Friday, November 30, 2018

How Indian media took a positive India-Pakistan moment and flipped it


Ravale Mohydin, trtworld.com

Excerpt:
Could the opening of the Kartarpur Crossing, to facilitate the Sikh community on both sides of the Pakistan-India border, be a step towards talks or initiating a peace process? The Indian media and the Indian government are not interested. ...  
A monumental moment took place between two nuclear-armed South Asian neighbors yesterday.  
Pakistan and India opened up the historic Kartarpur Crossing, a boon for the Sikh community all over the world. Providing visa-free access to what is known as the ‘Mecca of Sikhs’, the crossing had been in discussion for decades, but due to a perceived and real security threat, as well as strategic concerns for both countries, safe and easy passage to the gurdwara of Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of Sikhism, remained a dream. 
The dream, however, came to life again at the inauguration ceremony of Prime Minister Imran Khan in August 2018 when Navjot Sidhu, a former cricket pal of the incoming PM and former Congress minister, was the only individuL [JB -- sic] who was accepted and got clearance from the Indian government to attend in a personal capacity.  
A picture of him hugging the Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan (COAS) General Bajwa and consequent interview in which he said the COAS had told him that Pakistan will allow the Kartarpur Crossing to open on the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev made rounds on both Pakistani and Indian media.  
However, while the Pakistani media was mostly jubilant on the warm interactions between Navjot Sidhu and the COAS, sections of the Indian media considered it akin to treason and lashed out at Navjot Sidhu
Nevertheless, at the initiation of Navjot Sidhu, India also came on board to open up Kartarpur. 
It is important to note three factors that may have influenced Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) decision to comply with Pakistan’s request: firstly, BJP, India’s ruling party is unpopular in Punjab, a predominantly Sikh state in India.
Second, the BJP, a party that has been very image conscious and heavily invested in PR, already has a weak image internationally when it comes to minority rights
Lastly, 2019 is an election year for India - they need all the minority and moderate votes they can get, both in Punjab and in other parts of India. 
Well the day finally came. 
On November 28th 2018, the Kartarpur Crossing finally became a reality. Videos of elderly Sikh pilgrims making the journey and meeting relatives that they had not seen since the 1947 Partition made some very emotional news on Pakistani television channels.  
Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan personally inaugurated the opening ceremony. Broadcast live, PM Khan referred to the event as a significant achievement in the journey of peace with India. 
Most primetime news shows in Pakistan hailed it as an initiative for peace with topics of discussion ranging from whether this can be a trust-building measure leading up to a bilateral dialogue on Kashmir to how, for once, the Pakistani military and government were on the same page and that a solution for Kashmir could be found with cooperation from India.  
International media considered it a positive step forward
However, on the other side of the border, while PM Khan was making speeches advocating peace through dialogue, the Indian Minister for External Relations Sushma Swaraj categorically said that opening the Kartarpur Crossing does not mean the start of a dialogue
Consequently, much of the Indian media also hailed the ‘tough stance’ taken by the Indian government.  
Bizarrely, headlines such as ‘Imran wants change in Indian leadership’ and ‘Imran did not condemn terrorism’ flashed across television screens and images of Gopal Singh Chawla, apparent supporter of the Khalistan Movement, meeting the Pakistani COAS were shown. 
Again, honesty and sincerity of intention, on the part of both Pakistan and even Indian Sikh citizens were doubted against a background of perceived controversy. In sharp contrast with the Pakistani government and media, there was little celebration or hopeful declarations for peace on behalf of either the Indian government or the Indian media. 
Research studies have pointed at the role journalism in peacebuilding or to end and lessen conflict, and also the potential from media for war or to worsen conflict. 
Pakistani and Indian media, at least in this context, were epitomes for the former and latter respectively.  Powerful media messages have the power to influence the attitudes and behaviors of people. 
Surely, the BJP, with its acute focus on media campaigns and public diplomacy [JB emphasis], knows the impact of such negative coverage on peace processes. That is if they even want one.  
Ravale.Mohydin


Ravale Mohydin writes about media effects on society, public diplomacy [JB emphASIS] and non conventional warfare. She is an alumna of Harvard University, the University of Pennsylvania and the Lahore University of Managament Sciences. She currently works at TRT World Research Centre.

AMENDMENT NO.llll Calendar No.lll Purpose: To ... - Senator Jeff Flake


flake.senate.gov

https://www.
Image result for united states agency for global media
image (not from entry) from

[JB note: Original document contains different lettering/spacing from the below entry (JB suggestion: please refer to the original document on the above-cited link).]

MDM18A52 S.L.C.

AMENDMENT NO. [llll]  Calendar No. [lll]

Purpose: To require the Chief Executive Officer of the United
States Agency for Global Media [JB: see] to submit a quarterly
report to Congress regarding employees who have been
placed on administrative leave for more than 45 days
without a formal disciplinary determination.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES—115th Cong., 2d Sess.
S. 3654

To amend the United States International Broadcasting Act
of 1994, to avoid the duplication of public diplomacy [JB emphasis] 
programs and efforts, to improve the research and evaluation
of public diplomacy, and for other purposes.

Referred to the Committee on llllllllll and
ordered to be printed

Ordered to lie on the table and to be printed
AMENDMENT intended to be proposed by Mr. FLAKE
Viz:

1 At the end of the bill, add the following:
2 SEC. 8. REPORT ON UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR GLOBAL
3 MEDIA EMPLOYEES SUSPENDED OR PLACED
4 ON ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE.
5 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 30 days after the
6 date of the enactment of this Act and every 90 days there7
after, the Chief Executive Officer of the United States
8 Agency for Global Media shall brief, or submit a report
9 to, the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and
2
MDM18A52 S.L.C.
1 the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Rep2
resentatives on any employee of the Agency or Agency
3 Grantee Network who has been suspended or placed on
4 administrative leave for more than 45 days without a for5
mal disciplinary determination for writing or approving
6 content in programming inconsistent with the Agency’s
7 mission to ‘‘inform, engage, and connect people around the
8 world in support of freedom and democracy’’.
9 (b) ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.—The briefing or re10
port required under subsection (a) shall include informa11
tion regarding—
12 (1) the suspended employee’s employment sta13
tus; and
14 (2) the reasons for the Agency’s failure to make
15 a formal disciplinary determination.

Trump administration proposes changes to popular H-1B program


Sara Ashley O'Brien, CNN Business Updated 6:28 PM ET, Fri November 30, 2018

Image result for h-1b program
image from

The Department of Homeland Security released a proposal Friday that would increase the number of H-1B visa recipients who have master's degrees or higher level degrees and would move the registration process online.

The government has been working to crack down on the H-1B program — a result of President Donald Trump's direction that agencies implement a "Buy American, Hire American" strategy.

The H-1B visa is a work visa that's valid for three years and can be renewed for another three years. Many companies use H-1B visas to help fill their workforces. But tech is the sector most commonly associated with H-1Bs. Tech firms big and small say they need the H-1B program to hire trained talent that they can't find at home.

With costs rising, many companies are facing shrinking profit margins. Sometimes, that can create buying opportunities.

65,000 H-1B visas are granted annually, with another 20,000 reserved just for people who hold advanced degrees from US higher education institutions. Demand for the visa often exceeds the supply, triggering a lottery system.

The proposed rule would change the selection process so that all registrations — including those from people who are eligible for the advanced degree exemption — are applied to the regular cap of 65,000 first. After that, US Citizenship and Immigration Services would select from the remaining to fill the degree cap.

The agency says this new process could increase the number of H1-B holders who have advanced degrees by up to 16% — ensuring that "more of the best and brightest workers from around the world come to America" under the program, USCIS spokesman Michael Bars in a statement to CNN Business.

The proposal also includes plans to modernize the registration process by moving it online. That would cost the government nearly $280,000 to develop in the first year, and an estimated $200,000 in fees in each subsequent year.

USCIS says that part of the rule would decrease costs for applicants by cutting down on paperwork, making the process more efficient for the government.

"The cost signals that the new system will be complex and comprehensive," said immigration attorney Tahmina Watson of Watson Immigration Law.

She said she was concerned about whether the government is rushing to put out the new system before it is ready.

It's unclear whether the system would be ready in time for the spring, which is when H-1B registrations are due.

The public can weigh in on the proposed rule December 3, 2018 through January 2, 2019.

Thursday, November 29, 2018

Remarks by Secretary Mattis at an Awards Ceremony Honoring House Speaker Paul Ryan For His Public Service and Enduring Support of the U.S. Military


dod.defense.gov; see also

Image result for paul ryan secretary of defense mattis
image from
Excerpt:
STAFF: Good afternoon and welcome to today's ceremony in honor of House Speaker Paul Ryan. Please stand for the arrival of the official party. 
SECRETARY OF DEFENSE JAMES N. MATTIS: Wow, that was some (inaudible) -- hi, (inaudible). Please everyone, grab a seat, don't want to get too formal here, please. (Laughter.)
Good to see you all. Can I talk? You OK? STAFF: Absolutely. (Laughter.)
SEC. MATTIS: I don't want to mess with the protocol here, you know? And where's the members of the press? Let's see, you've got to fess up -- there you are, all right, it's good to have you here, thank you. But Speaker Ryan and flag officers and secretaries and members of the press – for a moment I'll say I like you, how's that? (Laughter,)
Actually, we have a great press team over here, Mr. Speaker, they're the pros of Washington D.C. But I want to thank all of you for making time as we've bid what we call, I think CNO, fair winds and following seas in the service to our Speaker of the House.
He's a tried and true public servant and we all know that. Coming in about just months before we got hit here at the Pentagon for 9/11 -- a powerful thinker, a policy architect and I would just say to the members of Congress who are here, we look at the -- the people on Capitol Hill as our board of directors, as our overseers, obviously as our funders and we look at it as a collaboration. ...
Through his outstanding leadership on Capitol Hill, Speaker Ryan provided service of exceptional significance to the American people and to our department. He was instrumental in passing the NDAA for Fiscal Year 2018, and the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019, and the necessary appropriations to increase defense spending.
Through personal and public diplomacy [JB emphasis], has been a staunch advocate for our indispensable NATO alliance. Recognizing its role in defending freedom and prosperity, Speaker Ryan advanced American leadership in the post-World War II international order. ...

Chinese Influence & American Interests: Promoting Constructive Vigilance


hoover.org

The Hoover Institution hosted "Chinese Influence & American Interests: Promoting Constructive Vigilance" on Thursday, November 29, 2018 from 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM EST; entry contains a video on the meeting
Written by a new working group report convened by The Hoover Institution at Stanford University, Asia Society's Center on U.S.-China Relations, and The Annenberg Foundation Trust at Sunnylands. 
Panel I:
Larry Diamond, Senior Fellow, Hoover Institution
Orville Schell, Director of the Center of US-China Relations, Asia Society
Elizabeth Economy, Senior Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations
Minxin Pei, Professor of Government, Claremont McKenna College 
Panel II:
Larry Diamond, Senior Fellow, Hoover Institution
Orville Schell, Director of the Center of US- China Relations, Asia Society
Winston Lord, former Ambassador to China
John Garnaut, Former Senior Adviser to Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull

On 11/29/18 a group of leading experts on China and American foreign policy released their report documenting Chinese efforts to influence American society and call for "constructive vigilance." 
The report, which examines China's efforts to influence American institutions, including state and local governments, universities, think tanks, media, corporations, and the Chinese-American community, differentiates between legitimate efforts, -like public diplomacy [JB emphasis], and improper interference, which demands greater awareness and a calibrated response.

South Korean Assembly Speaker underscores need for China, Japan and South Korea to build consensus


Li Aixin, Source: GlobalTimes Published: 2018/11/29 20:09:23

Moon Hee-sang, South Korean National Assembly Speaker Photo: Courtesy of The Charhar Institute

Editor's Note:

Amid thawing tensions on the Korean Peninsula and warming relations between Beijing and Seoul, the Fourth South Korea-China Peace Diplomacy Forum was held in the South Korean capital on November 21. It was co-hosted by Uijeongbu municipal government and the Charhar Institute. Earlier this week, South Korean National Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang (Moon) shared his views on the forum and future of Northeast Asia with Global Times reporter Li Aixin (GT)in a written interview.

GT: What do you expect from the series of South Korea-China Peace Diplomacy Forum?

Moon: South Korea and China are friends sharing Chinese characteristics, Confucian culture and the same destiny. They are neighbors that cannot be separated. As part of the Northeast Asian community with a shared future, the two sides should continuously strengthen cooperation, including joint research on the spirit of their national liberation movements.

In addition, intergovernmental collaboration, exchanges between local authorities and people of the two countries are also indispensable. The forum jointly organized by South Korea's Uijeongbu municipal government and China's Charhar Institute is thus of great significance.

Next year marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea. South Korea's National Assembly is preparing for the upcoming commemoration. The Provisional Government fought for the country's independence and laid the foundation for the legitimacy and democracy of the Republic of Korea. It is hoped that scholars from both China and South Korea can pay more attention to the historic significance of the 100th anniversary of the Provisional Government.

GT: In your view, how have exchanges between Chinese and South Korean think tanks over the years influenced the bilateral relationship?

Moon: Beijing and Seoul formally established diplomatic relations in 1992 and upgraded ties to strategic cooperative partnership in 2008. Nowadays, the bilateral relationship is on an upswing. The bilateral trade volume has surpassed $280 billion. The people-to-people exchanges have exceeded 10 million. Under the global value chain, the two sides have become each other's indispensable partners in the field of trade, investment, economic cooperation and cultural exchange.

Public diplomacy [JB emphasis] promotes China and South Korea's mutual understanding through soft-power activities in culture, education, arts, non-governmental exchanges, etc. It helps people from the two nations to adopt a more positive attitude toward each other. This kind of people-to-people exchanges consolidated the foundation of bilateral ties. Therefore, I believe the South Korea-China Peace Diplomacy Forum and other forms of communication have played a positive role in Seoul-Beijing relations both in the past and at present.

GT: International relations are currently full of uncertainties. How important is it for China, South Korea and Japan, the three major powers in Northeast Asia, to achieve greater consensus and jointly safeguard regional stability?

Moon: The world has gone through several peaceful eras during which it was led by Rome, Great Britain and the US respectively. Now, Asia's era has arrived. As the leading powers in the region, China, South Korea and Japan have the important task of narrowing down their differences, steer clear of controversies, and make concerted efforts to expand economic and trade investment, in order to enhance communication and interactions among the three in all fields.

The three nations established a Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat in Seoul in 2011, which has been promoting various forms of dialogue and cooperation among them. I think such efforts need to be expanded. The three are highly dependent on one another when it comes to human resources, market and manufacturing industry. Cooperation enjoys great potential for innovation and going global.

Competing with each other harboring a hostile intention or zero-sum mindset will benefit no one. Realizing win-win cooperation will not only serve the interests of the three nations but also provide a driving force to the Asia-Pacific region and even the entire globe. It will also promote a peaceful era centered on Asia.

AP Exclusive: Mormons support GOP, but Trump approval lags


tampabay.com

Image result for trump mormons
image (not from article) from

Excerpt:
About two-thirds of Mormon voters nationwide favored Republicans in the midterm elections, but President Donald Trump's approval rating among members of the faith lagged behind, according to a nationwide survey of midterm voters

WASHINGTON (AP) — About two-thirds of Mormon voters nationwide favored Republicans in the midterm elections, but President Donald Trump's approval rating among members of the faith lagged behind, according to a nationwide survey of midterm voters. ...

The new data reaffirms Trump's struggle to gain widespread acceptance among Mormons despite the faith's deep-rooted conservative leanings. ...

Among Mormon voters in Utah, 76 percent preferred Republican congressional candidates, but only 56 percent said they approved of Trump. ...

Trump has struggled since he was a presidential candidate to gain acceptance among Mormons and in Utah, where the mostly Mormon electorate has long been uncomfortable with his brash style and his comments about women and immigrants. ,,,

Members of the religion, which forbids its members from using alcohol or tobacco and teaches that gay marriage and homosexual relationships are a sin, place a high value on manners, amiability and public diplomacy [JB emphasis]. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a Utah-based faith that counts 6.6 million members in the United States. ...

McCombs reported from Salt Lake City.

China's Legacy in Sri Lanka's Civil War Gives It a Diplomatic Edge


Kadira Pethiyagoda, nationalinterest.org

China's Legacy in Sri Lanka's Civil War Gives It a Diplomatic Edge

Related image
image (not from article) from, under the title 
"Sri Lanka backs China port city deal after threat to cancel,"  lankapage.wordpress.com

Excerpt:
China, India, and the United States have all been accused of interfering in Sri Lanka during both the 2015 election and the recent turmoil. While these countries have denied it, what is likely is that China’s new-found confidence in its image is based in an increasing insight into Sri Lankan politics, an insight that helps Beijing capitalize on the current situation.

In particular, Beijing’s strategists may have come to appreciate the lingering trauma of the three-decade civil war in the minds of Sri Lankans of all ethnic groups. ...

The American and European positions during the war were viewed by large parts of the population as, at best, acquiescent to the separatist cause, and at worst, pursuing a clandestine divide-and-conquer agenda. In contrast, Beijing is seen as, at best, a much-needed great power ally that helped end the war and countervail Indian regional dominance, and at worst, a transactional partner who extracted payment for military support with high-interest loans for unprofitable projects. ...

American and European policymakers must adequately appreciate the legacy of their positions during Sri Lanka’s war. The lingering perception of the West’s interference in sovereign states, whether accurate or not, acts as a handicap when competing with Beijing in the public diplomacy [JB emphasis] arena. ...


White House: U.N. ambassador hunt drags on as top candidate fades


Gabby Orr and Eliana Johnson, politico.com; see also

United Nations Security Council is pictured
Two of the president's preferred candidates for the U.N. ambassadorship are out of the running. | Don Emmert/AFP/Getty Images

'It seems like this has been the position they could never quite find someone to fill,' said one Republican close to the White House.

Politico ambassador — a job for which State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert was once considered a lock but is now out of contention — has faced repeated delays and is running up against Nikki Haley’s end-of-year departure date.

Meanwhile, a raft of new candidates has emerged, but no one has grabbed the front-runner mantel, raising the possibility that President Donald Trump could tap someone at the 11th hour who has already been passed over. The White House Counsel’s office has not yet been asked to vet anyone for the role, further indicating the president may not have settled on a finalist.

“It seems like this has been the position they could never quite find someone to fill,” said a Republican close to the White House, who added that Trump has mostly struggled to find someone who shares his disruptive foreign policy impulses.

Already, two of Trump’s preferred candidates are out of the running. In addition to Nauert, former deputy national security adviser Dina Powell took herself out of consideration in October, shortly after Haley announced her intention to leave at the end of the year.

Trump is now looking at John James, the Michigan Republican who lost his bid to unseat Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow, for the position, according to three sources familiar with the deliberations. James met with Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and a handful of senior officials at the White House last week. A senior administration official said Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has also praised James, a fellow West Point graduate.

James has expressed interest in the job. “He makes an impression on everyone who meets him,” a White House official told POLITICO, noting that Trump, Pence and several senior staffers “are very fond of” the Iraq War veteran.

If James fades, Trump could return to Ric Grenell, the current U.S. ambassador to Germany, who was a name that emerged early on after Haley announced her resignation in October. But two sources inside the administration characterized Grenell as a default candidate who would only land the job if the president finds himself in “crisis mode.” Grenell spent seven years as the United States’ U.N. spokesman and was confirmed in April 2017 by a 56-42 Senate vote for his current post.

The ongoing lack of a U.N. pick comes after Trump raised expectations earlier this month that a selection was imminent. On the eve of the midterm elections, Trump told reporters he would tap Haley’s successor “before the end of the week.”

But the president has since struggled to land on a well-qualified and interested individual, cycling through numerous names since Haley announced her resignation, including Powell, Nauert, Grenell, James, U.S. Ambassador to Canada Kelly Knight Craft, U.S. Ambassador to France Jamie McCourt, U.S. Ambassador to NATO Kay Bailey Hutchison and former U.S. Ambassador to Hungary Nancy Brinker.

Trump has simultaneously grappled with the decision of whether to downgrade the U.N. ambassadorship from its current Cabinet rank, a move the White House is now expected to make at Pompeo’s request, in the hopes of streamlining the reporting structure.

“I would be shocked if they do” keep it as a Cabinet-level position, said a former White House official. For Pompeo, this person said, “this is the only chance to downgrade it where it looks like you really are higher in the hierarchy and they report to you.”

In early November, multiple sources hinted that Nauert had emerged as the candidate to beat for the job in Turtle Bay. “She’s under very serious consideration. She’s excellent,” Trump said during Nov. 1 remarks at the White House.

Despite concerns about her foreign policy credentials, people close to the president said Nauert fit the “central casting” metric Trump has so often used to guide his personnel decisions. Plus, they said, Nauert’s extensive experience in the broadcast world positioned her to be a useful surrogate to defend the Trump administration on television — similar to how Haley conducted herself in the role.

But Nauert rapidly slid down the list of candidates in recent weeks, according to multiple sources, including a senior administration official who said she is out of the running. Nauert’s opponents had cited her thin resume in the foreign policy arena, as well as a shortage of diplomatic skills, in objecting to her as a successor to Haley. Her lack of Senate confirmation also set her apart from several others candidates who currently hold Senate-confirmed posts.

The prolonged delay of Trump’s nomination comes as the long-running tensions between Russia and Ukraine have spilled over in recent days, with the Russian military seizing three Ukrainian navy ships off the coast of Crimea over the weekend. Both Pompeo and Haley expressed sharp disapproval this week over the incident, which Haley described as a “violation under international law” and “no way for a law-abiding civilized nation to act.”

Trump’s remarks about the confrontation, however, excluded any mention of Russia, illustrating the balancing act Haley’s successor will likely have to play as he or she navigates what has often appeared to be a disconnect between the president and others within his administration over Russia.

White House allies have said they aren’t too concerned about the absence of a U.N. personnel announcement.

“You’ve got to find the right person that can promote the president’s agenda with good substance. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with him taking some time,” said one former White House official.

Daniel Lippman contributed to this report.

Heather Nauert, Acting Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs & State Dept. Spokesperson hosted the annual International Women of Courage (IWOC) Awards honoring 10 extraordinary women from around the world. U.S. First Lady Melania Trump delivered special remarks at the ceremony. At the U.S. Dept. of State, on Friday, March 23, 2018.(Photo by Cheriss May/NurPhoto)
Nauert image from

[Murrow Center] Student Publications


sites.tufts.edu

The Edward R. Murrow Center for a Digital World
Excerpt:
Fletcher Students Explore The Digital World
The Murrow Center is pleased to highlight student work on the related issues of media, cyber, and public diplomacy [JB emphasis]. This body of research and activity forms a strong, integrated foundation for the Center’s work. The Murrow Center also recognizes those Fletcher students using the skills we teach to cover a broad base of issues in publications and other multimedia projects.

Realizing the Full Potential of International Day of the Girl Child


Kana Walsh, uscpublicdiplomacy.org, Nov 29, 2018; original article contains links

uncaptioned image from article

This October 11, people around the world again had the opportunity to celebrate the United Nation’s International Day of the Girl Child. This year’s theme was to prepare girls to enter a world of innovative and automated work. The purpose of this theme was to engage individuals and organizations to close the gender gap in STEM employment.

This year, a lot of famous women spoke out on gender equality. In the United States, Michelle Obama, Jennifer Hudson, Meghan Trainor and Kelly Clarkson celebrated the day with over 1,000 girls and women on national television. They shared a message of hope. That no matter who we are, we should be treated the same. Around the world, girls celebrated the day in many different ways. Some even took over the roles of important people for day.

Personally, I celebrated the day by shadowing an amazing woman at a major geospatial company. Through the shadowing experience, I was able to experience what she did to promote women in STEM and the impact of her work on her team. Unfortunately, other girls at my school did not get to have such experiences. And, almost no one at my school had even heard of the day until they read an article that I wrote about my experience, or saw a tweet about it.

To take advantage of this opportunity, public diplomacy [JB emphasis] officers need to create programs that create awareness of the event. And, they need to start creating those programs now.

If not many kids at my school knew about the International Day of the Girl Child, then I imagine that many kids at other schools don’t either.

In New Delhi, India, diplomatic missions are committed to promoting equal rights for girls and women and celebrating International Day of the Girl Child. Among the many sponsored activities are distribution of activity guides to schools, interaction with students at various academic institutions and even the organization of “Girls Takeovers.”

Plan India is a child rights organization concerned about children’s rights and equality for girls. Through this program, girls and women are able to interact with Ambassadors and High Commissioners. Afterwards, they can share their experiences with others and talk about girls’ empowerment at a large gathering.

Next year, we need a lot more people to celebrate the International Day of the Girl around the world. For this to happen, I think that we need to start creating more awareness about the event farther ahead of time.

At a local level, we need school principals to list the event on their school calendars, host assemblies on the day for students, put news of the event in their school newsletters, and encourage discussions about the year’s theme in classrooms. These actions will create more awareness for the event. And, that will hopefully get more people to celebrate the event next year.

The next International Day of the Girl therefore represents a great opportunity for embassies that are located in countries where girls have no chance of entering a world of innovative and automated work. To take advantage of this opportunity, public diplomacy officers need to create programs that create awareness of the event. And, they need to start creating those programs now.

Kana is a member of the Girl Scout Council of the National Capital and the British Girlguiding Overseas. She is also in the process of becoming a volunteer at the American Red Cross. This article is an extension of her Bronze Award Project for the Girl Scouts of the USA. That project was featured as part of the 2018 Higher Awards Ceremony, and it led to Girls Can Map. To view her open petition to the UN, click here.

To read her previous CPD Blog post, “Let Girls Map on International Day of the Girl Child,” click here.



CPD Blog Contributor

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