April 3-5

"Are universities mostly boot camps for adulthood, where young people learn how to ... fornicate meaningfully ... ?"

--New York Times pundit David Brooks

EVENT

The public diplomacy era – or the big chance - Nachman Shai, jpost.com: "In a pure gesture of public diplomacy, Obama decided to give Israel top priority at the beginning of his second term. His first presidential visit in this term was to Israel. He preceded the visit with an interview on Israeli television, in which he employed the best of his rhetorical skills for the cameras. He amazed us with small human gestures such as giving an informal flavor to the visit, short conversations with various people that testified to prior preparation, and countless photo ops with soldiers at Ben-Gurion Airport, children at the President’s Residence and others. He let Israel market itself as it would like to be seen: a combination of military ability and modern technology alongside an age-old history and deep roots expressed in the Dead Sea Scrolls. And of course, how could he forgo the indelible memories of the Holocaust and its deep effect on the lives of the Jewish people and the State of Israel? He went with the flow, as they say, with the people, the places and the issues, and it came naturally to him. Above all, of course, were his public appearances, particularly his speech at the Jerusalem International Convention Center. Here the public diplomacy whiz targeted the Israeli public, particularly the young generation, speaking to them above the heads, or maybe below the belts, of the government to convince them that the time for peace between Israel and the Palestinians had come. He crafted his speech around three essential components: security, peace and prosperity, molding them together in a message that he placed in their laps, telling them: The ball is now in your court, you must decide what you want to do with it. That is the way of public diplomacy, which differs from the world of government versus government and includes publics and individuals from other countries as central players and legitimate participants in the international relations arena. (That is one of the primary areas I address in my recently published book, Media Wars, which deals with Israel and the new public diplomacy.) ... [T]he immediate, direct result of Obama’s visit here was to remove the obstacles to a rapprochement between Israel and Turkey. The truth is that the main moves had already been made in secret negotiations between Turkish and Israeli representatives, but ultimately Obama’s pressure was needed, and he reaped the immediate fruits of hispublic diplomacy efforts. ... Hard power is important and irreplaceable, but it is not enough and needs to work together with soft power to prepare Israel for membership in the international community, such as the important membership in the OECD, which only accepts democracies. Smart power requires the right balance."

Obama’s Promised Land - Ana Palacio, project-syndicate.org: "Now that the dust has settled on President Barack Obama’s much-anticipated trip to Israel, it is possible to analyze the significance of the visit. The trip – the first foreign visit of his second term – carries important implications for US foreign policy. Rather than providing the breakthrough for which many had hoped, it demonstrated that Obama – unlike other second-term US presidents, who have staked their legacies on foreign policy – is interested primarily in securing a domestic legacy. ... The centerpiece of Obama’s visit was his 



address in Jerusalem, in which – employing his characteristically compelling rhetoric – he won over the skeptical Israeli public by appealing to their sense of morality, asking them to imagine the conflict from a Palestinian perspective. And yet, while the speech was widely considered a successful exercise in public diplomacy, it did not herald renewed US involvement in peace negotiations. Rather, it portends a continuation of America’s hands-off approach to the Israel-Palestine conflict." Image from article

Security Takeaways from the Obama Visit to Israel - Gabriel Scheinmann, campaign.r20.constantcontact.com: "Nicknamed 'Operation Desert Schmooze' by one journalist, President Obama's visit to Israel, Jordan, and Ramallah last month marked the White House's effort to reboot its relationship with the Netanyahu government after both leaders secured their reelections. In his last trip to the region nearly four years ago, the president literally flew over Israel, traveling to Saudi Arabia and Egypt, and delivered a speech that was noteworthy for its perceived coolness to Jerusalem. This trip represented a necessary corrective, hitting all the right notes, and resulted in a major positive shift in the Israeli public's view of the American president. While the president's trip focused largely on public diplomacy, the trip also contained several security-related takeaways. ... First, he signaled that, even with reelection behind him, the United States would not lead on the major issues in the Middle East. Whether it be on Iran or Syria, the president declined to stake out a more proactive U.S. position, pushing back the date of any possible American action against the Iranian nuclear program and tying U.S. involvement in Syria solely to the use or transfer of chemical weapons. Second, the president signaled a greater understanding for Israel's need to take unilateral military action to preserve its security. ... Third, through his strong support for extending U.S. security assistance to Israel during a time of U.S. defense austerity, the president demonstrated the profound importance of the security alliance between the two countries deep into the future."


‘Ayatollah in his labyrinth’? Time to engage Iran’s people, says task force - demdigest.net: “'A report by a panel of U.S. experts calls on the Obama administration to engage more directly with the Iranian people, in part to counter increasingly negative attitudes toward Americans following nearly two years of harsh economic sanctions,’ The Washington Post reports: [‘]The report warns that the popular resentment toward the United States is helping Iran’s clerical rulers deflect some of the blame for the country’s economic crisis. Because of this, Iranian officials have managed to limit the public outcry over nuclear policies that placed Iran on a collision course with the West.[‘]  ‘It is time to play chess, not checkers,’ said the

U.S. Embassy In Egypt Briefly Suspends Twitter Account After Spat With Egyptian Presidency, Muslim Brotherhood - Eline Gordts, Huffington Post: "The U.S. embassy in Cairo briefly shut down its official Twitter account after a viral spat with Egypt's presidency and the country's Muslim Brotherhood party. According to Foreign Policy's The Cable, U.S. Ambassador Anne Patterson decided to take down the account on Wednesday without consulting the State Department. 'This not a permanent shutdown. Embassy Cairo considers this to be temporary. They want to put new procedures in place,' an official told The Cable. The account was back up on Wednesday afternoon. The account's brief suspension came in the wake of an argument on Twitter following the arrest of famous Egyptian satirist Bassem Youssef. Youssef, who is often compared to American comic Jon Stewart, had been questioned by Egyptian state prosecutors last week on accusations of insulting President Mohamed Morsi and Islam. The Twitter dispute started when the U.S. embassy in Cairo on Tuesday tweeted a clip of Jon Stewart's The Daily Show, in which Stewart took on the Youssef controversy. The tweet has since been deleted. The Egyptian presidency did not exactly appreciate the move, and replied the following: [']It's inappropriate for a diplomatic mission to engage in such negative political propaganda. [']"

Egypt in spat with US over embassy tweet - Borzou Daragahi and Geoff Dyer, Financial Times: "In the latest controversy, some Egyptians agreed it was inappropriate for the embassy to highlight Mr Stewart’s scathing 10-minute monologue while others argued that promoting American culture was part of its mission – Mr Stewart is a US political and comedic icon. Victoria Nuland, state department spokeswoman, said that the closing of the Twitter account was a


'glitch' and that the embassy was reviewing its procedures on Twitter. Asked whether the state department had ordered the embassy to reopen the account, she said there had not been any specific instructions about the particular tweet, but that it was the department’s policy for each embassy to have its own account. Underlying the Twitter controversy are serious disagreements between the US administration and Egypt under Mr Morsi and his allies in the Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamist groups." Image from

Public Diplomacy Goes Public - Brian Carlson, publicdiplomacycouncil.org: "There is a little dust up going on over in Egypt these days. It appears to be a public fight between the U.S. embassy and the Egyptian Presidency – and the Muslim Brotherhood – over the arrest of an Egyptian television comedian. ... What I find noteworthy is the degree to which the embassy and one of its best ambassadors, Anne Patterson, are using social media to wage effective diplomacy. Egypt is a prime example of a bilateral relationship where the host nation government does not appear to respond to normal diplomatic demarches.  (You could add Russia, Pakistan, Iran and a few others to that list…) Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood are in power today in large part because the United States pushed former strongman Mubarak to resign.  Since then, however, the White House and the State Department became increasingly frustrated with Egypt’s unwillingness to pay attention to the normal back and forth of bilateral relations: economic and development assistance, military sales, democratic reforms, free market economics, human rights, anti-terrorism cooperation, regional stability, and so forth.  It is not unusual for American diplomacy to 'up' the ante and begin to play public diplomacy hard ball, especially when traditional tools and enticements prove ineffective.  As the Wikileaks trove of U.S. diplomatic correspondence makes clear, American diplomats have a clear-eyed take on the host nation’s key leaders, be they despots or democrats.  Wikileaks shows FSO’s talk tough and lay it on the line when polite phrases and protocol are not getting the job done.  Public diplomacy officers – PAO’s [Public Affairs Officer], IO’s [Information Officer] and CAO’s [Cultural Affairs Officer] – have long been used as the ambassador’s 'light cavalry brigade' in difficult situations with repressive regimes.  They get sent out to probe for the regime’s weak points, to search out and embolden the intellectual dissidents, to identify underground political opposition, to sustain NGO’s and other non-official groups, to listen and learn from journalists and academic observers. Usually, this kind of public diplomacy takes place quietly, out of the view of the cameras and away from the headlines.  But, sometimes, it breaks out into the open.  For several reasons in this case, that’s a good thing.  First, it is noteworthy that it was not the Egyptian foreign ministry that criticized the U.S. embassy’s Twitter messages. It was the Office of the President as well as the Muslim Brotherhood’s political wing that reacted.  Now, that is evidence of effectiveness!  The FSO in charge of the Twitter account should get a step increase on those grounds alone. Second, because of Twitter, the entire Middle East knows what the United States thinks about Morsi and the lack of political and economic progress in Egypt. With only 140 characters to work with, there is not much room for platitudes. Third, the democratic and progressive segments of the Egyptian population are encouraged and emboldened. They can see in the Twitter messages just exactly what the American government thinks of the Egyptian government’s priorities  – something you won’t get from the Embassy’s anodyne web site or public comments by officials exiting from meetings."

When Twitter Diplomacy Goes Awry - Brooke, talkingpoliticsjomc.wordpress.com: "When discussing Twitter diplomacy, it’s easy to focus on the positives. While this strategy’s potential to increase public engagement and make US foreign policy more accessible is exciting, it also has its risks. A single poorly thought-out tweet from a lower level staff member has the ability to severely damage diplomatic relationships between governments. Recent missteps on the @USEmbassyCairo Twitter feed have provided an interesting case study on Twitter diplomacy gone wrong and sparked a lively debate about how the State Department can better manage social media policies and guidelines for embassies. ... For the 121 embassies that are on Twitter, the most common trait appears to be a focus on pushing out content, rather than really interacting with other users. ... [T]he Cairo account has always made an effort to be conversational, entertaining and at times provocative. ... While the embassy’s attempts to be less robotic are admirable, it also has a habit of overstepping its bounds and threatening US foreign policy. Most recently the embassy tweeted a clip of The Daily Show that showed


Jon Stewart mocking Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi and criticizing the Egyptian government’s arrest of 'Stewart’s Egyptian doppelganger' Bassem Youssef. The Muslim Brotherhood, the president and some Egyptian citizens have lashed out at the embassy for the tweet. ... The Cairo embassy’s more aggressive tweets appear to contradict the official stance and send mixed messages about the United States’ position to Egyptians. ... The current controversy in Cairo begs the question, 'How can the State Department encourage active, engaging social media use, while still preserving message consistency and protecting itself from diplomatic missteps?' ... The case of @USEmbassyCairo should not deter the government from embracing Twitter diplomacy but instead should encourage better training and clearer social media policies. ... With proper instruction and clearly defined objectives for social media strategies, embassies have the potential to be engaging and interactive online without causing another diplomatic crisis." Image from entry

Tweet This: Embassies Embrace Digital Diplomacy - Martin Austermuhle, washdiplomat.com: "In a new era of social media tools that allow individuals and organizations to communicate and interact directly with online 'friends,' 'followers,' 'fans' and 'supporters,' foreign embassies based in Washington, D.C., have started expanding the means by which they tell their side of the story. No longer do embassies have to rely only on letters to the editor that appear days later or press releases that are easy to ignore, but as the Israeli Embassy did, they can now submit instantaneous responses and engage more easily in conversations — all for free, with unlimited audiences and with the potential that their message could go viral. ... At a recent discussion on social media at the Meridian International Center, Bob Boorstin, public policy director of Google, pointed out that digital diplomacy is still in its infancy, with only one-third of the world's population having access to the Internet. He also said that while social media can supplement traditional diplomacy, it cannot replace face-to-face encounters and a diplomat's social skills. But it does open up a direct line of access to the public in a way old-fashioned diplomacy never could. ... The conversation can take many forms and include a diversity of content. While some countries rely on social media as another outlet to express political viewpoints, many use it to promote culture, tourism and elements of public diplomacy that expose their audiences to aspects of the country that may not be well known (and that sidestep touchy political issues). ... While some ambassadors clearly do their own tweeting, not everyone will admit as to whether the chiefs of mission are the real voices behind the tweets, though envoys who are hands-on see social media as a means to break down the walls of protocol that tend to surround embassies. ... [M]aybe the biggest challenge faced by embassies isn't so much what they can say — but rather what they can't. Social media tools are freewheeling and often anonymous; conversations and comments can move much faster than what traditional institutions, especially embassies, are able to respond to. Embassies are still bound by the political imperatives and messages of the ministries or cabinet secretaries they answer to, and sensitive diplomatic topics often have to be left off of social media. One badly worded tweet can easily create a diplomatic firestorm. In a sense, this leaves embassies at a disadvantage, especially when dealing with hot-button political issues: Users of social media can easily tell when they're being fed canned responses, and don't often take kindly to them. Yet finding a voice — even in the midst of crisis — is important."


North Korean threats continue to exasperate U.S. policymakers - William Kiamie, examiner.com: "The recent series of threats and provocative actions made by North Korea against its southern neighbor and the United States strike observers as paradoxically both familiar and unpredictable. They are familiar in the sense that they seem to follow a pattern of bellicose rhetoric which has characterized Pyongyang’s public 'diplomacy' with regards to its nuclear program and its relationship both with South Korea and the United States dating back at least as far as the reign of Kim Jong Un’s father, Kim Jong Il. However, they are simultaneously unpredictable in that the cause, timing, and nature of such threats and actions continue to befuddle scholars, pundits, and foreign policy officials in the U.S." Image from

Save some face (Write about a recent event or development which illustrates the importance or otherwise of public diplomacy in contemporary world politics – Public Diplomacy) - bed0203, Diplomacy Old and New 2012a: A group blog by students at London Metropolitan University: "Public diplomacy is all about keeping face, and the importance of this very much fits in to the US/North Korea conflict. Many actors are involved in the conflict, when one side operates in public; it has to consider the volatile nature of all those involved, and the effect of any public diplomacy. A key issue is domestic image, and any public diplomacy conducted will have to appeal to the domestic opinion. This truly is the first 'PR' war, and whoever can 'spin' the best, may come out on top."

Engaging Early Career Academics: New Fulbright Postdoc Opportunities - fulbrightscholarblog.cies.org: "The Fulbright Scholar Program, and its sponsor, the U.S. Department of State, are eager to engage postdoctoral and early career academics through new opportunities in a range of countries and fields. Postdoctoral/early career grants target U.S. scholars who have recently completed their doctoral degrees – typically within the five previous years. There has never been a better time to apply for Fulbright U.S. Scholar awards open to early career academics, with over 170 awards in more than 80 countries worldwide offered for the 2014-2015 academic year. ... The Fulbright Scholar Program presents excellent opportunities for recently minted scholars to deepen their expertise, to acquire new skills, to work with additional resources and to make connections with others in their fields, all while serving as cultural ambassadors and meeting the public diplomacy intent of the Fulbright Program – to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries."

How Diplomacy Through Culture Can "Hold Up a Mirror" to Government - Suzette Grillot, Joshua Landis and Brian Hardzinski, kgou.org: "While serving as the U.S. Ambassador to the Netherlands in 2001, Cynthia Schneider used Hollywood to approach sensitive drug issues between American and Dutch officials. Schneider invited embassy staffers focusing on drugs, and their counterparts in the Dutch Ministry of Justice, to a screening of Steven Soderbergh’s Oscar-winning film Traffic. 'It's a very powerful film that shows the intricacies of drug trafficking, and really shows how complicated it is,' Schneider says. 'That was a fantastic experience because it kind of leveled the playing ground, and after seeing that film together we were able to have the most honest, direct conversation that we ever had, and really make progress.'


President Clinton appointed Schneider to the post in 1998 because of her familiarity with the language and country due to her background in European fine art. 'Your primary job is to promote the acceptance and advancement of U.S. policies in the country, but you can also bring your own interests,' Schneider says. 'We started the North Sea Jazz Jam Sessions around the North Sea Jazz Festival. I did a lot with film. We had a lot of concerts in the house. I had a fantastic collection of American art in the house.' Schneider now teaches diplomacy at Georgetown University, and leads the Arts and Culture Dialogue Initiative at the Brookings Institution’s Saban Center for Middle East Policy. The ambassador argues that focusing so much on government, terrorism, and the military in places like Pakistan and Afghanistan means diplomats miss what actually happens among the general populace. 'In Pakistan, the areas where you find the strong civil society often involve culture or sports,' Schneider says. 'It’s always artists who hold up a mirror to the government, and hold it accountable, and also give voice to the aspirations of the people.'” Image from article, with caption: Helena Ayala (played by Catherine Zeta-Jones) encounters a DEA agent in Steven Soderbergh's 2000 film "Traffic."

What does Cultural Diplomacy mean to you? - culturaldiplomacynews.wordpress.com: "Even if Cultural Diplomacy is not a new practice, the concept itself is perceived as being a new one. For that reason, we have tried during our Conferences, Seminars and meetings, to ask our keynote speakers and special guests for their personal points of view that could describe Cultural Diplomacy and everything that it implies, at a more comprehensive level. We are glad to have obtained different definitions that emphasize not only what Cultural Diplomacy means, but also its goals and instruments. ... [Among the quotations:] 'Cultural diplomacy is the greatest challenge we face.'- Senator Larry Pressler, Former US Senator, ICD Advisory Board Member ... 'Cultural Diplomacy can be a force multiplier that enhances relationships, builds understanding, advances prosperity, and strengthens our own national security. It starts with recognizing that culture is more than its paintings, relics, churches, or cuisine. It is about the human aspirations they represent.'- Hon. Tara D. Sonenshine, Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, US State Department ... 'Cultural Diplomacy for me is the opportunity to make friends in matters other than political, economic or military.'- Governor Steve Merrill, 77th Governor of New Hampshire; President, Bingham Consulting."

Sinking the winning shot for development - Zach Silberman, U.S. Global Leadership Coalition: "Our international affairs agencies are using sports as a way to engage the youth in the developing world.  Through a State Department initiative called Sports Diplomacy, sports help enhance diplomatic relations, as well as work to empower struggling populations yearning for a chance to succeed. Some of these programs involve cultural exchanges between the U.S. and global partners.  Recently, with the backdrop of President Obama’s trip to the Middle East, the State Department allowed for 16 Jewish and Arab-Israeli teens to travel to the U.S. to engage with American children through basketball.  USAID has also been involved in the efforts to use sports as a driver for development, particularly through engaging former athletes from other countries on their thoughts of how to best use sports to engage around the world.  Exchanges like these serve to further our interests by building relationships for the future. The sports diplomacy initiative also has former athletes advance public diplomacy around the world. These 'sports envoys' work together with our embassies and consulates to engage with individuals overseas using sports educational programs. Some of these envoys embody the who’s who of major American sports, including former U.S. Olympic figure skater Michelle Kwan, MLB Hall of Famer Cal Ripken, Jr., Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra, and U.S. Olympic gold medalist in Volleyball Misty May-Treanor. Other athletes like U.S. Soccer star Abby Wambachhave spoken out about the importance of sports to development around the world. These exchanges also help the U.S. maintain positive relations with the rest of the global community, which can come in handy when facing foreign policy crises and need help from global partners.

Public Schedule: Public Schedule for April 5, 2013 - U.S. Department of State: "UNDER SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS TARA SONENSHINE 10:30 a.m. Under Secretary Sonenshine meets with U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia Scott Marciel, at the Department of State. (CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE) 11:30 a.m. Under Secretary Sonenshine delivers remarks to participants of the “Media Literacy: Promoting Civil Society through New Media” International Visitor’s Leadership Program, at the Department of State. (CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)"

Public Schedule: Public Schedule for April 4, 2013 - U.S. Department of State: "UNDER SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS TARA SONENSHINE 11:00 a.m. Under Secretary Sonenshine delivers remarks on “Women in a Changing Middle East” at the Brookings Institution, in Washington, DC. Please click here for more information. (MEDIA DETERMINED BY HOST)"

Sister Cities International educational information ck itout - "Register today for the 2013 Annual Conference! - An exciting line-up of expert sessions, off-site visits, receptions, and speakers awaits you in San Antonio, Texas at the 2013 Sister Cities International Annual Conference, July 12-13, 2013. ... Invited Keynote Speakers include: The Honorable Tara Sonenshine, Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy."

Nobody home at the State Department - Josh Rogin, Foreign Policy: "Two months into Secretary of State John Kerry's tenure, a large number of senior State Department positions remain vacant, and the process to fill them seems indefinitely stalled, officials inside the department tell The Cable. When Kerry's predecessor, Hillary Clinton, came into office, she negotiated for herself 100 percent control over State Department appointments and largely kept Obama campaign officials at arms' length. Kerry has no such deal with the White House, and his office is only one voice in a White House-managed appointment process that is moving as slowly as molasses, several State Department officials and insiders say.  ... The handful of people who are running the show at State these days is largely limited to the very few senior staffers Kerry brought in with him: Chief of Staff David Wade, Deputy Chief of Staff Bill Danvers, Policy Planning Director David McKean, and senior communications advisor Glen Johnson, along with the few holdover senior officials who have regular direct access to Kerry: Deputy Secretary Bill Burns, Undersecretary for Political Affairs Wendy Sherman, and Spokeswoman Victoria Nuland.  Nuland especially is said to have risen in influence since Clinton, and her longtime communications aide Philippe Reines, departed. A power struggle inside the State Department's public affairs office between Nuland and Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Mike Hammer, along with his deputy Dana Smith, has largely been won by Nuland, several State Department sources said. Although Hammer is technically the head of the bureau, Nuland runs the daily meetings, often travels with Kerry, takes the lead on forming the messages and talking points, and has emerged victorious in several internal battles, including a dispute over who would be on the plane with Kerry during his first trip as secretary. Smith wanted her own people to travel but Nuland insisted on choosing the traveling personnel and got her way. Nuland, who was recently elevated to the status of career ambassador, the highest rank in the Foreign Service, is expected to be nominated to replace Philip Gordon as assistant secretary of state for Europe."

Don't make a martyr of Bradley Manning - PJ Crowley, The Guardian: "When Private First Class Bradley Manning was arrested in 2010, accused of passing hundreds of thousands of documents, many sensitive and classified, to WikiLeaks, he became a global figure. When he was mistreated in jail, he became a sympathetic figure. Now the US military is at risk of making Manning a martyr by pursuing the charge of 'aiding the enemy', even though it has a guilty plea from Manning, carrying a 20-year sentence, already in hand. ... The external costs to American public diplomacy of keeping Manning on the global stage now outweigh any additional benefit from further legal action.


The longer the case goes on, the greater the opportunity for international rivals to make propaganda hay at America's expense. After a recent appearance on RT, Russia's English language broadcast network, it became clear to me that Moscow, having been stung by the Sergei Magnitsky case, was happy to return fire through both Bradley Manning and Guantánamo." Image from article, with caption: Bradley Manning (right) is escorted out of the courtroom following his arraignment at Fort Meade on 23 February 2012

IBB invited speaker who mocked former BBG member Hillary Clinton; some BBG governors furious with IBB’s Director Lobo - BBGWatcher, "The International Broadcasting Bureau (IBB) has invited and later announced it will disinvite a Roman Catholic priest and a social activist from Chicago Father Michael Pfleger, whom Barack Obama had criticized for 'divisive, backward-looking rhetoric,' to speak at the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) 'Diversity Day' program on May 14 in Washington, D.C. The IBB is the managerial and administrative part of the BBG, the federal agency in charge of U.S. international broadcasting. In racially-charged comments during the 2008 presidential election campaign, Father Pfleger had mocked Hillary Clinton who later became an ex officio BBG member as the U.S. Secretary of State.


The BBG is in charge of U.S. international new programs, focusing on countries without free media, and includes the Voice of America (VOA) and several other media entities serving foreign audiences." Image from entry, with caption: Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) members and International Broadcasting Bureau (IBB) Director Richard Lobo (far right) meeting with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Tara Sonenshine, Sept. 13, 2012. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who said that the United States is losing the information war had been mocked earlier by the man invited by the International Broadcasting Bureau of the agency where she served as an ex officio board member.

Agency takes new strategy toward Cuba - alongthemalecon.blogspot.com: "The Broadcasting Board of Governors runs civilian international broadcasting for the U.S. government. It has 50 news bureaus and offices worldwide and employs 3,696 people, rivaling CNN. And its audience is immense: More than 187 million people in 100 nations. Cuba watchers know the agency for its Miami-based Radio and TV Martí operations. But the BBG has redesigned its strategy over the past two years, boosting efforts to promote Internet freedom and reach Cubans on mobile phones


and social networking sites. (See Spanish translation of this post, H/T Que Pasa Miami). The Obama administration began shifting millions of dollars in Internet freedom programs from the State Department to the BBG in 2011. Former Sen. Richard Lugar and others had criticized the State Department's effectiveness because: - It had been slow to spend $50 million in Internet freedom funds set aside since 2008, and - It seemed worried about 'offending China,' diplomatic baggage that wouldn't burden the BBG. For more on Lugar's complaints, see the report, 'China and America: Public Diplomacy in the Age of the Internet.' The shift in resources allowed the BBG to expand its Internet Anti-Censorship Division, or IAC, which has a budget of $11.6 million for fiscal 2013." Image from entry

BBG Board To Meet April 10-11, 2013 - bbg.gov: "An open meeting of the Broadcasting Board of Governors will be held on Thursday, April 11, 2013, at BBG Headquarters in Washington. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 12:30 p.m. The agenda includes updates on programming initiatives and development from VOA, OCB, MBN, RFA, and RFE/RL, as well as a report from the IBB Director and the BBG board staffing plan. The board will also receive updates from the Governance Committee and the Strategy and Budget Committee. The public may attend the open portion of this meeting as seating allows, and there will be an opportunity for public comment. Members of the public wishing to attend in person must register here by noon on April 10. The meeting will also be available for public observation via streamed webcast, both live and on-demand, at bbg.gov. The Board may also have an open meeting between 8:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. on April 10. A webcast link and further updates will be provided as they become available."

Meet Mary Schapiro's New "Revolving Door" Employer - Tyler Durden, zerohedge.com: "When Mary Schapiro quit the laughing stock US stock market regulator, the only question was which Wall Street firm the latest SEC 'revolving door' migrant would end up with, with most bets being on, naturally, Goldman and JPM. Today, to some surprise, the news hit that the former head of the internet porn-addicted regulator (which like clockwork always complains about its low budget: maybe get a refund for that bangbus.com subscription?) has decided to join none other than the revolving door extraordinaire consulting firm Promontory Financial. ... [Comment:] Tue, 04/02/2013 - 10:09 | 3399333 Dewey Cheatum Howe: 'Some different takes on this story as run by the state media information control mechanisms that mix news with subtle language cues to influence public opinion and perception. First we have the take as published by the state departments 'public diplomacy' mouthpiece aka the Associated Press. This is a repost from their article. http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/former-sec-chairman-mary-schapiro...'"

Democratic Republic of Congo: Finally, a Glimpse of Hope? - Neelam Melwani, Curacao Chronicle: "On Thursday 28 March 2013, the UN Security Council (UNSC) made history by unanimously approving the first offensive peacekeeping brigade to 'neutralize' and 'disarm' rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). ... This resolution is the first step in the right direction to change the course of DRC altogether. If adequate action is taken, on the basis of this resolution, the UN can be the glimpse of hope that the Congolese people have been waiting for decades. The fact of the matter is that the UN has lost the war of public diplomacy in DRC and neighboring states, and has simply become seen as a powerless force. This resolution serves as a reinforcement of UN credibility in the region, and is a demonstration of the evolution of peacekeeping."

Diplomats call for better China-Japan ties - Zhang Yunbi, China Daily: "Public diplomacy is 'badly needed' to open more communication channels between China and Japan, veteran Japanese diplomats told China Daily on Monday. The current relationship between the two countries is like a human body that is 'bleeding', said Yuji Miyamoto, Japanese ambassador to China from 2006 to 2010. 'To stem the blood flow and recover' is a top priority, he said. Sino-Japanese ties have been strained since the Japanese government illegally 'nationalized' China's Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea last September. The former ambassador noted that people-to-people exchanges have experienced a major slump, and direct communications in the civilian sphere are 'extremely inadequate'.


Miyamoto made the remarks on the same day that Tang Jiaxuan, head of the China-Japan Friendship Association and former State councilor, held talks with Yoichi Masuzoe, visiting president of Japan's New Renaissance Party. ... This year marks the 35th anniversary of the China-Japan Peace and Friendship Treaty, which clearly stated both sides' determination to seek a peaceful resolution to sensitive issues." Image from article, with caption: Tang Jiaxuan (right), head of the China-Japan Friendship Association and former State councilor, hold talks with Yoichi Masuzoe, visiting president of Japan’s New Renaissance Party on Monday at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing.

China and India: Translating Public Diplomacy into Soft Power - Sarah Ellen Graham, PD News–CPD Blog, USC Center on Public Diplomacy: "Two recent books on China and India have highlighted the rising importance of public diplomacy within the foreign policies of these rising Asian giants. Taken together, U.S. academic David Shambaugh’s China Goes Global and Indian writer and Member of Parliament Shashi Tharoor’s Pax Indica reveal some telling differences between the way both governments approach the pursuit of soft power. Both books suggest quite divergent outlooks for the two governments in their search for global influence through PD in the coming years. ... Shambaugh ... conclude[s] that China’s 'soft power and global cultural appeal remain very limited;' in this area China is a 'partial power' with substantial capabilities but lacking a context of credibility with which to translate these into influence. ... What is striking in Pax Indica’s discussion of PD is the question of openness and the degree to which the use of PD formats by the Indian government appears to present a model of democracy, in contrast to China’s information control model. ... India’s challenge will be to continue to invest in PD and maintain effective bureaucratic frameworks and a political commitment to the practice. Although India may be able to do more with less its global PD footprint remains very modest, particularly in relation to China’s."

First lady in the limelight: China's Peng Liyuan joins the ranks of the world's most fashionable first ladies - Jonathan Kaiman Guardian News & Media, posted at rightway-tan.blogspot.com: "Peng Liyuan, China's new first lady, was the talk of Chinese social media at the weekend during a trip to Russia when she emerged as a trendy contrast to her predecessors. ... Internet censors have given largely free reign to positive discussion of Peng but have kept a grip on the conversation. Terms such as 'Auntie Peng' and 'first lady Xi' have been blocked on Sina Weibo. Wang Zhengxu said censors probably wanted to maintain Peng's image as a symbol of public diplomacy rather than brash commercialism."

Taiwan’s strategic confusion - Wen-Ti Sung, eastasiaforum.org: "Taipei is effectively telling Washington that it intends to secure an American security commitment to come to Taiwan’s defence in the event of Chinese aggression. But, at the same time, Taipei is not willing to reciprocate by committing itself to the US side in the emerging Sino–American geostrategic rivalry. It may be strategically sound for a small state caught between two superpowers to take some form of under-the-table, opportunistic approach. But openly describing the US–Taiwan relationship in mostly transactional terms will likely hurt Taiwan’s public diplomacy in the United States. These developments suggest strategic confusion and torpor in Taipei."

The Folly of Trident, CND and the StWC - karl-naylor.blogspot.com: "Using North Korea to scare British people into accepting the folly of renewing Trident is just the sort of ruse the pseudo-Tory PM Cameron uses as a PR man. Britain no longer has intelligent diplomats and statesmen. It has those who indulge in 'Public Diplomacy', an oily neologism for propaganda advocacy."

Turkey has become more visible due to activities of 'non-state' actors (2) - globalpost.com: "Turkey owes its increasing profile and visibility not only to its proactive foreign policy and unprecedented economic success in recent years, but also to the activities of 'non-state' actors across a wide spectrum. Turkish intellectuals, TV shows, aid organizations and the Hizmet movement have become important components of the country's soft power, whether they aim for it or not. ... As Antalya International University's Dr. Tarik Oguzlu noted, there is no coercion or incentive in soft power, just the force of attraction. In this sense, non-state elements like those mentioned above are very likely to contribute to the soft power of a state. The US is a hegemon not just because of its hard and soft power, but also because of its ability to attract people to its country, universities, movies, TV shows and music. ... Although funded by a government institution, the growing number of scholarships that are granted to non-Turkish citizens is considered a tool of soft power. ... Although relatively recently established in 2007 as a public foundation, the Yunus Emre Institute delivers cultural services abroad with the aim of teaching Turkish to foreigners. ... In recent years, it has been difficult not to realize the domestic and global impact of a voluntary civic movement that was born in Turkey: the Hizmet (service) movement. In very general terms, it is a loose network of volunteers and civil society organizations who promote educational activities along with dialogue among those of different faiths. ... Among various Hizmet institutions, the Journalists and Writers Foundation (GYV) stands out as the representative of the movement, since Gulen is the honorary president of the foundation. The president of the GYV, Mustafa Yesil, calls the movement an example of soft power that 'directs its power to actions and an understanding that places the human being in the center.' ... Yesil says the Hizmet movement enriches the world, adding the 'beauty of different geographies' as it 'shares Turkey's diverse cultural richness with others.' He says that 'the importance of dialogue and close ties is evident in public diplomacy, and oftentimes [these ties] have a great and lasting impact.'"

Consular vs diplomatic: DFAT's dilemma - Roslyn Wells, owyinterpreter.org: "Our overseas missions are already operating on tight budgets and have to be resourceful across the board, including in their public diplomacy programs. I know this from personal experience, having started my job in Hong Kong just as the One Nation controversy exploded, with damaging fallout to perceptions of Australia across Asia, daily negative media coverage and a real threat to our economic interests in the region, particularly the education and tourism sectors. It felt like being downwind of a nuclear reactor accident, dealing with the toxic fallout but being unable to stem the flow at its source. In response Consul General Geoff Walsh, my team and I devised and mounted an ambitious public diplomacy campaign called The Many Faces of Australia to communicate the diversity of modern Australia to key audiences in the Hong Kong community. The campaign included commissioning Australian photojournalist Lorrie Graham to photograph the 'many faces' of Australians, which were then exhibited in Hong Kong and later toured southern China, with a reciprocal exhibition by a Hong Kong photographer. We also produced books of the Many Faces exhibitions and they became effective tools in disseminating the diversity message more widely. A two-week visit to Australia taking leading Hong Kong journalists to meet politicians and officials and see the reality for themselves was also helpful. Of course, none of this can be done without adequate funding. To carry out the Many Faces of Australia campaign, which ran for two years, we needed to augment our modest public affairs budget, so we secured corporate sponsorship and set up a cultural exchange collaboration with the Hong Kong Government. Then-Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer was supportive and came to Hong Kong to launch the exhibition."

Al Jazeera targets Spain amid dropping viewer numbers in its heartland - James M. Dorsey, goal.com: "State-owned Qatari television network Al Jazeera is exploring the acquisition of Spain’s La Liga premier soccer league rights in a bid to expand its budding global sports franchise, tweak its business model in a world in which pan-Arab television is on the decline and compensate for mounting criticism of its coverage of popular revolts in the Middle East and North Africa. ... Al Jazeera’s emphasis on sports as well as its acquisition of local broadcasters such as Mubasher in Egypt reflects changes in Middle Eastern and North African broadcasting. Al Jazeera’s launch in 1996 revolutionized the region’s news broadcasting that until then was dominated by state-run broadcasters who towed the official line with its free-wheeling coverage and debate of sensitive issues and willingness to offend governments.


As a result, it spawned the launch of a huge number of satellite television stations eager to grab a piece of the pie and make their mark. It’s a strategy that has paid off. More than anything else, Al Jazeera and the 2022 World Cup have put Qatar, a tiny city state, on the world map, allowing it to project soft power and engage in public diplomacy. Nevertheless, Al Jazeera, which experienced a boom as the primary news source in the heyday of the Arab revolts that toppled the leaders of Egypt, Tunisia, Libya and Yemen, has seen its viewership numbers decline recently with Arabs turning increasingly to local news broadcasters and a growing perception that Al Jazeera is in bed with the Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamist groups in line with Qatar’s support for them in various post-revolt countries as well as in Syria." Image from article

POMED Notes: “Arab Uprisings and Mass Politics: Possibilities, Constraints and Uncertainty” - pomed.org: "The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, in conjunction with the United States Institute of Peace (USIP), hosted a panel discussion titled 'Arab Uprisings and Mass Politics: Possibilities, Constraints and Uncertainty' ... . Brand [Laurie Brand, Professor of International Relations at the University of Southern California] explained that the Qataris are interested in supporting Muslim Brotherhood groups in the region in order to increase their own influence, and was driven largely by their desire to play a greater role in public diplomacy."

Rustam Ibragimbekov: Nagorno Karabakh is not only a land, but is also Armenian population - "'I am convinced that the Armenian people are not our enemy, they are a victim of the tragedy, just as the Azerbaijanis. Both countries were evicting people. During the inter-state conflict, many are involved in it. People are drafted into the army, and they have to commit their duty. I am not calling for the non-commitment of duty, there is something more important – not burning books, not thinking each other eternal enemies,' said exiled Chairman of the Union of Cinematographers of Azerbaijan Rustam Ibragimbekov in an interview given to press service of Alexander Gorchakov Public Diplomacy Fund. Touching upon the issue of the breakdown of the Soviet Union the playwright noted that this was a genuine blast from which people are still coming to life: '... Armenia believed Karabakh was their land, and we believed that it was ours. This is a matter of discussions, negotiations, and scientific researches.' As the playwright noted the conflict settlement through military means is a crime. ... According to Ibragimbekov an abscess occurred in the treatment of which the role of public diplomacy is very important. Playwright notes that understanding between people is necessary."

Taci: I Believe Agreement Can Be Reached - inserbia.info: "Kosovo Prime Minister expressed the belief that an agreement on the normalisation of relations between Kosovo and Serbia can be reached despite the scepticism in Kosovo. At the opening of an international conference on public diplomacy and international cooperation which began in Pristina on Thursday, Taci


expressed optimism concerning this matter. According to him, the failure to reach an agreement can lead to aggravation of the current situation. Taci backed further engagement with a view to reaching an agreement with Serbia. The eighth round of the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue in Brussels ended on April 2 without an agreement and High EU Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton released that the political dialogue is completed as far as she is concerned and added that she expects Belgrade and Pristina to notify her about their decisions." Taci image from article

Issues on development of activity of Armenian press published in Iran discussed - armenpress.am: "Armenian Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan on April 3 hosted spokesman of Iranian Foreign Ministry, head of public diplomacy and press department Ramin Mehmanparast and


delegation led by him. Representatives of Iranian press, employees of the embassy and Iranian extraordinary and plenipotentiary Ambassador to Armenia Mohammad Reisi were included in the delegation." Image from article; see also

Jewish Ukrainian MP to lead int'l interfaith summit - Samuel Sokol, Jerusalem Post: "Religious leaders from around the world, representing Islam, Christianity, Zoroastrianism, Buddhism and Judaism, will gather at the Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada (parliament) for one of the sessions of the third annual Kiev Interfaith Forum later this month, despite rising levels of religious intolerance in the former communist nation, organizers told The Jerusalem Post. ... The conference


is the brainchild of MP Olexandr Feldman, a legislator affiliated with the ruling Party of Regions faction and the president of the Ukrainian Jewish Committee. ... Members of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church protested outside of last year’s gathering, and Feldman replied that there will 'probably' be protests again this year. Since that time, elections for the Ukrainian parliament were held, in which the farright nationalist Svoboda (freedom) party won 36 seats out of 450, or roughly 8 percent of the total representation in that body. ... Asked if he was nervous to hold such an event in a parliament in which physical scuffles are not uncommon and where a rising number of lawmakers are members of a movement accused of being anti-Semitic, the Jewish lawmaker replied that the presence of Svoboda MPs is 'not an obstacle' but rather a 'challenge.' 'Happily, there are much more good [than bad] people [in] the Ukrainian parliament,' Feldman stated. In order to combat the rising tide of anti-Semitism in his country, he explained, 'effective legislation and law-enforcement efforts' will be required, as will 'hasbara [public diplomacy] and education starting from kindergartens and schools, universities and offices.'” Image from article, with caption: Rabbi Yuval Cherlow, Dr. Albert Lincoln, Sheikh Sa

Swiss MP Visits Yesha Communities, Comes Away Impressed: In the wake of increasing calls for the boycott of products made in Judea and Samaria, Swiss MP decided to examine the situation himself - israelnationalnews.com: "In the wake of increasing calls for the boycott of products made in Judea and Samaria by European Union legislators, one senior EU politician - Yves Nidegger - a member of the Swiss Parliament – decided to examine the situation up close. Along with his wife, Maria, Nidegger on Wednesday visited numerous Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria. ... Before they left the region, they met with Israel public diplomacy executive Shay Atias, who explained the new strategy of the Shomron leadership, which is aimed at revealing the facts on the ground to the international community and promoting person to person diplomacy. MP Yves Nidegger left with a promise to advise his colleagues to come and see this for themselves."

Bar Refaeli ad airs over protest - jewishvoicesnj.org: "An ad showcasing Israeli innovations featuring Israeli supermodel Bar Refaeli aired despite protests from the military. 'Created in Israel,' as the ad is titled, is part of an Internet campaign by Israel’s Foreign Ministry that features products and technologies developed in Israel that are used in everyday life.


The ad closes by introducing Refaeli as 'one of Israel’s most beautiful creations,' according to the Foreign Ministry. ... Haredi Orthodox students also have objected to Refaeli’s participation in the campaign, saying she does not represent the Israeli public because she had a high-profile relationship with the non- Jewish actor Leonardo DiCaprio."Image from the Daily Mail, under the title: It's a dog's life! Bar Refaeli shows off her amazing bikini body as she snuggles up poolside with her pooch.

Mostra Internazionale di Anne Frank sull’isola d’Ischia - ischianews.com: "Sull’isola d’Ischia presso il fascinoso design hotel Marina 10 dal 19 aprile al 29 maggio si terrà la mostra Internazionale di Anne Frank


promossa dall’Ambasciata del Regno dei Paesi Bassi e dalla Fondazione Anne Frank. L’inaugurazione è per il giorno 19 aprile alle ore 18:00 presso il Parco dell’hotel Marina 10 alla presenza di Aart Heering responsabile public diplomacy della Ambasciata del Regno dei Paesi Bassi, Nico Kamp console onorario dell’Olanda e vittima del nazismo, dei sindaci dell’isola di Ischia e del senatore Domenico De Siano." Anne Frank image from article

Public Diplomacy and Media - gfeduna, Public Diplomacy and Global Communication B: A group blog by students at London Metropolitan University: "So one country’s propaganda is another country’s Public diplomacy!"

Tourism and Hawaiian Culture: Curse and Opportunities - Molly Krasnodebska, PD News–CPD Blog, USC Center on Public Diplomacy: "A greater dialogue between Hawaiians and foreign visitors that gives visitors exposure to Hawaiian culture can serve as a public diplomacy tool to spread a more authentic image of Hawaiʻi outwards. ... [T]ourism offers opportunities for cultural exchange that can benefit Hawaiʻi and contribute to cultural preservation if they are recognized and strategically utilized."

Ambassadors Needed to Promote Good Causes and Crowfunds - googleambassadors.blogspot.com: "Now in 2013 the 60+ remaining members of Globcal are banding together with their founder, David J. Wright, to take themselves and reform their general effort to go a step further and turn it into a professional one. Beginning on April 1st the team began to fully engage their everyday citizen diplomacy and social influence concept with a practical business model


where all the members of the cooperative get paid with fellowships, stipends, grants and also receive cooperative support. ... Wright and others like Kate Otto, who recently wrote the book 'Everyday Ambassador,' are changing the ideals and concepts of what it means to be and become a so-called ambassador and practice citizen based track II diplomacy, public diplomacy for your state, cultural diplomacy, or goodwill diplomacy in the 21st century. Becoming an ambassador for an organization or cause is becoming a popular, fashionable and sophisticated way to force positive change, create peace, feed the hungry and save the planet." Image from entry

Just For Your Information, Gentle Reader - To Inform is to Influence: IO, SC, PD, what's in a name?: "[A]fter I published the list of countries accessing my blog I realized I hadn’t provided you a point of reference. So… I added a one liner to the online blog, stating those were the countries that accessed the blog in the past seven days. To me that puts a bit of a perspective on things. That many countries have an active interest in IO, cybersecurity, cyberwar and public diplomacy that they access this blog almost every day. ... Many years ago I put together a conference called InfowarCon ... . I brought in my now good friend Dr. Zhang Zhexin from China to speak about Chinese Public Diplomacy ... . In my opinion, the interest in Information Operations is very much global."

Franken discusses his faith - Austin Reagan, dailytrojan.com: "U.S. Senator Al Franken spoke about the influence of the Jewish tradition on public service on Wednesday at the 12th annual Carmen and Louis Warschaw Distinguished Lecture, hosted by the USC Casden Institute for the Study of the Jewish Role in American Life. ... Franken said


Paul Wellstone, who was Franken’s predecessor in the Senate seat and served as his member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, said he was an helpful example of the intersection between public diplomacy and civil rights." Franken image from entry, with caption: Tradition · Minnesota Senator Al Franker speaks to students about the role his Jewish heritage played throughout his extensive political career.

Apple’s Apology in China, and why it matters to Android - D/D Advisors, digitstodollars.com: "Apple’s presence in China has been in the news a lot recently. After a week of seemingly orchestrated public criticism, their CEO Tim Cook took the ‘unprecedented’ step of publicly apologizing to Chinese consumers in  an open letter on their Chinese language website. ... [T]he format of the complaints about Apple are noteworthy. When they first began, my reaction was that this was almost certainly an organized campaign, but  was who was doing the organizing and to what end? My initial guess was that Apple was undergoing negotiations with China’s wireless carriers, notably China Mobile. This is not the first time a foreign company has been attacked in the press during private bargaining sessions. And to be fair, this happens to companies everywhere. It is not uncommon for Wall Street analysts and the US business press to get caught up as outlets for various parties negotiating positions, a sort of corporate public diplomacy."