"I was a mid-level officer in the Public Diplomacy cone, and how dare I think or write about world events and policy?"
--Noziglia; image from
"They are making a hashtag of our foreign policy."
--Paterrico's Pontifications, regarding the use of Twitter by the State Department
U.S. DIPLOMACY CENTER
Department of State and GSA Announce Contract for Construction of U.S. Diplomacy Center - Media Note, Office of the Spokesperson, Washington, DC, May 1, 2014, state.gov: "Today, the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) announced the award of a $25 million contract to begin construction of the U.S. Diplomacy Center—the nation’s first museum and education center devoted exclusively to exploring the history, practice, and challenges of U.S. Diplomacy. The project is privately funded with donations to build a 21st century, state-of-the-art glass pavilion
that will become a new public entrance at the Department of State’s headquarters. ... Situated only two blocks from the National Mall, the new U.S. Diplomacy Center pavilion will provide an exciting new educational destination for visitors to Washington, D.C. It will house interactive technology and exhibits to foster an engaging environment where the public can learn about the importance of diplomacy and those who practice it. The project is funded by private institutional and individual donors through the Diplomacy Center Foundation. In 2000, a group of former diplomats formed the Diplomacy Center Foundation with the goal of raising money to build a public facility to honor U.S. diplomacy. The project has enjoyed the support of all subsequent Secretaries as part of an effort to highlight the importance of U.S. diplomacy." Image from
PUBLIC DIPLOMACY
Obama in Asia: Words and Deeds - Gregory Kulacki, allthingsnuclear.org: "President Obama often mentions the 'new model of relations' he is seeking with China, and he told the Japanese press that both nations 'have to resist the danger of slipping into conflict.' But his visit focused almost exclusively on the military steps his administration is taking to address that danger. ... The interests of the
in Asia would be better served by offering a more honest, constructive and balanced mix of words and deeds that both
Who’s the Propagandist: US or RT? - Robert Parry, globalresearch.ca: "The U.S. State Department, which has been caught promoting a series of false or dubious stories about Ukraine, is trying to give some substance to Secretary of State John Kerry’s counter-complaint that Russia’s RT network is a 'propaganda bullhorn' promoting Russian President Vladimir Putin’s 'fantasy.' In a 'Dipnote' of April 29, Richard Stengel, under secretary of state for public diplomacy, made some broad-brush criticisms of RT’s content – accusing the network of painting 'a dangerous and false picture of Ukraine’s legitimate government' by citing examples of fascism, anti-Semitism and terrorism surrounding the Kiev regime. Stengel claims he knows the difference between news and propaganda because he spent seven years as managing editor of Time. He defines propaganda as 'the deliberate dissemination of information that you know to be false or misleading in order to influence an audience' and asserts: 'RT is a distortion machine, not a news organization.' But Stengel offers no specific citations of the supposedly propagandistic stories done by RT, making it impossible to ascertain the precise wording or context of the RT content that he is criticizing. One basic rule of journalism is 'show, don’t tell,' but Stengel apparently didn’t learn that during his seven years in the top echelon of Time magazine. ... As for Stengel’s office of 'public diplomacy,' it is a segment of the State Department that I have personally dealt with since the 1980s during my days covering the Reagan administration’s Central America policies for the Associated Press and Newsweek. Back then, some of us referred to the 'PD' office as 'the office of propaganda and disinformation' because of the endless distortions and lies generated in support of U.S.-backed 'death squad' regimes in El Salvador and Guatemala and for Ronald Reagan’s beloved Nicaraguan Contra rebels who fairly could be called 'terrorist' given their proclivity for slaughtering and raping Nicaraguan civilians and for collaborating with cocaine traffickers to make money on the side. ... That Stengel, the current master of the State Department’s 'public diplomacy' operation, is now offended by what he considers 'propaganda' by RT has to be considered one of the purest expressions of hypocrisy in the long history of U.S. government hypocrisy." See also (1)
'You Must Hate RT!' Demands Latest State Department Propaganda - Daniel McAdams, ronpaulinstitute.org: "State Department watchers will have noticed over the past several weeks a noticeable up tick in the frequency of English-language propaganda dispatched from the Department obviously aimed at a
Can Congress Make Journalists Do Propaganda? A House bill seeks to change Voice of America from a news provider to a U.S. promoter - Alex Brown, nationaljournal.com: “It's not often the U.S.government tries to emulate its Russian counterparts. But a bill currently making its way through the House directs a U.S.-funded news outlet to mirror the Kremlin's propaganda machine.
Royce's bill changes the mission of Voice of America, a federally funded news outlet that provides radio broadcasts and Internet media around the globe. VOA says its mission is to provide ‘accurate, objective, and comprehensive news,’ especially in closed societies. One government official who has worked on international broadcasting issues described VOA's role as ‘putting itself out of business.’ While it provides citizens with information they wouldn't otherwise get, its goal is to produce free and open societies where VOA is no longer needed. ‘[VOA is] providing the news and information that societies lack,’ said the official. ‘It operates where the media doesn't exist, or where it's constrained, or where people don't have access.... It creates an environment in which the people are empowered, because it doesn't just disseminate information; it creates a conversation.’ But Royce thinks that role needs to change. ‘This legislation makes clear that the Voice of America mission is to support
Congress seeks more control over government news agency - Julian Pecquet - al-monitor.com: "On April 30, the House Foreign Affairs Committee approved reforms to the government news agency that require it to promote US foreign policy goals and give Congress greater oversight over its operations, notably in the Middle East. ... 'Traveling to Eastern Ukraine, our delegation witnessed the Russian propaganda machine — now in overdrive — and its attempts to undermine regional stability,' committee chairman Ed Royce (R-Calif.) said at Wednesday's mark-up. 'Unfortunately, US broadcasters — the Voice of America, Radio Free Europe, Radio Free Asia and others — are competing with a hand tied behind their back.' ... The bill would require that Voice of America produce 'accurate' and 'objective' content that nevertheless 'is consistent with and promotes the broad foreign policies of the United States.' The mission of the broadcaster, which has a Farsi service but no longer broadcasts in Arabic, would be focused more narrowly on bringing US news to a foreign audience.
The proposal has outraged many Voice of America journalists. They fear a service that has long strived to appear independent of the government will end up operating like the Russian and Chinese foreign-language services, whose broadcasts closely toe the government line. ... While the Ukrainian crisis is dominating the headlines, the proposed changes follow years of congressional criticism about Middle East coverage in particular. The replacement of Voice of America's Arabic service by Radio Sawa, a mix of pop music interspersed with news, outraged many lawmakers a decade ago. Republicans have also objected to what they called the pro-Iranian tilt of VOA's Persian News Network and are now fighting plans to terminate Radio Free Iraq. 'There has been a lot controversy over Middle East broadcasting, going back to the 1990s,' Helle Dale, a senior fellow for public diplomacy with the conservative Heritage Foundation, told Al-Monitor." Image from entry, with caption: Voice Of America Afghan Service broadcaster Daoud Sediqi listens to a caller during a show in Washington, DC, Sept. 16, 2009
Op-Ed: No propaganda, Voice of America need not fear reform bill - Ted Lipien, digitaljournal.com: "Mismanagement by senior executives threatens journalistic independence of Voice of America (VOA) much more than the bipartisan bill in Congress designed to reform U.S. international media outreach. There will be no government propaganda from VOA. ... Those who say that VOA could become like Russia’s RT or China’s CCTV have little knowledge of Russian and Chinese regimes and their propaganda, and little faith in America’s legislative tradition and commitment to freedom. ... The legislation tries to fix what has become a 'defunct' organization, to use Hillary Clinton’s description, much of it due to mismanagement by senior executives. VOA journalists should be assured that they will remain federal employees and that VOA will be separated from the surrogate pro-democracy media outlets such as Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty (RFE/RL). This should increase VOA's journalistic independence, not decrease it. It should also vastly increase effectiveness of surrogate news services to countries like Russia, eastern Ukraine, China, Tibet, Iran, and others that still need surrogate local free media. VOA executives and former International Broadcasting Bureau (IBB) managers are themselves responsible, along with some former Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) members, for this bill being proposed in the first place. If they had not mismanaged the organization and ignored the VOA Charter, we would not be even having this discussion. ... Critics of the U.S. broadcasting reform bill are concerned that it places too much emphasis on U.S. public diplomacy, but the bill does not go as far as the public diplomacy component within the former United States Information Agency (USIA), under which VOA had operated. In later years, while still under USIA, VOA was able to preserve its journalistic independence thanks to the VOA Charter. Even BBC serves a public diplomacy role for Great Britain and does it through its outstanding world news service in many languages. VOA cannot be like BBC. It should accept a more modest role -- serving those who are most repressed and most deprived of access to news and information while at the same time telling America's story to the world. ... Congress is not going to fund VOA without specifying its mission at least in general terms, especially now that the Smith-Mundt Act has been modified to allow domestic distribution of VOA content. If some people think that this could happen -- Congress letting a VOA director do whatever he or she wants, allow distribution of programs in the U.S. while also increasing VOA budget year to year -- they are simply dreaming. ... If the bill does become law, then VOA has a chance of survival and can hope for better management and more funding, both of which are critically needed. Some modifications in the bill to strengthen journalistic independence would be highly desirable, but without any new legislation there is no hope for reform that could save VOA and its pure and noble mission."
As effort to reform Voice of America starts in Congress, VOA uses Reuters to report on Obama Europe trip, is four hours late - BGG Watcher, BBG Watch: "Voice of
visit NATO countries in Europe in June was not reported by VOA News for more than four hours while other U.S. and international media outlets were providing their news reports and details of the announcement. Image from entry, with caption: Voice of America Screen Shot 2014-04-30 at 6.47PM EDT. The five-sentence report from Reuters was posted by VOA four hours late. As of 6:00 PM EDT, the report had only one Facebook Share. See also (1) (2) (3) (4)
Our State Department: Living By The Promise Of Hashtag . . . And Following Their Hashtag With Action - patterico.com: If that headline made no sense to you, you probably don’t belong at the U.S. State Department:
Not inane enough yet? Oh, it gets stupider:
They are making a hashtag of our foreign policy."
Senior US Official Talks Press Freedom With Burmese Minister - Kyaw Hsu Mon, irrawaddy.org: "In his first ever visit to Burma, the US undersecretary of state for public diplomacy and public affairs raised concerns with Burma’s information minister about the recent arrest of Burmese journalists. Richard Stengel met on Monday and Tuesday in Naypyidaw with Information Minister Aung Kyi, Foreign Minister Wunna Maung Lwin and Culture Minister Aye Myint Kyu, to discuss press freedom, bilateral relations and cultural exchanges.
The US undersecretary told reporters in Rangoon on Tuesday that the Burma government had taken important steps to cultivate an environment conducive to free, fair and independent media, which he said was a critical element of democracy. 'However, in the past few months, the United States has watched with concern the arrest and sentencing of journalists trying to cover stories. These arrests raise questions about the extent of the government’s commitment to freedom of the press,' he added. Image from entry, with caption: US Undersecretary Richard Stengel speaks to reporters in Rangoon on Tuesday following a two-day visit to Naypyidaw, where he raised concerns about press freedoms with government officials.
US urges 'change of mindset' from govt toward media - Nyan Lynn Aung, mmtimes.com: "The United States has expressed concern over recent arrests and jailing of journalists and urged the government to adopt a 'change of mindset' into how it deals with the media, a senior official says. Richard Stengel, the under secretary of state for public diplomacy and public affairs, said on May 29 that it was also important journalists improve their skills and reporting standards, particularly with the 2015 election approaching. He also pledged more US support for the training of journalists. ... Mr Stengel said that it was clear in his meetings that many government officials are not comfortable acting as spokespersons for their ministries or the government because they are worried about the ramifications of saying the wrong thing. ... A former editor of Time magazine, Mr Stengel said since joining President Obama's government in September 2013 he has realised that governments often do not take advantage of their role when dealing with the media. 'By taking advantage, I mean that they should be communicating, saying what they're going to do and talking about their reasons and motivations. That's the way that they can sell their policy to the public.'" See also.
Granger highlights successes of U.S. aid to Africa - riponadvance.com: "Rep. Kay Granger (R-Texas) said on Tuesday that U.S. aid to Africa has helped fight disease, maintain peace and build goodwill.
Granger, the chairwoman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operation and Related Programs, delivered her remarks during a hearing on U.S. assistance to Africa. 'We have seen proven results from some of the investments already made — such as life-saving programs in HIV/AIDS, malaria and maternal and child health — and conservation programs that have helped countries manage and protect Africa’s unique natural resources,' Granger said. 'Our investments pay dividends in public diplomacy. In Africa, opinions of the United States rank among the highest in the world.' Granger said $6.9 billion, or 35 percent, of the fiscal year 2015 budget request for state and U.S. Agency for International Development aid is for Sub-Saharan Africa. Granger image from entry
U.S. official on Bucharest visit, met Romanian political leaders - actmedia.eu [subcription]: "Hoyt Yee, Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs with the U.S. Department of State, was in Bucharest on Tuesday as part of a routine tour through region, the Public Diplomacy Office of the U.S. Embassy in Romania informed at the request of Agerpres. According to the cited source, the American official is to meet various Romanian leaders."
Duckenfield Appointed Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs at U.S. Department of State - hispanicprblog.com: "David Duckenfield, President of Balsera Communications, has been appointed deputy assistant secretary for Public Affairs at the U.S. Department of State beginning May 5, 2014, it was announced today. In this new role, Duckenfield
will lead the State Department’s public liaison and domestic outreach efforts as well as its intergovernmental functions and the U.S. Diplomacy Center. He will assist the Bureau of Public Affairs in carrying out its mission to further U.S. foreign policy and national security interests and broaden understanding of American values by communicating with the American people and global audiences. ... Duckenfield began his career as a Foreign Service Officer for the United States Information Agency (now part of the U.S. State Department Undersecretariat for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs), where he served in Mexico City and Bogota, Colombia in a variety of public affairs roles." Duckenfield image from entry; see also.
The Score - Paul Rockower, Levantine: "So I am running a hip hop diplomacy program for the State Dept, called Next Level. My job is to take MCs, DJs, Breakdancers and Beatmakers to India, Bangladesh, Senegal, Zimbabwe, Serbia and Bosnia. We had our orientation this week. We have some amazing talents, and real pioneers in hip hop. I am taking Diamond D to Serbia. If you remember, Diamond D produced The Fugees album 'The Score.' He won a Grammy for it."
Diplomacy and Security Issues after 9/11 Attack - meefroism.blogspot.com: "[A]weapon in the fight against terrorism that has often been neglected, however, is public diplomacy, which includes diplomacy and the use of information in order to influence foreign public opinion about the United States’ foreign policy goals. The use of information and diplomacy, which are often referred to as forms of 'soft power,' may be considered part of the information war, which is conducted together with the 'hard power' conflict that is carried out using military and economic means. There are still no clear results regarding the success of the use of U.S. military power in Afghanistan and Iraq, but it has become clear that the United States is losing the war of ideas, and that the international public is starting to express doubts about the war on terrorism."
Zabul Attack: Spox Says State Dept Did Its Own Review, It’s Classified, and There’s Now a Checklist! – Domani Spero,diplopundit.net: "As can be expected, the Chicago Tribune report citing an army investigation into the death of FSO Anne Smedinghoff and four others in
State Seeks Input on Making Program Material Available - Shannon Allen, regulatorypractice.blogspot.com: "The United States Department of State ('DOS')
issued an interim final rule amending regulations to implement Section 1078 of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2013 ('NDAA'); and seeks input on changing the availability of Public Diplomacy Program Materials in the United States. U.S. public diplomacy outreach includes ['] communications with foreign audiences abroad through Program Material. . . .' The DOS is amending prior law to permit the DOS and the Broadcasting Board of Governors ('BBG') to now 'make public diplomacy program material available within the United States, upon request, following the dissemination of such material abroad . . .' The U.S. public diplomacy mission is to support the achievement of U.S. foreign policy goals and objectives, advance national interests, and enhance national security by certain means. Section 501 of the United States Information and Educational Exchange Act of 1948, as amended (22 U.S.C. 1461; 'the Smith-Mundt Act') ('Section 501'), governs the domestic distribution of certain information about the United States, its people, and policies ('Program Material') prepared for dissemination abroad. Section 208 of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1986 and 1987 (22 U.S.C. 1461-1a) ('Section 208') governs the creation of such (Program Material) material for the purpose of influencing domestic public opinion. The NDAA amends and clarifies Section 501 and Section 208. Prior to NDAA, 'such material could not be disseminated within the United States . . . .' Revised Section 501 permits the DOS and/or the BBG to make such Program Material available within the U.S. Both the DOS and the BBG must issue necessary regulations: to establish procedures to maintain such material, for reimbursement of reasonable costs incurred in fulfilling requests for such material, and to ensure that persons seeking the release of such material have secured and paid for necessary U.S. rights and licenses. (The BBG published its interim final rule on July 2, 2013, with a final rule published on November 8, 2013 (78 FR 67025).) According to the DOS, this interim final rule: benefits the public, media, and other organizations by allowing them to request and access DOS Program Material, which previously could not be disseminated within the United States; will not have a substantial direct effect on the states, on the relationship between the national government and the states, or on the distribution of power and responsibilities among the various levels of government; is in response to a statutory requirement that will make more information available to the public; therefore, the benefits of the rulemaking outweigh any costs; will not have a significant impact upon small businesses; will not have tribal implications, will not impose substantial direct compliance costs on Indian tribal governments, and will not pre-empt tribal law; and will not result in the expenditure by State, local and tribal governments, in the aggregate, or by the private sector, of $100 million in any year and it will not significantly or uniquely affect small governments. The DOS has determined that normal public rulemaking procedures are not practical, not necessary, and that there is good cause under 5 U.S.C. 553(b) (B) and (d)(3) to exempt this interim final rule from public rulemaking procedures and to implement it upon publication. In the interests of transparency and public participation, however, the DOS is publishing this rule as an interim final rule with a 60-day provision for public comment. This interim final rule will be implemented as of April 21, 2014. However, the DOS will accept comments on the interim final rule from the public until June 20, 2014. Comments may be submitted by any of the following methods: Online: Persons with access to the Internet may view this rule and provide comments by going to the regulations.gov Web site at: http://www.regulations.gov; Mail (paper, disk, or CD-ROM submission): Director, Office of Policy and Outreach, Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State, State Annex 5 (SA-5), Floor 5, 2200 C Street NW., Washington, DC 20522-0505; or Email: IIP_Inquiries@state.gov. RIN (1400-AD50) must be included in the subject line." Image from
FRINFORMSUM 5/1/2014: Modest Nuclear Stockpile Drop, Cybersecurity Issues, a Corrupt DHS Inspector General, and Much More - nsarchive.wordpress.com: “Finally this week, our #tbt document pick –inspired by the State Department’s recent easing of the restrictions allowing the Department and the Broadcasting Board of Governors to make foreign public diplomacy program material (i.e. propaganda) available to US requesters– is the Pentagon’s October 2003 Iraq War propaganda ‘roadmap.’ The secret Pentagon ‘roadmap,’ declassified thanks to an Archive FOIA request in 2006, calls for ‘boundaries’ between ‘information operations’ abroad and at home but provides no actual limits as long as US doesn’t ‘target’ Americans.”
New study, website focus on strengthening US-China connections - Elizabeth Krane, blog.uscannenberg.org: "The
NATO Countries Planning Comms Mission in Ukraine: Russia's extreme propaganda, 'haplessness' of Ukrainian military requires strategic fix - Paul D. Shinkman, usnews.com: "NATO countries may be ramping up their war of words in the coming weeks in Ukraine, where Russian propaganda flows freely into the east while ill-prepared security forces can't even talk to one another. Multiple officials who spoke with U.S. News say planning is underway to bolster the Ukrainian government’s ability to communicate among its security services and broadcast to the general public.
The details are still being worked out, including whether this would require troops from NATO countries on the ground in Ukraine to train and support the effort. ... 'NATO Allies are actively considering ways to further strengthen our long-standing cooperation with Ukraine, including in the area of public diplomacy,' the official said by email, speaking on the condition of anonymity. 'Allies are also providing assistance to Ukraine on a bilateral basis.' ... The need to send a message to ... [Ukraine's] citizens and to Russia alike reflects a cold truth in eastern Ukraine, where many lived through the Cold War and learned to speak the prerequisite Russian." Image from entry, with caption: Pro-Russian activists watch a Russian news report outside the security services building Wednesday in Lugansk, Ukraine.
Patriarch Kirill meets Rossotrudnichestvo Federal Agency director K. Kosachev - theorthodoxchurch.info: "On April 25, 2014, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia met with director of the Federal Agency for the Commonwealth of Independent States, Compatriots Living Abroad and International Humanitarian Cooperation (Rossotrudnichestvo), K. Kosachev. In attendance were also Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate’s department for external church relations, Archimandrite Philaret (Bulekov) a DECR deputy head, and Hierodeacon Roman (Kiselev) of the DECR secretariat for far-abroad countries. Representing Rossotrudnichestvo were also A. Khomenko, chief of the directorate for compatriots and public diplomacy, and S. Medvedev, chief of the directorate for Russian centers for science, culture and all-round cooperation in the CIS space. ... Patriarch Kirill noted that the cooperation with Rossotrudnichestvo had fruitfully developed for a long time. 'As far back as the time when I was head of the Department for External Church Relations, I was already fully aware of the importance of this cooperation. Visiting remote countries, in which we had no parishes at that time, I could see how much people abroad were attracted to our cultural centers, and already at that time we conducted services in many such places', he said. He made a special mention of the cooperation with Rossotrudnichestvo institutions in South-East Asia. His Holiness underscored as especially important the work for teaching Russian and Russian culture to people abroad.
'This work is carried out by our Sunday schools, but mostly with adults', he explained. 'The same work is carried out by your institutions. And, as I have already mentioned, in a number of countries, our cooperation has proved to be very effective'. Mr. K. Kosachev, in his turn, testified that 'we have carried out a fruitful and effective work with the Russian Orthodox Church’s parishes abroad. For us it is not just partnership but a very important support in all our initiatives, because the Russian World abroad is gathering, first of all, around the Russian Orthodox Church. Where there are no Russian cultural centers, it is sometimes the only place where our compatriots can gather together'. He also pointed to the importance of cultural, educational and scientific projects as providing for Russia’s humanitarian presence abroad and eventually contributing to the consolidation of relations among nations." Uncaptioned image from entry
Russian policy in Ukraine, Mideast not just about Putin - Maxim A. Suchkov, al-monitor.com: "As an external power,
a pragmatic, interest-based foreign policy in the
Baku sees no changes in Nagorno-Karabakh settlement - Elchin Mehdiyev, en.trend.az: "Baku does not see any changes in the situation over the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov told media on April 28.
'Armenia must assess the current situation which may worsen in the country and around it,' he added. 'The Armenian leadership must think it over.' ... 'Perhaps, the Armenian public can compel the country's leadership to assess the situation, Azerbaijan's position through public diplomacy,' he added." Uncaptioned image from entry
Georgia: Women Take Lead in Informal Peace-Building - Heather Yundt, IWPR Georgia: "Whenever Georgian and Russian officials meet in Geneva for formal talks as part of a process that has continued since the August 2008 war, few women are visible. In 2011, Georgia adopted a 'national action plan' to enhance female participation in peace-building efforts, so that women attend the Geneva talks, albeit still in small numbers. At an informal level, it is a different story. Women’s organisations from Georgia, South Ossetia, and Abkhazia have been reaching out to each other and talking about reconciliation for the last two decades. As deputy minister for reconciliation, Ketevan Tsikhelashvili has been part of the formal talks process but she says the government also recognises the value of people-to-people contacts, sometimes called 'track-two diplomacy'. She says certain groups are particularly open to cross-boundary communication – professionals, people with relatives on the other side, and the mothers of those who died in conflict. 'Because they’ve lived through the worse, they appreciate peace and reconciliation more than anybody else,' she said of these mothers. According to Tsikhelashvili, the key is to find common interests and acknowledge the needs of the other side without getting into the politics of conflict. 'We have to work through the barbed wire and tanks for public diplomacy,' she said."
Israeli FM: “Coming to Azerbaijan, I feel as if I’m coming home” - “'This is my fifth visit to Azerbaijan. Coming to Azerbaijan, I feel as if I’m coming home', said Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman following the meeting with his Azerbaijani counterpart Elmar Mammadyarov, APA reports.
He noted that Azerbaijan and Israel have close relations: 'We discussed a number of areas of cooperation, mainly economy and public diplomacy. For us, the main issue in Azerbaijan is the coexistence of Jews and the activity of Jewish community in this country. This community acts as a bridge between the two countries.'” Uncaptioned image from entry
UN irrelevance - Zalman Shoval, israelhayom.com: "When Sharett [Prime Minister Moshe Sharett] reminded Ben-Gurion that the U.N. had formed the State of Israel, Ben-Gurion admonished him, saying it was the Jews' own courage -- not the U.N.'s -- that had formed the State of Israel. The majority of U.S. presidents were also not convinced that the U.N. -- other than holding symbolic value and being a convenient international platform for public diplomacy -- was the best institution to promote the free world and America's agenda. That is, until U.S. President Barack Obama came along, touting the international body's institutions, and especially the Security Council, as the foundations upon which his policies should be based."
Salvaging a lost cause - Chinmaya R Gharekhan, indianexpress.com: "The latest round of negotiations [between Israelis and Palestinians] began in Washington on July 29, 2013, following an agreement between the parties brokered by US Secretary of State John Kerry. ... Let alone settling the problem, Kerry could not even manage to persuade the parties to extend the talks by six months. ... The two sides have always had one thing strongly in common through the past four decades: each wants the other held responsible for the failure of negotiations.
But now, Israel feels so confident of itself that it no longer cares if it is blamed for the breakdown. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas had a slight upper hand in terms of public diplomacy. Most of the international community was holding Israel responsible for its intransigent attitude." Image from entry, with caption: The practical consequence of handing over the Palestinian Authority’s keys to Israel would be that Israel would become a full-fledged occupying power over three million Palestinians living in the West Bank
Six people to be charged for accident that killed IDF officer on Jerusalem's Mount Herzl - jpost.com: "The State Attorney’s Office plans to indict five people and a corporation with negligent manslaughter in the death of IDF Lt. Hila Betzaleli, who was killed two years ago when a scaffold fell on her during rehearsals for the annual Independence Day ceremony on
Learning to say sorry in the Middle East: In the past week, not one but two leaders – Turkish and Palestinian – made rare acknowledgements of the suffering of the 'other.' Critics have called the gestures opportunistic - Christa Case Bryant, csmonitor.com: "In a region better known for harboring old hatreds than saying, “I’m sorry,” this was a seminal week. On the eve of the 99th anniversary of the deportation and massacre of Armenians under Ottoman rule, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan conveyed the country’s 'condolences' to the grandchildren of the 600,000 to 1.5 million killed in what many regard as a genocide.
And just as Israel began marking Holocaust Remembrance Day, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas called the killing of 6 million Jews 'the most heinous crime' of the modern era and expressed 'sympathy with the families of the victims and many other innocent people who were killed by the Nazis.' Both Armenians and Israelis dismissed what they saw as opportunistic statements by leaders under pressure. But whatever their motives, Mr. Erdogan and Mr. Abbas’s willingness to express empathy for the suffering of their adversaries represents a significant break from the region's obdurate public diplomacy in the name of honor." Image from entry, with caption: Two Middle East leaders, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (l.) and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan pictured in this combination photo, have made rare acknowledgements for the suffering of their adversaries in the past week.
President’s Visit: Dr Masuma Hasan’s Speech - pakistanhorizon.wordpress.com: "Address of Welcome Dr. Masuma Hasan Chairperson, The Pakistan Institute of International Affairs Tuesday, 29 April 2014 [:] ... When Mr. Liaquat Ali Khan, the first prime minister of Pakistan, inaugurated this Institute in March 1948, he stressed upon the need for an institution which would disseminate information from the people to policy makers and vice versa. Through our public diplomacy events we have endeavoured to do that and our members have been addressed by heads of state and government, statesmen, diplomats and scholars."
Brazil Springs A WikiLeak... Assange Tags Newsman As Media Mole - capitalparanaense.blogspot.com: "With a London court ruling that media activist Julian Assange must now return to Sweden to face charges of sex crimes, the WikiLeaks founder has made his last dance a Samba, outing Brazil's most trusted newscaster as what some local media are caling an informant, even suggesting the journalist in question was an agent of the CIA, in place to promote US policy and business deals.
According to a confidential state department cable published by Jornal do Brasil and other online media, the person of interest is William "Bill" Waack. The 59-year-old Waack moderated a crucial presidential debate in last year's election and has been an anchor with Globo TV. Waack did a high profile interview with secretary of state Hillary Clinton that set the stage for president Barack Obama's 36-hour visit to
The Daily: The Soft Power of K-Pop - Julia Watson, thepublicdiplomat.com: "Our round-up of news, notes, tips and tweets exhibiting how public diplomacy affects the world each and every day."
Myrtle Beach mayor planning second trip to China this year - Maya T. Prabhu, myrtlebeachonline.com: "Fresh off of a recent trip to Haikou, China, Myrtle Beach Mayor John Rhodes is planning to return in June as a speaker at the third annual conference of World Cultural Forum in Shanghai. 'I was invited to speak on public diplomacy and developing Chinese and foreign relationships,' Rhodes said. 'It’s an honor.' ... In March, Rhodes went with Bill Golden, president of Golf Holiday, to the Iagto Golf Tourism Convention to meet with golf travel agents and learn what Myrtle Beach can do to become more marketable to the Chinese golfer.
'The purpose was to talk with the travel agents from Asia about golf and coming to the U.S. and learn exactly what we had to do to prepare for these visitors,' Rhodes said. 'And it was to promote Myrtle Beach and let [travel agents] be aware of what we have to offer. When you mention 100 hundred golf course [on the Grand Strand], they were amazed.' Rhodes said he also met with Hainan Airlines and China Southern Airlines – which both operate direct flights to New York City – to discuss ways to package trips to Myrtle Beach and make the city a destination for Chinese travelers. 'We want the golfers – which are the high-end travelers – and also the middle-class travelers to come here,' he said. 'If we don’t make the attempt to look for new sources of tourists … our number of visitors will become stagnant.'” Image from entry, with caption: Myrtle Beach Mayor John Rhodes.
ESF Helps Launch Planet Forward University Consortium: Focus of new initiative includes water, energy, climate change - esf.edu: "The SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) has joined a new initiative focused on giving a stronger voice to those working on issues such as food security, water, energy and climate change. ESF is a founding member of the Planet Forward University Consortium, which was announced May in Washington, D.C. ... Planet Forward ... announced that former under secretary of state for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, Tara Sonenshine, currently a Distinguished Fellow at the School of Media and Public Affairs, will lead the strategic planning and stakeholder relationships with institutional partners for Planet Forward."
Bringing the State Back In, Kind of: National and Not-so National Search Engines - cgcsblog.asc.upenn.edu: "How ... do we describe the complex relationship between states and internet companies? As domestic or foreign policy? As public diplomacy? Increasing challenges to
Antalya expo 2016 - wegodubai.com: "For over 100 years, Expos have placed education of global citizens and national progress at the forefront of their mission. First of all used as a means of promoting national identity, industrial progress and discerning consumers, Expos have today become a unique platform for international dialogue, for public diplomacy and for international cooperation. ... EXPO 2016 Antalya
will be held on a 112-hectares area within the boundaries of Aksu Municipality between 23 April and 30 October 2016. The Site will also be open to the public after the event. Uncaptioned image from entry
EUNIC Summer Academy 2014 - eunic-online.eu: "There is a growing number of residencies for artists and curators operating in the cultural and creative sector throughout Europe and its neighbouring countries. ... In this year’s Summer Academy (SA), we would like to consider how EUNIC member organisations might work together on innovative residency programmes focusing on mobility between countries in and outside Europe, and how residencies might contribute to local, regional and international development. As part of the training, we will also be taking a look at residency programmes as a tool of public diplomacy. We will be providing lectures, workshops and a number of study visits."
MTV Launches Multi-Year Campaign To Help Youth Accelerate Fight Against Racial, Gende and LGBT Inequality - webwire.com: "Advisory Board: In addition to a coalition of world-class partners, the Look Different campaign is advised by a collection of the foremost
authorities on matters of race, gender and LGBT issues: [including;] ... The Center for Public Diplomacy at Penn State University." Image from, with part of the content: The Joe Paterno statue was removed Sunday morning from its pedestal outside Beaver Stadium, and it will be stored in an unnamed "secure location," Penn State president Rodney Erickson announced. Erickson also said the Paterno name will remain on the university's library.
Educational Innovation director Mark Johnson - The Daily Cardinal: "The University of Wisconsin-Madison’s provost office selected Mark Johnson, assistant professor of educational policy studies, as the new director of Educational Innovation, according to a university release. ... Johnson has more than 20 years of experience working with higher education reform projects and works in the fields of history, international studies, public diplomacy and educational studies. He will assume the position May 26."
Digital entrepreneurs vie to be USC Annenberg’s startup in residence: Students take their novel ideas to alpha testing at Annenberg Innovation Lab - news.usc.edu: "Winners of the CRUNCH Student Design challenge literally had to hack their way to victory, a $10,000 prize and the distinction of becoming the official startup in residence at the Annenberg Innovation Lab (AIL). ... The CRUNCH course is designed to provide a skill-based, business-oriented overview of product development for small teams (three to five members) of students. The 10-week course allowed students, who were provided $3,000 for development costs, to take their ideas to alpha testing in a single semester. Just gaining entry to the course involved competition, as teams vied to win CRUNCH hackathons held in 2013 to earn priority admission. But even without a victory, the journey was worth it for Gabriel Shapiro, a second-year master’s student in public diplomacy at USC Annenberg."
RELATED ITEMS
Russia cranks out propaganda as militants hang on in Ukraine - Olga Rudenko, USA Today: According to a state-ordered study of TV audiences conducted by GFK Ukraine in early March, the combined share of the three most-watched Russian TV stations in Ukraine was 3.4% of the audience — but that does not mean the Russian broadcasts have no influence.
Tit-for-Tat: Putin’s Maddening Propaganda Trick - Michael Crowley, time.com: By now Vladimir Putin’s flair for propaganda is well known.
But as the Ukraine crisis continues to unfold, the former KGB agent’s particular brand of disinformation is coming into clear focus. The method is simple. Whenever he’s accused of something, Putin retorts: That’s what you’re doing, not me. Image from
The United States Dedicates the Campus Renovation of the U.S. Embassy in Helsinki, Finland - Media Note, Office of the Spokesperson, Washington, DC, April 30, 2014, state.gov: In an important symbol of our bilateral relationship with Finland, Under Secretary of State for Management Patrick F. Kennedy; Ambassador to Finland Bruce J. Oreck; and Director of the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations Lydia J. Muniz hosted a dedication ceremony today alongside local Finnish officials to dedicate the new Chancery and campus renovation of the U.S. Embassy in Helsinki.
Obama Confidant To Be Next Ambassador To South Korea - Josh Rogin, thedailybeast.com: One of Obama’s longest serving foreign policy advisors, now a top Pentagon official, is set to be named U.S. Ambassador to South Korea. President Obama will name Mark Lippert, an advisor and friend dating back to his time in the Senate, as the next U.S. Ambassador to South Korea, two senior administration officials told The Daily Beast.
How Studying or Working Abroad Makes You Smarter - Annie Murphy Paul, time.com: Research shows that
experience in other countries makes us more flexible, creative, and complex thinkers. Image from entry, with caption: Young woman at museum
Agitation and propaganda - Duncan Hallas, socialistworker.org: Abstract propaganda raises ideas which are formally correct, but which do not relate to struggle or to the level of consciousness which exists among those to whom the ideas are being put. For example to argue that under socialism the wages system will be abolished is absolutely correct to place such a demand to workers today is not agitation, but propaganda of the most abstract form.
Similarly constant demands for a general strike regardless of whether the prospect is a real one in the present situation leads not to agitation but to abstaining from the real struggle in the here and now. Realistic propaganda on the other hand starts from the assumption that tiny groups of socialists cannot decisively influence large groups of workers at present in most circumstances. But ii also assumes that there are arguments over specifics around which socialists can attempt to build. So the realistic propagandist in a factory will not argue for abolition of the wages system. He or she will argue for a set of demands which hopefully can lead the struggle to victory, and certainly beyond the tokens of the trade union bureaucracy. Image from entry
AMERICANA
This Map Shows How Badly The People In Your State Want To Get The Hell Out - uproxx.com:
--Via CDM on Facebook
MORE AMERICANA: A HUNDRED AND SEVENTEEN TIMES
"Last week, [internet entrepreneur] Chahal accepted a plea bargain on charges of battery and domestic violence, allegations stemming from an attack, last August, on his girlfriend in San Francisco . A security-camera video seized by police allegedly shows Chahal hitting and kicking his girlfriend
a hundred and seventeen times, though a San Francisco Superior Court judge ruled that the video was not admissible, because it had been seized without a warrant. Chahal was ultimately given three years probation and fined five hundred dollars, and he will be required to undergo counselling. On April 26th, the board of RadiumOne removed him from his position as C.E.O. On April 27th, Chahal attempted to defend himself in a post on his personal blog. (It has since been removed, but is still available at Google cache and elsewhere.) Whatever the exact facts of the case against him may be, Chahal’s post is unmatched in its myopia, displaying a degree of self-regard that is often observed among the tech industry’s most successful figures but that has rarely been quite so baldly expressed. In it, Chahal denies that he hit his girlfriend a hundred and seventeen times, but he does not deny that he hit her."
a hundred and seventeen times, though a San Francisco Superior Court judge ruled that the video was not admissible, because it had been seized without a warrant. Chahal was ultimately given three years probation and fined five hundred dollars, and he will be required to undergo counselling. On April 26th, the board of RadiumOne removed him from his position as C.E.O. On April 27th, Chahal attempted to defend himself in a post on his personal blog. (It has since been removed, but is still available at Google cache and elsewhere.) Whatever the exact facts of the case against him may be, Chahal’s post is unmatched in its myopia, displaying a degree of self-regard that is often observed among the tech industry’s most successful figures but that has rarely been quite so baldly expressed. In it, Chahal denies that he hit his girlfriend a hundred and seventeen times, but he does not deny that he hit her."
--From Maria Bustillos, "Gurbaksh Chahal’s Ugly Revenge," New Yorker; image from
RUSSICA/AMERICANA
--From
RUSSICA/AMERICANA
--From
PUTINITSA
--Via FW and RP on Facebook
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