April 21

“DC Water Is Life.”

 --George Hawkins, head of DC Water, "the agency that many District residents still associate with leaded tap water, ineffectual fire hydrants and chronic water main breaks"; cited in Annys Shin, "DC Water chief turns on the public diplomacy to make tap hip again," Washington Post. Image from, with caption: DC Water’s general manager, George Hawkins, right, points out features of the Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant to a delegation from China. Via MA

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

International pressure on anti-gay laws in Africa must not stop - U.TV: "Hillary Clinton has said that the US is 'elevating our human rights dialogues with other governments and conducting public diplomacy to protect the rights of [LGBT people].'

Her state department has quietly funded and brought activists to the US so they can hone their skills, and moved to support LGBT [lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender] refugees – supporting major developments at the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees as well as funding inclusive programs." Image from

Ahmed Rashid on negotiating with the Taliban - CNN: "Intrepid Pakistani author and journalist Ahmed Rashid wrote an op-ed in the Financial Times describing the Obama administration's secret decision to ramp up talks with the Afghan Taliban, trying to find a negotiated solution to a decade-long conflict. In a follow-up phone call, Rashid said that the Obama administration ought to announce these talks publicly and pressure Afghanistan's neighbors to get behind them. ... So a major diplomatic lift is needed? Yes, absolutely.

We’re talking about a huge diplomatic effort, which the former U.S. Af-Pak Special Envoy, Richard Holbrooke, had started. It needs a very big push by the United States, NATO and the European countries. It needs some public diplomacy. Things need to be done and said in public so that people around the world can see that there is movement on this. As well, of course, a great deal of private diplomacy is needed such as dealing with this Iran-Saudi Arabia issue, bringing India and Pakistan together. A mixture of private and public diplomacy is needed. We might see some of that public diplomacy in July when President Obama marks the withdrawal of some U.S. troops from Afghanistan. The quicker the United States gets on with this, the better it is going to be. One of the big steps it should take in the public realm is admitting that the U.S. is having talks with the Taliban and set out a roadmap as to what the President would like to see. The quicker we see the administration doing this, the faster this process will move. Image, with caption: Ahmed Rashid in his office in Lahore.

U.S. State Department Reaches Out To The World Online – RFE/RL: “[T]he State Department's social-media initiative has burst onto the scene as YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter are being credited with helping organize and galvanize pro-democracy movements across not just the Arab world, but everywhere repressive regimes are in control. Clinton introduced the State Department's social-media push in a February 15 speech on Internet freedom, saying it would allow the Obama administration 'to have real-time, two-way conversations with people wherever there is a connection that governments do not block.' … Anyone who does decide to engage with the State Department online will be heard, even if they don't hear back, according to the

U.S. assistant secretary of state for democracy and human rights. Michael Posner tells RFE/RL that people should think of the State Department's social-media initiative as similar to a tip line. 'I wouldn't pretend to tell you that everybody who writes to the State Department gets an answer. I think our expectation is that we open up lines of communication [and] we get a lot of information that's useful. I don't respond to everybody who sends me an e-mail, but that doesn't mean the information is not being digested and integrated in our thinking, Posner says." Via WM

A Washington Urbino e le Marche conquistano gli Stati Uniti - marchenotizie.net: "Helene Cooper, corrispondente del New York Times alla Casa Bianca, è la vincitrice della sesta edizione del premio Urbino Press Award, assegnato ogni anno al giornalista americano distintosi per la 'capacità di raccontare il mondo che cambia'.  La decisione è stata annunciata dall’Ambasciatore d’Italia negli Stati Uniti, Giulio Terzi, nel corso di una cerimonia all’Ambasciata a Washington alla presenza dei principali esponenti del mondo dei media della capitale, di rappresentanti dell’Amministrazione e del Congresso USA. 'Oggi premiamo l’eccellenza nel giornalismo,

l’incessante ricerca della notizia, l’approfondimento e l’analisi dei fatti che fanno dell’informazione uno strumento di libertà e progresso,' ha detto l’Ambasciatore Terzi, che, nel richiamare il personale impegno del Ministro degli Esteri Franco Frattini nell’azione di public diplomacy, ha sottolineato come il premio a Helene Cooper costituisca un riconoscimento alla capacità dell’informazione 'di partecipare ai processi decisionali della politica internazionale'." Cooper image from article

Higher Education and Public Diplomacy - James Ketterer, Global Engagement: "Earlier this month the president of Cornell University, David Skorton, published an excellent essay in the Huffington Post on the role that higher education can – and should – play in public diplomacy . ... I have written about how higher education is often overlooked in current analyses of public diplomacy (the focus is often on communications and social media . ... Skorton

makes a compelling case to reverse that trend to include higher education." Image from article, with caption: Members of the 2009 Class from Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar

Official message to JET alumni from MOFA Japan - JET Programme Alumni Association USA and JETAANY: "More than one month has passed since the Great East Japan Earthquake has hit the nation. I extend my heartfelt sympathy to all the people who have suffered as a result of this disaster, both Japanese nationals and non-Japanese including JET Programme participants, and to their families. ... I understand that JETAA chapters across the United States of America are working for the earthquake relief efforts in Japan by means of a series events including 'JETAA USA Japan Earthquake Relief Fund'. I extend my heartfelt appreciation for such assistance from your organization. ... Naoki Murata Director-General Public Diplomacy Department Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan" On JET, see.

In Kenya, Xinhua soft-launches "first-ever mobile newspaper in sub-Saharan Africa" - Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on International Broadcasting: "Some people think that 'international broadcasting' must refer to radio or television, or audio or video on the internet. Text, however, is now available to international broadcasters, and may be a more effective and satisfactory way to send information. The introduction of this interesting

new medium does not guarantee success for Xinhua. The news must be of sufficient quality to maintain the attention of mobile users. And will the small screens of mobile devices be satisfactory for 'newspaper'type reading?" Image from

Russian commentator compares DoS [Department of State] attacks to Soviet-era shortwave jamming - Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on International Broadcasting

June 12 elections and Turkish foreign policy - İbrahim Kalin, Today's Zaman: "As Turkey prepares itself for national elections on June 12, political parties have begun announcing their elections promises. ... As was the case in the last two elections, AK Party election declaration has a sizeable section on foreign policy. Its slogan is 'Turkey as Leader.'  ... The new specifics goals include expanding high level strategic cooperation councils, lifting visas with more countries, full economic integration in Turkey’s adjacent regions, increasing Turkey’s presence in Africa and Asia, increasing aid as a donor country, opening new missions around the world, establishing a new Turkish World Council, hosting the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) Summit in 2014, hosting the Fourth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries, which will take place on May 9-13, 2011 in İstanbul, and running again for non-permanent membership at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) in 2015-16. New initiatives in public diplomacy have also been underlined."

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s Working Visit to Montenegro - isria.com: "Within the framework of the visit, a Memorandum on Cooperation between the Federal Archives Agency and the State Archives of Montenegro was signed, along with an Agreement on Cooperation between St. Petersburg State University and the University of Montenegro

and an Agreement of Intention between the Gorchakov Public Diplomacy Fund and the Bar Municipality on the Creation of a Russian-Montenegrin Center of Culture, Science, Education and Sport in the City of Bar." Image from

Exchange 2.0: Connected Youth: The Future of Peacebuilding and Problem Solving Webcast - usip.org: "You may participate in this event in two ways. You can register to attend the event, or you may watch the live webcast beginning at 9:00am EST on April 27, 2011 at www.usip.org/webcast. The orientation of U.S. public diplomacy is changing from telling America’s story to direct dialogue in an interconnected world. With this shift has come a need to revitalize a core pillar of public diplomacy strategy: international exchanges. Although traditional exchange programs have been effective in expanding access to cross-cultural educational opportunities beyond those that study-abroad programs reach, participation remains limited. Developing the next generation of Exchange 2.0 initiatives—that is, technology-enabled programs embedded in curricula and with a cross-cultural educational purpose—will improve the number, diversity, and experience of international exchange participants. Across 2009 and 2010, the United States Institute of Peace hosted a series of events entitled 'Media As Global Diplomat' that explored the changing orientation of public diplomacy and the importance of international cross-cultural exchange to public diplomacy. This event will explore how access to international study and cultural exchange could be broadened by combining new media with crosscultural dialogue. ... 9:30 a.m. Keynote Address Judith A. McHale, Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, U.S. Department of State ... 11:15 a.m. Next Generation International Exchanges ... J. Adam Ereli, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State."

Lloyd H Weston, CJN board member, to be panelist at annual convention of American Arab Journalists Association - Lloyd H Weston's Blog: "Another convention panel discussion will feature U.S. State Department official Phil Frayne, Director of the Office of Press and Public Diplomacy for the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs. He will join professional American Arab journalists

George Hishmeh and Ali Younes in an examination of the challenges facing American Arabs in the decade since the terrorism attacks of Sept. 11, 2001." Image from

Lunch with Ambassador Peter DeShazo - Tufts University: "April 20, 12:30 PM to 1:45 PM Location: Medford/Somerville Campus Cabot Intercultural Center Room 108b Description: The Diplomacy Club is hosting Ambassador Peter DeShazo for an informal lunchtime chat. Ambassador DeShazo, now executive director of Harvard's LASPAU (Academic and Professional Programs for the Americas), comes from an illustrious foreign service career, including positions as deputy assistant secretary of state for Western Hemisphere affairs, deputy U.S. permanent representative to the OAS, and director of the Office of Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs in the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs."

Public Diplomacy Specialist - findlatestjobs.com: "Description: Civilian employees serve a vital role in supporting the Army mission. They provide the skills that are not readily available in the military, but crucial to support military operations. The Army int… [no more content available] Agency/Subagency: Army Element Shape Location: Belgium-OA – Belgium Salary:

From $71,674.00 to $110,104.00 USD per year" Image from

RELATED ITEMS

Should we feed North Korea? Pyongyang wants food aid. We have a road map to ensure that it gets to those most in need - Dorothy Stuehmke,  - latimes.com:Through a properly monitored program, we have the power to preserve the lives of and engage diplomatically with an otherwise unreachable population in North Korea. As human beings and as Americans, we should not miss this opportunity. Dorothy Stuehmke, the senior advisor to the U.S.-North Korea 2008-09 food aid program for the U.S. Agency for International Development, served in the Office of Korean Affairs at the U.S. Department of State from 2006 to 2008. Image from article, with caption: A South Korean policeman looks at pictures showing starved North Korean children at a Human Rights exhibition for North Korea in Seoul, South Korea. U.N. officials believe that North Korea needs massive international food aid.

‘Three Cups of Tea,’ Spilled - Nicholas D. Kristoff, New York Times:  Greg Mortenson -- a former mountain climber who, after a failed effort to climb the world’s second-highest mountain, K2, began building schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan -- is accused of many offenses: misstating how he got started building schools; lying about a dramatic kidnapping; exaggerating how many schools he has built and operates; and using his charity, the Central Asia Institute, “as his personal A.T.M.” But he was right about the need for American outreach in the Muslim world. He was right that building schools tends to promote stability more than dropping bombs. He was right about the transformative power of education, especially girls’ education. He was right about the need to listen to local people — yes, over cup after cup after cup of tea — rather than just issue instructions.

Time to up the ante on Egypt - David Ignatius, Washington Post: There is no greater priority for U.S. counterterrorism policy than helping the Tahrir Square revolutionaries build a strong new country that can lead the rest of the Arab and Islamic world toward a better, saner future. Image from

Iraq has doubled its electricity capacity - By Jim Michaels, USA TODAY: Iraq has doubled its electricity capacity over prewar levels, making dramatic headway in a critical benchmark that had plagued U.S. leaders and frustrated Iraqis since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003. Iraq’s supply of electricity is 7,900 megawatts, about double the levels before the war, according to the U.S. Embassy in Iraq. Demand for electricity has increased 73% since 2005 to 15,300 megawatts, according to [US]embassy statistics.
Even with the increase, Iraq will fall short of what is needed because demand for power is skyrocketing at an even faster clip. Iraqis have access to computers, wide-screen televisions, air conditioners and other items that were in short supply when the country was under sanctions imposed by the United Nations.

The Best of Video Game Propaganda Posters - geekosystem.com: There’s been a resurgence in the trend of making old-timey propaganda posters for video games. Sometimes the end result is hilarious, sometimes the end result is extra creepy,

and sometimes the end result convinces you to die for a clown-faced villain, because we all know the world is going to end halfway through the game anyway. Whatever the result, head on past the break to see if you’re the type to be swayed by propaganda when it involves your favorite games displayed via video. Image from article

OUR MODERN WORLD

'Behold, 1959's groundbreaking Xerox 914, the first successful plain-paper photocopier, weighing in at 648 lbs, making a whopping 136 copies/hour. Much beloved for its propensity to burst into flame while operating, an occasion considered so normal by the manufacturer that they shipped it with a small fire-extinguisher, euphemistically called a 'scorch guard.'"

--Gary Doctorow, "Xerox's first successful copier burst into flame so often it came with a fire-extinguisher," Boing Boing