Fond farewell for outgoing Turkish ambassador

Anand Holla, gulf-times.com

Image from article, with caption: Ambassador Ahmet Demirok giving his speech before the cake-cutting ceremony.

Excerpt:

At a farewell gathering befitting his eventful tenure in Qatar as the ambassador of Turkey, Ahmet Demirok lauded the visionary leadership of the State of Qatar and Qatar’s prime role in working towards ushering in a peaceful solution in the region. ...

Explaining that the 500-year-old history shared by Qatar and Turkey is at the heart of the cultural fascination shared between the two nations, Demirok had said, “Arabs and Turks are not different people. We have a common history and we share the same religion of Islam. Our cultures are more or less the same, our attires are different. But unfortunately, after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, there was a disruption in Turkey’s relations with the Middle Eastern countries. Now, as public diplomacy has assumed great importance in promoting one’s country, Turkey is carrying it out wonderfully well. Qataris are really nice, modest people, who know how to treasure their tradition, which is important.”

Experts in “EU-Public Diplomacy"

developmentaid.org

DETAILS

Deadline:

Jun 1, 2017

Location:

India

Languages:

English

Opportunity type:

Other

Minimum work experience:

From 10 years

Sectors:

Media and Communications, Advocacy

Expected starting date:

Aug 31, 2017

Organisation:

AETS - Application Européenne de Technologies et de Services

ATTACHMENTS

No files attached

AETS is looking for experts for a collaboration on an EU funded project called “EU-Public Diplomacy in India”.

The project will aim at increasing the understanding of the EU project, of its principles, of its values and of the EU polices of common interest among stakeholders and target audiences in India.

The project will contain a package of actions including, but not limited to, dialogues at different levels, training, technical assistance, political and media campaigns, studies, publications and visibility materials, as well as high profile conferences with partner organisations in order to sensitise India stakeholders with EU goals.

Experts should have a background/experience in EU policies, international cooperation, foreign policy and diplomacy, public diplomacy and strong knowledge of India political and media landscape. The Team leader should have experience in managing a team and preferably in managing EU international cooperation projects. The candidate should possess a strong ability to maintain diplomatic relations at a senior level, and to ensure representation, communication and management in a complex, multicultural environment. She/he should have a significant work experience in India. High-ranking experience in a diplomatic service would constitute a considerable asset.

If you are interested in this opportunity please e-mail us at ana.vilar@aets-consultants.com

Reference: India PD

In your application please specify that you found out about this opportunity on DevelopmentAid.org.

Veuillez indiquer dans votre candidature que vous avez consulté cette offre sur le site web DevelopmentAid.org.

 APPLY

Applications and updated CV should be submitted to

ana.vilar@aets-consultants.com or http://www.aets-consultants.com/

Registered experts can apply via our site

To apply online please sign in or register.

Applications open for 2017 EU-Canada Young Journalist Fellowship

newswire.ca

image (not from entry) from

OTTAWA, March 1, 2017 /CNW/ - The European Union Delegation to Canada and the Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ) are delighted to launch the 2017 edition of the European Union-Canada Young Journalist Fellowship.

The EU-Canada Young Journalist Fellowship aims to recognize outstanding journalistic talent among young Canadians. Since 2001, three candidates have been selected every year to participate in a week-long study tour to experience the EU institutions, the Canadian Mission to the EU, and media outlets in Brussels. Winners will also attend the daily European Commission press briefing. All expenses are paid for by the European Union Delegation to Canada.

Prior to the trip, winners will be invited to an awards ceremony co-hosted by the Office of the Speakers of the House of Commons and the CAJ in Ottawa. Winners will also benefit from a one-year CAJ membership or one-year CAJ membership renewal.

The EU-Canada Young Journalist Fellowship seeks to reinforce links between Europeans and Canadians and to raise awareness of the European Union among a new generation of Canadian students and journalists.

Winners are required to submit a sample of their work and to chronicle their study tour experience online or in print during the study tour or upon their return from Europe (i.e. published articles, blogging, social media platforms).

Eligibility:

In order to be eligible, participants must be:

• Actively enrolled in a Canadian university/post-secondary institution or active in the field of journalism
• Between the ages 18-30
• Canadian citizen or permanent resident

Applications must include:

1. Sample of work 

• Applicants are invited to submit a sample of their work, in English or French (recently published or unpublished), focusing on an issue of relevance pertaining to the European Union or European Union-Canada relations. 
• In terms of format, the work may be either written (a news story or opinion piece of maximum 1,000 words, recently published or unpublished) or audio-visual (a report of up to 90 seconds duration, previously aired or not). 
• The jury will pay particular attention to journalistic qualities and talent, including rigorous research and factual accuracy.

2.  Letter of motivation

• Applicants must write a letter of motivation clearly outlining specific topics they plan to write about during/upon return from Europe and where their work will appear (media outlet, social media, blog etc.) 
• Winners will have complete editorial independence and, while the Delegation and the Canadian Association of Journalists will retain the right to publish/reproduce their work to promote the program in future years, applicants will maintain intellectual property rights of their work. 
• The letter should also include the reasons for applying and the anticipated benefits to be derived from participation in the study trip.

3. Curriculum vitae 

4. Proof of Canadian citizenship or permanent resident status

The closing date for applications is 1 May 2017

Please note that incomplete applications, i.e. applications not containing all of the above documents submitted at the same time, will not be considered.

For audio-visual entries, please send online link by e-mail or USB by mail with the application.

Applications are to be sent either by e-mail to DELEGATION-CANADA-POL@eeas.europa.eu or by mail to the following address:

Delegation of the European Union to Canada
Ref.: EU-Canada Young Journalist Fellowship
150 Metcalfe Street, Suite 1900
Ottawa, Ontario K2P 1P1

Final selection by the Jury:

The Jury, consisting of EU Delegation representatives, professional journalists and academics, will meet in May 2017 to select the best pieces received by the closing date. The decisions of the Jury will be final. The three winners will be notified directly.

The Study Tour will take place in autumn 2017.

Established in 1976, the European Union Delegation to Canada is a fully-fledged diplomatic mission and, as such, the natural contact point in Canada between the EU and the Canadian authorities. It also has a strong public diplomacy mandate designed to enhance the knowledge and understanding of the European Union as well as EU-Canada relations.

SOURCE Canadian Association of Journalists  

For further information: Diodora Bucur, EU Delegation Press Officer, Diodora.Bucur@eeas.europa.eu, 613-563-6354, @EUinCanada, facebook.com/EUinCanada; Nick Taylor-Vaisey, Canadian Association of Journalists President, nick@caj.ca, 613-933-3106 ext. 225, @caj, facebook.com/CdnAssocJournalists

Strategic Communications and Public Diplomacy “Seen on the Web” – 1 March 2017

image (not from entry) from

toinformistoinfluence.com

By Donald Bishop

February 26, 2017

Seen on the Web 1305-1334

This is a compilation of news, articles, essays, and reports on strategic communications, Public Diplomacy, public affairs, U.S. government international broadcasting, and information operations.

Hashtag Diplomacy: Foreign Policy in the New Media Era

calendar.utexas.edu

image from entry

The Clements Center and the School of Journalism are honored to host Philip Seib, Professor of Public Diplomacy, Journalism, and International Relations at the University of Southern California. Prof. Seib will be speaking on "Hashtag Diplomacy: Foreign Policy in the New Media Era" drawn from his recent book The Future of Diplomacy (Polity 2016). This event is free and open to the public. 

Seib's research interests include the effects of news coverage on foreign policy, particularly conflict and terrorism issues. He is author or editor of numerous books, including Headline Diplomacy: How News Coverage Affects Foreign Policy; The Global Journalist: News and Conscience in a World of Conflict; and Broadcasts from the Blitz: How Edward R. Murrow Helped Lead America into War.

 Thursday, March 2 at 12:15pm to 1:30pm

 Texas Union Building (UNB), Eastwoods Room 2.102
2247 Guadalupe, Austin, Texas 78705

Seven Myths About Cultural Diplomacy

blogs.state.gov

Image from article, with caption: Duke Ellington greets members of the Bhartiya Kala Kendra school of the arts in New Delhi, September 24, 1963.

By Lauren Aitken on February 27, 2017

The U.S. Department of State has a long history of promoting culture as a means to create connections with people around the world. Musicians, dancers and artists have traveled beyond their borders for more than 75 years on State Department-sponsored exchange programs. We believe in the power of the arts to help us advance our top foreign policy objectives, from championing human rights to supporting resilient societies. As diplomacy has evolved from government interactions to include people from all sectors of society, cultural diplomacy has brought communities closer together and increased awareness of important global issues.

However, myths persist. Here are a few misconceptions and some lesser-known facts about cultural diplomacy. And as African American History Month draws to a close I highlighted throughout this blog entry, a few noteworthy examples of African Americans -- both past and present -- engaging in cultural diplomacy.

Myth One: Cultural diplomacy is a newer type of diplomacy.

Louis-Armstrong-Poster.jpg

A poster promoting a Louis Armstrong appearance, distributed in Beirut, March 24, 1959.

Not so much. The informal exchange of culture has existed for centuries, and official cultural diplomacy programs have a long history within the U.S. government. In 1946, Senator J. William Fulbright created the first cultural exchange program through the Fulbright Act for the "promotion of international good will through the exchange of students in the fields of education, culture, and science."

The first official use of the term “cultural diplomacy” was in 1959 by Robert H. Thayer, Special Assistant to the Secretary of State for the Coordination of International Educational and Cultural Relations. He said foreign relationships were now determined by the “way people think and live, and eat, and feel,” and that “today we have in the forefront of the implementation of our foreign policy, cultural diplomacy, and to my mind the most important means of bringing complete mutual understanding between peoples, which in turn compels mutual understanding between governments.” That same year, the Department of State formally defined cultural diplomacy as, “the direct and enduring contact between peoples of different nations."

One of the most famous examples of cultural diplomacy is the Jazz Ambassadors program in the 1950s and 1960s. The State Department enlisted famous U.S. jazz musicians, including Louis Armstrong and Dave Brubeck, to share this uniquely American genre of music with the world. The freedom of jazz made it the “artistic counterpart to the American political system,” which not only showcased American arts but was also a tangible symbol of American values.

Davebrubeckquartet1967a.jpg

Dave Brubeck Quartet at Congress Hall Frankfurt/Main (1967). From left to right: Joe Morello, Eugene Wright, Dave Brubeck and Paul Desmond.

Myth Two: You have to be a famous artist to be a cultural diplomat.

Although famous artists have participated in cultural diplomacy exchanges, cultural envoys at all levels share their unique artistic expressions with audiences overseas, regardless of the size of their fan base. For example, American Music Abroad looks for artists committed to educating and engaging with global communities outside of more traditional Embassy outreach events.

There are, of course, famous names as well, as every U.S. embassy creates a cultural calendar to bolster its engagement with its regional population and engage communities surrounding themes that resonate greatest with them. Whether it’s Lady Gaga offering tickets to the embassy for a concert in support of human rights, Audra McDonald relating the ups and downs of her career path with ambitious music and theater students, Gibney Dance conducting gender-violence prevention workshops, or study-abroad Berklee College of Music musicians commemorating International Jazz Day with a concert at an American Space, each embassy conducts cultural diplomacy on a daily basis, expanding its reach and creating new people-to-people ties.

Myth Three: Cultural diplomacy is just about the arts.

False. The State Department defines cultural diplomacy as, “providing Americans with access to international artists while sharing America's rich culture of performing and visual arts with international audiences.” Arts programming is only one part of cultural diplomacy. The definition of cultural diplomacy includes exchange programs, educational programs, language teaching, broadcasting, gifts, ideas, social policy, history, and religion.

Myth Four: Cultural diplomacy must be led by governments.

False. When we refer to cultural diplomacy, we’re talking about how governments and nations organize and promote cultural programs to build understanding and relationships. But the beauty of culture is that it can be shared by anyone. We encourage Americans to employ culture as citizen diplomats. Every time you share a piece of your own culture with someone else, you’re serving as a cultural citizen diplomat.

Rapper-Wordsmith.jpg

Leading U.S. rapper Wordsmith joined forces with the Israeli Jewish-Arab rap band “System Ali” for the “Rap for Humanity” event in Tel Aviv to honor the memory and the legacy of the U.S. journalist and musician Daniel Pearl.

Myth Five: Only Americans can be Department of State cultural diplomats.

False. The State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs administers several programs that bring international artists (writers, musicians, dancers, hip-hop artists, filmmakers, actors) to the United States for cultural exchanges. These programs provide unique opportunities for collaboration and increase the capacity of Americans to understand and engage globally.

Programs like OneBeat unite diverse groups of musicians in the United States to write, produce, and perform original music with Americans and each other. The Center Stage program brings international contemporary performing artists in direct contact with U.S. audiences.

Myth Six: Anything related to culture counts as cultural diplomacy.

Not necessarily. The purpose of cultural diplomacy is to connect cultures and build bridges. As former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright said, “Cultural diplomacy is about presenting the diversity of your own country and listening to what people are saying to you. It is not one-way.” In that same vein, an international tour of a famous pop-star on its own would not be cultural diplomacy. But if that artist made a concerted effort to engage with the local community on a U.S. government program or in collaboration with a U.S. embassy, that would be cultural diplomacy.

Myth Seven: Cultural programs are mostly about attending museum exhibits and listening to concerts.

Next-Level-DC.jpg

Next Level participants perform in Washington, D.C.

False. Over the years, State Department programs have expanded to include exchanges like Next Level, which promotes international cultural exchange and conflict resolution through hip-hop music and dance. Through this program, MCs, DJs, beat makers, and hip-hop dancers conduct public concerts, interactive performances with local musicians, lecture demonstrations, workshops, and jam sessions with diverse audiences.

There are also programs like the American Arts Incubator, which uses new media and/or digital  arts to engage youth, artists, and underserved communities. Other programs like DanceMotion USA prove that cultural exchange is interactive, incorporating dance workshops for people of all levels and from all backgrounds in addition to offering top quality performances.  And American Film Showcase brings the best of U.S. documentary and feature film to audiences worldwide, exploring current issues through film as well as providing needed capacity-building for up-and-coming filmmakers. 

Just like culture itself, cultural diplomacy efforts will adapt as our society changes. Technology will influence and create culture faster than we can keep up. But as long as there are cultural diplomats willing to facilitate an open exchange of ideas and beliefs, cultural diplomacy will exist for years to come.

About the Author: Lauren Aitken serves in the Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State.

[Public Notice 9901] U.S. Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy: Notice of Meeting

[Public Notice 9901]
U.S. Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy: Notice of Meeting

image (not from entry) from

The U.S. Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy will hold a public meeting from 10:30 a.m. until 12:00 p.m., Thursday, March 16, 2017 in the Rayburn House Office Building, Room 2255 in Washington, D.C. 20515.

The meeting will be on “The Past, Present, and Future of Voice of America (VOA)” and will feature current Director of VOA Amanda Bennett, former VOA Director Geoff Cowan, and former Undersecretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs James Glassman.

This meeting is open to the public, Members and staff of Congress, the State Department, Defense Department, the media, and other governmental and nongovernmental organizations. To RSVP, and also to make any requests for reasonable accommodation, e-mail pdcommission@state.gov by 5pm on Tuesday, March 14, 2017. Please arrive for the meeting by 10:15am to allow for a prompt meeting start.

The United States Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy appraises U.S. Government activities intended to understand, inform, and influence foreign publics. The Advisory Commission may conduct studies, inquiries, and meetings, as it deems necessary. It may assemble and disseminate information and issue reports and other publications, subject to the approval of the Chairperson, in consultation with the Executive Director. The Advisory Commission may undertake foreign travel in pursuit of its studies and coordinate, sponsor, or oversee projects, studies, events, or other activities that it deems desirable and necessary in fulfilling its functions.

The Commission consists of seven members appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. The members of the Commission shall represent the public interest and shall be selected from a cross section of educational, communications, cultural, scientific, technical, public service, labor, business, and professional backgrounds. Not more than four members shall be from any one political party. The President designates a member to chair the Commission.

The current members of the Commission are: Mr. Sim Farar of California, Chairman; Mr. William Hybl of Colorado, Vice Chairman; Ambassador Lyndon Olson of Texas; Ambassador Penne Korth-Peacock of Texas; Anne Terman Wedner of Illinois; and Ms. Georgette Mosbacher of New York. One seat on the Commission is currently vacant.

To request further information about the meeting or the U.S. Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy, you may contact its Senior Advisor, Chris Hensman, at HensmanCD@state.gov.

Shawn Powers,
U.S. Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy,
Department of State.
BILLING CODE 4710-11
[FR Doc. 2017-04058 Filed: 3/1/2017 8:45 am; Publication Date: 3/2/2017]