October 27

"I do care when propaganda is confined to one side while the other is stripped and silent."

--W.E.B. DuBois, from the speech Criteria of Negro Art; image from

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

Pentagon game to divide Iranians and Arabs: A military planning exercise illuminates the story driving Washington's response to the Arab Spring - Sharmine Narwani, Salon: "Analysts and pundits have spent the past two weeks puzzling over the alleged Iranian plot to assassinate a Saudi diplomat in Washington, in part because of a complete lack of either motive or benefit for the Islamic Republic. ... Instead of scrutinizing the 'whys' of Iran’s involvement, it may be more illuminating to examine Washington’s motivation in advancing this bit of political theater. The criminal charges were followed by high-profile statements and sanctioned leaks from the White House, the departments of State, Justice, Treasury, Defense, FBI and the CIA, well orchestrated for maximum impact. The U.S. government then sought to persuade the global community via the U.N. Security Council and 'phone calls to many capitals' of the gravity of the charges.

Such fanfare went beyond the service of prosecuting a single crime. More likely, the charges being leveled at Iran came in the service of 'public diplomacy,' an attempt to establish a broad narrative that serves a policy decision. Pushing the narrative of the Iranian 'boogeyman' is not unusual in U.S. policy circles. ... [I]t appears the United States is acting not in accordance with its declared values, but is instead allowing financial and hegemonic calculations to drive foreign policy. Narratives manufactured to support myopic interests over fundamental values cast a long shadow over our ability to play a leading role in global affairs. We don’t reason, we spin."  Image from

Afghan reconciliation - dawn.com: "How will the core group of America, Pakistan and Afghanistan work alongside the bilateral effort that Pakistan and Afghanistan have supposedly been working on? What red lines are in fact workable? Is giving up arms, for example, a realistic precondition given the cultural issues involved? It is about time to start implementing the reconciliation process — or to restart it, rather — but the path forward is not as clear as public diplomacy might suggest."

Cultural Diplomacy: A Night of Art, Dance, and Children - Helen Tol Dosta, CPD blog, USC Center on Public Diplomacy: It’s been over 30 years since the horrors of Pol Pot’s terrorizing reign and while there are many remnants of the aftermath of the Khmer Rouge regime remaining, the country is rebuilding. Since the influx of NGOs and IGOs in the mid 1990s, Cambodia has seen all types of organizations enter and leave, providing much needed assistance in health care, educational and cultural programs. ... Intriguingly, in developing a

cultural diplomacy program, a debate among scholars arises from the question of who the true target audience shall be: the foreign masses or the locals? Successfully engaging the people is key to any public diplomacy initiative and convincing the locals of participating and furthering their own culture can be more challenging than persuading foreign audiences. ... Globally, cultural diplomacy was ... experiencing a resurgence in the early to mid 2000s; most notably since the Cold War. In 2003, following the 9/11 attacks, the U.S. State Department sent choreographers to densely Muslim-populated nations in response to polls that reported global displeasure with American attitudes toward Muslims in the U.S. and abroad. Art and dance are reflections and representations of the complexities of humanity, which is designed to captivate us visually and audibly, invoking a deep emotional connection that transcends through time and boundaries, proving their importance as the essential tools of cultural diplomacy." Image from

In The Presence of Greatness - Rajesh Mirchandani, CPD blog, USC Center on Public Diplomacy: "For anyone who is Indian-born, as I am, the chance to see Ravi Shankar perform is akin to an audience with the Pope for Catholics – and perhaps even harder to accomplish. This one-off show at the Disney Hall [in Los Angeles] had been scheduled for October last year and postponed twice - due, the press release said, to 'illness and visa complications' (a public diplomacy blunder for U.S. immigration?). ... Shankar is arguably India’s greatest cultural diplomat. Over sixty years, he and his sitar have not only given the complicated rhythms of Indian classical music an international audience, but have also influenced successive waves of Western musicians from The Beatles to Yehudi Menuhin to Phillip Glass."

India’s Regional Literature in Popular Culture - Madhurjya Kotoky, CPD blog, USC Center on Public Diplomacy: "When it comes to literature, spreading awareness is just not enough. It is important for stories from India to become a part of popular culture to generate influence."

Indian minister’s hogwash - thefrontierpost.com: "[I]f the decades-long brutalization of the Kashmir by the Indian military in its occupied territory has now begun revelling apart to expose the Indian State’s brute face damnably, it is all because of the Kashmiris themselves.

No credit goes to the Pakistani establishment. Indeed, this establishment has cared not even to mothball a persistent campaign by a section of Pakistani commentariat whose vaulting self-righteousness has snowballed to the extent of smothering or just glossing over some horrendous ground realities. They are leaving no stone unturned to denigrate the Kashmiri indigenous uprising in occupied Kashmir . ... This establishment must know in the world perceptions count and a lot, even more than hard realities. And on that front, it decidedly is faring very badly. A bit of public diplomacy it must practice, at least now to save this nation’s face from being muddied so wrongly. Image from

Guest Post: Comparative Public Diplomacy of Trade – Brazil and Venezuela - Evan Pondel, Ren's Micro Diplomacy: During the last several years, Brazil and Venezuela have embarked on different paths to achieve foreign policy objectives. Their strategies employ a variety of hard and soft power tools, some of which are quite effective in building cohesion and solidarity, and others that tend to alienate and isolate the two countries from the rest of the Western Hemisphere. Both countries have been successful in achieving certain foreign policy objectives, but internationally, Brazil has gained more economic and political clout than Venezuela. Understanding how these countries cultivate public diplomacy helps articulate why Brazil and Venezuela, especially the former, have become formidable hemispheric powers. To further illuminate their strategies, it is useful to distinguish how foreign policy objectives differ in Brazil and Venezuela, the role of hard and soft power and public diplomacy between the two countries, and the inherent strengths and weaknesses that influence the success of each country as a regional power."

EU-NA Fellows to visit the cities of Ifrane and Fez, Morocco - unaoc.org: "With an increasing number of events held in partnership with foreign cities, more particularly in southern Spain, Fez

has created a department exclusively dedicated to public diplomacy and foreign relations, and is thus working closely with Rabat on that file." Image from

US Peace Organization Honored in Beijing: China's Foreign Ministry Recognizes Zhou Enlai and Will Promote International Peace at Public Event during APEC Conference - press release, marketwatch.com: "The Zhou Enlai Peace Institute -- a non-profit organization based in Honolulu, Hawaii seeking to improve peaceful ties between the United States and China by building trust and respect through the life of peacemaker Zhou Enlai -- was recently honored by the Chinese government during a formal dinner and ceremony at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Beijing. Over 100 guests, many of them senior government officials, were in attendance to applaud the formation of the Institute and learn about the organization's six-part strategy to bring the people of both nations together. The event was co-sponsored by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) -- China's chief public diplomacy organization."

Implementation of FY2011 Local Staff Training in Japan - isria.com: "(Note 2) Lectures by Ministry senior and other officials and external instructors on administrative works, consular affairs, public diplomacy, Japan's foreign policy, international law, etc."

State Power vs. Social Movements - Yelena Osipova, Global Chaos: "[I]n the increasingly complex structure of world politics, non-state actors are operating alongside states, with communication playing a key enabling role.

It is here that public diplomacy and strategic communication can capitalize on the existing connections to strengthen and improve their achievements, whether directly or indirectly." Image from

RELATED ITEMS

America as Number Four: Discouraging trends in 'Doing Business' - Review and Outlook, Wall Street Journal: The World Bank released its annual "Doing Business" report last week, and friends of the Obama Administration are crowing that it debunks the notion that the U.S. has become a regulatory jungle since President Obama took office. Maybe they should read it more carefully. The report, which uses various indicators to rank 183 countries on the ease of doing business, puts the U.S. in fourth place for 2012, behind Singapore, Hong Kong and New Zealand. That's up a notch from its fifth-place finish last year, but down one from third place in 2007.

But then there are the trend lines in the sub-rankings. In 2007, the U.S. ranked third in the "ease of starting a business" category. This year it ranks 13th. On the "paying taxes" front we've dropped to 72nd place from 63rd. The cost of starting a business, measured as a percentage of per capita income, has doubled to 1.4% from 0.7% in 2007. On "ease of registering property" the U.S. has dropped to 16th from tenth. In the "trading across borders" category, we've dropped nine spots to 20th. In 2007, the "cost to import," as measured in dollars per container, was $625. Today it's more than doubled to $1,315. Image from

To deal with Iran’s nuclear future, go back to 2008 - Fareed Zakaria, Washington Post: Early in the 2008 presidential campaign, Barack Obama signaled that he was going to break with the Bush administration’s Manichean foreign policy. The topic was Iran. He explained repeatedly that the Bush policy of simply pressuring Iran was not working and that he would be willing to talk to the country’s leaders to find ways to reduce tensions and dangers. Two years into his presidency, Obama’s Iran policy looks a lot like George W. Bush’s — with some of the same problems that candidate Obama pointed out two years ago.

China Reins in Liberalization of Culture - Sharon Lafraniere, Michael Wines and Edward Wong, New York Times: The State Administration of Radio, Film and Television has ordered 34 major regional television stations to limit themselves to no more than two 90-minute entertainment

shows each per week, and collectively 10 nationwide. They are also being ordered to broadcast two hours of state-approved news every evening and to disregard audience ratings in their programming decisions. The ministry said the measures, to go into effect on Jan. 1, were aimed at rooting out “excessive entertainment and vulgar tendencies.” The restrictions arrived as party leaders signaled new curbs on China’s short-message, Twitter-like microblogs, an Internet sensation that has mushroomed in less than two years into a major — and difficult to control — source of whistle-blowing. Microbloggers, some of whom have attracted millions of followers, have been exposing scandals and official malfeasance, including an attempted cover-up of a recent high-speed rail accident, with astonishing speed and popularity. On Wednesday, the Communist Party’s Central Committee called in a report on its annual meeting for an “Internet management system” that would strictly regulate social network and instant-message systems, and punish those who spread “harmful information.” The focus of the meeting, held this month, was on culture and ideology. Image from

Commentator: "BBC is retreating from global news," while Al Jazeera "is expanding" - Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on International Broadcasting

Pravda on the Potomac - Ben Smith, Politico: Government propaganda station Russia Today sometimes does something resembling news reporting, and sometimes offers something closer to ham-handed Soviet-style hit pieces.

Iranian Ayatollah’s “Secret Security” Pressure Christian Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani - American Center for Law and Justice: New developments for Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, the Christian pastor sentenced to death in Iran, may be an effort by Ayatollah Khamenei to entrap him.

Our contacts have notified us that agents of the Ministry of Intelligence and National Security of Iran, commonly referred to as Iran’s Secret Security, visited Pastor Youcef in jail and provided him with printed Islamic propaganda. This propaganda contained information as to why, according to Iran, Islam is the one true faith. The agents requested that Pastor Youcef read and reflect on the materials, instructing him that they would return to discuss the materials with him at a later date. Image from article

Sri Lanka says war crimes Allegations 'propaganda' - AFP: Sri Lanka's government on Thursday sought to dismiss war crimes allegations as propaganda from its defeated rivals, as it came under further pressure ahead of a Commonwealth summit. A spokesman for Sri Lankan President Mahendra Rajapakse described the heavy focus on the issue in the lead-up to Friday's gathering of leaders from the 54-nation Commonwealth bloc in the Australian city of Perth as "unfair." "This is the well-oiled propaganda machinery of the LTTE rump," spokesman Bandula Jayasekera told the ABC news network, in reference to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and its diaspora overseas.

Northwestern University exhibitions and events at Block Museum and Dittmar Gallery - evanston.patch.com: An exhibition of Soviet art posters and cartoons that is a vivid reminder of the Cold War era; a companion exhibition of pre-Russian Revolution book art; and displays of Russian and American World War II propaganda posters and memorabilia from a famous Russian composer’s 1973 Evanston campus visit will be open to the public through early December. All are among the fall 2011 exhibitions at Northwestern University’s Mary and Leigh Block Museum of Art and University Library.

MFA exhibit proves the duty of beauty - Megan Araghi, The Huntington News: “Beauty as Duty,” the current fashion exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA), Northeastern University, illustrates the way fashion can become pervasively woven into political and everyday life, ultimately reflecting the sentiments of a time period. Albeit fashion is no doubt an unusual medium for propaganda, political messages were consistently the most present theme in the exhibit.

Textile designers were never implored to include illustrations of propaganda in their designs – it just happened. However, it became something particularly omnipresent, and the fashion displayed in the exhibit illustrates it strongly. Scarves, especially from the likes of Jacqmar, who was the most famous British scarf designer at the time, kept true to British dry humor and presented colorful comic illustrations. A depiction of a cartoon Hitler cleverly eavesdropping on British citizens in the textile prints is an example of propaganda. Image from article

Thorne presents Chinese propaganda inspired art - Augustus Stahl, The Equinox: The Thorne gallery is one of the more unappreciated parts of Keene State College, with year round exhibitions of modern and historical art. It shows art from both globally acclaimed artists and students at Keene State. With dusty dollar bills filling the donations box, the atrium to the Thorne Gallery was populated by a few Chinese exchange students and a grinning curator. It was 5:30 on the dot Friday night when the doors opened and the small but eager crowd was admitted to the exhibition. The opening was for China Modern: Designing Popular Culture 1910-1970, a collection of advertising and propaganda images that narrated China’s volatile political history.

October 26

"There are few nudities so objectionable as the naked truth."

--Agnes Repplier; on Repplier, see; Repplier image from

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

Toward a Smarter Power: Moving Beyond the Rhetoric - Justin Polin, World Affairs: "[Bush] Administration officials ... focused on the ideological front of the War on Terror. Unfortunately, for a number of reasons, no agency or office in government played a lead role. While there were a number of program attempts—led by former advertising executive Charlotte Beers and Bush loyalists like Republican politicos Margaret Tutwiler, Pat Harrison, and Karen Hughes—these administrators and their initiatives were widely panned as vacuous and ineffective. Beers, while an under secretary of state, developed the Shared Values Initiative to demonstrate that Muslims were happy and well treated in the United States. Hughes, a later public diplomacy chief, went on a Middle East 'listening tour' that was criticized for its lack of attention to substance. State’s approach was characterized as a series of weak attempts to counter anti-Americanism rather than an effort to explain US policy or stimulate dialogue within Muslim communities. ... President Obama believes that engagement—through diplomacy both private and public—can improve the US position while weakening support for terrorism. A centerpiece of his engagement strategy, the June 2009 Cairo speech, did produce a certain amount of goodwill in Muslim countries. Yet only one year later, according to a June 2010 Pew study, US favorability in Pakistan and Egypt was lower than in 2008. There were only modest increases in Jordan and Lebanon. ... These setbacks in Muslim countries are complemented by a number of public diplomacy missteps in other areas. ... The overall impression is of an administration that treated its allies rather shabbily as it engaged with the likes of Iran, Syria, and Russia. ... Smart power

is only smart if it enables the US to solve national security problems. There is little indication that Obama administration 'smart power' has done so. It has failed to settle any of the most serious US foreign policy challenges . ... Ideological efforts during the war on terrorism have suffered from a failure of imagination as well. While many current and former government officials describe the ideological front as the most important component of the war, there is no one office or department with responsibility for the effort. What’s more, activities have consisted largely of government messaging and public diplomacy designed to bolster the US image. There is little indication of a serious effort to stimulate debate among Muslims or empower Muslims who oppose radical Islamist ideology, despite such efforts being the key to victory."  Image from, with comment: Product Type: Functional: Energy Drink: Diet; Container: 16oz (473 ml) can BevNET Review: Smart Power Energy Drink is a low-carb, sugar free energy drink designed to give you a boost without the crash. It supposedly does this by using "natural regulators" which, analyzing the nutritional panel appears to be a cocktail of ingredients (such as L-theanine, DL-Phenylalanine and n-acetyl-l-tyrosine) to help counteract the lows associated with a caffeine crash. In terms of how it drinks, the lightly carbonated energy flavored formulation delivers a decent energy flavored body that's sweetened with ace-k and sucralose. The biggest issue for this product is its design, which has a somewhat cluttered appearance that's in need of a spiffier look. The "no crash" is certainly the biggest selling point, but it's hard not to be distracted by the word "smart" -- a word that is overused in the energy category. In our opinion, they should simplify the branding so that the lack of crash is what gets your attention. Otherwise, we weren't blown away by what's inside the can, but it's definitely an above average formulation.

Remarks on Statelessness and Gender Discrimination - Maria Otero, Under Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs, Refugees International Event, U.S. Institute of Peace: "Under Secretary Clinton’s leadership, the State Department is advocating on behalf of stateless people with foreign governments and civil society organizations. U.S. diplomats around the world are working to generate local political will to reform discriminatory nationality laws. We are also working with partners like those on the panel today to identify and provide documentation to stateless persons. And we are working to protect them from abuse, ensure that they too have access to basic services. In doing this work, our objectives are straightforward: 1. We want to use the strength of our public diplomacy to increase global awareness of women’s nationality rights. 2. And we want to persuade government officials to amend nationality laws that discriminate against women; we want to ensure universal birth registration; and we want to establish procedures and systems that help stateless people acquire citizenship. Because, at the end of the day, statelessness is not just a humanitarian or human rights issue -- it is a matter of human security and the protection of individuals."

CPD speaker on using public diplomacy to address human rights issues - Jessica Zech, blog.uscannenberg.org: "The USC Center on Public Diplomacy at the Annenberg School welcomed Bernard Duhaime, the incoming Canada-U.S. Visiting Research Chair in Public Diplomacy, to speak about the relationship between human rights and public diplomacy. Duhaime, who is conducting research and teaching in the Master of Public Diplomacy program this fall, explained how the

growth of international human rights has created space for new actors, usually nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), to participate in complex diplomacy strategies to eradicate human rights violations. 'In my opinion, obviously when we are looking at public diplomacy and human rights we can look at human rights as a method of public diplomacy in order to change behavior, but essentially public diplomacy is the tool to ensure that human rights work is respected,' Duhaime said." Duhaime (left) image from article

Innovation for the Public Good: An Open Agency Culture Is Key to Innovation: Four Kinds of Permeability Are Important to Fostering Innovation - Kristina Costa: americanprogress.org: "The most innovative thing about the Department of State’s 'Apps4Africa' public diplomacy project isn’t the immediate outcome—small cash prizes for the best mobile phone applications—but the process. This year, Apps4Africa

will bring together local innovators, entrepreneurs, NGOs, and government officials in 15 African nations to develop local solutions to mitigate the problems caused by climate change. Competitions will be held in East Africa, West and Central Africa, and South Africa. Three winners from each region will receive help from private-sector companies and foundations to implement and scale up their ideas." Image from

Brand America Rated #1 - The 2011 Anholt-GfK Roper Nation Brands Index was released on October 12th. Brand America was once again ranked as the most admired country in the world. This is the third year in a row Brand America was ranked #1. This is in spite of the fact America doesn’t make the top 10 for either the way it governs domestically or behaves internationally. ... I wanted to get a better understanding of what is driving the #1 ranking

for Brand America. So I asked GfK’s Xiaoyan Zhao (Director of the NBI study) 'What’s the most surprising finding about Brand America this year?' 'Brand America continues to lead, and expands its lead over second place Germany. And this momentum bucks the trend for other developed countries many of which have experienced downward movement of NBI scores or have stalled in the last 4 years, but Brand America’s score has been steadily growing. The historic moment of President Obama’s election in 2008 propelled the United States to the top rank the following year. Our NBISM 2008 study showed that the United States was ranked last among the G7 countries on the overall NBISM. In the years since the inception of NBISM in 2005 this has been a consistent pattern, despite the highly visible public diplomacy communication efforts from the U.S., whose administration’s unilateral foreign policy, among other things, alienated many around the world. Following the historic election of President Obama and particularly with his new leadership style shown at the first G20 meeting in April 2009, and his new domestic policy orientation, the world’s connected citizens took notice of the behavior change, and boosted the United States to the top of the 2009 NBISM overall rankings. Image from

LA Times editorial criticizes Radio/TV Martí "spam" text messages sent to Cuba - Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on International Broadcasting

Capture the essence of the Colombo Plan - Julie Bishop, The Australian: "Australia is far less secure under the Rudd-Gillard Labor Government than at any time in recent history given the number of embarrassing mishaps that have damaged relations with key friends and partners in the region. One area that requires enhancement and refinement is the field of public diplomacy, promoting our national interests including our national security through greater understanding of, advocacy with, listening to and influencing countries and peoples in our region. Much more must be done to broaden the dialogue between Australian citizens, Australian institutions, private groups and other diverse interests and elements within our society and their counterparts in countries in Asia. I have long argued that mutual understanding and engagement with our region can be achieved if Australia can commit to the exchange of information, ideas, values and beliefs that can occur through greater two-way student exchange. While many student exchange programs are supported through private sector organisations and our universities, direct government support for student exchange programs is limited. Through the Colombo Plan,

the Menzies Government reached out to our region, drawing in the best and the brightest students in the region to universities in Australia. Students who came to Australia under this plan developed a lasting impression and an understanding of our country and its way of life. ... It would be a worthwhile exercise to renew contact with the Colombo Plan alumni from 1950 to 1985 given that no complete record exists. This represents a lost opportunity of continuing engagement with a significant body of people who have a deep understanding of Australia. Strengthening alumni associations of students who study in Australia generally could contribute significantly to our efforts in public diplomacy. ... Cultural diplomacy, with exchanges in sport and the arts must also be a focus of our future investment in our region. Only through embracing ideas at home and through smart diplomacy abroad, that focuses on Asia, can Australia properly prepare itself for the changes that lie ahead." Image from article, with caption: Shadow foreign affairs spokeswoman Julie Bishop says Australia could learn a lot by taking a closer look at the Colombo Plan.  On the Colombo plan, see.

Fiji Explores Its Options - the-diplomat.com: "Over the next few months, The Diplomat will be running a series of interviews with Washington DC-based ambassadors on defence, diplomacy, and trade in the Asia-Pacific region. In the second of these interviews, conducted by Washington correspondent Eddie Walsh, Ambassador Winston Thompson of the Republic of Fiji discusses the opportunities and challenges facing his government following the 2006 military coup. ... [Question:] Fiji participated in the Shanghai World Expo in 2010. How important is cultural diplomacy to advancing your countries national interests abroad? What countries are the main focus of such outreach? [Thompson Answer:] Fiji participated in the Shanghai World Expo in 2010. How important is cultural diplomacy to advancing your countries national interests abroad? What countries are the main focus of such outreach? We aren’t doing too much in public diplomacy. We do have regular attendance at such expos, a military band that travels, a festival of arts held in the South Pacific,

and shows like Pacific Night in Washington, DC and elsewhere. However, I don’t know if there’s a systematic plan to exploit this area on the world stage. It is just not being thought of – we don’t have the resources to do much about it. It has nothing to do with our present government status. I think it’s increasingly realized that we need to get a brand though. The fact that Fiji Water is such a recognizable brand matters. We now are launching Fiji Pure Mahogany as a brand. The government is increasingly realizing it needs a systematic approach to building a brand. The government is going to have to take the initiative and spearhead building a brand. It will need to put resources into it and get input from agencies in other countries." Thompson image from article

Experts vow to boost mutual trust between China, Japan - Zhang Yunbi and Feng Zhiwei, China Daily: Prominent policymakers and think tanks from China and Japan on Tuesday vowed to boost trust in political and security affairs and public diplomacy. Hunan province and Japan's Tokushima Prefecture also signed an agreement on Monday to mark the establishment of their official friendship at the third annual meeting of the Fifth 21st Century Committee for China-Japan Friendship, an advisory panel to both governments. The committee recommended that government and powerful political figures from both sides make a greater effort to view their counterparts in an objective way and 'handle issues concerned properly'. ... Emphasizing the role of public diplomacy, the committee called for additional funding for communications and visits between young people of the two countries. Around 20,000 students from both sides will participate in friendly activities and visits over the next five years, Japanese Ambassador to China Uichiro Niwa said during a speech at Tsinghua University in Beijing on Oct 19. Chinese film festivals in Japan, Japanese cartoon exhibitions and a recent pop concert in Beijing also serve to diversify bilateral communication, Niwa said."

Beijing's message masters try to shape views - Teddy Ng, China News Watch: "Analysts generally say that Chinese officials' appearance in international media is part of Beijing's campaign to sharpen its public diplomacy and promote China's soft power. The ideas behind this are generally the same as China spending billions of yuan since 2009 to expand the presence of state-run media organisations overseas.

China has been trying to improve the international public's opinion about itself since the 1990s - after its international image was tarnished by its bloody crackdown in 1989 - by promoting a positive view of the country in terms of social, economic, political and opening-up policies, and welcoming foreign investment." Image from

Mascot Diplomacy - Paul Rockower, Levantine: "There is a great story about the Washington Nationals' mascot Screech visiting with the Taiwanese Ambassador ahead of his trip to Taiwan (xie xie Abba). First, I love the historical irony that the Nationals are sending their mascot to the island of the KMT nationals.

Beyond the historical irony, it is smart public diplomacy all around. Smart because Taiwan loves the Washington Nationals because the Taiwanese pitcher Chien Ming-Wang is on the club. The Nats' 'W' hat was pretty ubiquitous in Taipei, as was Wang jerseys." Image from article

Management and the British Council - Robin, Public Diplomacy, Networks and Influence: "Public diplomacy sits between communications, politics and organization. I think that the organizational dimension is essential in explaining why PD activities turn out the way that they do rather than following the dictates of strategy or the prescriptions of effective communication. With this in mind this morning’s offering is a pointer towards a couple of papers on the management and organization of the British Council. ... In thinking about effective PD one issue to keep in mind are the incentives that actually operate for organizations and the people within them. Lee, J.M. (1995) ‘The Reorganization of the British Council: Management Improvisation and Policy Uncertainty’, Public Administration, 73: 339-55. Venters, W., and B. Wood (2007) ‘Degenerative Structures that Inhibit the Emergence of Communities of Practive: A Case Study of Knowledge Management in the British Council’, Information Systems Journal, 17: 349-68."

RELATED ITEMS

State Department buys $70,000 worth of Obama books - Jim McElhatton, washingtontimes.com: The State Department has bought more than $70,000 worth of books

authored by President Obama, sending out copies as Christmas gratuities and stocking “key libraries” around the world with “Dreams From My Father” more than a decade after its release. The U.S. Embassy in Egypt, for instance, spent $28,636 in August 2009 for copies of Mr. Obama’s best-selling 1995 memoir. Six weeks earlier, the embassy had placed another order for the same book for more than $9,000, federal purchasing records show. About the same time, halfway around the world, the U.S. Embassy in South Korea had the same idea and spent more than $6,000 for copies of “Dreams From My Father.” One month later, the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia, spent more than $3,800 for hardcover copies of the Indonesian version of Mr. Obama’s “The Audacity of Hope,” records show. Leslie Paige, a spokeswoman for Citizens Against Government Waste, a watchdog group, said if the federal government is looking to cut costs, eliminating purchases of Mr. Obama’s books is a good place to start. “It’s inappropriate for U.S. taxpayer dollars to be spent on this,” she said. “This sounds like propaganda.” Image from

U.S. pulls its ambassador from Syria - Paul Richter and Patrick J. McDonnell, Los Angeles Times: Robert Ford returns to Washington for now amid safety concerns prompted by what U.S. officials call a campaign of "malicious and deceitful propaganda"

in Syria's state-run news media. The Obama administration has temporarily withdrawn its ambassador to Syria, citing threats against his personal safety following his outspoken criticism of the country's brutal crackdown on pro-democracy protesters. Image from article, with caption; U.S. Ambassador to Syria Robert S. Ford, pictured last year, has been withdrawn

Barack Kissinger Obama - Thomas Friedman, New York Times: In his own way, President Obama has brought the country to the right strategy for Bush’s “war on terrorism.” It is a serious, focused combination of global intelligence coordination, targeted killing of known terrorists and limited interventions — like Libya — that leverage popular forces on the ground and allies, as well as a judicious use of U.S. power, so that we keep the costs and risks down. But while Obama has been deft at implementing Bush’s antiterrorism policy, he has been less successful with his own foreign policy. His Arab-Israeli diplomacy has been a mess.

For the U.S., a forced withdrawal from UNESCO: If the organization accepts Palestine as a member, the U.S. will have to resign - Timothy E. Wirth, latimes.com: It is clear that whatever happens at

UNESCO, Palestinians will continue to seek membership in the U.N.'s many specialized agencies. And each time they succeed, the United States will have to resign from another world body, thereby losing influence and input on international issues. Image from

Pro-Israel Lobby Courts African Americans - Ira Glunts, palestinechronicle.com: Hasbara is the Hebrew word for a particular type of pernicious propaganda first employed by early Zionists leaders to explain the unexplainable actions of the Jewish administration in Palestine. In recent years, hasbara has been disseminated by certain Christian fundamentalists who believe supporting Israel brings them closer to God, and also by many members of the United States Congress who have been co-opted by the powerful pro-Israel lobby. Now the lobby has its sights set on a new group of potential collaborators: African Americans.

Islamic world media urged to help defuse western media propaganda - Managing Director of the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) Ali-Akbar Javanfekr urged Islamic world’s journalists Wednesday to help defuse propaganda of western media against Muslims.

Javanfekr made the remarks in a meeting here with a group of foreign journalists currently in Iran to attend an upcoming meeting to discuss establishment of a union of the Islamic world’s press. Javanfekr image from article

Libya: Lies, Damn Lies & Western Propaganda - Ed Strong, Sexual Media Artist: NATO has assassinated Gaddafi. Now the puppets can dance. This is not about democracy, as the “new” leaders are a combination of Gaddafi’s ex-cabinet officials and ex-Mujahideen who took out the People’s Democratic Party of Afghanistan in the 80s and installed the Taliban for the CIA.

Chinese Communist Film Premiere at Lincoln Center a Big Flop - Jenny Yang, Epoch Times: The Chinese communist regime’s United Front soft-power propaganda war aimed at shaping world opinion through culture, film, and media, has just fired an embarrassing dud, with not a single audience member showing up at the 2011 China Movie Culture Week opening night at New York’s Lincoln Center.

The 2011 China Movie Culture Week, hosted by China’s Ministry of Culture, the State Administration of Radio Film and Television, and Columbia University, encountered an embarrassment--no one showed up at its Oct. 17 premiere of the movie “Founding of a Republic,” not even anyone from the hosting organizations. The flop has become a joke on international Chinese media. Image from

S. Minasyan: Azerbaijan gained a new chair for propaganda - panorama.am: "'Azerbaijan has made use of the potential of Islamic conference organization member states and countries having anti-Western moods caused by the recent statements of the French President, allowing them to get a UN Security Council seat,' said expert Sergey Minasyan to Panorama.am. Referring to the impact Azerbaijan’s new seat can have on the process of resolution of NK conflict, the expert has said that the negotiations are being held in the format of the OSCE Minsk Group, and that the only role it can have is a chair for propaganda. 'Official Moscow, Paris and Washington will never authorize the removal of the issue to the UN Security Council, which has been repeatedly declared,' said S. Minasyan."

The Propaganda Posters of the 1% - Benjamin Starr, visualnews.com

October 22-25

"At the end of dinner, Qaddafi told me that he’d made a videotape for me. Uh oh, I thought, what is this going to be? It was a quite innocent collection of photos of me with world leaders—President Bush, Vladimir Putin, Hu Jintao, and so on—set to the music of a song called 'Black Flower in the White House,' written for me by a Libyan composer. It was weird, but at least it wasn’t

raunchy."

--Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice; from her recent memoir, cited text in Princess Sparkle Pony's Photo Blog; above image from; below image from; see also "'10 Percent Intellectual': The Mind of Condoleezza Rice", prwatch.org and "Spreading Bush's Gospel," tompaine.org

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PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

Karzai Says Afghanistan Would Help Pakistan Against US Attack‎- James Rupert, BusinessWeek: "Afghan President Hamid Karzai urged Pakistan’s military to stop supporting the Taliban insurgency, saying his country is a loyal neighbor that would assist Pakistan if attacked by the U.S. In the interview with Pakistan’s Geo television, Karzai accused Pakistan’s military of sponsoring the Taliban movement fighting his government while describing the two countries as twin brothers.

Describing Taliban bases in Pakistan as a betrayal of fraternal relations, Karzai vowed that Afghanistan would never abandon Pakistan in return. ... Karzai’s declaration on Pakistan’s most prominent independent TV channel was an effort at public diplomacy, said Nur ul-Haq Uloomi, an Afghan politician and former army general. In promising to back Pakistan in the event of a war, Karzai 'was speaking diplomatically and no one will take this seriously,' Uloomi said. the comments came days after Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited both countries and renewed U.S. pressure on Pakistan’s leaders to take action within 'days and weeks' against the Taliban and allied militant groups that attack U.S. troops in Afghanistan from Pakistani bases." Image from

America’s media concerns - dawn.com: "US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton probably needed a throat lozenge on Friday night. After intense meetings with members of Pakistan’s security and political establishment, she participated in a joint press conference with Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar, answered tough questions from Pakistan’s leading news anchors and engaged in a televised ‘townterview’ with civil society representatives. The media blitz was a clear throwback to the secretary’s October 2009 visit, when her candid views and charm offensive managed to win over some stubborn Pakistani hearts and minds. Clinton’s 2009 trip is widely acknowledged as a high point in US public diplomacy efforts within Pakistan by State Department officials and members of the Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan’s team. Her accessible manner, blunt talk and willingness to engage directly with different strata of Pakistani society earned her much respect and helped complicate the fiery, nationalist debate around the Kerry-Lugar-Berman legislation. The media component of Clinton’s visit last week was no doubt an attempt to replicate the success of her earlier public forays. This repeat performance is a good demonstration of the fact that the US is able to learn from past mistakes and respond to ground realities in Pakistan."

Hillary’s admonition - thefrontierpost.com: "Isn’t it interesting? And appalling too? Like a master admonishing his slave, Hillary Clinton, US secretary of state, warned Pakistan: dismantle militant 'safe havens' along the Afghan border within days and weeks. But which auction mart was it where Uncle Sam had bought Pakistan a slave? This nation’s hierarchs may have sold out to him. Not the people of Pakistan. And it is only this country’s palmed-off nobility, who has supped richly from dollar-laden

US public diplomacy’s founts and whose bloating self-righteousness competes toughly with its unquenchable passion of self-flagellation, that fills the media channels with deafening noise that the US wrath would cost Pakistan irreparably dearly. So dependent is this country on the US beneficence, chants the nobility, that it would struggle to survive staggeringly even economically and its people would starve without it." Image from

Clinton visit‎ - DAWN.com: "Ms Clinton lowered the temperature and undertook useful public diplomacy by addressing at least three issues that have become the source of much concern in Pakistan: she said unequivocally that there would be no American boots on the ground in Pakistan in reply to questions about whether the US will launch unilateral strikes if action is not taken against the Haqqani network. She stated that America has no evidence of the involvement of Pakistani intelligence in the attack on the US embassy in Kabul. And even as she reiterated the need for Pakistan to pursue the Afghan Taliban, Ms Clinton said action would be taken against Pakistani Taliban who have found refuge on the Afghan side of the border."

Pakistani wolf to guard Afghan henhouse - M K Bhadrakumar, Asia Times Online: "The visit by United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to Islamabad last week turned out to be yet another defining moment in the endgame in Afghanistan. It took place under the heavy cloud cover of propaganda. Foggy Bottom habitually resorts to strident public diplomacy when Uncle Sam's tailcoat is on fire so that the awkwardness of dousing the flames remains a private affair. This was literally the case last week. US diplomats strove to give spin to media persons amenable to listening, that Clinton was going to hand down a tough message to the recalcitrant General Headquarters of the Pakistani army in Rawalpindi: 'Pakistan must crack down on the Haqqani network who take shelter in North Waziristan

on the Afghan border regions and incessantly bleed the US and North Atlantic Treaty Organization forces, or else, the US would suo moto act.' The US spin doctors made it out to be that with or without Pakistan, the US was anyway going to fight the insurgents (as well as "talk" with them and also "build" Afghanistan), but Pakistan's relationship with the US was at risk unless its military leadership acted now." Image from

Changing Landscapes of the Arab World - cynicalsynapse.wordpress.com: "Much is and has been changing in the Middle East. Syria is a holdout against the Arab Spring, but, in the first free, democratic elections in decades, Tunisians are voting today. Of course, one problem is we—the US—may not like the outcome of the election. Second to depose its despot, former President Hosni Mubarak, Egypt has not made any substantial progress toward elections. Libya became the third Arab state to win its freedom with the killing of Muammar Gaddafi a few days ago. In a bizarre twist, Amnesty International and the United Nations Human Rights Office called for inquiries into the manner of Gaddafi’s death. Despite public diplomacy in support of the Arab Spring uprisings, the US gained substantial benefits from close ties with authoritarian regimes in the Middle East. In Bahraini ports, the US has headquarters for its Fifth Fleet. Last month’s killing of Anwar al-Awlaki had Yemeni complicity, if not outright support. Despite these cozy relationships, Pres. Obama warned the oppressers [sic] their time was short."

The Death of Gadaffi and US Foreign Policy - Musings of an Overqualified Misfit: Reflections of a World Citizen on Life’s Possibilities….."Having served as a Public Diplomacy Officer at the U.S. Mission to NATO during the Bush regime when Americans were almost universally hated by Europeans and the world, I have seen the repercussions of the American tendency to deploy its military might to solve world conflicts. After an outpouring of good will towards our nation after September 11, our hasty actions in Iraq made us, in the world’s eye, arrogant, trigger happy strongmen who cared little about the opinion of the rest of the world. The killing of Muammar Gaddafi

by his own countrymen was historic. For the first time in recent history, America has helped empower a country’s oppressed masses to free themselves from the shackles of ruthless dictator without going in with guns blazing. And we have done so with the support of the international community. This is a major departure from the modus operandi of previous Administrations. ... As a U.S. Foreign Service Officer, I have seen the failure of programs that try to 'solve the problems' of other nations. What is much more successful is helping those who are already making the effort to create positive change." "Gaddafi" image from

Humanitarian Aid as a Strategic Obligation to the People of Libya - Public diplomacy: "In the coming months and years the people of Libya will be faced with choices—such as their views of the US and whether they wish to be an ally in the fight to bring democracy to the Middle East and North Africa. How we treat the people of Libya—indeed, our public diplomacy in that nation—may determine foreign policy choices of the next Libyan government. While it cannot be said that the future of Libya hinges on US public diplomacy and humanitarian aid, we can play an important role in the outcome of Libya, especial at this most critical hour. Whether the US is seen as liberators or evil-doers, it is imperative that we show the people of Libya that in the end we did not care about killing Gaddafi or access to oil, but that we cared about helping the people of Libya."

Next Arab Domino May Be Oil Darling Algeria - Reuel Marc Gerecht, moroccoboard.com: "In 2002, William Burns, an assistant secretary of state, remarked in Algiers that the U.S. 'has much to learn from Algeria

on ways to fight terrorism.' This solicitation has continued under President Barack Obama. Last month, the State Department coordinator forncounterterrorism, Daniel Benjamin, was in Algiers. At a counterterrorist conference hosted by the government, he saw an opportunity 'for our officials to learn from the experiences of other allied countries, in particular our North African partners. Our bilateral cooperation with the Algerian government in the battle against terrorism is now stronger than it has ever been,' he said, covering 'issues of public diplomacy, economics, and military aid.'” Image from

Greater Efforts Still Needed to Combat Smuggling and Violence‎ - Jessica Zuckerman, Heritage.org: "Rather than belittling the problem of illegal immigration to the United States, Americans should take a more comprehensive and robust strategy for combating human smuggling, violence, and the huge numbers of illegal aliens. Such a strategy should focus on increasing border security and improving legal immigration procedures and public diplomacy and fostering reforms and greater efforts to combat human smuggling in Latin America."

Obama helps Uganda, does what’s morally right - www.jofr.org: "On 14 October, United States President Barack Obama informed Congress that he dispatched about 100 US military advisers — mostly special operations forces — to Uganda to assist in the fight against a local militant group. ... Although Uganda doesn’t want foreign militaries fighting their battles for them, it and the world’s newest nation-state South Sudan, for now, are welcoming the American assistance. ... As I teach in my diplomacy course, States do not intervene for primarily humanitarian reasons and they are rarely prepared to sacrifice their own soldiers overseas unless there is some sort of national interest involved.

However, sometimes States can achieve both their strategic goals and stop human rights abuses at the same time. This is what happened here. Whether a State is successful in this endeavor often depends on perception and the US is desperately trying to reverse the world’s anti-American image. This is the role of US public diplomacy; the ability to promote American ideals and beliefs to a foreign public to advance their national interest. This is the job of not only the State Department, but the Department of Defense as well. And as an American living overseas, I can undoubtedly say that it needs to be strengthened. Image from

Princeton Township Mayor Chosen for China Delegation - planetprinceton.com: "Princeton Township Mayor Chad Goerner will get to practice his Mandarin when he heads to China this December as a member of a U.S. delegation of young political leaders. Goerner was selected by the Washington,

DC based American Council of Young Political Leaders to be part of a 9-member, bipartisan delegation. ... During the 14-day program, delegates will examine China’s governance, politics, policy making, international affairs, and culture. Through interactions with Chinese government officials, business and community leaders, advocacy experts, scholars, and diplomats, the young leaders will gain a better understanding of China as well as enhance their leadership and public diplomacy skills." Goerner image from article

Guest Post: The Global Backlash to Free Trade - Emily Chin, Ren's Micro Diplomacy: "At the end of the twentieth century, the 'free trade' brand took a hard blow. The resonance of the Asian financial crisis, which echoed through Argentina through the Latin American nation into an even deeper recession, still lingered in the minds of economists and policy-makers. ... Although, in the cases of Indonesia, Mayalsia, the Philippines and South Korea, the IMF implemented emergency bailout loans, aimed at blocking the defaults, the damage to U.S. public diplomacy with its 'exercising tough love' in the case of Argentine market failure was damning."

Senate Confirms Bryson As Secretary of Commerce‎ - Hind Sabir - Targeted News Service: (subscription) [Item cited from Googlee:] "Anne Terman Wedner, of Illinois, to be a Member of the US Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy for a term expiring July 1, 2013."

Reference: Smart Nation Act Draft (Full Text Online for Google Translate) - www.phibetaiota.net: Proposed Legislation: The Smart Nation Act Institutionalizing Open Source Information

Exploitation and Multinational Information Sharing Beneficial to All + Within the Department of State, expands the capabilities of the Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy by providing the incumbent with oversight authority of the Open Source Agency (OSA) and the Office of Information Sharing Treaties and Agreements." Image from article

Stop spamming Cuba: An American company last month began sending thousands of unsolicited text messages a week to cellphones in Cuba under an $84,000 annual government contract. That's dumb - Editorial, latimes.com: For more than 25 years, Radio and TV Marti have served as a reminder of America's failed policy toward Cuba. The stations were launched in 1985 as a way to crack Fidel Castro's control over mass media. Since then, they have become little more than a financial black hole. ... So it's disappointing that the U.S., which in recent years has taken steps to improve relations with Cuba, has opted to sustain and expand these anachronistic broadcasts that serve no purpose other than to placate Cuban exiles in Miami and stoke Castro's anti-American rants. Last month, an American company began sending thousands of unsolicited

text messages a week to cellphones in Cuba under an $84,000 annual contract with the Broadcasting Board of Governors, which runs the stations. The texts repackage Radio and TV Marti content, such as Major League Baseball scores and invitations to join Internet chats. The strategy is the cyber equivalent of dropping propaganda leaflets on the island. It is ineffective and, according to Cuba, illegal. Moreover, it ignores the fact that less than 10% of Cubans — or roughly 1 million— own cellphones, and that Internet access in Cuba is among the lowest in the world and is strictly regulated by the government. ... Congress ought to stop pretending that Radio and TV Marti remain relevant. And if President Obama is interested in reaching the Cuban people, he should push Congress to lift the travel ban. Person-to-person contact, not spam, is the way to win the hearts and minds of Cubans. Image from article, with caption: Cuban flags fly at half mast beside the United States Interests Section in Havana.

House bill would "correct a large imbalance between" Chinese official media in the US and US official media in China - Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on International Broadcasting

The “New” BBG Strategic Plan Part II - The Federalist, BBG Watch:  "[T]he vast and overwhelming majority of Americans don’t know about the BBG and US international broadcasting. And they don’t care. They have other priorities that cut deeply into their day-to-day, things like food, clothing and shelter, the rising costs of everything, their personal debt and so forth. To these same Americans, their idea of effective 'public diplomacy' is an unmanned drone dropping a Hellfire missile on terrorists in remote locations, disrupting terrorist planning and removing key leadership cadre. ... Mr. Ensor, the new VOA director, equated the cost of all

US international broadcasting to the price of one advanced fighter aircraft. Symbolically, he said it represents a 'cheap date.' However, Americans know the value of that fighter aircraft (or the drone with the Hellfire missile) and its purpose in defending American citizens, our national interests and the safety of the nation. It is money well spent, particularly when seen effectively carrying out its stated purpose. People flock to air shows all over the country to see these aircraft up close and personal. They can put their hands on it, see it and clearly know what it does. These same Americans don’t flock to the Cohen Building [where VOA is located] in big numbers." Image from article, with caption: VOA building in Washington, D.C.

Should you be on Facebook? NATO SACEUR Admiral James Stavridis thinks so - trakpointe.com: "The value of social media continues to be a topic of debate within many circles, but its use is widening every day. Two years ago we led two projects exploring how social media could be used to support US government public diplomacy around the world and begin to collect and understand sentiment about US policies abroad. On October 21, 2011, NATO SACEUR (Supreme

Allied Commander Europe), US Admiral James Stavridis chose to post to his Facebook page his decision to recommend to the North Atlantic Council of NATO that NATO’s mission in Libya be ended. I’m certainly not suggesting that our work with the DoD led to Admiral Stavridis’ Facebook page, but I am suggesting that US and international government agencies recognize that social media tools are an effective method for engaging with a wide, diverse group of people. Many of the comments responding to Admiral Stavridis’ announcement were negative, but those comments in themselves are an important source of sentiment analysis for our government." Image from

Do the Origins of PD Programmes Shape their Long Term Development? - Robin, Public Diplomacy, Networks and Influence: "In looking at the development of national public diplomacy efforts it’s noticeable that countries initiate or innovate in what they do not based on abstract understandings of a changing media and political environment but in response to quite concrete problems. They do so based on their national contexts but also on PD models that exist ‘out there’ – in Bahrain’s case a media city like Dubai and a TV channel like Qatar. ... Sweden provides a nice example of how PD institutions grow out of the attempt to deal with specific problems.. At the end of the Second World War the Swedes saw that the US was likely to be the dominant force in the post war world and that because of Swedish neutrality during the war the US was not well disposed towards them. The identified solution was cultural relations work conducted via a new organization, the Swedish Institute. his raises the question of the extent to which origins shape the way that countries practice PD. Once you establish a set of organizations they will be tend to preserve themselves and to develop particular ways of defining problems and addressing them. The nature of the approaches that are chosen grow out of national contexts and ways of thinking about them. The result will be a national PD style one that it may or may not be appropriate for new or future challenges. While we all like to comment on the persistence of the cold war model in US public diplomacy what is really needed is investigation of the extent to which this ‘path dependency’ is actually a more general phenomenon in PD – certainly there are styles at work."

Iran Has Been Framed With False Charges‎ - Kaveh Afrasiabi - campaigniran.org: "How likely is that Iran faces a similar scenario that was written for Iraq. That is, its dossier be submitted to the UN Security Council. KA: This is an interesting question because Iran’s opponents think that Iran has some geostrategic vulnerabilities today, with Iran's key ally Syria under siege at home. The Israelis are making overtures to Palestinians to quiet the Palestinian front and Chavez is sick. Iran's global alliances are some causes of concern. We see convergence of anti-Iran viewpoints and interests among some regional and international players. That is their perception and of course requires prudent crisis management by Iran.I think we acted swiftly to these allegations at the United Nations by taking the lead to complain. We must make sure that they do not succeed in turning this into the spectacle of a lengthy “UN fact finding” with the terror label hanging over Iran indefinitely -- that would be falling into America's trap. Iran’s demands are categorical: dismissal of the absurd charges and apology. The Supreme Leader has prudently responded by dismissing these false

allegations and Iran has used its outlets of public diplomacy to educate the rest of the world about false and concocted nature of these allegations. Given the collective global memory of the Iraq War and the lies that went into it by US and UK, I think that we are dealing with a more sophisticated international community that is not willing to allow itself to be so easily manipulated by campaigns of falsifications and lies. That is to Iran's benefit, acting as a major obstacle vis-à-vis these sinister plans against Iran, lessening the prospect of Iraq’s scenario replayed against Iran." Image from

Gaddafi's blood is on our hands‎ - Politicsweb: "The 'Arab Spring (Arab Revolutions) that began in Tunisia and currently taking place in Yemen and Syria has resulted in a number of governments being toppled and many people killed. The 'Revolutions' whether orchestrated by the West in order to install puppet regimes already have a place in history. In public diplomacy and multilateral relations, the basic fundamental of the game is thorough interpretation and analysis of the text. When we [South Africa] ratified the UN resolution 1973 on Libya, we failed to analyse the text and read between the lines. Therefore, by default we have Gaddafi's blood on our hands." 

Vice President Inaugurates First National Conference on International Relations - press release, Press Information Bureau, Government of India: "Following is the text of the Vice President’s Messaage [sic]: I am happy to participate in this conference, claimed to be the first of its kind, of scholars and practitioners of international relations from all over the country. This initiative of the Ministry of External Affairs deserves our appreciation. I confess I am somewhat puzzled at the characterization of today’s initiative as being part of ‘public diplomacy’. Words have meanings and concepts have connotations. Neither of the two is immutable; yet, new meanings and connotations do require explanations and justifications. Diplomacy, to be productive, cannot be conducted publicly; the public, on the other hand, has every right to be informed about its outcomes. The dictionary meaning of diplomacy is ‘management of international relations’. Textbooks on the subject refine it to mean ‘the peaceful conduct of relations amongst political entities’. The interest of the general public in it, as in other aspects of public policy, is evident. We thus have three categories of persons who profess to relate to diplomacy: those who are charged to conduct it, those whose pursuit in life is to analyze it from an academic or expert perspective, and those who interest themselves in a general sense in its processes and results. It is evident that bringing together practicing professionals, academics, and interested members of the public, for a healthy exchange of views and ideas is a normal part of the business of government in all aspects of national activity."

India needs its own culture of strategic thought: Ansari - twocircles.net: "New Delhi: Vice President Hamid Ansari

Saturday advocated the need for India to develop a culture of strategic thought and called for creating a national resource-base of language professionals for more nuanced formulation of foreign policy. He also underlined the need for a 'closer scrutiny' of the demand to make archival records available to scholars. 'We need to evolve a uniquely Indian understanding, based on the historical context of our relations with other nations and peoples, as also contemporary realities and concerns,' Ansari said. He was inaugurating the first conference on international relations. The conference has been organised by the public diplomacy division of India's external affairs ministry in collaboration with the Centre for Policy Research, a think tank." Ansari image from

Survey of attitudes by India's PD division - Madhurjya Kotoky, publicdiplomacyblog.com: "The Public Diplomacy division of Government of India in collaboration with the Center for Advanced Study of India, University of Pennsylvania, is conducting a survey of attitudes with regard to India's foreign policy. It is a survey of 'elite attitudes' - given that fact that it is a survey of international relations faculty in Indian academic institutions - and is a first of its kind exercise undertaken by the PD division."

Beijing's message masters try to shape views - China News Watch: "Analysts generally say that Chinese officials' appearance in international media is part of Beijing's campaign to sharpen its public diplomacy and promote China's soft power. The ideas behind this are generally the same as China spending billions of yuan since 2009 to expand the presence of state-run media organisations overseas. China has been trying to improve the international public's opinion about itself since the 1990s - after its international image was tarnished by its bloody crackdown in 1989 - by promoting a positive view of the country in terms of social, economic, political and opening-up policies, and welcoming foreign investment. When perceptions about China's politics could not be shifted, officials were prompted to launch campaigns to promote the nation with mega events, such as the 2008 Olympics, and the media to disperse fears about China's development. But analysts say the public relations campaign will not significantly change overseas audiences' perceptions about China." Image from

Rare score for Taiwan as local star wins LPGA tournament – at home ‎- Ralph Jennings, Christian Science Monitor: [T]his Sunday something changed for Taiwan and brought it a step closer to international sports legitimacy: It got both its superstar and its event as Yani Tseng won the first-ever Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) tournament on her home turf. ... The

diplomatic impact wasn’t lost on the winner, who was once known for turning down sponsors from China. She announced on Sunday that she would donate a third of her $300,000 tournament prize to a Taiwanese golf association for training. 'To leave the top prize in Taiwan won’t disappoint me or the people,' she said. 'It’s public diplomacy. It’s letting Taiwan step into the world, which is not easy to do.'” Tseng image from article

Who's got the X-Factor on the Global Stage? - Indra Adnan, Huffington Post: "The British Council often refers to the different forms and styles of governmental influence as being on a continuum, with simple public relations (broadcasting the good stuff about your country) at one end, and cultural diplomacy (influencing opinion about your country through arts and civics) at the other. The first is

unsubtle and transactional, with clear objectives and goals; the second is infinitely subtle, offering no control over outcomes ... In between lies traditional diplomacy (a communication network between politicians and civil servants) and public diplomacy (similar, but between the government and the public, as exemplified by the rise of social media). In relation to these distinctions, no one is really sure whether soft power is a broad term covering everything that is not hard power (that is, the use of force). Or is it in a distinct category of its own, shifting variously between public and cultural diplomacy?" Adnan image from

Strategic Communication for National Security - Public Diplomacy, Networks and Influence: "I mentioned that I was reading the Chatham House Report on Strategic Communication and National Security. I don’t seem to be making progress with the big post I was writing so I’ve decided to split it up. I’ve commented before that I think that the SC concept is expanding its reach in unhelpful ways. The Chatham House report argues that public diplomacy and domestic government communications organizations should be subordinated to a national strategic communication strategy. OK I can see the logic of this within the terms of the report but I think that the report forgets that what it is really tallking about is national security strategic communication or strategic communication for national security and that this is only part of the UK communication effort. [Comment by John Brown: I was kindly invited, some time ago, by the British Embassy in Washington to a dinner at a French restaurant (yes, a French restaurant, clearly evidence that the UK does intend to be 'European') in DC’s Georgetown in honor of the FCO’s 'strategic communications' director. At the conclusion of this very pleasant occasion grateful guests were asked what they thought of 'strategic communications.' I had only drunk one glass of red wine,

but I uttered, as diplomatically as I could, the following: 'Strategic communications is an offense against the English language.' I must confess that, today, it would be hard for me to amend this statement." Image from

Palestinians to embark in nation branding too - docstalk.blogspot.com: "Palestine might not be a country yet, but it’s a nation to most people –which qualifies them to rightfully do some nation branding.

And as it turns out by this story on the Financial Times, they’ve just started to create a brand-new Palestinian Institute for Public Diplomacy, which will be charged with Palestine’s nation branding efforts." Image from article

Korean lady won International Violin Competition - coastalasiaunrevealed.blogspot.com: "Soyoung Yoon received 30 thousand € as a main prize in 14th International Henryk Wieniawski

Violin Competition. ... Congratulations to the beautiful Korean lady :) Sidenote: this is a perfect example of public diplomacy, neglected by professional diplomats for centuries and successfully done by world class artists." Yoon image from article

Dancing With Warriors: A Diplomatic Memoir By Philip Flood Australian Scholarly Publishing | $39.95 - Geoffrey Barker, inside.org.au: "Philip Flood will always be a company man. One of Australia’s most distinguished former diplomats and public servants, he remains on his best diplomatic behaviour throughout this nevertheless at times surprisingly revealing memoir. Flood, a former secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, was a capable and successful diplomat and public servant for more than fifty years.

He was intelligent, hard-working, cautious and possessed of a steely determination as he pursued Australian foreign policy objectives in postings that included the United States, Indonesia, France and Britain and ran overseas aid and intelligence bureaucracies. ... In places Flood’s memoir reads like an exercise in public diplomacy. It is inevitably a view from the top. He is an optimist, discreet, urbane, quick to praise, slow to criticise, always preferring to stress positives and to play down negatives, to seek out compromise, to avoid deadlock." Image from article, with caption:  Philip Flood casts his vote in the 1998 Australian elections at Australia House, London, when he was high commissioner to the United Kingdom."

Corporate Diplomacy — AishMGhrana, aishmghrana.wordpress.com: "International relation not only affect governments but public at large. In globalised world, international relations have been reached to our neighborhood tea stall or grocery shop. We judge a nation by product, we buy. We may not know, where Finland is in world map, but we know Nokia in our hand. We will surely judge Finland by Nokia. This is a public diplomacy. The ever expanding flow of commercial products and services across borders has important implications for public diplomacy. Despite the escalation of transnational corporations, high profile brand names are closely connected with their countries of origin. Coca Cola, Nike and McDonald’s are inextricably tied with the United States. The same associations are true for Ikea with Scandanavia, Nokia with Finland, Sony with Japan, and Nestle with Switzerland. ... Corporate diplomacy is crucial to the credibility of a company in explaining, positioning and carrying out its business, especially in these times when the image of a nation abroad is not bright."

Glocalization on TV - IC therefore IM: Group 2's blog for SIS 640 at American University: "In my travels, I have seen Gilmore Girls in Italian and French, Jerry Springer in Japanese (talk about bad public diplomacy!), and

Sabrina the Teenage Witch in about five languages. Even in France, a supposed cultural mecca, some of the most popular shows are dubbed versions of CSI, Grey’s Anatomy, How I Met Your Mother, and The Simpsons. While watching TV shows dubbed into other languages is endlessly entertaining for me, research has shown that audiences prefer media products that are culturally proximate (meaning they somewhat reflect their own culture)." Image from article, with caption: The Desperate housewives of Latin America

Senior Political Officer - Phnom Penh Post: "Job summary Organization: The British Embassy ... This is an important and high profile role within the Embassy. The officer will provide the Embassy lead on analysis and reporting of political developments within Cambodia, as well as Cambodia’s relations with its ASEAN partners.

In addition, the officer will supervise the Embassy’s public diplomacy and programme work, ensuring that these areas of work are in step with the Embassy’s wider policy objectives."

Campus Calendar: Oct. 25 - dailytrojan.com: "International Human Rights and Public Diplomacy USC Center on Public Diplomacy 12:00pm to 1:30am University Park Campus Social Sciences Building B40 Free RSVP The USC Center on Public Diplomacy is pleased to host Bernard Duhaime, the incoming Canada-U.S. Fulbright Visiting Research Chair in Public Diplomacy."

Hilary Hartman, Benjamin Mossberg - nytimes.com: "Hilary Elizabeth Hartman, a daughter of Karen and Jack Hartman of Rome, is to be married Sunday evening to Benjamin David Mossberg, a son of Marjorie Golden-Mossberg and Sheldon Mossberg of Columbia, Conn. Rabbi David Shneyer is to officiate at the Briar Patch Bed and Breakfast in Middleburg, Va. Mrs. Mossberg, 27, is a research analyst in the Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence at the Treasury Department in Washington. From 2005 to 2006, the bride was a Peace Corps volunteer in Jordan, working in community development. She graduated from Georgetown and received a master’s degree in international relations from the United States International University in Nairobi, Kenya. The bride’s father retired as the senior associate vice president of research at Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington. Her mother is a United States Foreign Service officer at the American Embassy in Rome, specializing in public diplomacy and new media technologies."

A Career in Government: Can You Achieve Work/Life Satisfaction? - community.scrippscollege.edu: "Aleta Wenger: Aleta was an Assistant Secretary of the University at Yale University with responsibility for strategic planning and outreach in the Middle East and Africa. Before her recent positions in higher education, Ms. Wenger was a Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. Department of State, retiring at the end of 2005 with 25 years of U.S. government experience. Her government career

includes diplomatic assignments in U.S. Embassies in Jordan, Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, Qatar, and Bahrain, and in Washington, D.C. She was the Chief of the Public Diplomacy Sections and the U.S. Embassy’s spokesperson in Qatar and Bahrain from 1999-2005." Image from

College Welcomes Two New Members to Board - chestertownspy.com: "Washington College has announced the appointment of two new members of its Board of Governors and Visitors and the re-election of five members to new terms. ... Mike Holtzman is one of the most honored and sought-after communications strategists in the world, and his clients include high-level international political and business figures and many prominent non-governmental organizations. Named 'PR Person of the Year' by PR Week Magazine, he managed the successful global campaign on behalf of China’s bid to host the 2008 Olympic Games. Now President and Partner of Brown Lloyd James, a boutique international firm specializing in public diplomacy he led the firm’s work on behalf of Qatar’s winning bid for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, as well as a campaign on behalf of Iraqi Governing Council member Ayad Allawi, who went on to become Iraq’s first post-Saddam Prime Minister. ... During the Clinton Administration, he worked in the Executive Office of the President as Special Advisor for Public Affairs to United States Trade Representative Charlene Barshefsky. He was Director of Public Affairs to the Council on Foreign Relations from 1996-1998."

The Heritage Foundation - dagobertobellucci.wordpress.com: "Richard M. Scaife Heritage Trustee Since 1985, Vice Chairman Publisher and Owner, Tribune-Review Publishing Co., Inc., Greensburg, Pennsylvania. ... During the Reagan and Bush administrations, Scaife served as a presidentially appointed member of the U.S. Advisory Commission for Public Diplomacy, which oversees the U.S. Information Agency."

CULTURAL DIPLOMACY

Sports/Public Diplomacy: From a must-read book pertaining to the subject From Peter Van Buren's book: "We Meant Well: How I helped Lose the Battle for the Hearts and Minds of the Iraqi People" (2011), pp. 156-157 (footnotes not cited in this entry)- John Brown, Notes and Essays: "At one point the official [US Badghad Embassy] Web site featured photos of young Iraqis receiving a donation of Major League Baseball equipment on the turf. The event was a special program the Ambassador was personally involved with, because he believed in 'sports diplomacy.' Once he invited Iraq’s only baseball team to his residence for some drills. He wore a replica of a Japanese-born Major League star’s jersey, making the point that baseball, although invented in America, was an international sport (which is why the World The Embassy Lawn, Where the Grass Is Always Greener Series includes only American teams and potentially a Canadian one). 'Baseball is like democracy,' he liked to say, 'you cannot impose it. People should learn it and accept it.' A previous sports diplomacy program donated hundreds of soccer balls to Iraq, each colorfully decorated with flags of the world. No one would play with the balls, because they included the flag of Saudi Arabia, which has a Koranic verse on it, and you cannot put your foot to a Koranic verse. Luckily, the balls were made in China, where they already knew not to include the Israeli flag, as it would have been awkward if we’d had to ask."

Tribute to Daniel Pearl: Americana at its best - Rayan Khan, tribune.com.pk: "As part of a two-day memorial concert — hosted by the American embassy in partnership with the Pakistan Council of the Arts (PNCA) — American country singer Mary McBride’s clear, resonant vocals paid tribute to late American journalist Daniel Pearl. According to US Ambassador Cameron Munter, Pearl was a classically

trained musician, 'a devotee of bluegrass; he played the flute.' McBride’s uplifting and distinctive ‘Americana’ style — a union of bluegrass, country, blues, gospel and Dixie jazz — brought the best of America’s honky-tonk soul to Islamabad, engaging in much-needed cross-cultural dialogue." Image from article, with caption: American country singer Mary McBride performed in Islamabad as part of promoting cultural diplomacy between the two countries."

Brooklyn Artist Among Those Chosen for International Project - Carol Vogel, New York Times: "When the Brooklyn artist Kabir Carter goes to Istanbul next week he will be the first of 15 American artists chosen by the Bronx Museum of the Arts as part of a collaboration with the State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs to bring art projects to 15 foreign countries. The initiative, known as smART Power, is part a $1 million program announced last year to expand cultural diplomacy around the world. When the Bronx Museum put out an open call for proposals earlier this year it got 900 applicants, from which they chose a mix of 15 emerging and established artists. They will travel to all parts of the globe, including China, Ecuador, Egypt, Ghana, India, Kenya, Kosovo, Lebanon, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Turkey and Venezuela, where they will work with local arts groups and artists to develop community-based projects. When Mr. Carter arrives in Istanbul he will lead a series of workshops with members of the local community to gather and preserve their oral histories. He will also produce sound installations and encourage people to document their daily lives."

Kal Penn's Excellent Adventure‎ - Newsweek "In the 2008 presidential race, plenty of Hollywood A-listers lent their names to Barack Obama’s election effort—Scarlett Johansson, Robert De Niro, and Jay-Z, to name just a few. But

no one took devotion as far as actor Kal Penn, who is best known for starring as a pothead in the Harold and Kumar franchise. ... Long fascinated by cultural diplomacy—in college at UCLA, he studied President Reagan’s use of the tactic during the Cold War—he’s developing a pilot for a sitcom set at the United Nations. And he has already signed up to return to the campaign trail for Obama’s reelection in 2012. As an actor, Penn knows a thing or two about selling sequels. Image from article, with caption: Kal Penn and President Barack Obama

Illumination Fund Gallery Shows Israeli “Community” Images‎ - Algemeiner: "The Illumination Fund, a New York City based foundation, 'plays an engaged and active role in supporting organizations and leaders who have a positive impact and lasting effect on well-being and community life' [Wall Street Journal]. Much of its work focuses on the communities of New York City; the current exhibit, however, focuses on two of Israel’s communities, seen through the work of Israeli photographers Assaf Evron and Oded Hirsch. ... The exhibit is a collaboration between the Illumination Fund

and Artis, an independent nonprofit that 'promotes and supports the Israeli contemporary art community' internationally. Founded in 2004 and based in New York and Los Angeles, its purpose is to 'support exceptionally good Israeli artists and to create opportunities for their exposure abroad.' The organization supports the concept of 'Israeli cultural diplomacy' and promotes 'cultural missions and hospitality for professional visitors' to art-related events in Israel." Image from article, with caption: Illumination Fund Director Laurie Tisch welcomed viewers to the Evron-Hirsch exhibit at the 56th Street Gallery.

A new campaign of culture ‎- Rebecca Torr, Gulf Daily News: "Pakistani diplomats in Bahrain are launching a campaign of culture in an attempt to give their country an image makeover. It is part of a concerted effort to improve Pakistan's image abroad, which has been tarnished by terrorism, instability and natural disasters. A new initiative that intends to change the way people think about the country through art, sports, poetry, fashion and theatre is now being rolled out in Bahrain by the Pakistani Embassy. Pakistani Ambassador Jauhar Saleem, said the international media's coverage of events in Pakistan hadn't helped its image overseas. 'We are facing terrorism, floods, natural calamities and economic challenges, but we have so much potential,' he told the GDN yesterday.'"But the international media doesn't cover that, they mostly focus on the negative side. 'People today everywhere don't know the soft side of my country, its beautiful traditions and culture. Pakistan is most prominent in the field of fashion, for instance. I want to introduce the image of Pakistan in a balanced way and that's why cultural diplomacy is so important. If your image of the country is lopsided, people won't want to do business and it won't enhance political co-operation.'"

New deputy minister to take culture 'out of the greenhouse' - Jakarta Post: "Indonesia’s cultural heritage may be eventually lost in the mists of time as the newly inaugurated deputy education and culture minister for cultural affairs, Wiendu Nuryanti, intends to focus on its economic aspects to benefit citizens. 'Culture must not be static or rigid. It shouldn’t be kept in a greenhouse to be looked at. We must conserve culture yet at the same time create innovations so that it will benefit people economically and socially,' she told The Jakarta Post. ... Wiendu, who has a doctorate in tourism planning and regional development, said that the ministry, along with different stakeholders such as sociologists and artists, would soon prepare a blueprint for cultural development comprising five principles, namely character building; history, heritage and cultural innovation; cultural diplomacy; human resources and institutional building on culture; and cultural infrastructure."

The European African Alliance Conference 2012 - Blacknet: "The 'European African Alliance Conference 2012' is the first of several conferences held by the Institute for Cultural Diplomacy relating to Africa. This conference will focus on the relationship between Europe and Africa in the context of development, trade, security and cultural exchange with the view to explore and evaluate Africa’s role in the field of Cultural Diplomacy." Image from article, with caption: A contemplative Oded Hirsch discussed the development of his kibbutz centered images.

850000 go to Rugby World Cup Fanzones - Imogen Crispe, New Zealand Herald: "Entertainment off the rugby field has proved almost as successful as on the park during the Rugby World Cup. More than 888,000 people have been to Auckland fanzones, run by thousands of volunteers, workers and entertainers. Until Tuesday, 828,889 people had visited the Queens Wharf and Captain Cook Wharf fanzones. A further 59,000 have been to the Henderson, Albany and Mangere fanzones. By yesterday, more than 88,000 people had walked the Fan Trail.

The events on at the fanzones were organised by Real New Zealand, which was funded by many different sources including a Government allocated $9.5 million lotteries fund and the Ministry of Culture and Heritage's Cultural Diplomacy International Programme, which usually funded overseas projects." Image from article, with caption: The Cloud is a popular venue for Rugby World Cup fans.

Evening showcases importance of performing arts in peacebuilding - Julianna Ko, Tufts Daily: "Artists, peacebuilders, students and educators gathered last night in Distler Performance Hall for the Boston premiere of 'Acting Together on the World Stage,' a documentary about artistic groups around the world who use creativity in the performing arts to address conflict resolution. ... Following the film screening, a panel discussion of leading experts and activists in the field discussed the meaning of cultural diplomacy."

RELATED ITEMS

U.S. ambassador leaves Syria after 'credible threats' to safety - Paul Richter, latimes.com: The Obama administration has temporarily removed its ambassador to Syria, who has drawn worldwide attention to the regime’s harsh domestic crackdown,

citing "credible threats against his personal safety." Ambassador Robert S. Ford departed over the weekend, U.S. officials said Monday, adding that he would not return to Damascus until the security situation improves. Image from article, with caption: U.S. Ambassador Robert Ford covers his nose during a visit with other foreign diplomats to a mass grave in northern Syria on June 20.

Editorial: After 9 years, time for troops to leave Iraq - USA Today: It's time for the troops to come home.

Joe Lieberman: Reopen talks to keep U.S. force in Iraq - USA Today: The Obama administration could still restart its efforts to reach agreement with the Iraqis to allow a small U.S. force to remain.

What’s next for Libya? Paul Bremer says to remember post-Saddam Iraq - washingtonpost.com: Though our government has decades of experience in post-conflict reconstruction, an alphabet soup of nongovernmental organizations should also be encouraged to step forward to help the Libyans reclaim their country.

American imperialism? Please: The upside to the U.S. leaving Iraq is that it should quell the nonsensical talk about empire-building - Jonah Goldberg, latimes.com: Obama's decision to leave Iraq should deal a staggering blow to America's critics at home and abroad. After all, what kind of empire does this sort of thing? Image from article, with caption: U.S. Marine patrols a wheat field in Nasiriyah.

President Obama said in a Oct. 21 White House briefing that all U.S. troops would be brought home by the end of the year. Image from article

For the U.S., a forced withdrawal from UNESCO: If the organization accepts Palestine as a member, the U.S. will have to resign - Timothy E. Wirth, latimes.com: The Palestinian bid for statehood recognition by the United Nations is almost certain to be rejected if it is taken up by the Security Council. But as early as this week, the governing assembly of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization could grant the Palestinians membership in that organization. If this happens, as is widely expected, the United States would have to resign from UNESCO because of a 20-year-old law forbidding the payment of dues by the U.S. to any U.N. body that accepts Palestine as a member.

Sharjah Centre for Cultural Communications and Eton Institute to Host Subsidised Arabic Courses - theopenpress.com: In a bid to promote integration and further strengthen ties between expatriate and local communities, the Sharjah Centre for Cultural Communication (SCCC) in association with Eton Institute, the largest language institute in the UAE, will be offering highly subsidised Arabic language courses for the public. The language course, subsidised by over 50%, will encourage the public to learn Arabic while providing a deeper cultural understanding through a visit to a cultural site such as the famous Al Noor Mosque. Via

Zombie Propaganda Posters - rationalcrank.blogspot.com: "In film school, I was taught that the mindless zombies in George Romero’s Night of the Living Dead, were a metaphor for the unthinking fear mongers that arose during the McCarthy era. The insatiable hordes in Dawn of the Dead represented the unrestrained consumerism of western society. Zombies can be Communists, Capitalists or post colonialists.

Even the choice made by the common working man, to lead a monotonous and uninspired life, can be brain food for a zombie movie (or is Shawn of the Dead just a harmless parody?) I think zombies are all things, to all people. So to continue the tradition, here are some zombie propaganda posters I put together for you. Happy Halloween." Image from article