"discreet does not equal covert."
--Matt Herrick, AID spokesperson, regarding the need for his agency to maintain a "discreet profile" in the funding of "ZunZuneo, which was part of a broader effort that began in 2009 to facilitate 'twitter like' communication among Cubans so they could connect with each other on topics of their choice." Image from; see also.
VIDEO
Selling America to the world - CNN: "In a world increasingly consumed by a war of words and polarizing propaganda, the art of public diplomacy is paramount, and the new U.S. Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs has his work cut out for him today.
Rick Stengel, who was sworn in by Secretary of State John Kerry this week, is actually a former journalist and managing editor of Time Magazine. He now steps into the powerful role of telling America’s story and laying out its foreign policy goals for the world. CNN’s Christiane Amanpour spoke with Stengel on Friday – his first TV interview." Image from; see also; twitter reaction:
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From Kiev to Damascus, Moscow to Caracas, there are very few international conflicts and debates where the actions and position of the United States is not influential.
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#Digitaldiplomacy Town Hall - Chrisella Herzog, .diplomaticourier.com: "Diplomatic Courier is excited to present the Diplomacy+SocialGood Summit in Washington , DC
BLOGS OF INTEREST
(a) BIDD: Belgrade Initiative for Public and Digital Diplomacy - bidd.linkmedia.rs; image from blog
(b) دیپلماسی عمومی - Public Diplomacy
PUBLIC DIPLOMACY
Chairman Menendez Releases Report on the Obama Administration’s “Rebalance to the Asia-Pacific” - "The report examines the progress made, and the challenges that remain, for the Obama Administration’s strategic policy of 'rebalancing' to the Asia-Pacific. ... The report includes the following recommendations [including]: ... To better foster business, cultural and people-to-people connections, the State Department should redouble efforts to support U.S. students to study in the region, ensure faster processing for non-immigrant visas for tourism and conferences, and increase resources for public diplomacy."
US Government Promoting Islam in Czech Republic - Soeren Kern, gatestoneinstitute.org: "The Czech government has approved a new project aimed at promoting Islam in public elementary and secondary schools across the country. The project—Muslims in the Eyes of Czech Schoolchildren—is being spearheaded by a Muslim advocacy group and is being financed by American taxpayers through a grant from the US Embassy in Prague.
(The US State Department is also promoting Islam in other European countries.) The group says the Czech Ministry of Education has authorized it to organize lectures and seminars aimed at 'teaching Czech schoolchildren about Islamic beliefs and practices' and at 'fighting stereotypes and prejudices about Muslims.'" Uncaptioned image from entry
Citing Ukraine Crisis, GOP Looks to Cut Open World Leadership Center - Hannah Hess, blogs.rollcall.com: "In response to the ongoing crisis in Ukraine, House Republicans want to slash funding for the Open World Leadership Center, an international exchange program established nearly 15 years ago to build relationships with post-Soviet countries. For fiscal 2015, the $6-million Library of Congress program would be reduced by 43 percent — representing the portion of participants Russia normally sends as delegates to the United States. House Appropriations Legislative Branch Subcommittee Chairman Tom Cole, R-Okla., called the move 'a sign of support for Ukraine,' and emphasized that the decision was made in consultation with Speaker John A. Boehner, R-Ohio, and Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., during the full committee markup on April 9. ... 'It’s important to stress that the Open World program does not just focus on Russia,' Cole said during the markup. Ukraine has the next largest group of participants in the program, which has brought more than 19,000 current and future leaders from Eurasia to the United States for firsthand exposure to Congress and American government. 'Therefore, we encourage the center to do more in Ukraine and with the other participating countries in the surrounding region,' he added."
Department of State Public Schedule, April 18, 2014 - rockycoastnews.blogspot.com: "UNDER SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS RICHARD STENGEL Under Secretary Stengel is on travel to attend meetings and briefings at the New York Foreign Press Center."
Government Executive quotes John Lenczowski and BBG Watch about BBG problems in Russia - BBH Watcher, bbgwatch.com: “Government Executive website, govexec.com, quoted from John Lenczowski’s Wall Street Journal op-ed and BBG Watch reports about management problems at the Voice of America (VOA) and International Broadcasting Bureau (IBB) and U.S. media outreach in response the Kremlin’s propaganda. Both VOA and IBB report to the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG). Government Executive reported that in a Wall Street Journal op-ed published Friday, John Lenczowski, founder of the Institute for World Politics, argued that 'the Voice of America shouldn’t be a whisper,' saying, ‘
Eight Facts About ZunZuneo [April 7th 2014] - Matt Herrick "On Thursday, April 3, the Associated Press published an article on a social media program in
and start a 'Cuban spring' to overthrow the Cuban government. It makes for an interesting read, but it’s not true. USAID’s work in Cuba is not unlike what we and other donors do around the world to connect people who have been cut off from the outside world by repressive or authoritarian governments. USAID’s democracy and governance work focuses on strengthening civil society, governance, and promoting human rights. ... FACT: USAID works in places where we are not always welcome. To minimize the risk to our staff and partners and ensure our work can proceed safely, we must take certain precautions and maintain a discreet profile. " Uncaptioned image from entry. Via
The Marriage of Religion and Politics in Pakistan - tankthoughts.com: "April 14, 2014 Host: The Atlantic Council Event: Rising Political Islam in Pakistan: Causes and Consequences
Speakers: Amb. Husain Haqqani, Director, South and Central Asia Program, Hudson Institute Dr. Haroon Ullah, Policy Planning Staff, U.S. Department of State ... Dr. Ullah is hopeful that public diplomacy and people-to-people exchanges can help facilitate change in Pakistan, however also conceded that it cannot do so alone."
Western media are conscientiously Russophobic in covering events in Ukraine – Putin's spokesperson -
voiceofrussia.com: Western media are trying to show Russia in an unflattering light when covering the Ukraine crisis and its stance is conscientiously Russophobic. 'They have a task to show Russia in an unflattering light, and this task is editorial,' Putin’s press secretary
Dmitry Peskov said in an interview with the 'Right to Know' program on Russian TV channel on April 19. 'There are chronic inflammatory processes of consciousness that are deeply rooted in the 'Cold War' era. These processes have not gone anywhere. They were simply overlapped by new perceptions like the atmosphere of a 'reset' and globalisation when people started travelling and meeting each other and when a thing like public diplomacy emerged,' Peskov said, adding that phobias and Russophobia have always been present in media coverage of events related to Russia." Uncaptioned image from entry
Geoana: Russia’s political purpose is to federalize Ukraine - romaniapress.com: "High Representative of Romanian Government for economic, strategic and public diplomacy projects Mircea Geoana told Radio RFI station on Wednesday that, in his opinion, the strategic interest of Russia in the Ukraine is to federalize this country."
The Ministry Urges Universities, Cities for Strengthening Partnerships - Sileshi Yilma, haramaya.edu.et: "The Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) urged various universities and cities in the country to form and strengthen partnership and twinning with their foreign counterparts across the world. In the 2006 Ethiopian calendar alone, 98 partnerships and twinning were formed, Dr. Yinager Dese, state minister of MoFA, disclosed in a workshop prepared by the Public Diplomacy Directorate on April 10, 2014 at Ghion Hotel. 'Partnerships would have benefits including successful public diplomacy, technology transfer, experience sharing, and image building,' he added. A presentation made by Abiy Berhane, director of Twinning and Cultural Promotion at MoFA, indicates that a number of Memorandum of Understandings (MOU) have been signed over the past several years by Ethiopian higher institutions and cities. However, according to the director, only few of these connections have turned out to be fruitful. Poor profile and MOU preparation, late or no reply to partnership and twinning requests, from abroad, and repeated changes of officials who follow up partnership cases were among the several problems often observed during such occasions. Haile Sellassie I University’s (Addis Ababa University’s) relationship with London University and the then Alemaya University’s connection with Oklahoma University were mentioned as the country’s earliest partnerships in the contexts of higher institutions."
Xi Jinping’s Africa Policy: The First Year - Yun Sun, brookings.edu: "In ... [a] strategy to improve China’s image in Africa, the Xi administration has significantly enhanced China’s public diplomacy efforts on the ground. Senior Chinese diplomats are now eagerly engaging African media to explain and propagate China’s positions and their benefits to Africa. Under the 'China-Africa People to People Friendship Action' plan, Chinese embassies across Africa are seeking collaborations with African nongovernmental
organizations and have implemented dozens of projects. Some examples include technical training programs in Botswana with the local Gopong Support Group; material assistance in central Africa with the Central African Republic Renaissance Foundation; donations to local elementary schools in Uganda; vocational training for local unemployed youth in Cape Verde; and women’s health programs in Benin. Although these projects are primarily led and implemented by governments, they serve to diversify China’s aid models in Africa and promote the exchanges and cooperation with the civil society. They have won some loud praise from the local populations." Uncaptioned image from entry
Twiplomacy: il caso Australia-Indonesia - Patrizia Rizzini Cancarini, ilcaffegeopolitico.org: "Ad oggi nessun accordo è stato ancora trovato. Nel clima di incertezza attuale, un elemento sembra chiaro: dall’emergere delle tensioni tra i due Paesi, due importanti fattori sono stati evidenziati. Da un lato, la vicenda Indonesia-Australia rappresenta uno dei primi casi in cui problemi nei rapporti bilaterali tra due Stati siano stati affrontati più che intensivamente via social network. Chiaro segnale dell’importanza di tali strumenti, questo caso mostra come i social media siano diventati un’importante vetrina non solo per l’opinione pubblica ma anche per gli stessi leader e capi di Governo.
In secondo luogo, lo sviluppo e tempistica dell’intera vicenda (prima le dichiarazioni su twitter, poi i fatti) profilano possibili nuove tendenze in fatto di public diplomacy: le scelte strategiche dei Paesi interessati vengono prima divulgate al grande pubblico, per essere implementate solo in una seconda fase. Non è ancora possibile chiarire quali siano stati i dialoghi 'a porte chiuse' tra i due Paesi: come e’ ovvio, molti rimarranno conosciuti solo dagli addetti ai lavori. Tuttavia, le modalità di interazione tra i due Paesi mettono in evidenza la particolarità di questo caso per le relazioni internazionali, mostrando in particolar modo il peso crescente delle relazioni diplomatiche digitali." Cancarini image from entry
In Swedish, it doesn't sound quite so good: Increasing strength on the far Right, Muslim population growth, and boycotts of Israel are reaching all parts of Europe -- including Sweden • Jerusalem Institute of Justice holds hasbara event at Uppsala University to give a voice to Israel - Adi Rubinstein, israelhayom.com: "The signs that were posted throughout the university grounds [Uppsala University, whose campus lies a 45-minute-drive away from the Swedish capital of Stockholm] invite students to take part in a discussion that revolves around the provocative question: 'Who is responsible for the poor lot of the Palestinians?'
For all intents and purposes, the conversation will be focused on Israeli hasbara (public diplomacy). The evening was initiated and organized by the Jerusalem Institute of Justice, whose goal is to alter the academic and political discourse on the issue of human rights in the Middle East, with a special emphasis placed on the Palestinian question. The institute invites journalists a few times a year to observe pro-Israel activity and activism on campuses abroad. This time, the setting is Sweden. The organization is headed by Calev Myers, a Jewish Pennsylvania-born attorney who holds far-right views. He is also an activist who has taken up social welfare cases, including those of Palestinians, as well as of labor migrants fighting for their right to stay in a country that wishes to deport them. Myers is one of the more powerful figures in Israel as it relates to evangelical activity in the country. On the whole, he is one of the best ambassadors that Israel has to offer the world." Image from entry, with caption: An anti-Israel demonstration in Stockholm in 2010
The Jerusalem Post Conference, my retrospective perspective - docstalk.blogspot.com: "But, for me, the defining moment came early in the conference – following the interview of Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman by the Post’s editor in- chief, Steve Linde. It was precipitated by a question from the audience asked by a young pro-Israel activist, Justin Hayet, a Binghamton University undergraduate. After introducing himself, and articulating his – entirely correct – belief that the delegitimization campaign against Israel represents a grave strategic threat, Hayet asked Israel’s foreign minister, 'What is the Foreign Ministry doing to stand with college students, like myself, to fight BDS [Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions] on campus?' Liberman’s response was dismaying, and should be a cause of grave alarm for all those concerned with the long-term future of Israel and its vital ties with Jewish communities across the world. Indeed, it encapsulated all the misperceptions, and mismanagement that have characterized Israel’s diplomatic strategy. In particular, it spotlighted the incomprehension and incompetence Israeli officialdom has displayed in the conduct of our public diplomacy, going a long way to explain Israel’s growing international beleaguerment. Dispensing with any semblance of civility, and any expression of encouragement of the voluntary efforts of young pro-Zionist activists in defense of Israel on hostile campuses, Liberman brusquely conveyed to Hayet that endeavors like his were essentially unnecessary, and largely a waste of time."
Ahmadinejad is Gone, and so is Ahmadinejadism! - Kourosh Ziabari, internationalpolicydigest.org: "In his 8 years in office, he [Ahmadinejad] gave interviews to virtually all the world’s major newspapers, news agencies, TV and radio stations and sent out several fiery and drawn out letters to world leaders that were never responded to and simply led to further humiliation for the Iranian people.
He justified his actions and decisions as part of his administration’s public diplomacy, but unfortunately, Ahmadinejad was stupendously ignorant about the art of diplomacy. He was the one who complicated and entangled Iran’s relations with the international community, especially the United States, by taking up an adamant and obdurate approach to the nuclear program, delivering tirades and directing verbal attacks against Israel, publicly denying the Holocaust and threatening his political rivals. He could never create an international alliance to build up support for Iran and even his outreach to Latin American and African nations was a failure." Image from entry, with caption: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iran’s former president, speaking at the Natanz nuclear facility
Arirang Concert - Suray's World: "Got some invitation for as many as 30 of my friends. We went to the National Gugak Center of Korea to watch the Arirang: The Soul of Korea Concert. Hosted by Senior Public Diplomacy Group, MOFA, this concert
was to cater the need of Korean people and foreigners alike in embracing 'Arirang'." Image from entry
Atypical career path: Culinary Diplomacy - Jessica Daniels: "Today I’ll tell you about an alumnus whose career is quite unlike that of most of our alumni. Sam Chapple-Sokol F’12 has been writing and publishing on the topic of culinary diplomacy ever since he took Prof. Henrikson’s Diplomacy: History, Theory, and Practice. ... I reached out to Sam for a little more detail on his post-Fletcher work, and for some photos. He told me that he has been blogging and tweeting on culinary diplomacy
(note that the Wikipedia entry actually refers to Sam), as well as continuing to write for publications, most recently for Public Diplomacy Magazine. (The Public Diplomacy article drew some additional attention to his work.) He has also worked at the White House as a pastry chef during two holiday seasons, and for other projects including celebrations for July 4, Halloween, the Inauguration, and the State Dinner during the visit of French President François Hollande. When not putting his own culinary skills to work, he consults for Le Club des Chefs des Chefs, an elite organization for the personal chefs of heads of state." Image (Chapple-Sokol on left) from entry, with caption: The model of the White House is edible! Weighing 350 pounds, it was made from a foundation of gingerbread and covered with white chocolate, according to the White House.
Is the federalist model working? Perspectives from the US and the EU, Brussels, 23 April 2014 - uef.be: "What can be learned from the US model and where should the future focus of Europe lie? In this event we will explore why the American model of power-sharing works and why the backlash is so strong from European sceptics. Our two experts [Akram Elias and Domenico Rossetti], one from the US and the other a European federalist will share their insights into this very current topic. Dr Akram Elias has over 27 years of professional experience as a consultant in the areas of public diplomacy, cross-cultural training, and communication. He has worked extensively with the U.S. Department of State and numerous private and international organizations to provide public diplomacy, cross-cultural analysis and training. Since 1995, Mr. Elias has been contracted by the U.S. Department of State to give in depth briefings on American government, politics, culture and society to international delegates from around the world."
Cleveland Park Historical Society Annual Meeting 2014 - clevelandparkhistoricalsociety.org: "Myra Best (Quebec and 36th) is relative newcomer to Cleveland Park. ... As a Program Officer at Meridian International Center, Myra designs public diplomacy projects for the State Department on a range of topics, including human rights, sustainable development and civic activism."
RELATED ITEMS
In Cold War Echo, Obama Strategy Writes Off Putin - Peter Baker, New York Times: Mr. Obama has concluded that even if there is a resolution to the current standoff over Crimea and eastern Ukraine, he will never have a constructive relationship with Mr. Putin, aides said. As a result, Mr. Obama will spend his final two and a half years in office trying to minimize the disruption Mr. Putin can cause, preserve whatever marginal cooperation can be saved and otherwise ignore the master of the Kremlin in favor of other foreign policy areas where progress remains possible.
The manifestation of this thinking can be seen in Mr. Obama’s pending choice for the next ambassador to Moscow. While not officially final, the White House is preparing to nominate John F. Tefft, a career diplomat who previously served as ambassador to Ukraine, Georgia and Lithuania. Image from, with caption: Ambassador John Tefft at opening of the Victor Kytasty American Library Ambassador John Tefft at opening of the Victor Kytasty American Library [in Kiev]
How America Lost Vladimir Putin: A rupture between Russia and the West, 14 years in the making - theatlantic.com: David Rohde and Arshad Mohammed, theatlantic.com: As Russia masses tens of thousands of troops along the Russian-Ukrainian border, Putin is thwarting what the Kremlin says is an American plot to surround Russia with hostile neighbors. Experts said he is also promoting "Putinism"—a conservative, ultra-nationalist form of state capitalism—as a global alternative to Western democracy. It's also a dynamic that some current and former U.S. officials said reflects an American failure to recognize that while the Soviet Union is gone as an ideological enemy, Russia has remained a major power that demands the same level of foreign-policy attention as China and other large nations—a relationship that should not just be a means to other ends, but an end in itself.
US fossilized propaganda against Russia - presstv.ir: Since Washington’s putsch in Kiev – and Moscow’s inevitable response in Russian Crimea to protect its Black Sea fleet – the provocation and isolation of Russia have been inverted in the news to the “Russian threat.” This is fossilized propaganda. The US air force general who runs NATO forces in Europe – General Philip Breedlove, no less – claimed more than two weeks ago to have pictures showing 40,000 Russian troops “massing” on the border with Ukraine.
So did Colin Powell claim to have pictures proving there were weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. What is certain is that Barack Obama’s rapacious, reckless coup in Ukraine has ignited a civil war and Vladimir Putin is being lured into a trap. Image from entry, with caption: Men wearing military fatigues ride on an armoured personnel carrier outside the regional state building seized by protesters in Ukraine’s eastern city of Slavyansk on April 18, 2014.
Ukrainian Jews are caught in a propaganda war: Anti-Semitic fliers evoke horrific memories in eastern Ukraine - Amar Toor, theverge.com: Right-wing groups do have a presence in the new Ukrainian government, though they comprise a minority, and experts say their influence has been vastly blown out of proportion for political purposes. As a result, Ukrainian Jews have found themselves in a precarious situation, caught between the push and pull of East versus West.
Syrian Jihadists Employ Soccer as Propaganda and Recruitment Tool - James Dorsey, Huffington Post: Soccer has long served jihadists as a recruitment and bonding tool. It brings recruits into the fold, encourages camaraderie and reinforces militancy among those who have already joined.
IMAGES
--Via BB on Facebook
--Via CR on Facebook
THE WAY WE WERE ...
Image from, with caption: A sign made by local school children welcoming Putin to Texas hangs from a cattle fence outside Crawford, Texas, in November 2001. Putin and Bush met to discuss nuclear-arms-stockpile reductions.
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