran and major world powers, saying the accord has given the lie to anti-Iran propaganda campaign mounted by the enemies.


“The move of the Islamic Republic’s diplomatic team and Mr. Zarif and his colleagues proved that the enemy’s propaganda campaign against us was false… Currently, the world has realized that they (enemies of Iran) are lying,” Tehran's Provisional Friday Prayers Leader Ayatollah Mohammad Emami Kashani said in an address to a large congregation of worshippers in Tehran today. Uncaptioned image from article

Karzai risks much in his latest manufactured crisis - John Podesta, Tom Perriello and Caroline Wadhams, Washington Post: Afghans are preparing for the presidential and provincial elections in April. They anticipate that a bilateral security agreement under discussion between the U.S. and Afghan governments will soon be signed, creating the security umbrella essential for a stable state.  President Hamid Karzai has threatened to derail this positive trajectory, however, by stating that he intends to delay signing the security agreement until after the elections. While Karzai claims to be concerned about issues already settled, Afghan observers see it as a Machiavellian play to maximize influence over the elections.

Ignore Karzai’s Arrogant Insults - John R. Allen and Michael E. O’Hanlon, New York Times: What is going on with President Hamid Karzai? The world’s only superpower, leading a coalition of some 50 nations, is willing to stay on in his country after a war that has already lasted a dozen years and cost the United States more than $600 billion and more than 2,000 fatalities — and yet the Afghan president keeps throwing up roadblocks. The latest insult is his decision to hold off on signing a bilateral security agreement, the legal basis for American forces to remain in his country past 2014, on the grounds that his successor should have that prerogative next year. Let’s not forget the progress purchased so dearly in this decade and more of war. We must not permit Mr. Karzai’s pique to flush all this down the drain.

Bosnia, in Peril Once More - Kati Marton, New York Times: Now, while Bosnia and Herzegovina’s fragile unity is fraying, the international community is as disengaged as when war first erupted in 1992. The United States has much at stake; it needs to return to Sarajevo.

Confidence Man: John Kerry has the skill, toughness, and ego to be a great secretary of state. But will the world let him? Aaron David Miller - foreignpolicy.com: When it's all over, the question on which John Kerry's legacy as secretary of state


will rest is whether he's done something extraordinary. That's not to say he couldn't be judged as a fine secretary of state without some extraordinary accomplishment. But to be a truly consequential one, he'd have to take on a problem that normal human beings saw as really tough (and truly important) and make a major contribution toward resolving it. Kerry has the stamina, will, and smarts. See also. Image from entry

An American Neurotic in Paris - Pamela Druckerman, New York Times: "The Americans in Paris tend to fall into three categories. There are the fantasists — people nourished by Hemingway and Sartre, who are enthralled with the idea of living here. The moneyed version of this person lives as close as possible to the Eiffel Tower.


The Bohemian version teaches English or tends bar, to finance his true vocation: being in France. Then there are the denialists — often here for a spouse’s job — who cope with living in Paris by pretending they’re not in Paris. They tap into a parallel universe of Anglophone schools, babysitters and house painters, and get their French news from CNN. Finally there are people like me, who study France and then describe it to the folks back home. We’re determined to have an 'authentic' French experience. And yet, by mining every encounter for its anthropological significance, we keep our distance, too." Image from entry

If It Happened There … America’s Annual Festival Pilgrimage Begins - Joshua Keating, Salon: In recent years, some experts have questioned whether the hidden costs of the Thanksgiving holiday have become excessive; whether the celebration is worth its massive environmental impact and the increased health risks due to traffic accidents and overeating. Still, the majority of the population holds fast to these pastimes. Via LOS on Facebook.

Is this a South Korean propaganda radio station? Driving up South Korea’s “freedom highway” north of Seoul, just after the turn off for the National Defense University, observant travelers will notice a collection of transmitter masts off to the right of the highway - northkoreatech.org: At first glance, the site looks like it might belong to a major broadcaster like KBS, but the truth appears to be much more interesting. Seeing inside the site is impossible from the highway, but a neighboring hill provides a good outlook, as shown below. The site contains 16 transmitter masts, all but one of which are contained in a large field. A single mast sits in the middle of neighboring greenhouses. Among the roughly dozen shortwave radio stations that broadcast to North Korea, there are two that don’t have websites, they don’t have listings and can’t be found in official literature. “Voice of the People” and “Echo of Hope” have been on the air for years, broadcasting an anti-regime program that goes further than other stations in attacking the North Korean government and leadership.


Both stations have long been assumed to be run by the National Intelligence Service and are heavily jammed by North Korea. The North Korean jamming, which involves broadcasting a very powerful noise signal on the same frequency, makes the South Korean stations difficult to receive. It’s is so powerful that it even overrides their signal on radios in Seoul, across the sea in Japan and even in the United States. The conclusion? The transmitter site is almost certainly the base from which the South Korean government broadcasts the “Voice of the People” propaganda station towards North Korea. Image from entry, with caption: On the north side of the facility (the left side of this picture) are a series of buildings. These almost certainly house the transmitters that produce the signals that are piped to the masts.

The Great thinker: Kim Jong Il Propaganda Films - The Great Thinker: Kim Jong Il Propaganda Films Director: Kim Jong Il, North Korea Appx. 100 min. Friday November 29, R8:00 PM - spectacletheater.com [Brooklyn, NY]: According to the computer that narrates these films, Kim Jong Il was a transformative, modernizing leader of North Korea. He kept the “US imperialists” in check and brought a cultural revolution to N Korea and the world! KJI encouraged N Koreans to “take one thousand steps when a normal man would take one”. (??) …never mind the restrictions on freedoms of expression, travel, and press, forced labor camps, a medieval prison system, public executions, re-education camps, etc… These films set the bar for bizarre dictator hype films! Two films in the program: The Great Thinker and Leadership of Korea.


One is a history of KJI with lots of archival footage of a young chain smoking Kim, looking cool and changing the world. The other is a fellow North Korean’s praising essay film of KJI with many more of KJI’s achievements outlined." Image from entry

Hacks, hacking and propaganda: what’s happening to Turkey’s journalists? Turkey's media proprietors seem all too willing to play along with practices that make the country feel like a corrupt central Asian republic - Yavuz Baydar, indexoncensorship.org: Turkey’s “mainstream” media, politically and economically in shackles is moving towards submitting to the kind of conditions like those in Central Asian republics such as Azerbaijan. This progression was plain for all to see on live television this week. Turkey’s needy public is kept farther away from truth; and instead bombarded by propaganda.

Russian court fines Lady Gaga concert promoter for breaching anti-propaganda law - globalpost.com:
A Russian court has fined the promoter of a Lady Gaga concert in St. Petersburg last December the equivalent of $614 for “propaganda of alcohol consumption and homosexuality,” various reports said Monday. Image from entry, with caption:


Lady Gaga arrives for the 2013 Glamour Women of the Year awards in New York City on Nov. 11, 2013.

World War II had a propaganda front, too, a new exhibit of vintage posters shows - nola.com: The Allies fought World War II on land, on sea, in the air – and on propaganda posters. About 70 posters on display through Feb. 16 at the National World War II Museum show the variety of emotions these pieces were designed to stir up. The posters were supposed to make people angry enough about the attack on Pearl Harbor to enlist.


If people weren’t fit to fight, they should take jobs in factories, and they should feel guilty if they wanted time off. They should buy War Bonds, work hard, be resourceful and watch what they say to keep unseen enemy agents from learning about troop movements. The posters, which go on view Wednesday (Nov. 27), come from the museum’s collections. Image from entry

Image and Emotion / WWII Propaganda Posters - peterpappas.com: Here is Image and Emotion - WWII Propaganda Posters - a DBQ designed by Aram Glick.


Image from entry

The Greatest Soviet Propaganda Posters Ever - io9.com: Among them:


--Fascism – Enemy of Nations, a TASS poster with a poem, written by Demian Bednii, translated by Julia Alekseyeva

--Long Live Stalin's Air Force!

ONE MORE QUOTATION FOR THE DAY

"This holiday season, get an unforgettable gift for a loved one (or yourself)."

--Macy's website; cited in Hilary Stout, "Retailers' sly message: get yourself a gift, too," The New York Times

BRITISH-AMERICAN LINGUISTIC RELATIONS

Americanisms: 50 of your most noted examples - BBC News: The Magazine's recent piece on Americanisms entering the language in the UK prompted thousands of you to e-mail examples. Some are useful, while some seem truly unnecessary, argued Matthew Engel in the article. Here are 50 of the most e-mailed.

IMAGE


Bare Bones Activitism - Developing Tomorrow: As an act of solidarity, FEMEN cut down a cross in Kyiv as a symbolic gesture to stand with Pussy Riot through their trial. While the Femenberjacks were naked, they did wear safety goggles. Image from entry, with caption: Safety first! Always use safety goggles when operating a chainsaw.

Thursday, November 28, 2013

November 26-27


"I say 20 words in English. I say money, money, money, and I say hot dog! I say yes, no and I say money, money, money and I say turkey sandwich."

--Portuguese-born Brazilian performer Carmen Miranda


UPCOMING IMPORTANT WASHINGTON, D.C. PUBLIC DIPLOMACY EVENT (repeat announcement): The third Public Diplomacy Council/USC  "First Monday" Forum, "Public Diplomacy as a Global Phenomenon: The Baltic States." The following distinguished diplomats will speak about their country's public diplomacy and how it is planned and implemented in the United States: Maria Belovas, Press and Cultural Officer, Embassy of Estonia; Jurijs Pogrebņaks Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Latvia; Simonas Satunas, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Lithuania. Date/Time:

Monday, December 2
The American Foreign Service Association (AFSA)
2101 E Street NW
Washington DC (Foggy Bottom metro).
12:00-1:00 PM

For more information, including about attendance, please contact: eva.harder.pdc@gmail.com

VIDEOS

Встреча посла США в РФ Майкла Макфола с гостями Американского центра (20.11.13) [Meeting of USA Envoy to the Russian Federation Michael McFaul with guests at the American Center (20.11.13)] - youtube.com

Brubeck Jazz Classic “Take Five” in Pakistan Style (Video) - juancole.com: "Dave Brubeck called the cover of his band’s classic 'Take Five' (Paul Desmond) by the Pakistani musical group Sachal the 'most original' he had ever heard."

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

How to Think About the Chinese Air-Defense News - James Fallows, theatlantic.com: "This is a strange development—China's establishment over the weekend of an ADIZ, or Air Defense Identification Zone, in an expanded area of the East China Sea, eliciting alarmed reactions from Japan, the United States (which today sent two B-52s through the zone), South Korea, and other countries in the region.  ... Why risk getting involved, plus angering the Chinese, by sending B-52s through the new ADIZ? I think the Pentagon's initial explanation is the right one—on the merits, and as a matter of public diplomacy.


The United States is not taking sides in this Japan-China island dispute, but it is against either side unilaterally changing the status quo. Also, in continuing 'routine training flights'—which is how the B-52 mission was described—it is underscoring the U.S. commitment to existing rules on access to international air space. It was mildly risky to send that flight, but it would have been riskier not to react at all." Image from entry

Obama In L.A.: DreamWorks Speech Highlights Jobs, Creativity - Max Schwartz, neontommy.com: "President Barack Obama concluded his west coast trip by meeting with film industry representatives and discussing the economy at DreamWorks Animation in Glendale. ... Obama did not mention California’s unemployment rate. He instead talked about the positives, such as how Hollywood makes California and the United States special.


'The thing we do better than anyone is creativity,' Obama said. 'Entertainment is one of the bright spots of our economy.' The president also said that our films are important for foreign relations with other countries, pointing to the soft power role of Hollywood for American public diplomacy." Image from entry, with caption: President Obama speaking at DreamWorks Animation

Iran nuclear deal: Iran given six months to open nuclear sites to inspection - wjla.com: "The marathon talks in Geneva appeared at times to be a study in Internet-age brinksmanship and public diplomacy - with all sides sending out signals and statements by Twitter and Facebook - but they also were the culmination of a painstaking process of old-school contacts and secret sessions between Iranian and American envoys that began even before the surprise election of Iran's moderate-leaning President Hassan Rouhani last June."

Iran: the diplomatic dividend - Andrew Gardner, europeanvoice.com: "The international agreement struck this weekend to constrain Iran's nuclear programme may only be preliminary, but it is a huge success. In practical terms, for the first time since 2004, Iran has committed itself to suspending the programme and is rolling back some critical elements. In diplomatic terms, the deal is a triumph. The United States and Iran are talking publicly again, after three decades. The five permanent members of the United Nations' Security Council – the United States, Russia, China, France, and the United Kingdom – have maintained a united front since international talks began in March 2012. And the European Union – led by Catherine Ashton, the EU's foreign policy chief – has led those talks and maintained that unity. ... Just


how much the breakthrough was attributable to EU diplomacy and Ashton will become clearer when more is known about the behind-the-scenes diplomacy between the US and Iran. Hours after the deal, it emerged that the two had been holding secret talks since March, a process that continued during the formal talks in Geneva, with go-betweens scurrying around the city incognito. But such secret diplomacy also needed public diplomacy – and for that the EU and Ashton were essential." Image from entry, with caption: Breakthrough: Catherine Ashton, the EU's foreign policy chief, and Muhammad Javad Zarif, Iran's foreign minister

In search of self-aware diplomacy - Ian Bremmer, blogs.reuters.com: "In 2005, Karen Hughes became George W. Bush’s undersecretary of public diplomacy. Her charge, both poorly defined and ill-timed, was to improve America’s international image in the years after the country had launched two wars. Other countries will side with us and do what we want if only we better explain our point of view, the thinking went, and make them see us as we see ourselves. By the time Hughes left office in 2007, international opinion of the U.S. was no higher than it was when she arrived, according to polls. And yet, this kind of if-we-say-it-clearly-enough-they-will-listen diplomacy is not exclusive to the Bush administration. It has carried over into the Obama White House. ... This dissonance between what’s presented and what’s perceived is a problem, especially in a new world order that lacks order. More than ever, the U.S. needs help and cooperation from other countries to manage challenges like Syria, Libya, and the Trans-Pacific Partnership — but its diplomacy is outdated. Americans have never been willing to understand how their actions are received by others and to accept the consequences of those actions. The country was once powerful enough to get away with that myopia.


It’s not anymore. ... This dissonance between what’s presented and what’s perceived is a problem, especially in a new world order that lacks order. More than ever, the U.S. needs help and cooperation from other countries to manage challenges like Syria, Libya, and the Trans-Pacific Partnership — but its diplomacy is outdated. Americans have never been willing to understand how their actions are received by others and to accept the consequences of those actions. The country was once powerful enough to get away with that myopia. It’s not anymore. ... The most effective American emissaries are now the ones who aren’t just hyping America’s view — they’re the ones who understand the historical, economic, and political circumstances of their partners. This sounds like common sense diplomacy, but it’s clear that for America, it’s radical." Via LOS on Facebook; selfie image from

DNA study abroad fair: SVKM, Santokba Hall, Mumbai - indiancolleges.com: "The second day of dna Global Education seminar sponsored by Bank of India took place on November 27. The second seminar was held at SVKM, Santokba Hall, Mumbai.


The aim of the workshop was to help aspirants with the admission and application process, scholarships and bursaries, popular and new courses, and work experience, which has become a crucial requirement for a person wanting to go abroad for further studies. Alisha Mashruwala, overseas education counsellor; Neha Sarwal,academic head, IMS; NU Goswami, assistant general manager, Bank of India and Ajay Rao, second-tour public diplomacy-coned consular officer, US Consulate were the speakers at the workshop." Uncaptioned image from entry

Senators take a holiday hike and leave Obama nominees twisting in the political winds - Al Kamen and Walter Pincus, Washington Post: "So as the senators slithered out of town Thursday for Thanksgiving — apparently they eat a lot and need time to digest, so they won’t be back until Dec. 9 — they left more than 70 nominees, all of whom had been approved by Senate committees, twisting in the wind. ... The State Department is taking the biggest hit, starting with ... Richard Stengel for public diplomacy."

Time Exec Cashed in Big Bonus Before Jumping to Obama's State Dept - Melissa Clyne, newsmax.com: "State Department official and former Time magazine managing editor Richard Stengel has disclosed that he expects to receive up to a $250,000 bonus in early 2014 for his work at Time despite ordering the layoffs of colleagues during the bonus period . ... Stengel


may be one of only a few Time Inc. employees receiving a bonus. Time Inc. CEO Laura Lang wrote a memo earlier this year alerting staff that annual merit raises were being axed 'with the long term health of the company in mind.' Stengel is at least the 24th journalist to join the Obama administration."
Uncaptioned image from entry

Mahtab Farid - Facebook: Comment on: Washington Times article, Ex-Time editor Stengel got big bonus while laying off staff, heading to State Dept.:  "Such a class act leading our public diplomacy efforts."

El Hacker Cívico: Civic-Minded Techies Gain Sway with Government in Mexico and Beyond - Theresa Bradley, Huffington Post: "Building on a model pioneered in a handful of U.S. cities since 2010, Mexico's civic innovation team aims to integrate so-called 'civic hackers' with policy experts already inside government -- to not only build better technology, but to seed a more tech-minded approach to problem-solving across federal processes and policy. What began as outside activism is slowly starting to creep into government. ... Most civic hacking still takes form as outside activism, using the power of example to show officials and citizens how government might change its approach to technology. Around the world, some agencies are starting to pay attention -- not only accepting civic hacking as a new avenue of citizen engagement, but as a potential source of new tools. Many public offices now hold their own hackathons, including the White House, which in June hosted one of nearly 100 events marking the first 'National Day of Civic Hacking' in the U.S. Since Washington D.C. launched its initial Apps for Democracy contest in 2008, similar events have mushroomed in big and small cities across the U.S.; federally, they've spread from NASA and the Department of Health and Human Services to theEnvironmental Protection AgencyLabor Department, and Veterans' Affairs - in part through Challenge.gov, a platform designed to help government agencies host innovation contests to tap the public for new ideas. The State Department, well-known for its paradigm-shifting approach to '21st century statecraft,' including digital training camps for global NGOs and public diplomacy through social media, is also reaching out to civic hackers through coding contests, for example with USAID's 2012 'Hack for Hunger' and a joint U.S./Russia codeathon that saw programmers in D.C. and Moscow build tools to track crime, legislation, and public contracts in 2011."

Your airport has something to tell you - Jed Willard, Boston Globe: "Public diplomacy, the art of using communication and culture to accomplish foreign policy goals, comes in many shapes. Traditional forms include international broadcasting (think Voice of America), visiting scholars (Fulbright), and cultural exchanges (Duke Ellington in the USSR). Newer public diplomacy tactics integrate commercial and cultural interests, use experiential programming, and embrace social networks. Commercial airport design, while rarely referred to as a public diplomacy tactic, has been important to regional and national promotion since, well, commercial airport design. ... Promoting the social, cultural, and economic vitality of their surrounding area is both in the interest of airports themselves and of the public that relies on them. After all, they want to attract more travelers, airlines, and routes, and a vibrant regional economy makes that possible.


The daily flights between Logan and Schiphol are symbolic themselves, 'linking two innovative economies' according to Ilse van Overveld, head of Dutch public diplomacy in the USA. ... Jed Willard works on public diplomacy challenges at the Harvard Kennedy School in CambridgePurple Strategies Inside the Beltway, and various other locales around the world. He lives in Cambridge and flies BOS-AMS every so often." Image from entry, with caption: Terminal A at Boston Logan

Digital diplomacy spreads through Washington: Canadian Embassy hosts Digital Democracy Open House - Meagan Fitzpatrick, CBC News: "The Canadian embassy in Washington, D.C., opened its doors last week to the city’s digital diplomats for an event where they could brag about their use of social media and pick up some tips. A dozen embassies and international organizations, including the World Bank and European Union delegation, participated in the 'Digital Diplomacy Open House' that was held in


partnership with the Digital Diplomacy Coalition. The groups had tables set up with materials and laptops and they gave presentations to showcase how they are using Twitter, Facebook, and other platforms to further their foreign policy objectives. Digital diplomacy has been evolving quickly over the last three to four years and some countries, such as the United States and Britain, are way ahead of others. But in true diplomatic fashion, embassies in Washington at least, are trying to bridge the gaps by helping each other learn about and leverage the power of social media. ... Social media is changing the way public diplomacy is conducted and it's giving embassies a bit more control over their messaging. It’s also extended their reach far beyond local or national media markets.Image from entry, with caption: Katherine Baird welcomes attendees of the Digital Diplomacy Open House event at the Canadian embassy in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, November 21, 2013

How Defence Matters in NATO Countries - atlantic-community.org: "NATO has asked think tanks from eight European and North American allied countries to assess the national conversation on defence and to provide recommendations on how to stimulate this debate. Today, Carnegie Europe hosted a conference in Brussels


to reflect on the conclusions of the 'Defence Matters' project. In essence, defence still matters, but the wider strategic community needs to do a much better job at explaining why and how. ... The Atlantic Initiative, the publisher of atlantic-community.org, conducted the 'Defence Matters' research for Germany. (Download the report written by Jörg Wolf)  The other contributing think tanks were the Atlantic Council of Canada (Canada); Institut français des relations internationales (France); Istituto Affari Internazionali (Italy); the Hague Center for Strategic Studies (the Netherlands); DemosEurope (Poland); the International Institute for Strategic Studies (United Kingdom); and the Center for a New American Security (United States). All eight think tanks received generous support from the NATO Public Diplomacy Division." Image from entry

Romania reiterates support for initialling of EU-Georgia Association Agreement - actmedia.eu: "The Georgian side highlighted Georgia's commitment towards its NATO accession goal, especially through the substantial contribution to ISAF and the bid to contribute to the allied post-2014 efforts in Afghanistan. David Dondua [Georgia's First Deputy Minister of State for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration David Dondua] also presented the most relevant progress made recently as regards the reform of Georgia's defence sector. Aurescu [Secretary of State for Strategic Affairs Bogdan Aurescu] praised Georgia's progress in what concerns the preparation for accession to the Alliance and reiterated Romania's support for NATO's 'open door' policy. He also mentioned the importance of Georgia's capitalising on cooperation with the North Atlantic Alliance under the Annual National Programme and within the NATO-Georgia Commission. The two officials also evoked the role of NATO Contact Point Embassy the Romanian diplomatic mission in Tbilisi is fulfilling between 2013-2014, as an important element for Romania's supporting, by public diplomacy activities and cooperation with the authorities in Tbilisi, Georgia's Euro-Atlantic aspirations."


The world from here: Israel’s public diplomacy is crucial on Iran deal - Dan Diker, Jerusalem Post: Netanyahu told his Likud faction on November 25 regarding a possible final agreement with Iran that 'This accord must bring about one outcome: the dismantling of Iran’s military nuclear capability,' while reiterating that 'Israel will not allow Iran to gain a military nuclear capability.' This restated Israeli red line will have to be supported by a first-rate public diplomacy effort. ... While second nature to Israeli officials, many in the international community, from diplomats to shapers of public opinion, are unclear on distinctions and relative dangers among spinning centrifuges, dangers of various levels of uranium enrichment, levels of plutonium in Arak’s heavy water reactor, weaponization and ballistic development. ... The Iranian regime has also proven itself a strong public diplomacy player. ... The Iranians have ... understood that good messengers are necessary but insufficient as part of an overall public diplomacy offensive. The Iranian Revolutionary Guards’ Basij paramilitary forces have reportedly created a cyberspace council that has launched online 'cyber battalions' that engage in pro-regime public diplomacy campaigns, as well as removal of anti-regime content. ... An expanded public diplomacy effort by Israel must continue to shape the international discourse on Iranian compliance with the interim agreement as part of a broader international campaign to expose the Iranian regime’s race for regional and nuclear supremacy and its leadership support for and sponsorship of international terror. ... [T]he current intensified challenge requires a major upgrade of Israel’s public diplomacy infrastructure similar to what the United States did in 2011 when it established the Center of Strategic Counter- Terrorism Communications in the White House, which was created to counter Al-Qaida’s and other radical Islamic terror groups’ propaganda. Israel’s ability to convince the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany to dismantle Iran’s nuclear capability in a final agreement poses a major challenge for Israel. It requires a substantial investment in and expansion of the Prime Minister’s Office’s public diplomacy infrastructure, manpower and initiatives to upgrade efforts and capabilities both off-line and in cyberspace’s social and media networks in battling the increasing dangers of a nuclearizing, terror-sponsoring Iranian regime that has gained both legitimacy and time under the current interim deal."

Netanyahu shifts to backroom diplomacy on Iran deal: PM to send team to DC to discuss permanent accord; Obama reaffirms "shared goal of preventing" nuclear weaponized Iran - Herb Keinon, Jerusalem Post: "The decision to send the team to Washington, as well as
Netanyahu’s slightly toned down rhetoric on the agreement on Monday, indicates that the tactics on how to impact the permanent accord are shifting from the strident public diplomacy of the last two weeks – that saw Netanyahu launch a very public full-court press against the accord – to more quiet backroom diplomacy to impact the outcome. The focus will now be on what has to be done, not what happened up until now, one official said." Yes, image from entry

Israel Needs New Tack Post-Deal, Analysts Suggest: Focus should now be on realistic final pact, not on ending Iran’s enrichment program - Joshua Mitnick, thejewishweek.com: "Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s rejection of the Geneva compromise on Iran’s nuclear program was resounding: Iran had emerged with a 'dream' deal that allowed it to continue to enrich uranium — for the first time with the blessing of the international community. ... Netanyahu and other Israeli officials say the agreement puts Israel in existential danger; the prime minister’s opponents have characterized his diplomatic efforts as too shrill. But a number of analysts say the agreement is neither a dream deal nor a disaster. 'We’re not talking about the destruction of the Third Temple,' said Amos Yadlin, a former IDF intelligence chief and the head of the Institute for National Security Studies, a Tel Aviv University think tank. 'Without loving this agreement, it’s better than a situation of no agreement,' he said. ... He also criticized the prime minister’s handling of the public diplomacy, saying that future dialogue over Iran should be kept discrete and classified, rather than being conducted via newspaper headlines. That type of public conflict reduces Israel’s influence on the talks, Yadlin said. Other analysts have said that its also injuring Israel’s relationship with the United States."

Shabbat Dinner With American Friends of Likud - jewocity.com: "American Friends of Likud is partnering with Manhattan Jewish Experience for an Exclusive Young Leadership Event Shabbat Dinner in NYC on Friday, December 20th at Fifth Avenue Synagogue (5th and 62nd). Featured speaker will be Capt. (res) Barak Raz to discuss: The Israel-Palestinian Conflict: Opportunities and Threats in Light of Recent Negotiations. Attendees are expected to include Michael Lichtenstein, Yechiel Lichtenstein and others. Captain (Res.) Barak Raz is a former Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson, just recently finished seven years of national service in the IDF, serving most recently as the Spokesperson for the Judea and Samaria Division of IDF Central Command – the IDF’s largest and most complex division, responsible for the region also referred to as the West Bank. Barak was also responsible for all media and public diplomacy efforts of the division, working with organizations and individuals from Israel, the Palestinian Authority, and around the world, including government officials, media, NGOs, human rights organizations, civic organizations, and more."

Haleli Jabotinsky follows in her great-grandfather's footsteps - israelhayom.com: "The great-granddaughter of Zionist leader Ze'ev Jabotinsky is one of dozens of Jewish Agency delegates on North American college campuses promoting a positive image of Israel. ... Haleli was raised in the Jezreel Valley and was educated at home in the liberal-Zionist spirit of her great-grandfather. She says that 'as a graduate of the public diplomacy program Stand With Us, the decision to join a delegation was a natural step for me.'


She joins the more than 70 delegates who are working in conjunction with the Hillel on-campus Jewish community organizations to try to paint a realistic picture of Israel to students. Jewish Agency Chairman Natan Sharansky has supported a number of initiatives to promote Israel on college campuses worldwide, believing that the influence of universities on international public opinion has grown dramatically." Image from entry, with caption: Haleli Jabotinsky: Following in the footsteps of her great-grandfather, Ze'ev

Iran's Nuclear PR Pitch: Can Leaders Sell Their High-Stakes Program? [includes video] - Sara Afzal, mashable.com: "Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif turned to YouTube to promote his country's nuclear program. ... 'The new Iranian government’s use of social media has generated a whole new buzz about the world’s only modern theocracy.  The new Iranian government’s use of social media has generated a whole new buzz about the world’s only modern theocracy and altering at least part of its image in the meantime,' says Robin Wright, a journalist and scholar at the Woodrow Wilson Center. ... Iranian leaders' new use of online communication is, according to Wright, 'the most ambitious public diplomacy campaign since the 1979 revolution,' when the five-decade reign of the Pahlavi dynasty came to an end."

Turkey’s Social Mediators: The young men behind Turkey’s Institute of Creative Minds and the Twitter handle 140journos - Stephen Starr, majalla.com: "Last November, Cem Aydoğdu, Engin Önder, and Oğulcan Ekiz organized a US election night event at the Haydarpaşa train station in Istanbul. Why? Because polls show that Turkey has one of the most anti-American populations in the world. The three got the US Consulate in Istanbul on board with financial cover, while the joint online and in-house debate on America’s place in the world translated cold stats into lively, open discussion. Amid, and perhaps because of, Turkey’s blockbuster modernization projects and growing public unrest, Istanbul has emerged as an international center for entrepreneurship and artistic creativity. And with a combined age of seventy, Aydoğdu, Önder, and Ekiz—the three men behind the Institute of Creative Minds (ICM) —are those among the city’s most driven college students. They were also responsible on World Social Media Day in June 2012 for projecting a Twitter timeline onto Istanbul’s iconic Galata Tower with an open debate about the merits of nuclear power. (Turkey is in the process of building its first nuclear power facility.) ... Founded in 2010, the ICM


is best known for 140journos, a Twitter-based initiative that documents protests and anti-government activity across Turkey, and which rose to international prominence during the Gezi Park-centered protests last May and June. 'We were in Washington, DC, when the revolutions kicked off in Tunisia and elsewhere. We saw how people were using social media sites and from there our idea for 140journos grew,' Önder tells the The Majalla. Before last summer’s protests, 140journos had co-opted support from the Turkish prime minister’s Office of Public Diplomacy. But as images of bloodied and beaten protesters filled their Twitter feed, a call soon came from the top. 'Our contact there told us to tone down our Twitter activity. We politely declined,' says Önder." Image from article, with caption: Left to right: Cem Aydoğdu, Engin Önder and Oğulcan Ekiz

Promoting local talent to cut costs - Devirupa Mitra, newindianexpress.com: "With the government facing austerity measures, the Indian embassy in Kathmandu has become more creative in engaging with the local population, without resorting to the import of Indian cultural troupes that incur high costs. The Indian embassy in Nepal has been investing in promoting more homegrown talent - authors, journalists, singers and filmmakers - which ultimately leads to a higher level of engagement with the young population. The Ministry of External Affairs has had to tighten its belt considerably, which has put pressure on the Indian Centre for Cultural Relations to bring down the number of cultural groups sent abroad. Since January 2013, the Indian mission has been experimenting with four series of public events, organised at the library of B P Koirala Nepal-India Foundation. 'All these four programmes are aimed at promoting Nepalese art, literature, music and films as well as to engage the younger generation of Nepal to share their ideas, experiences and stories,' an official said. According to sources, all events had got wide coverage in the media and have become important dates in the local literary world which were attended by Nepali celebrities. This is an entirely new direction for public diplomacy as advocated by Indian embassies, who have usually have only used cultural events to showcase Indian culture."

Scotland releases blueprint for independence: 670-page document promises to keep Queen, pound but collect own taxes, control defence force - Thomson Reuters, cbc.ca: "Scotland's bid for independence is being watched closely internationally, particularly in Catalonia where 80


per cent of people favour a vote for independence from Spain. 'If it's feasible in the U.K., it should be feasible in Spain,' said Albert Royo, secretary general of Diplocat, the Public Diplomacy Council of Catalonia, a public-private body charged with building support for Catalan's independence vote." Uncaptioned image from entry

China's Jade Rabbit Moonshot - Christina Larson, businessweek.com: "China’s moon rover has a name: Jade Rabbit. State media reported that the motorized moon buggy was named after a famous Chinese legend about a pet rabbit that lived on the moon. The rocket that will carry Jade Rabbit into space will be launched on an unspecified date in early December, according to China’s State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense.


The rover’s scientific mission will include collecting samples of lunar 'soil' and taking ultraviolet readings of distant stars. The rover is also—already—being used as a public diplomacy tool to highlight China’s growing scientific ambitions." Image from entry, with caption: A model of the moon rover Jade Rabbit displayed during the 15th China International Industry Fair in Shanghai on Nov. 5

Korea's Public Diplomacy Opportunity - Philip Seib, Huffington Post: "Korea must decide if it wants to avail itself of its opportunities to become even more of a regional and global leader in public diplomacy."

World Expo 2020 - Lauren Madow, PD News–CPD Blog, USC Center on Public Diplomacy, "Four cities are currently in the running to host the 2020 World Expo:


Dubai, UAE; Ekaterinburg, Russia; Izmir, Turkey; and Sao Paulo, Brazil. On November 27, the Bureau International des Expositions will have a meeting of its general assembly to determine the winner." Image from entry

Marc Fonbaustier donne sa définition de la diplomatie en 2013 - mayuran yogananthan, blogs.mediapart.fr: "5/ Etre diplomate, c’est un métier, ou plutôt, une somme de métiers. D’après certaines idées reçues, le métier d’ambassadeur, qui correspond à un point culminant du métier de diplomate, est un métier de généraliste, à faible coefficient de savoir-faire technique, en apparence, qui pourrait être exercé de manière satisfaisante par n’importe qui… Or, être non pas simplement ambassadeur, mais être un bon ambassadeur, n’est sans doute pas à la portée de tout le monde. C’est le résultat d’un mûrissement, d’une préparation lente, par l’occupation d’emplois successifs et de responsabilités croissantes dans la diplomatie, en principe, qui sont autant d’étapes qualifiantes. De plus en plus, un ambassadeur doit avoir de bons contacts et de l’entregent avec les autorités locales, pour pénétrer les circuits de décision et les influencer, si possible, au profit des intérêts nationaux. Il doit pouvoir rassurer (et protéger) la communauté française résidente (et les voyageurs). Il doit contribuer à la 'diplomatie d’influence' ('public diplomacy' en anglais), très exigeante et tellement centrale aujourd’hui. Il doit donner des gages aux entreprises et leur apporter un appui résolu. Il doit maîtriser et pouvoir apprendre des langues étrangères. Il doit, de plus en plus, monter des partenariats publics-privés, trouver des financements innovants. La diplomatie économique se situe à présent au cœur du métier de diplomate et devient une des missions principales de nos ambassadeurs. Aux avants postes, dans les grands pays émergents, il faut vendre la Maison France, être comme un Préfet à l’étranger, une vitrine et un entrepreneur…"

Faced With a Changing World, Diplomacy Needs to Evolve - Bhimanto Suwastoyo, thejakartaglobe.com: "While the world has undergone rapid changes and become increasingly globalized, diplomacy has mostly remained entrenched in old practices and therefore needs to undergo drastic changes to be able to stay relevant, a Canadian political analyst and career diplomat said . ... 'I think diplomacy really has an image problem, a substance problem, because it has not really adapted or evolved very well, to the challenges of the globalization age,' said Daryl Copeland, the author of 'Guerrilla Diplomacy: Rethinking International Relations.' ...Diplomats, he said, now needed to deal directly with foreign populations, engage in partnership with civil society and be aware of the need of the strategic use of both conventional and new media. 'We have moved from traditional diplomacy to public diplomacy, as the new diplomacy,' he said. 'I think we have got to take diplomacy to places it never has been before and practice it in ways in which it has not been practiced before.' Copeland argued that diplomacy should no longer be confined to the chancery and closed environments such as saloons and meeting places, but should move to the streets, the kampongs and barrios, the markets and conflict zones. Diplomacy, he said, should also be practiced in a way that was sharper, faster, lighter and more agile, as well as in a more flexible and adaptable manner rather than the pin-striped diplomacy most of the public still associate it with. Foreign ministries, he said, in particular need to undertake a cultural revolution. 'They are conservative, they are change-resistant, they are very hierarchic, they are kind of rigid, they are authoritarian and they are entirely bureaucratic, and standard procedures and convention are really important,' he said. The age of globalization, he said 'is all about being unconventional. It is also about being innovative, fast, leap-footed, agile, supple, going with the flow and not being rigid. It is talk, not fight.'”

Culture Posts: Public Diplomacy in the Ancient World - R.S. Zaharna, PD News–CPD Blog, USC Center on Public Diplomacy: "Exploring public diplomacy’s ancient roots opens up new vistas of research that can help de-Americanize the PD field. Such research will give recognition to the valuable contributions of other heritages from around the world."

SK Korea Foundation for Advanced Studies, scholars emissions birthplace jihanpa [Google "translation"] - vip.mk.co.kr: "Korea Foundation for Advanced Studies ... Secretary-General (former ambassador to the United Nations) is a 'foundation of international academic exchange programs expanded to Asia and the Middle East Asia and contribute to the development of academic exchanges, the de facto place to train hanhakja foundation of international academic position caught,' said a 'new diplomatic area of public diplomacy (Public Diplomacy) is supposed exemplary practices in the future, as well as South Korea's SK Group's main businesses are going to continue with a similar contribution hope to precedent,' he said."

Robert V. “Bob” Gildea - email from Leonard J. Baldyga: "Robert V. 'Bob' Gildea, retired United States Foreign Service Officer, died at his home in Arlington, Virginia, on November 25, 2013 . ... He was 91 years old. ... He joined the United States Information Agency in 1954, managing United States government public information programs in Southeast Asian trouble spots during the Viet-Nam War. He later supported German-American cultural relations from several locations in Germany and in Washington. Recognizing the importance of these contributions, the government of the Federal Republic of Germany awarded Bob a distinguished service medal on April 22, 1985."

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Iran sanctions: Dancing with Tehran -- Critics of the nuclear deal miss the fact that the punitive approach works only with the support of other nations, which do not want new measures - Doyle McManus, latimes.com: If the negotiations succeed, Iran will be allowed to continue enriching modest amounts of uranium — a concession by the U.S. and its allies — but under stringent controls that prevent it from producing nuclear weapons.


If the negotiations fail, President Obama and his allies say they'll try to ratchet sanctions up once more, and they'll be right — but not until then. Image from

U.S. Relations With Iran Thaw, and Allies Shiver - Room for Debate, New York Times: President Obama, who has long sought closer relations with Iran, has reached a deal to limit Iranian nuclear plans that would once have been considered unthinkable. “It’s a major seismic shift in the region,” one expert said. “It rearranges the entire chess board.” It now seems conceivable that Iran could have a role in coming Syrian peace talks. If the United States continues to become more engaged with Iran, how would that affect American relations with regional allies, like Saudi Arabia, a major opponent of Iran?

Worse Than Munich: In 1938, Chamberlain bought time to rearm. In 2013, Obama gives Iran time to go nuclear - Bret Stephenss, Wall Street Journal: The U.S. is attempting a fleeting opening with Tehran at the expense of a durable alliance of values with Israel and interests with Saudi Arabia.


Obama Signals a Shift From Military Might to Diplomacy
- Mark Landler, New York Times: “Regime change,” in Iran or even Syria, is out; cutting deals with former adversaries is in.


Image from entry,  with  caption: “For the first time in a decade, we’ve halted the progress on Iran’s nuclear program,” President Obama said on Monday.

Israel's Iran Dilemma,  Roger Cohen, New York Times: The United States and Iran have embarked on a new phase in their relationship. Obama and Kerry have invited Netanyahu to think again — and not just about Iran. Nothing, to judge by the hyperventilating Israeli rhetoric, could be more disconcerting.

Worse Than Munich: In 1938, Chamberlain bought time to rearm. In 2013, Obama gives Iran time to go nuclear - After World War II the U.S. created a global system of security alliances to prevent the kind of foreign policy freelancing that is again becoming rampant in the Middle East. It worked until President Obama decided in his wisdom to throw it away. If you hear echoes of the 1930s in the capitulation at Geneva, it's because the West is being led by the same sort of men, minus the umbrellas.

The ‘Munich’-Iran deal analogy is absurd - Eugene Robinson, Washington Post: Pay not the slightest attention to the people yelling “Munich” about the Iran nuclear deal. The Munich crowd seems to believe that some combination of bombing runs and cruise missiles – short of a full-scale invasion, of course – can wipe out not just Iran’s nuclear facilities (a questionable assumption) but all trace of nuclear knowledge and expertise. This is preposterous.

U.S. and Afghanistan need to work together to reach deal on forces - Editorial, Washington Post: President Karzai's irascibility is playing into the hands of White House political operatives who would like to withdraw all U.S. forces while assigning blame to the host government, as happened with Iraq in 2011. If that’s what happens, the consequences would be similar: an escalating civil war that destroys U.S. allies and empowers ­extremists.

The Battle for Ukraine: Vladimir Putin wants to recreate a Russian sphere of influence - Review and Outlook, Wall Street Journal: An independent Ukraine that leans West will lead to a more peaceful Europe and make it harder for Mr. Putin to rebuild a revanchist Russian empire.

Obama’s photo policy smacks of propaganda - Dana Milbank, Washington Post: The White House has increasingly excluded news photographers from Obama’s official events and is instead releasing images


taken by in-house photographers, who are government employees. These photos often appear online and in newspapers, even though they lack the same standards of authenticity that govern those taken by photojournalists. New York Times photographer Doug Mills likens the administration’s actions to Tass, the Soviet Union’s news agency. Image (not from the White House) from

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