"Background in diplomacy (public or otherwise) ... would not be helpful."
--United States [Civilian] International Broadcasting (USIB) guru
Kim Andrew Elliott, on the qualifications needed for a new Director of the Broadcasting Board of Governors, which "
encompasses all U.S. civilian international broadcasting";
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CONFERENCE
ICD [Institute for Cultural Diplomacy] Updates and Call for Applications: International Conferences, February – March 2012
ANNOUNCEMENT
Opportunity for musicians from Egypt, Pakistan, Philippines, Tunisia, and USACultures in Harmony is happy to promote an exciting opportunity for musicians from 40 countries. The countries from that list where CiH has done projects are Egypt, Pakistan, Philippines, Tunisia, and USA.
OneBeat is an international music exchange that celebrates musical collaboration and social engagement through innovative people-to-people diplomacy.
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PUBLIC DIPLOMACY
The Public Diplomacy of Drones - Matt Armstrong, MountainRunner: "
Public diplomacy and strategic communication must be on the take-offs of drones, not just the landings, crash landings
or otherwise."
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Are Europe's Muslims America's problem? "Soft power" programmes in the US that reach out to European Muslims have drawn ire from EU governments - Hishaam Aidi, aljazeera.com: "For several years now, the State Department has been quietly trying to introduce its ideas around race, multiculturalism and affirmative action into European policy and activist circles, aiming to alter the discourse on Islam in Europe - and in some cases, actively trying to help 'integrate' European Muslims. The WikiLeaks cables that probably stirred the most anger in European capitals were those where US diplomats castigated allies - France, Britain, Holland - for mistreating their Muslim minorities, and not doing enough to battle domestic extremism. ... US diplomats expected resistance to these
public diplomacy initiatives from the French establishment. 'While direct development assistance from USG is not likely to be available for France,' notes one [leaked] cable, requesting the availability of funds 'to address the consequences of discrimination and minority exclusion in France' - stressing that, given France's official discourse and self-image, 'such an effort will continue to require considerable discretion, sensitivity and tact on our part'. ... Perhaps the greatest irony of the State Department's efforts to showcase the model integration of US Muslims, and to deploy the images and ideas of the civil rights movement in Europe, is that these efforts have been occurring against a backdrop of unfavourable media images of Quran burnings, anti-mosque rallies and accusatory Congressional hearings." Via JR on twitter.
Samsonite Man: A Look At Hip Hop's Diplomatic Affairs - Alex Dweezy Dwyer, hiphopdx.com: "By leveraging America’s abundance of soft-power (i.e. culture and the arts) the Government attempts to explore ways to find common ground with other countries through its citizenry. These Cultural Ambassadors spend ten days to six weeks abroad representing the U.S. as filmmakers, dancers, choreographers and musicians. Prior to 2000, Hip-Hop’s quarter century of history and bursting-at-the-seams popularity hadn’t legitimized itself enough for Uncle Sam’s use. ... Tactically, the focus of both ambassador programs mirrors an obvious effort to open a dialogue, even if it’s just a cultural one, with countries where ideologies collide. The bulk of the U.S. Government’s diplomacy energy is unleashed where it’s needed. That means in countries and areas that are unfriendly towards the United States.
Cultural, or public, diplomacy’s main purpose is long term, despite everyone wanting results yesterday. Jazz remains a music in the State Department lineup. Today, diplomacy efforts are often tasked with preemptively culturing potential terrorist threats to death. There’s a general haze of discouragement from many in the media about the effectiveness any Cultural Ambassador efforts have on relations with nations participating directly or indirectly to our foes in the 'War on Terror.' ... Secretary of State, Hil[l]ary Clinton famously exclaimed that Hip-Hop could 'absolutely' be a diplomatic 'chess piece.' ... Hip Hop is still America’s mirror. Maybe that has something to do with why the country’s not particularly flattered by what it sees. Things are fouled up, realness will be kept. The U.S. Government, using a small sampling of a certain segment of Hip Hop artists in an effort to do good in the world, should be embraced by the Hip Hop community. ... Above all else, it [hip hop] should receive the same respect and treatment as other cultural diplomacy initiatives, especially if we are going to measure their success against each other. It’s earned that much."
Toni Blackman image from article, with comment in text:
[A] Hip Hop Diplomat for more than a decade, most of the time, backed by the U.S. Government dollars. ... Most of us don’t know who Blackman is. The general Hip Hop consumer wouldn’t. She’s an unsung hero of the culture. She doesn’t require widespread recognition as an artist in order to be effective on the ground. She has a bigger picture in mind. She’s trying to build something. This in-progress report is exactly what America needs in a world that frequently doubts it’s sincerity.
In Defense of Hip-Hop Diplomacy - ivmedia, aproudpeople.com: "At a discussion after a Washington, D.C., screening of a new documentary on global hip-hop, The Furious Force of Rhymes, the audience was elated that the film showed Brooklyn, N.Y.-based emcee Toni Blackman performing in Kenya. But someone lamented that the U.S. State Department had sponsored her trip. An article at the webzine AlterNet similarly blasted the State Department for including hip-hop in its cultural-diplomacy efforts: 'Clearly, rank
hypocrisy is embedded in the program: the true rap voices of American youth have long been maligned by the government — and if the government expended more effort helping the blighted and impoverished black communities most of it comes from, it wouldn’t be so reviled … ' The writer added that it was 'absurd' that the State Department would support a genre that had been targeted by New York City police. [H]earing these kinds of arguments, in 2012, really makes my head itch. I love it when these folks speak out on behalf of the poor Negro masses that 'revile' the government. I, too, wake up screaming with nightmares of Hillary Clinton and a New York City beat cop alone in a room, plotting world domination via two turntables and a mike. ... A better question to ask today is, what has really changed since Harlem Rep. Adam Clayton Powell Jr. urged the State Department to set up the jazz tours as part of its cultural-diplomacy efforts during the Cold War? In her wonderful book
Satchmo Blows Up the World: Jazz Ambassadors Play the Cold War, historian Penny Von Eschen presented the paradox of sending black musicians abroad to show the world how to counter totalitarianism when Jim Crow was still raging back home."
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Simone Jacobson: How to Lower Your Standards - theangleshow.com: "American gypsy who recently earned her Master of Arts in Arts Management at American University, she [Jacobson] is also the managing editor for Words. Beats. Life: The Global Journal of Hip-Hop Culture and the curator-in-residence at Busboys and Poets. Her Master’s thesis, 'America’s Cultural Illiteracy: Is Hip-Hop the Best Tutor?' addressed U.S. and global hip-hop
history and culture, cultural diplomacy and the overlap of the two: hip-hop diplomacy. In 2010, she led a group of eight international hip-hop dancers on a four-city U.S. tour (sponsored by the U.S. Department of State) and choreographed and directed their final performance at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts."
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Hiplomacy cont. - Paul Rockower, Levantine: A while back, a young conservative wrote in the National Review questioning whether
hip hop should be used for cultural diplomacy.
I found his criticism to be shortsighted and culturally relativistic. Later, Alternet had another piece calling the use of
hip hop as cultural diplomacy to be hypocrisy. Fast forward a few months, and there are a few articles pushing back and pointing out the positive side of hiplomacy, the use of hip hop as cultural diplomacy. -
The Root offers an eloquent defense of hip hop diplomacy with some context of cultural diplomacy, with a look at the Jazz Ambassadors and concludes that Hip Hop is a logical progression for cultural diplomacy.-
HipHopDX has the first of a four-part series on Hip Hop Diplomacy."
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MORE ON CULTURAL DIPLOMACY BELOW
Friendship, Diplomacy Celebrated For Centennial Cherry Blossom Festival - "The Ambassador of Japan hosted a kick-off celebration for the upcoming Centennial Cherry Blossom Festival. The 2012 year marks the 100th year when Cherry Blossom trees were given as a gift from Japan to President Taft and his wife, First Lady Helen Taft. ... Ambassador Fujisaki and his wife greeted a mix of Washingtonians, diplomats and Japanese dignitaries including Ambassador Hiroyasu Ando, President of the Japan Foundation. The Centennial celebration has been in the planning for two years, according to
Diana Mayhew, the President of the National Cherry Blossom Festival. The cherry blossom trees have become a symbol of friendship and diplomacy between the U.S. and Japan. The friendship has solidified further after the Great East Japan Earthquake last year, according to Ann Stock, the Under Secretary of
Public Diplomacy at the U.S. State Department."
Image from article, with caption: Ambassador of Japan to the U.S. and Ann Stock of the U.S. State Department
Muralismo - Paul Rockower, Levantine: "On a winter-turned-spring day, I ducked out of my house-turned-office and over to the Mexican Embassy-turned-Mexican Cultural Institute. ... I was welcomed into the ornate edifice with a stunning mural that wound up the floors. I wandered in and out of the floors, through mahogany libraries that smelled of old world dust and a giant azulejo concert hall whose blue and white burned radiant in the afternoon light. The rooms oozed old Mexican colonial charm, and I was charmed. ... [T]he one panel that really caught my eye featured North and South America embracing, with leaders like Washington, Bolivar, San Martin, Marti, Lincoln and Juarez all looking on.
The mural was painted in mid-1930s and is a reminder of FDR's Good Neighbor Policy and
public diplomacy efforts to communicate to Latin America that the US wouldn't meddle in their affairs. [Comment by John Brown:] "I had the pleasure of taking students in one of my Georgetown University classes to the Mexican Cultural Institute. They were charmed/impressed, as was I: (a) No third-degree security 'inspection' as we entered the building (b) the splendor of the building itself (c) a great briefing by the Institute's director and the Mexican Cultural Affairs Officer (d) a willingness on the part of these officials (who spoke splendid English) to take students' questions seriously. As we left the building I could not help but remember the old phrase, 'Como Mexico No Hay Dos.'"
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Looking for Part-Time Work? The Chairman of the Broadcasting Board of Governors just opened up - Matt Armstrong, MountainRunner: "The Chairman of the Broadcasting Board of Governors, Walter Isaacson, is resigning his position at the BBG. Walter’s decision has surprised many. He was a well-respected leader of the BBG, a prolific author (most recently of the Steve Jobs biography, but also biographies of Einstein and Benjamin Franklin) and tremendously busy person (he continues to be president and CEO of the Aspen Institute). The Chairmanship of the BBG is, like the other board members, a part-time job.
Five of the eight Governors are serving beyond the expiration of their term (they serve until replaced). Walter’s term expires later this year. In his letter announcing his resignation, Walter wrote that he is taking on another big writing project and 'won’t be able to give the BBG the time it needs and deserves.' ... Clearly the BBG is neglected, both by the White House, regardless of who is in it, and the Congress, who has failed to demand or push forward nominees. ... [M]ore is required: either refresh the BBG as intended or change some or all to full-time positions. America’s international broadcasting is too important to U.S. interests and to the lives of people abroad to be neglected as it has been." Includes several comments, including by anchorJohn: "Come on, Matt…you are far too kind to the BBG, and to Walter Isaacson, who was largely an absentee. Most employees never met him (same is true for other board members when it comes to 'connecting' with rank and file). While he was off putting finishing touches to his Steve Jobs biography, morale at 330 Independence Avenue (admittedly never good) and elsewhere in the BBG structure, plummeted. That’s the dirty little secret that news organizations who covered his book launch never covered."
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Breaking news: Walter Isaacson stepping down as Broadcasting Board of Governors Chairman - BBGWatcher, usgbroadcasts.com: "BBG Watch, the independent BBG employee website, is reporting that the Broadcasting Board of Governors Chairman Walter Isaacson is stepping down from his BBG position. According to Isaacson’s email to his senior staff, he informed the White House about his decision and said that he is involved in a new writing project. Isaacson is the author of a highly popular biography of Steve Jobs. While under Isaacson’s leadership, the Broadcasting Board of Governors has been criticized for proposing to end Voice of America radio and television broadcasts to China. The BBG executive staff was said to be responsible for this proposal which was subsequently blocked by both Democrats and Republicans in Congress. ... BBG Watch has heard unconfirmed rumors that the International Broadcasting Bureau (IBB) Director Richard Lobo
is being considered as Isaacson’s replacement. Lobo was appointed to his current position by President Obama. IBB is part of the BBG structure. If Lobo is nominated and confirmed as a new BBG chairman, he would have to give up his position as IBB director, but none of this information has been confirmed, BBG Watch sources caution."
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Former Voice of America editor argues against privatization of U.S. international broadcasts - Vello Ederma, usgbroadcasts.com: "US international broadcasting should not be totally government or totally private.
To turn it into an international CNN is a total waste of taxpayer’s money and give private companies a chance to force their commercial/political views on international broadcasting. Especially, it should not be private while using taxpayer’s money. ... As for BBG, it should be abolished. ... US int. broadcasting should be 'in the national interest,' not in the interest of CNN, Fox, ABC or whatever. And yes, to say positive things occasionally about America is not propaganda, considering that news is made by the negative."
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Will the new BBG chairman be a hack or a flack? - Kim Andrew Elliott Reporting on International Broadcasting: "I would not call the USIB [US International Broadcasting] upper management 'thin.' There's is an abundance of upper management, given that each entity has an upper management.
If the planned consolidation preserves the multiple brands of USIB, there will continue to be multiple front offices. The new chairman of the BBG must be committed to true consolidation. Only when USIB ceases to be a dysfunctional confederacy of feudal entities can it begin to rise to its goal of becoming 'the world's leading international news agency.' The new chairman should also be distinguished by journalistic hackery rather than political flackery. If not a distiguished journalist, he or she should be a distiguished broadcasting professional. Background in diplomacy (public or otherwise), public relations, or political consultancy, would not be helpful. USIB will succeed if it provides the objective information that allows people in the audience to make up their own minds. It will fail if it manipulates content in an attempt to manipulate global public opinion, even if such manipulation is 'in support of freedom and democracy.'"
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Death of VOA reporter in Pakistan shows "fatal attraction ... of American-sponsored journalism," he [Momin Iftikhar of The Nation (Lahore)] writes - Kim Andrew Elliott Reporting on International Broadcasting.
See also.
International broadcasters call for end to Iranian satellite jamming. But Iran claims its TV is jammed by UK - Kim Andrew Elliott Reporting on International Broadcasting
In Florida primary, Newt Gingrich touts his support for Radio Martí. And Sean Hannity wants to be his VOA director - Kim Andrew Elliott Reporting on International Broadcasting
Musician Chucho Valdés, who still lives in Cuba, credits past shortwave listening to VOA Jazz Hours - Kim Andrew Elliott Reporting on International Broadcasting.
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Vol. VIII No. 2, January 13-January 26, 2012 - The Layalina Review on
Public Diplomacy and Arab Media
Social Media Cell to be strengthened: Firdous - thefrontierpost.com: "[Pakistan'] Minister for Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan on Friday said that all available resources would be utilized for capacity building of press officers posted abroad for effectively projecting true image of the country. She said the Social Media Cell functioning at the Press Information Department
would be further strengthened, making it a vibrant mode of communication with the press attaches and officers performing their duties in different countries. The minister was addressing the concluding session of a three-day Consultative Conference on Press Officers organized by External Publicity Wing of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting here. ... The conference underscored the importance of training and capacity building of personnel of the ministry for which it will arrange foreign language and capacity building courses on
public diplomacy and public relations.It was recommended that the External Publicity Wing and the Press Sections abroad be restructured according to modern day needs. ... The press officers expressed their gratitude to the Prime Minister for his advice and guidance for effectively projecting and promoting Pakistan’s policies abroad.To a question, she said, all appointments of press officers have been made on merit. 'We have selected best officers for foreign posting from the available lot.'”
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A ‘wander-ful’ service for travellers - Tan Sri Mohd and Radzi Abd Rahman, Malaysia Star: "Although many Malaysians abroad do not see the need to contact the embassy unless they are in trouble, the Foreign Ministry’s consular service is always ready to help. ... As a significant contributor to
public diplomacy, the consular office assumes an important role in current-day diplomacy but when Malaysians work in tandem with them, the end-product benefits not only themselves but also their country – and not all those who wander are lost (J.R.R. Tolkien)."
Justice Katju, Salman Rushdie and the Jaipur Lit Fest - Madhurjya Kotoky, publicdiplomacyblog.com: "'Jaipur Lit Fest' (JLF) as it is popularly
called has become a platform for India'
public diplomacy and cultural diplomacy initiatives in the recent times. However, Justice Katju observed that during the festival, 'there was not enough serious discussion about indigenous literature at the festival, naming Kabir, Premchand, Sharat Chandra, Ghalib and Faiz as writers whose works could have been discussed.'"
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Cfa materials – the development of international education content-type - zuoshar.com: "University of Foreign Economic and commercial area located in the sunny capital of Beijing, adjacent to the Bird's Nest, Water Cube, the campus planning exquisite, elegant case, is the teaching part of the state key university directly under the world, land of the '211 Project' key construction of the first universities, the country teaching part of the country and build a business part of the university, is the cause of China's socialist economic construction and scientific research, personnel training, an important base. ... Hong care consists of a six colleges, and a graduate department, sports department, the ideological and political theory teaching and research department . ... [including] the international political (
public diplomacy direction)."
Image (from the film,
Lost in Translation)
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9 percent year-on-ye jo - friendcrew.com: "Media spotlight was likewise actors aboard a potential free commerce approval among the two Asian economic powerhouses because Lee plus Hu agreed apt work towards launching negotiations about to The up-to-the-minute newspaper plus messages these embassies post show is the little blog has chanced the media of option for emigrant diplomatic agencies apt conduct
public diplomacy the embassies of Thailand and France attempt language courses."
The Role of the USIA in Implementing America’s Policy towards the Soviet Union: A Case Study of the Cuban Missile Crisis - "Wilson Center ECNU Scholar Zhao Jike will present a work-in-progress presentation entitled The Role of the USIA in Implementing America’s Policy towards the Soviet Union: A Case Study of the Cuban Missile Crisis which examines the role of the USIA in implementing U.S. policy toward the Soviet Union during the Cuban Missile Crisis. In an unprecedented communications effort, the USIA reached out to an overseas audience in the hundreds of millions with news, background, features and commentaries, documenting the American position on the secret Soviet buildup in Cuba. Because of its effective performance, the USIA won praises from both the White House and the Congress and its funding increased markedly in the next few years. Zhao Jike is a Ph.D. candidate at Northeast Normal University in Changchun, China. Though his Ph.D. will be in history, his undergraduate background in journalism has informed his thinking about the Cold War as a cultural phenomenon. Prior to beginning his Ph.D. program, Zhao earned his M.A. degree with a thesis on US intelligence estimates and decision-making surrounding Israel’s nuclear program. Joing Zhao on the panel is Yafeng Xia, Wilson Center fellow and associate professor at Long Island University." Via LBJ
Public Relations of the Cold War - "Veranstalter: Centre for Research in the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities (CRASSH), Cambridge University Datum, Ort: 1.12.2011-03.12.2011, Cambridge [.] ... As an overarching theme of the period between 1945 and 1989, the Cold War still attracts scholars who study the ideological conflict from various angles. One aspect that has increasingly received attention in recent years is the way the Cold War functioned as a background for international activities in the field of culture and communication. Looking at cultural diplomacy,
public diplomacy and international propaganda campaigns thus provides new insights into developments that emerged in the context of the Cold War but often still influence today's world. What has received less attention, however, was how Cold War policies were 'sold' to national constituencies. The conference 'Public Relations of the Cold War', held at the Centre for Research in the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities (CRASSH)
at Cambridge University and convened by Hannah Higgin, Mark Miller, Martin Albers and Chen Zhong Zhong, had the aim to look at this process of how Cold War policies were communicated to the home front."
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UN Dispatch at NATO - Una Moore: "I’m in Brussels with eight other security bloggers for two days of briefings at NATO Headquarters followed
by defense ministers meeting on February 2 and 3. ... Here’s my agenda for Monday and Tuesday: ... 09:45 Briefing on NATO’s New Strategic Concept by Ms. Allison Hart, NATO Countries Section,
Public Diplomacy Division ... 12:30 Working lunch hosted by Dr. Stefanie Babst, Deputy Assistant Secretary General,
Public Diplomacy Division[.]"
Blogger's image from her blog.
Le bonheur de vivre - Mr. Brown Goes Around: "I am living with a roommate here in Honolulu for the semester, until I return to Asia in late May. ... At six, my friend Bob, the former United States' cultural attaché to India, picked me up and we walked around Diamond Head, the landmark volcano crater that thrusts itself into the Pacific, pausing to watch the sunrise over the vast expanse of the limitless ocean. When our walk recommenced, so did our conversation, dancing over the influence of various classical schools of Islamic law on what was happening in the world today to the travesty of justice and monument to incompetence the Khmer Rouge trials have devolved into. Normally our friend Demeris accompanies us on these morning walks. She was in charge of public diplomacy for the United States Embassy in Phnom Pehn previously (she did not join us today as she is helping coordinate the Fulbright program in Indonesia on a short-term assignment)--I am sure she could have added much to that last conversation."
CULTURAL DIPLOMACY
Panda Diplomacy - Mary Pan [My home: Guangxi University commune], yearofchina.globalconversation.org: "You can't have a conversation about China without talking about pandas! I
asked a senior Chinese military official two years ago whether or not China funds any
cultural diplomacy efforts besides lending out panda bears to zoos. His answer was unfortunately no. I had asked a senior American diplomat (and Brown grad) whether or not America funds any
cultural diplomacy efforts. His answer was that American culture proliferates itself. I leave you to draw your own conclusions. But I think the two countries have much in common on that aspect of foreign policy."
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Meridian International Center and The Embassy of the People's Republic of China Celebrate the Year of the Dragon at the 2nd Annual Chinese Lunar New Year Celebration - gov.ulitzer.com: On Thursday, January 19th, Meridian International Center and the Embassy of the People's Republic of China co-hosted the 2nd annual Chinese Lunar New Year reception, celebrating the beginning of the Year of the Dragon at Meridian House. Chinese lanterns and other traditional New Year decorations transformed the historic French-style home. Over 400 guests attended, including high-ranking diplomats from the Chinese Embassy, officials from the U.S. Department of State, D.C. cultural leaders, local and international media, scholars, and corporate representatives. In honor of this occasion, Meridian's
Art for Cultural Diplomacy program organized a special art exhibition:
A Zhuxianzhen Tradition: New Year Woodblock Prints from Kaifeng. The exhibit included 20 traditional nianhua prints from Henan Province, illustrating auspicious symbols from Chinese folklore – the seventh in a series of exhibits created over the last decade by Meridian with Chinese partners."
Nickelodeon celebrates culture with rare films - Tyler Simpson, The Gamecock: "Though the Nickelodeon Theatre is far from China, Columbia's non-profit cinema will ring in the Chinese New Year by showcasing classic and contemporary Chinese films during its annual Chinese Film Festival for two weeks. The Nickelodeon has partnered with the University of South Carolina's Confucius Institute (CI) and the Moving Image Research Collections (MIRC) for its third annual Chinese Film Festival, which will make four classic Chinese movies available to Columbia audiences. ... USC
is the first university in South Carolina to establish a Confucius Institute. CI began in November 2008 in collaboration with the Beijing Language and Culture University and the Office of Chinese Language Council International, which is a division of the Chinese Ministry of Education. The Chinese Film Collection is a major commission of USC's Confucius Institute. Its films are particularly valuable because they document
cultural diplomacy, representing what officials of the People's Republic of China wanted the U.S. to see and know about China after formal diplomatic relations were established in 1979."
Image from, with caption: Ladies and gentlemen, your University of South Carolina Gamecocks
Experience Dutch Culture with Three Month Distinctively Dutch Festival - dreamweavermarketingassociates.blogspot.com: The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, a nonprofit arts and economic development organization at the center of Downtown Pittsburgh’s revival, will host an array of U.S. and world premieres as part of an interdisciplinary arts festival: The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust’s Distinctively Dutch Festival.
Celebrating the culture and contemporary performing and visual arts from the Netherlands, the three-month festival will feature dance, theater, music, visual art, film, literature and architecture. Events will be held February 18-May 20, 2012, throughout Pittsburgh’s Cultural District, as well as at select venues . ... Dutch Ambassador to the U.S. Renée Jones-Bos said, '... The festival is an example of how
cultural diplomacy can create lasting economic, political, academic and artistic ties between the Netherlands and Pittsburgh.'"
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Korea: The Pivot in Latin America - Sarah K. Yun, blog.keia.org: "Until the 1990s, Korea had little economic, political, or cultural ties with Latin America. Since then, relations between Korea and Latin America have improved significantly. On the other hand, the relations have not been developed in a comprehensive multi-dimensional manner. ... In an environment where Korea
is just beginning to establish partnerships in the region, ODA [Korea’s official development aid] and other cooperative programs can be used as an avenue to increase awareness and presence of Korea in Latin America. In other words, Korea’s engagement via soft power and
cultural diplomacy can create a multi-faceted and dynamic bilateral relationship. Consequently, Korea can create opportunities to capture the attention of Latin American governments and businesses. ... In order to build a stronger foundation and synergy, the next step should be for both regions to engage in developmental projects and
cultural diplomacy, as well as improve the existing architecture of trade and transactions. A balanced and multi-faceted economic, political and cultural strategy could lead to a successful and comprehensive relationship between Korea and Latin America."
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‘Authenticity comes from the roots’ - Anupama Ramakrishnan, deccanherald.com: "Indian Ambassador to Bhutan, Pavan K Varmae extends his playing field into fiction, after a string of acclaimed non-fictional works. ... He minces no words when he talks about
cultural diplomacy.
'Culturally, we are a superpower. Therefore, we need to leverage this soft power as a significant tool of diplomacy. I have always tried to and have done it.' His next work, he says, would be a major work of non-fiction though he doesn’t rule out another fiction."
Varmae image from article
KOCIS to set up Korean cultural centers in developing countries - Lee Kyung-min, koreaittimes.com: "Korean Culture and Information Service (KOCIS) plans to establish Korean cultural centers in developing countries this year, including those in Latin America, the Middle East and Africa, a top official of the KOCIS said. 'To create new foreign demands for the Korean culture, we will set up Korean cultural centers in developing countries, which have great demands for 'hallyu (Korean wave),' said Seo Kang-soo, director of KOCIS. ... Noting that many countries in the world are striving to strengthen their soft power through culture, Director Seo
said, 'KOCIS will also exert all-out efforts to enhance the national image through a variety of Korean culture.' Commenting that Korea's national image index is still undervalued, he said, "We will go all-out to upgrade the national brand by strengthening an image as a cultural country."
Image from article, with caption: Seo Kang-soo, the director and assistant minister of KOCIS. Via CB on twitter
South Korea to assist Nigeria in the area of manpower development, through the award of scholarships to Nigerian students who may wish to study in Korea - Xinhua, posted at coastweek.com: "Suh Jeong Sun, director of the South Korean Cultural Center in Nigeria, said on Wednesday in Abuja that the country planned to commence a cultural exchange program with Nigeria. The director, who spoke in an interview with reporters during the celebration of Lunar New Year, said the program would begin this year. ... South Korea has cultural centers in 16 countries in the world, while Nigeria is the first African country to benefit from the exchange program. Via CB on twitter
Hajj: Journey to the Heart of Islam [exhibition] British Museum, London -– review - Tim Adams, guardian.co.uk: The hajj – the once-in-a-lifetime pilgrimage of Muslims to Mecca – is very much a growth industry. In 1932, 20,000 pilgrims made the symbolic journey, the fifth pillar of Islamic obligation. This year the faithful will number more than three million (officials from the London Olympics have consulted with the Saudi authorities to see how they manage the annual miracle of traffic flow). One of the striking aspects of this eye-opening exhibition at the British Museum – the first British show devoted to what remains a mysterious journey among non-believers – is the way that the yearly mass migration invokes profound abstract geometries. ... Though an intimate part of the lives of many modern Britons, the pilgrimage remains in many senses a guarded world, which makes the treasures and curiosities collected here – many borrowed from Riyadh and beyond – a unique kind of insight.
Neil MacGregor and his team at the British Museum, including Venetia Porter, curator of this exhibition, have, for a decade now, been on an impassioned quest themselves to shed light on some of the more misunderstood history and rituals of the contemporary world and to find the shared humanity in them. Once again, it is worth commending these boundless efforts at
cultural diplomacy, and sheer determined curiosity, that allow us all to enjoy the detail and scope of a story that is to many a closed book."
Image from article, with caption: Road to Makkah, 2011 (detail) by Abdulnasser Gharem at the British Museum: ‘The exhibition reminds you at every turn that no other religion has quite the geographical pull of Islam.’
The Pleasures and Power of Art – EPOS 2012 - Ayelet Dekel, midnighteast.com: "There’s much to for the cultural epicure to savor at the
EPOS International Art Film Festival, the tempting feast includes features and documentaries on art, theatre, dance, literature, music and film. ... The strength of
Dave Brubeck – In His Own Sweet Way is aptly expressed by the film’s title: the film reveals and revels in the music and the man, a pleasure and inspiration. The film is a tribute of one artist to another; Clint Eastwood initiated this project after hearing Brubeck’s Cannery Row Suite in 2006. Directed by Bruce Ricker, this film makes the excellent choice of
allowing Brubeck to tell his own tale, in words and music, with music happily dominating. One not only understands, but experience’s Brubeck’s contribution to jazz. It is a heady, delightful experience. The film also revives a somewhat forgotten chapter of
cultural diplomacy: Brubeck, along with Louis Armstrong, Dizzie Gillespie, Benny Goodman, Duke Ellington and others, were cultural ambassadors, travelling to different countries to share American music and culture during the Cold War. Listening to the influence of these travels in Brubeck’s music, reveals the ways in which these encounters develop in new and unexpected directions. On a mission to spread American cultures and values, these musicians were also opening up to the world, musically, culturally and politically: a mutual learning experience sowing the seeds for world music and cultural dialogue. As Brubeck says in an interview with Walter Cronkite after his tour: 'Maybe the thing that binds humanity together is the heartbeat. Rhythm is an international language, not harmony or melody.' "
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see also.
BOLDtalks™/ 2012 Brings to Dubai a Line-up of Global Speakers Not to Missed, posted by Samer Marzouq - jazarah.net: "BOLDtalks™/, the flagship UAE event from the creators of intellectual entertainment, today unveiled the line-up of speakers for its 2012 edition. Taking place at the Dubai Community Theatre and Arts Center on 25th February 2012, this year’s BOLDtalks promises to inspire, inform, even challenge the way we think about some of today’s most debated issues. ... BOLDtalks™/ 2012 will also welcome Professor Cynthia P. Schneider, distinguished teacher, publisher and organiser of initiatives in the field of
cultural diplomacy, with a focus on Muslim relations. Among her many projects is the Muslims on Screen and Television Initiative (MOST), which Schneider co-directs, providing valuable resources and accurate information on Islam for the U.S. entertainment community."
For Prof. Robertson Work, global impact slated for 2012 - wagner.nyu.edu: "The coming year will see Robertson Work, adjunct associate professor of public administration at NYU Wagner, provide a variety of services in diverse settings around the world. In February, Work will make a keynote presentation on
the role of culture in global governance at the International Conference on
Cultural Diplomacy and the United Nations, held at UN headquarters. In March, he joins the Fulbright Public Policy Fellowships National Committee to help select fellowship recipients."
Work image from article
RELATED ITEMS
Obama Buttresses Case for U.S. Resilience With Book From Unlikely Source - mark Landler, New York Times: When Senator Barack Obama was photographed clutching a copy of “The Post-American World” as he left his campaign plane during the Democratic primaries in May 2008, some critics viewed it as a telling sign that he embraced a view of the United States as a waning world power. Now, as he runs for re-election, President Obama has latched on to a new foreign policy book, which offers a more appealing narrative for a leader facing fresh charges — this time from Mitt Romney and the other Republican candidates — that he is leading the United States into its twilight of global influence.
The book, “The World America Made,” makes the case that the nation’s decline is a myth, a reaction to the financial crisis of 2008 rather than to any genuine geopolitical shifts. In a delicious coincidence for the White House, the author is Robert Kagan, a neoconservative historian and commentator who advises Mr. Romney. The president has brandished Mr. Kagan’s analysis in arguing that the nation’s power has waxed rather than waned. Via WC.
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State Dept Ducks Oversight on Iraq Reconstruction Projects - Peter Van Buren, We Meant Well: The Washington Post has an important article online and in print criticizing the World’s Most Expensive Embassy (c) for choosing to not provide a complete list of all the projects undertaken as part of the reconstruction of Iraq. “After eight years, we still don’t have a full account of what it was we provided the Iraqis,” Stuart W. Bowen Jr., the US special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction, said in the article. “There was no unity of command, no unity of effort.”
The inventory listed 5,289 projects valued at about $15 billion as of June 30, 2011, according to auditors. Bowen said there were actually tens of thousands of projects valued at approximately $40 billion. In response, the World’s Most Expensive Embassy (c) in Baghdad said they had negotiated an agreement with Iraq so its government could “focus its limited resources” on large capital projects. Embassy officials also cited bookkeeping of previous agencies and said the auditors’ criticisms failed to recognize that Iraq already has assumed more control over projects. Of course this is all, respectfully of course, bullshit.
Image from article
Unfinished Business in Iraq - Editorial, nytimes.com: When the last American troops came home from Iraq in December, thousands of Iraqis who had worked with the Americans were left behind. Many have already been targeted by militants, and some had taken refuge on American military bases. But once the bases were closed — or handed over to the Iraqi government — those Iraqis were forced into hiding. Unless Washington lives up to its moral obligation, many more will suffer or be killed. The Special Immigrant Visa program was enacted by Congress in 2007 for Iraqis who helped the military, other parts of the American government and military contractors. It authorized 5,000 special visas annually — but only 3,317 were granted through 2011. Iraqis who aided American non-governmental organizations and media outlets can apply under the refugee program and are also having a hard time. But the special visa program has the worst delays. Today, Iraq is more stable than it was at the height of the violence, but with American troops gone, sectarianism and bloodshed are on the rise. The State Department is concerned enough about safety trends that this month it again formally warned Americans against all but essential travel to Iraq. There should be as much concern for the Iraqis who risked their lives to work with Americans — and are still living there and still at risk.
Book review: 'Revolution 2.0: The Power of the People Is Greater Than the People in Power: A Memoir' by Wael Ghonim : The Egyptian author takes readers inside the uprising that he helped start and that swept Hosni Mubarak from power. He credits social media for their ability to connect activists - Scott Martelle, Los Angeles Times: Wael Ghonim is an unlikely rebel. Born in Egypt in 1980, he began working his first Web job while studying at Cairo University, then moved to the U.S. (where he married an American) and eventually became Google's top marketing representative for the Middle East, based in Dubai. His opposition to Hosni Mubarak's regime was far down on his personal list of interests.
But it was there. Ghonim's emergence as an accidental insurrectionist forms the heart of his memoir, "Revolution 2.0: The Power of the People Is Greater Than the People in Power," which could just as easily have been subtitled "What I Saw When I Helped Start a Rebellion." It's an engaging read, and it offers a sharply detailed look from the inside of an uprising that owed almost as much to social media connections as it did to anti-Mubarak passions. Then he raises the point that, "Thanks to modern technology, participatory democracy is becoming a reality.… Slowly, but surely, the weapons of mass oppression are becoming extinct."
Image from article, with caption: Google executive Wael Ghonim, who emerged as a leading voice in Egypt's uprising, reacts as he leaves the stage area after he was barred by security guards from standing on it at Cairo's Tahrir Square on Feb. 18, 2011.
Court Keeps Hitler’s Work From German Newsstands - Melissa Eddy, New York Times: battle to prevent circulation of Hitler’s seminal work in Germany when a Bavarian court ruled that a British publisher could not release annotated excerpts of“Mein Kampf.” The publisher, Peter McGee, had planned to provide German newsstands with 100,000 annotated copies of important passages from the book on Thursday as part of a wider project to print historical publications from the Nazi era. But the state court, in Munich, ruled that publication even of citations from the book violated the copyright, held by the State of Bavaria until 2015.
ONE MORE QUOTATION FOR THE DAY
"more mercenary than the meanest whore.”
--
Henry Miller on America;
vulgar image from
IMAGE
--Германия тридцатых годов прошлого века. Это фото наглядно демонстрирует, как можно сохранять человеческое достоинство, даже находясь в толпе. (Germany in the 1930s. This photo graphically shows how, even in a crowd, one can maintain human dignity). From JG
on facebook.
