April 4

"Every parting gives a foretaste of death, every reunion a hint of the resurrection."

--Arthur Schopenhauer; image: 42 Commando Returns From Afghanistan from

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

The First Family and the Family of Man - Liz Losh, Virtualpolitik: "I've been writing and presenting a lot of material about Obama's online video presence and they ways that he uses platforms like YouTube for public diplomacy purposes. As this chronological montage of his YouTube performances shows [see video at link], he has made separate videos addressing Muslim and Jewish audiences on particular holidays, but this one addresses all three faith traditions, before abruptly switching to a fireside track about the economy." Image from

Defending the USA Pavilion: And no, the Shanghai World Expo is not just a trade show - Jose H. Villarreal, Foreign Policy: "Contrary to what reporter Adam Minter wrote recently in his article, 'A Sorry Spectacle: The Uninspiring Saga of the United States' World Expo Pavilion in Shanghai,' the design and execution of the USA Pavilion has been not only impressive but inspiring. The USA Pavilion, which will open its doors on May 1 as part of the first-ever World's Fair hosted in China, will showcase American values, ideas, and culture to an international audience eager for knowledge about the United States and the world. An estimated 70 million people are expected to attend what is officially known as Expo 2010 Shanghai, where more than 240 countries and international organizations will be represented. According to a recent poll conducted by Millward Brown ACSR and Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide, the USA Pavilion, currently in the final construction phase, is likely to be among the most popular foreign exhibits for Chinese Expo-goers. This pavilion's anticipated success is a testament to the leadership of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and a group of citizens who think that the world's top economic power and democratic beacon must take every opportunity to nurture the ever-important U.S.-China relationship. Jose H. Villarreal is the U.S. commissioner general to Expo 2010 Shanghai. ... Comment by Bob Jacobson Yes, Jose, but.... Your 'defense' is a mark of your loyalty to the cause and to the US having a good presence at the Shanghai Expo. All Americans would applaud your dedication as Commissioner General. ... As the first Commissioner General of a serious US Pavilion effort in 20 years, your standards must be the highest.

Your evaluation of how the US is represented at the Shanghai Expo and the factors that led to the issues Adam so well addressed will determine the success or failure of US Pavilion efforts at Yeosu, Korea, in 2012 and at the 2015 Milan's Universal Expo -- on a par with Shanghai, but much closer to home and critical to US public diplomacy." Image from article

MPs tell FCO to improve web archive – kable: "Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee has said the Foreign and Commonwealth Office should make its website more user-friendly for researchers. Its annual report on the department for 2008-09 includes a section on its use of new media that highlights the website's role in delivering policy goals and essential services. ... The report notes that the FCO's new media activities are a central element in its efforts to engage in non-traditional public diplomacy, which it has been promoting since 2007. The website is now attracting 120,000 visitors a day, making it the second busiest in the UK and the second busiest foreign ministry site in the world. According to the FCO, 25% of online visitors were seeking visa content and 10% travel advice. ... 'We commend the FCO's efforts to use new media to provide information to and engage with the public to drive public diplomacy campaigns designed to complement its diplomatic efforts,' the report says." Image from

Public diplomacy for Israel: to act or to react? - Yaron Gamburg, My Israel: "In my opinion, Public Diplomacy should embrace both ways and differentiate the messages according to the country or audience in case.

We can't ignore the anti-israel inflammatory propaganda or boycott movements and should cope with them. On the other hand, we have to show people what we contribute to the world, and make sure they have better knowledge of our democracy, hi-tech, science, culture and society. After all, we want people to invest in our economy, to visit Israel as tourists, and support our cause." Image from

Le retour de l’Empire: romance arabo-turque au “nouveau” Moyen-Orient - Culture et politique arabes - Article described by Issandr El Amrani, The Arabist, as "On Turkey's public diplomacy and soft power in the Arab world."

Is Public Diplomacy Beneficial for all Participants? - SEO Guy: "One goal of public diplomacy is to create allies inside other states through education programs or cultural exchanges.

Should this be viewed as enriching individuals, or as a sly attempt to manipulate another country’s domestic politics? This Global Ethics Corner slideshow is part of a weekly series from the Carnegie Council. For more, go to: www.cceia.org." Image from

Home away from home away from home (Vladivostok) - Greg Miller, From Russia With Love: Greg's Russian Exchange: "I also spent some time at the US consulate in Vladivostok while I was here. The first day I visited them, I got a small tour of the inside, and then I went to lunch with the consul general, and some of the other officers. The next day, I went to the consulate again to listen to a speech by a Russian-born citizen who immigrated to the US and eventually became an American citizen. ... After the speech, I went out to eat with the Public Diplomacy Officer and one of the Russians who work at the consulate. Then, on Saturday, they invited me and the other American exchange students to a 'Chili cook off' which they were having at their townhouses.

Angela Craciun - President @ World Mineralogical Organization - peoplepond.com : "Though she has recently dedicated her energy to the World Mineralogy Organization, Angela Craciun

has made a name for herself in the international business community and is responsible for the success of Ar-Thema International Group, Eurolat, Joinis Press Group, and Indigo Magazine, all of which have received recognition for excellence in their respective industries. Moreover, from 2002 to 2003, Angela Craciun was the Director for Public Diplomacy in the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and served as a trusted representative on such matters as Romanian entry into the European Union." Cracium image from

Internship - Embassy of Denmark, Dar es Salaam – AAU Jobbank: "The Embassy of Denmark in Dar es Salaam is the focal point in the partnership between Tanzania and Denmark. Tanzania is Denmark’s largest programme country and Danish aid to Tanzania covers a variety of areas. For the second half of 2010, two interns will be recruited to work with Public Financial Management/Aid Management and Public Diplomacy respectively.

The internship will help you to apply your technical skills in practice and further develop your competencies in your field of study." Image from

Thanks, John Brown, for covering DOTCOM's adventures! - DOTCOM: PH International -- Connecting students across the globe. "Just heard that DOTCOM's trip has received a bit of coverage in a U.S. public diplomacy blog. Thanks, John Brown."

CULTURAL DIPLOMACY

Symphony moves history forward - Nguyen Le Hung and Lan Hoang, Viet Nam News: "Ascending Dragon, the biggest cultural exchange between Viet Nam and the US, has created a buzz among the Asian country's music scene. ... On a Tuesday afternoon two weeks ago, two-time Grammy awards winner the Southwest Chamber Music (SWC), a dauntless American new classical ensemble, spectacularly entered Ha Noi's music scene with Ascending Dragon. More ambitious than anything done before between the United States and our dynamic Asian country, the event promised to revive and satisfy a thirst for knowledge and entertainment, and so much more. 'It's a dream-come-true,' said Dr Tran Thu Ha, People's Artist and former director of the VNAM. 'We've longed for such an event for years and years.' The dream came true when the ensemble was recommended to the US State Department by Congressman Adam Schiff, representative of California's 29th District. The ensemble then received a highly competitive grant for the project. 'This is perfect timing,' Nguyen Hai Anh, deputy director general of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism's International Co-operation Department, said of the Viet Nam-US musical and cultural exchange programme, adding that it had helped increase understanding between the people of the two countries.

The programme's significance is that artists from the two countries have jointly performed in both nations, particularly in celebration of Ha Noi's 1,000th anniversary, said Anh. He lauded the US State Department's efforts in creating favourable conditions for this musical and cultural programme, one of the largest after the New York Philharmonic, which performed in Viet Nam last year. 'Viet Nam wishes to promote multi-faceted co-operation with foreign countries, including the US, not only in economics and trade but also in music and culture,' Anh said. 'Cultural exchanges between the US and Viet Nam will be brought to new levels, thanks to this performance by the Southwest Chamber Music (SCW) and their Vietnamese counterparts in Ha Noi and HCM City. The musicians have brought not only the music, but also a message of friendship. Their performance will be a highlight in cultural diplomacy between the two nations this year,'" Anh told Viet Nam News. Image from article -- Harmony: Vietnamese and American artists paint a sound portrait of a bright future.

Here comes the Broadway - Bibek Bhandari, Republica: "American Voices Foundation, an organization dedicated to cultural engagement in countries emerging from conflict, is putting together a Broadway show with a local caste this weekend. John Ferguson and Michael Parks Masterson from the Foundation will present a compilation of Broadway acts including the ever popular 'Rent' and 'Grease' on April 3 at Moksh Bar in Pulchowk, Lalitpur.

'It’ll be a surprise,' the duo said, who was on an invitation by the Embassy of United States in Nepal." Image from article

Phil Epp to speak on Kazakhstan trip - Newton Kansan: Artist Phil Epp will present 'Kansas to Kazakhstan' at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Newton Public Library, 720 N. Oak St. Epp, a well-known painter and photographer from the Newton area, participated in the American Artists Abroad initiative of Art in Embassies, a program of the U.S. State Department. He spent 10 days in Kazakhstan where his artwork was displayed. He gave lectures, conducted master classes, met with Kazakh students, artists, media and government officials, all as a means of person-to-person cultural diplomacy."

Festival of parallels - Pallab Bhattacharya, The Daily Star: "Better late than never. For the first time, Delhi will host a festival of Bangladeshi feature films from April 16 to 18, showcasing the works of five leading directors of the parallel cinema movement of Bangladesh.

The three-day festival, to be held at Siri Fort auditorium II, will screen seven films with English subtitles by five directors including Tareque Masud and Catherine Masud, Enamul Karim Nirjhor and Mostafa Sarwar Farooki. ... While one can always argue that many more important directors of Bangladesh parallel cinema and their works could have been included in the festival, the Bangladesh High Commission should be given credit for making a beginning by having the first such festival organised in Delhi as films constitute a key component of a country's cultural diplomacy." Image from article: Scene from the film “Ontorjatra”.

Locating Singapore in India's Strategic Radar - Rahul Mishra, Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses: "The week ending 28 March 2010 was dominated by Singapore in terms of India’s politico-military and cultural diplomacy moves. ... It started with Minister for External Affairs S.M. Krishna’s visit to Singapore . ... He ... visited the Nalanda-Sriwijaya Centre at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies and applauded the faculty there for its outstanding academic contribution to strengthening cultural linkages between India and Southeast Asia. He also updated the media on developments regarding the proposed Nalanda University in India. The visit underscores the cultural linkages India shares with Singapore."

Zimbabwean student sets out from Morocco to South Africa “in search of an authentic African voice” - Caroline J. Mailloux, SW Radio Africa: "On 29 March 2010, Errol Tapiwa Muzawazi, a 26-year old Zimbabwean national and student of international humanitarian law will lead a group of 8 students and professors on the Pan-African Study Tour 2010, a 7-month educational expedition across 21 African countries from Morocco to South Africa. The first of its kind by a black African, the expedition seeks to synthesize diverse African perspectives on Africa to serve as a positive change agent against modern media portrayal of the continent as home to war, disease, hunger, and corruption. ... When Errrol Tapiwa Muzawazi left Africa for studies in Europe seven years ago, he was struck by the distorted image of Africa in the international media. He set to work fostering productive dialogue with Polish and international students and founded the Society for African Affairs at the Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland. ... In 2009, the Polish Ministry of Science and Tertiary Education, in the first ever competition to recognize the contribution of foreign students to the Polish academic environment, awarded Muzawazi with title of 'Best Foreign Student in Poland'

for his work in African cultural diplomacy in Europe." Image from

April 2-3

"President Obama announced this week that he is opening more sites for offshore oil drilling. Do you know what that means? If we find enough oil, we could one day invade ourselves."

--Talk show host Jay Leno, from BulletinNews (no link); image from

MONITOR

PDiN MONITOR: A Review & Analysis of Current Public Diplomacy in the News, USC Center on Public Diplomacy (March). In this issue:

● PDiN Roundup 4 Cultural Diplomacy in India and Pakistan: Moving Beyond the Empty Gesture by Rob Asghar
News from Africa, Americas, Asia Pacific, Eurasia, Middle East and South Asia in the following categories: Cultural Diplomacy / Government PD / Media & PD / Nation Branding / New Technology / Non-State PD / Public Opinion / Soft Power
● PDiN Spotlight 10 Cinema Diplomacy is Alive and Well… For the Time Being by Nicholas J. Cull
● PDiN Extras 11 The Future of U.S. Public Diplomacy and the New PD Framework
● PD in Print 12 CPD Blogs and Publications from CPD and other sources
● Upcoming PD Events of Interest 13 A listing of PD events for the coming month
● About PDiN Monitor 14

VIDEO

Tribute to Willis Conover VOA Jazz Hour

DOCUMENT

James Glassman, "The Limits of Cultural Diplomacy, and a Way Forward” Address at a conference on “Culture’s Purpose and the Work of Cultural Diplomacy” As delivered, Nov. 5, 2009 School of International Service American University Washington, D.C.; see also

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY IN THE NEWS

Prague a fitting place for nuclear deal - Kris Kotarski, The Guardian: "It is not a coincidence that Prague has become the setting for Obama's public diplomacy, and that both American and Russian leaders will arrive in the Czech capital to sign their historic agreement.


After 14 months in office, Obama has 'reset' relations with Russia, successfully reduced some of the tensions in the region, and strengthened Nato guarantees for the alliance's most insecure members after the 2008 Georgia debacle. Certainly, Obama could have benefited from the home-town media glare by inviting Medvedev to sign the treaty at the nuclear summit meeting in Washington later this month, but considering his successes in the region thus far, it is no surprise that he has chosen to come back to Prague. His accomplishments may not be enough to justify his Nobel peace prize, but for Obama, Medvedev and the region, Prague represents a very good start." Prague image from

More the US Public Diplomacy Framework: Concept and Structure – Graig Hayden, Intermap: "So I’ve had some time to digest the conversation on McHale’s proposed new framework for US public diplomacy strategy. Upon reflection, as Rhonda Zaharna describes in her insightful and clarifying new book, Battles to Bridges: US Strategic Communication and Public Diplomacy after 9/11, the framework is yet another example of how 'grand strategy,' 'strategy,' and 'tactics' get muddled in the conceptualization of public diplomacy objectives and the world-view that it is based upon."

A Conversation on Media Technology and Diplomacy - Craig Hayden, Intermap:

"I had the good fortune to attend a discussion last week between Alec Ross, the Senior Advisor for Innovation in the office of Secretary of State Clinton and Marc Lynch, professor of political science at George Washington University and a featured blogger on Foreign Policy.com. The focus of the discussion was primarily about the use of media technology for outreach and public diplomacy in the Arab world. Each gave a short presentation that talked about the need for embracing technology, and for sustaining realistic attitudes towards what communication technology can accomplish for the US State Department. ... The talk was a stimulating look at how the US government is grappling with the social and political ramfications of a changing communication infrastructure in the Middle East. I disagree with some of what was said – in particular Lynch’s sort of neutral conception of the value of information in a sociological/cultural sense. But I think Lynch is right to note that public diplomacy (or whatever’s its going to be called in the future) needs to reflect a localized understanding of how technology shapes the routes to influence – both those social relations and bonds that rely on communication networks, as well as how the technological medium changes the nature of what counts as credible, persuasive messaging itself." Image from

USA: For Haitian Citizens - The Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program - International Scholarship: "The Office of Public Diplomacy of the Embassy of the United States is pleased to announce its annual open competition for the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program. This one-year, full scholarship program is offered to individuals working either in the public or private sector who have a proven track record of leadership, a public service commitment, and the capacity to take full advantage of a self-defined program of independent study at a leading university. Since 2002, women have comprised about 40 percent of the Humphrey class; therefore qualified women are encouraged to apply."

For Haiti: Fulbright Scholarship Program 2011-2012 in the United States - Paul Joseph, EducationHeat

The Foundation of Movement: Cultural Diplomacy - Linda Constant, Huffington Post: "[E]ffective cultural diplomacy 'promotes, enhances, and enriches the culture of critical nations.' However, in today's vast networks of information and communication, diplomacy of any kind is ultimately disserviced by being contextualized in a construct of 'us' and 'them.' Though such labels will obviously be necessary to some factual degree, diplomacy is more about striving to achieve a sense of 'we.' Cultural diplomacy in particular is critically important to integrating individuals from distinct backgrounds who are interested, invested and participatory in a mutual cultural practice. ... Dance diplomacy has recently been revitalized with DanceMotion USA,

a program of the US State Department's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Produced by Brooklyn Academy of Music and consisting of three modern dance companies (ODC/Dance, Evidence and Urban Bush Women), DanceMotion USA recently toured three regions of the world--Asia, Africa and South America--in the first major dance diplomacy effort by our government in more than twenty years." Image from

Making Radio Free Asia Permanent - Matt Armstrong, MountainRunner.us: "In another sign that we need a strategic review of our public diplomacy – the White House / NSC Section 1055 report required by Congress provided a framework not a strategy – an element of America’s global engagement continues to exist on appropriations and not a permanent authorization. The situation was similar over sixty years ago when the State Department went to Congress to make VOA and other outreach methods and mediums permanent rather than, as was the case for a period, operating only on appropriations in the absence of Congressional authorization. As the most visibly active member of Congress on the issue of public diplomacy, Senate o[r] House (there are Representatives on Armed Services Committees who are active behind the scenes), it is no surprise Senator Richard Lugar introduced a bill last month to permanently authorize Radio Free Asia."

New book about public diplomacy omits discussion of international broadcasting. Good - Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on International Broadcasting [On Kathy R. Fitzpatrick, The Future of Public Diplomacy]: "Congratulations to Professor Fitzpatrick for omitting international broadcasting from a survey of public diplomacy. And to the BBG for resisting 'coordination,' because news that is sufficiently credible to attract an audience cannot be coordinated with diplomatic objectives. The choice of language services can be subject to consultation with the administration, but not the content itself. I think the fate of public diplomacy is certain: most countries will always engage in some form of it. Less certain is my ability to afford the literature on public diplomacy.

This book costs $132." Image from

Report: Pakistan regulator tells private radio stations not to rebroadcast foreign news without permission - Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on International Broadcasting

VOA Special English has a cameo in film satire about North Korea - Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on International Broadcasting

EPRT Program Creates 'buzz' - Spc. Luisito Brooks, Systems: "TARMIYAH, Iraq. A blossoming new program organized by embedded Provincial Reconstruction Team-North is creating a buzz and giving some area women a much sweeter outlook.

The 'buzz' is teaching Iraqi widows and divorcees the ins and outs of beekeeping in order to help them put food on the table while they help put honey on the tables of others.Twenty-five Iraqi women graduated from the beekeeper training program, March 27. 'These women are the heads of the household, many [because of] the sectarian conflict,' said Mary-Denise Tabar, the public diplomacy and women's affairs advisor for ePRT-North. 'The program aims to train local rural women on the theoretical and practical applications of basic beekeeping.'" Image from article

Why Do They Want to Do Us Harm? [Part Three] - Noam Chomsky, In These Times: "In December 2004, a Pentagon advisory panel considered Bush’s plaintive question 'why do they hate us.' The panel concluded that 'Muslims do not ‘hate our freedom,’ but rather they hate our policies,' adding that 'when American public diplomacy talks about bringing democracy to Islamic societies, this is seen as no more than self-serving hypocrisy.' U.S. policies are a gift to extremists among jihadis, whose goal is to incite U.S. violence against the populations that they are seeking to mobilize."

On Lady Gaga and Settlements: Thomas Hegghammer Weighs In - Abu Muqawama Blog:

Comment by Scott on April 1, 2010 - 11:45pm: "From a communications perspective, one could open a dialog with the people about what the Palestinian people should be entitled to and what practical steps could lead to the Palestinian people gaining it. One requirement for this i[s] for the [Obama] administration to be serious about public diplomacy, which is harder to muster given that it takes longer for a message to diffuse than for a policy change to take effect. Lady Gaga image from

NATO Will Likely Be Fine - Ruud Van Dijk Blog: War And Peace And Cycling, Not Necessarily Together: "That was my overall impression last week, at the end of my day at the alliance's Brussels headquarters. The Public Diplomacy Division treated our little delegation of scholars very well (my own tax Euros at work), most of all by introducing us to a series of significant and approachable NATO officials, from the Netherlands and elsewhere."

Finland joins the debate on the new strategic concept - nato.int: "Finnish views on NATO's new Strategic Concept were discussed at a debate co-organised by NATO's Public Diplomacy Division, the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Finnish Foreign Policy Institute and the Atlantic Council of Finland in Helsinki on 3 March 2010."

India, China tell media to pipe down: India’s National Security Adviser and the Chinese envoy in Delhi on Thursday had a similar message for the media: pipe down - expressbuzz.com:

"The plea for restraint - though couched in diplomatic language - came during a seminar organised by the International Council of World Affairs and the Institute of Chinese Studies to mark the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the republics of India and China. At the seminar, the two diplomats agreed that relations between India and China countries were on firm ground, despite the longstanding boundary question and other disputes that erupted now and then. 'We have more common interests than differences,’ Chinese ambassador Zhang Yan said. And keeping with the seminar theme of ‘Public Diplomacy,’ the two had similar points to make. National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon mentioned the ‘shrill and overexcitable commentary on the relationship that has appeared in both countries in the last year or so.’ The reference apparently was to reports about ‘incursions’ by China across the un-demarcated LAC and on Tibetan protests earlier." See also (1) (2) (3) (4) (5). Image from

CPPCC Chairman Jia Qinglin, Vice Secretary-General Wang Shenghong visit three African countries on the results (2) - china and chinese blog----- cjchinablog: "The three [African] leaders spoke highly of China's policy and China-Africa cooperation, and thanked China for the three countries and the vast majority of African countries firmly support the sincere help and commended the Africa-China relationship is an example of international friendship and cooperation.African countries, China is willing to further strengthen cooperation and jointly promote the new type of non-Chinese strategic partnership relations.The three leaders reaffirmed adherence to the one-China policy and appreciated China's response to the international financial crisis, climate change and other global issues and international and regional hot issues and ideas on the position, expressed willingness to strengthen coordination and cooperation with China to jointly safeguard the developing countries as a whole. Second, actively carry out public diplomacy, showing a responsible image."

Harow offered senior public diplomacy post: Netanyahu won’t replace departing LA-born bureau chief - Gil Hoffman, Jerusalem Post:

"Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s former bureau chief Ari Harow has received an offer to serve as the deputy director-general of the Public Diplomacy and Diaspora Affairs Ministry and run its hasbara efforts, sources in the ministry said Thursday." Harow image from article

New Research Explains Importance of “Third-Party Source” in Public Diplomacy – sechale, Outpost, Irish American Relations: "An article in yesterday’s New York Times explains the next big trend in humanities research: mind reading. Following efforts by both American and European scholars to revive the market value of a humanities degree, researchers are now exploring connections between traditional humanities subjects (literature, history, politics) and the latest science research–primarily cognitive science and evolutionary psychology. This is big news for practitioners of public diplomacy, as it allegedly explains why one age-old PD trick, third-party sourcing, is so effective. ... Science backs up the rhetoric -- one credible, third-party speaker can effectively persuade an audience, whether the topic is banal social chatter or a nation’s diplomatic image."

3 things that make nation branding difficult – Andreas Markessinis, Nation Branding: Nation branding is very different from commercial branding. It’s much more complicated and it’s much harder to manage. In fact you can hardly manage it… You can half-manage it. Some of the issues are similar to corporate branding, but there are 3 things that make nation branding particularly difficult, as Wally Olins explains:


1. You can’t control is the way the nation is perceived, in terms of public diplomacy. 'Three or four years ago, nobody had an idea of the Ukraine and then something called the Orange Revolution happened. The Ukraine appeared very briefly and very clearly on the public map. Now it has slightly disappeared again. But for a time, the Ukraine was very significant. Now, that kind of thing doesn’t happen very much in business. So the issue of public diplomacy which affects the way in which a nation is perceived is very different in the commercial context from the way it is in a national context.' 2. Nobody is in charge. 'In a commercial context there is somebody in the end in charge of the program. In a national context this is very difficult to know, because it is partly public sector, it is partly private sector, the tourism authority wants to handle it, foreign direct investment people want to handle it, etc.' 3. Short timeframes. 'The political parties’ vision is very short, they want to change things in two, three or fours years because that’s the time they are in office. Then somebody else comes in office and has a very different view of the nation. So, the whole business of managing it is extremely difficult.' Excerpts taken from this interview [with] Wally Olins." Image from

Cave, baby, cave – hammer mill days: "Obama's plan to open up off-shore drilling along much of our national coastline resembles some of the graphics I've been seeing in BP commercials lately. I guess all it takes is a little public diplomacy by the enormous oil and gas industry groups, and this administration will bend back at the knees. No, it's not the worst possible plan for extraction of fossil fuels, but it is a major wedge in the door towards the same "drill, baby, drill" Obama's presidential campaign opponent advocated."

Congress Creates Super Federal Library Agency‎ - Paul J. Steere, Library Journal (dated APRIL 1):

"In a rare show of bipartisanship, the Senate passed the controversial Federal Library Agency Act (FLAA) on a nearly unanimous voice vote, sending it to President Obama for his expected signature. The House had passed it in February with a two-thirds majority. The FLAA creates a new mandate by combining federal library functions scattered throughout the government into a single unique agency. ... Department of State (DOS) is stripped of its overseas public diplomacy reference and research centers. ... A DOD official commented that 'Defense and State did their best to kill this bill. The FLA deanship will be a pressure-cooker job, and it will require a politically savvy library administrator to take on and succeed with interagency battles over turf, staff, and funds. This job will be listed in future Prune Books. It will take the library equivalent of a 'Wild Bill' Donovan of OSS fame to get this new agency off the ground and running.'” Image from

PRT Public Diplomacy Officer - Secure Aspects Group: "Only members can view this field."

RELATED ITEMS

US foreign policy: Waiting on a sun king - Edward Luce and Daniel Dombey, Financial Times: Fifteen months after he took office, the character and structure of Mr Obama’s foreign policy machinery is still evolving. But from interviews with dozens of insiders and outsiders, including senior officials both authorised and unauthorised to speak, and three former national security advisers, it is clear the buck not only stops with, but often floats for quite a long time around, Mr Obama himself.

Foreigners have complained about the tendency of his domestic agenda to crowd out the international one – the passage last week of healthcare reform was greeted with an audible sigh of relief among US allies. But within foreign policy itself, his centralised structure can also result in many issues being left on the back burner awaiting presidential attention, say critics. See also. Image from

Mullahs build bridges in London: Their faces etched from years of conflict in the war-torn deserts of Helmand Province, four senior Islamic scholars step into a pod on the London Eye - Emily Buchanan, BBC News: A new initiative in British government strategy is the recognition that military progress in southern Afghanistan will not hold unless international forces also win the battle for hearts and minds. In the intense propaganda war on the ground, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office now hopes to improve communication with ordinary Afghans by targeting their religious leaders. Officials invited these scholars to see life for themselves in the UK, as they have the unique ability to influence thousands of mosques and their congregations in Britain's key military campaign ground. Across Afghanistan there is widespread ignorance and deliberate misinformation about Britain and Britain's military intentions.

Robert Fisk: Glossy new front in battle for hearts and minds Once it was grainy video footage on websites: Now the Taliban believes its best chance of winning the propaganda war lies in a magazine – Independent: It's sleek, it's glossy, it's in eloquent Arabic, Pashto and Dari, and it pours derision on American and Nato forces in Afghanistan; it is the brand new propaganda wing of the Taliban: not just internet video of attacks on the western armies in Helmand and Kandahar, but professionally produced magazines, carrying stories of the Taliban's own "martyrdom" operations and the names of its dead fighters.

For once, the cliché "well-oiled publicity machine" is correct. Image from article: A magazine and book stand in Kabul. One of the creators of Al-Samoud, Abu Ahmed, says the magazine is designed to counter the fact that Afghan media 'is controlled by the West.'

Google Isn't China's Problem. Press Freedom Is: Sure, Google's retreat from China is a big story. But we may be missing the bigger one - Christian Caryl, Foreign Policy: Put bluntly: The climate for China's journalists is worsening, and it doesn't have anything to do with Google, or with the Chinese Communist Party's pretense to absolute ideological control of information. The problem is not that the party is scrubbing the Internet to remove stories it deems negative. The problem is the corrupt network between business and government, which places unwarranted pressure on journalists and editors. "It's no longer about abstract propaganda discipline," Bandurski says. "These days it's about specific money and power interests." "The network of agencies devoted to media control in China, including the propaganda department, are now, more than ever before, mediators and players in a vast web of power and profit," Bandurski wrote in an analysis of the incident published in March 2009 in the Far Eastern Economic Review. "They no longer dish out just propaganda dictates; they dish out personal and professional favors too." For Bandurski, the litmus test is not whether netizens can run effective searches. It is whether reporters are allowed to report. That is a story that is bigger than the fate of a single company.

MORE QUOTATIONS FOR THE DAY

"The emergence of `nativist' voices, and the loud expression of opinion as fact in the new media which purports to express public opinion, could introduce volatility in perceptions."

--India’s National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon

"The two countries should provide correct guidance to the public opinion and avoid war of words.”

-- Chinese ambassador to India Zhang Yan

April 1

"A morning-glory at my window satisfies me more than the metaphysics of books."

--Walt Whitman; image from

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

U.S. Public Diplomacy for Cuba: Why It’s Needed and How to Do It - Paul Hare, brookings.edu:

"Public diplomacy is an essential part of any new U.S. policy toward Cuba. It will need to be a sustained campaign ring-fenced from political problems that are bound to arise with the Cuban government. Raúl Castro will be confident he can reduce or eliminate the impact of U.S. public diplomacy with his counter-diplomacy. He will expect that, just as in the past, Washington will change its approach due to congressional and other pressure. This time the United States should prove him wrong." See also. Image from

US Policy Elites and Chechnya - Mark Hackard, alternativeright.com: "It is highly likely that the March 29th terrorist strikes in Moscow were carried out by Chechen female suicide bombers, also known as 'black widows.' … The official U.S. response to the bombings has been to condemn the violence and 'stand with' Russia, though support in these matters rarely extends beyond statements for the press. Beyond public diplomacy, what policy line does Washington actually pursue in relation to the Caucasus? ... Washington may publicly deplore the 'violent extremism' that reared its head in Moscow this week. But U.S. anti-terrorist rhetoric doesn't line up with its policies and semi-official projects. By taking a hard look at the initiatives backed by the foreign policy establishment, it's clear that an Islamic emirate in the Caucasus would align with the designs of U.S. strategic planners."

Reflections from Dhaka: Participants Share Perspectives from Leaders of Influence Conference - "Upon their return from the Leaders of Influence (LOI) regional conference in Dhaka March 21-24 that convened over 80 participants from 14 countries, In Asia spoke with Rosita MacDonald, program officer for The Asia Foundation’s Governance, Law, and Civil Society program, and Russell Pepe, chief of party for the LOI program in Bangladesh, on what they heard. Q: Was there a sense from conference participants that progress has been made since U.S. President Obama’s much-heralded Cairo speech last year in which he declared the U.S.’s commitment to reengage with the Muslim community? Rosita MacDonald: There was a lot of talk from the U.S. delegation about the shift to enhanced engagement with the Muslim community as well as with other religious communities. This point was acknowledged by several of the delegates, but they also made the point that the U.S. needs to be more effective in its public diplomacy efforts in Asia and to highlight tangible examples of engagement with, and support for, the Muslim world. There is optimism to be sure, but still a lot of uncertainty as to what this 'engagement' actually involves and how deep it runs."

Image: The image you see here, from NicoleB (flickr.com/), reflects the story of The Dhaka Project, that of a stewardess named Maria Conceicao (Nicole is the one in the photograph, but their features are similar, except that Maria smiles a lot) who has been raising money for the poor to start a new life in Bangladesh in the form of a school, housing, teaching facilities for adults and so on.

Cold War 2.0 – Lena, Global Chaos: "About a week ago the Heritage Foundation held a panel discussion titled 'Russian Anti-Americanism: A Priority Target for U.S. Public Diplomacy,' the purpose of which was - at least, so it seemed - to point out the lack of streamlined American PD efforts in Russia and the former Eastern bloc in general. The major conclusion was that the Russian 'elites' have been championing anti-Americanism for domestic purposes, and thus, the organizers of the event called for more attention and a greater need for a 'clear' and a 'thought-out' American information strategy in those countries. ... [But] Cold War-style information campaigns are obviously not working anymore, not just due to the rise of the Internet Age, or the increasing prominence of horizontal and truly pluralistic information 'terrains', but simply because of the credibility deficit on both sides. In this case, pursuing associative public diplomacy - to use Dr. Zaharna's term - between the two publics can, potentially, create the much needed mutuality that can, over time give way to trust and commitment. Thus, the 'elites' should, instead of lashing out at each other, foster and coordinate the building of these networks, that will, eventually, provide the space for better understanding, acceptance, and closer cooperation."

Strategic Communication Management: Playing Football with a Golf Club - cb3blog.wordpress.com: "The information age has provided a clarion call for many who claim that top-down, reductionist approaches to communication, and thereby its, and wider, management, is incapable of dealing with the complexities of the 21st century. Within political science and international studies, there are many adherents to this call – from a geostrategic viewpoint, expounded by Thomas Friedman in ‘The World is Flat’; from a public diplomacy perspective, raised by Nicholas Cull in calling for ‘the reorientation of public diplomacy away from the top-down communication patterns of the Cold War era’ and by Daryl Copeland with his ideas of the networked, grass-roots guerrilla diplomacy. ... In communication terms, loose networks,

as practiced by activists from Greenpeace to the Obama presidential campaign, at one end of the spectrum, and utilized to great physical effect by terrorist groups from Al Qaida to Hezbollah, regularly outperform top-down, mechanistic organisations, be they corporate conglomerates or inter-governmental organisations. ... Networks only really become effective when those within them are allowed to use the value-added that being within a network affords them. ... [P]eople even in the foreign policy world are taking tentative, if small, steps in this direction. One example is Diplopedia – 'grass-roots technology in a top-down organization,' according to Eric M. Johnson of the State Department’s Office of eDiplomacy. Diplopedia, being a wiki, is open to the contributions of all who work in the State Department. ... This new culture of collaboration, flat management, open-source and interconnectivity will not provide the likes of NATO with the answers to all its communication issues but there are undoubtedly lessons to be learnt." Image from

Will China re-define great power politics? – inthesenewtimes: "The past two decades of China’s re-emergence have been a breathtaking diplomatic balancing exercise. It has been remarkable how the juggernaut managed to neutralize distrust and nurtured the idea that its own development is going to benefit the development of the entire world. In the last few years China’s foreign policy has become much more professional and sophisticated. Political relations are now embedded in a sound economic and public diplomacy. Chinese officials also seem to be increasingly sensitive to the perceptions and expectations in partner countries. They are eager to learn, to anticipate challenges and to adapt their discourses to a heterogeneous audience. These are all reassuring trends. Yet, progress in China’s foreign policy is frail and reversible."

The Associated Press Spins China's Post-Colonial Card in Algeria - Michael J. Martin, Huffington Post: "Chinese media and public diplomacy often characterize China's relationship with Algeria as one of mutual understanding -- foreign powers colonized both nations; both nations fought for their independence in some of the bloodiest battles of the 20th century."

Israel and Iran-the public view – Bruce Clarke, Examiner.com: ‎"Iran’s public diplomacy image comes from the perception that it is one of the few governments to voice the opinions of the 'Muslim street' vis-á-vis the U.S. and Israel as well as some of the other regimes in the Middle East. Iran’s defiant attitude in its relationships with the West has become its trademark exemplified in the fiery rhetoric of President Ahmadinejad’s conduct on the international stage. Many, including this author, see Iran on a collision course with other governments in the region and the West. Iran is earning popular respect in the Middle East as well as in many parts of the Third World for its positions. In recent years, Iran has made a substantial effort to extend its public diplomacy reach, particularly with the launching of the 24-hour English and Arabic language satellite channels."

Shiloh Is Not A 'Settlement' Either – Ymedad, myrightword.blogspot.com:

"I have news for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the aftermath of his recent Washington trip and especially his speech before the AIPAC Convention. Not only is Jerusalem not a 'settlement' but neither is Shiloh, my home town. And I am troubled that in using that turn of phrase that Netanyahu either stumbled or is losing his golden touch on matters of Hasbarah, upgraded to public diplomacy these days." Image from

Baku Blogging - Stories Told and Untold: DOTCOM 2010 Mojo - Day #3 - Phineas Gage, DOTCOM: PH International:

"Our third day in Baku, Azerbaijan found us downtown once again . ... After lunch at the school, we headed downtown to visit a number of places, including a visit to the inside of the maiden tower (people were much shorter back in the 9th century), a stop at a social media/blogging center, a phenomenal tour at the Azerbaijan National History Museum, and a culminating conversation with a gracious U.S. public diplomacy official who hosted us at the American Center for a powerhouse end-of-the-day conversation about social media and cross-cultural dialogue." Image from

Global Citizenship: What Role for Alumni? - www.alumnifutures.com: "I spent a very educational day this week in Ottawa, Canada as an invitee of the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT). The occasion was a workshop on 'Global Citizenship' and ways to encourage public diplomacy among a number of groups with ties to Canada. Among those audiences are foreign alumni of Canadian institutions, foreign alumni of Canadian international youth programs, and of course, Canadian alumni of Canadian institutions, now living overseas. The Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada estimates there are some 2.8 million Canadian citizens living outside the country's borders."

New Pubic Diplomacy Institute Founded – Las Vegas Sun: "K. Sehguh, a local entrepreneur, has just opened a Public Diplomacy Institute, funded by city businesses, near the campus of University of Nevada. ...'We plan to cooperate closely with the Public Diplomacy office at the State Department,' Sehguh said. 'We share its interest in international outreach, as foreign tourism is becoming increasingly important to our city.'

Several Pubic Diplomacy staff members have worked at the Moonlight Bunny Ranch, which with the Department has cooperated." See also; image from

TRANSform Me - mcozzens: "Ok, this post is about a very weird topic:TRANSform Me, a VH1 show about transgender people who teach plain girls how to be beautiful. … The show was actually a public diplomacy tactic to teach people about 'gender diversity' in a palatable way.

It was amusing and educational on the surface, with a very subtle sub-text prompting the audience to consider what gender is and is not." Image from article

Humanizing the US Military - Reach 364, buildingpeace.net: "One the Jordanian professors who taught me last semester has become a pretty good friend. He was educated in the West, has a good mind for international relations and foreign policy, and used some excellent books in his class. This semester he is teaching a course on American Foreign Policy and asked for my help gathering resources and finding guest speakers. ... A few weeks ago I was privileged to invite a friend who is a Ranger in the US Army. ... He could show these students that, while the US invasion was ill-conceived in many ways, Americans are largely driven by good (if sometimes naive) intentions. ... By the way, I should mention the composition of this class: eight nice, sweet girls who speak fluent English, are in a master's degree in American Studies, and are hungry to learn. ... My friend did a fantastic job. ... My friend discussed counterinsurgency, provincial reconstruction teams, empowerment of local government, and everything else under the sun. These young ladies were hungry to learn, and while they retain a lot of skepticism towards US policy, I could sense that some of their views were being challenged. During the break, a couple girls continued to pepper him with questions. ... My friend really shone towards the end of the evening, when the questions got personal and he spoke from a place of brutal honesty. He couldn't keep the emotion out of his voice when he talked about his single greatest frustration in Iraq and Afghanistan:

the fact that he worked harder and longer for the people of these countries than any Iraqi or Afghan he had ever met. ... I couldn't get inside the minds of those girls that night, but from where I sat in the corner of the room, I could see the emotions flickering over their faces. They saw his regret and his pain. I believe the honesty of his confession earned him their respect and understanding. In those minutes my friend probably did more to humanize the US military in these ladies' eyes than any amount of public diplomacy." Image from

"Fellow" comrades with me - Edward Ling Blog: "Since 1966, the American Council of Young Political Leaders has been the pre-eminent catalyst for promoting shared knowledge and friendship among young elected, political, and policy leaders worldwide. For more than 40 years, the ACYPL professional staff has developed and managed international exchange activities designed to introduce the next generation of leaders to diverse, and often complex, aspects of politics, governance, public policy making, and civil society both in the United States and around the world.

Our programs provide opportunities for oftentimes divergent groups to explore common concerns and points of difference. They enhance participants’ ability to shape broader and well-informed perspectives about the world and make them better informed decision-makers at home. An ACYPL international exchange provides young leaders with a unique opportunity to develop and practice leadership and public diplomacy skills that serve them throughout their lives." Image from

New Additions For April 01, 2010 - News Assignment: "Key Note Address by NSA at Seminar on ‘India and China: Public Diplomacy, Building Understanding’ at 10: 00 AM at Indian Council for World Affairs (ICWA), Sapru House, Barakhamba Road."

Why I Chose A Hardship Post - Ren's Micro Diplomacy: "Thankfully, I’ve been granted full clearance for my summer internship at the U.S. Consulate in Ho Chi Minh City. This went a lot faster than I expected, given the stories I heard from the 2009 interns, and the process was fairly painless. Don’t get me wrong – it involved a load of phone calls and emails, sorting through old tax returns and meeting with a local investigator, but it was systematic, organized and transparent (well, as much as this sort of thing can be). With that obstacle cleared, it’s finally time to explain something that all my colleagues have asked: 'Why Vietnam?' Sure, I can better imagine myself in Madrid, Geneva or Ankara, but I didn’t apply for any of those. When ranking my top choices I considered two things: the possible popularity of the city and whether I’d be able to get a challenging Public Diplomacy assignment that mimics what I would actually be doing as a junior officer."

Foreign Service Telephone Language Test Results - Heather W. Lisons & Dansons... - Good news! "I passed the French test

via telephone! So, we'll see where that puts me on the registers for FS Officer and FS Specialist. I was 7 of 11 on the register for Info Resource Officer and 97 of 101 on the list for public diplomacy, so hopefully this will move me up." Image from

A Policy For The Cuban People - Danielle Skloven, Neon Tommy: the voice of Annenberg digital news: "Danielle Skloven is in her second year of the Masters of Public Diplomacy program."

RELATED ITEMS

The U.S. Timetable Isn't Right for Afghanistan: Senior officials here have serious doubts about 2011 withdrawal - Con Coughlin, Wall Street Journal

What France Can Do – Editorial, New York Times: President Nicolas Sarkozy of France got nearly everything he could have hoped for from his visit to the United States this week. Now he needs to return the favor by significantly increasing French combat strength in Afghanistan.

U.S. campaign to reform Kandahar is rife with pitfalls - David Ignatius, Washington Post: The hardest part of this war, paradoxically, isn't the fighting on the ground, which the U.S. military conducts brilliantly, but the struggle in the Afghan political sphere, where we know precious little.

China, Concubines and Google - Nicholas D. Kristof, New York Times: The United States government has been reluctant to support financing for the proxy servers that enable Chinese or Iranians to leap firewalls. The fear is that China would be outraged. But we shouldn’t let that dissuade us, for we have a powerful interest in chipping away at firewalls that protect dictatorships.

Review: PropagandA - Alison Croggon, theatrenotes.blogspot.com: PropagandA - as its poster demonstrates - draws consciously on the tradition of Soviet social realist propaganda.

Image from article

ONE MORE QUOTATION FOR THE DAY

"Sir, - Because interest in the modern connotation of ‘cool’ continues (see Letters, March 12), I offer the two earliest uses I am aware of: ‘When the Attendants receive insult and abuse they must keep cool, forbear to recriminate, scold, threaten, or to dictate in the language of authority.’ The Rules and Regulations of the Boston Lunatic Hospital (Boston: John H. Eastburn, 1848), p24.

Also, the first of the ‘Duties of Attendants’ at the Tennessee Hospital for the Insane is that they ‘treat them [patients] with respect and civility, ... and avoid violence and rudeness of every kind ....They are to keep cool under every provocation [...].’ Dr W. A Cheatheam, Fourth Biennial Report of the Superintendent and Physician of the Tennessee Hospital for the Insane (Nashville: E.G. Eastman & Co, 1859), p50.

Might the idea of keeping cool have originated in ‘lunatic’ hospitals?”

JOHN WOOD
PO Box 218, Saxtons River,
Vermont 05154
(Letters to the Editor, Times Literary Supplement (March 26, 2010), p. 6