Wednesday, April 16, 2014

U.S. Public Diplomacy Mission Statements


2003 article, citing the State Department website, notes that: "Working in liaison with the Pentagon, [Charlotte] Beers was appointed to head the State Department’s propaganda unit in the immediate wake of 9/11. Her mandate is 'to counteract anti-Americanism abroad.'7 Her office at the State department is to:  'ensure that public diplomacy (engaging, informing, and influencing key international audiences) is practiced in harmony with public affairs (outreach to Americans) and traditional diplomacy to advance U.S. interests and security and to provide the moral basis for U.S. leadership in the world.' (http://www.state.gov/r/ )"

Today's State Department mission statement for Public Diplomacy (the link is the same as the above, http://www.state.gov/r/ ) has, interestingly, a different phraseology:

Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs

The mission of American public diplomacy is to support the achievement of U.S. foreign policy goals and objectives, advance national interests, and enhance national security by informing and influencing foreign publics and by expanding and strengthening the relationship between the people and Government of the United States and citizens of the rest of the world.
The Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Richard Stengel leads America's public diplomacy outreach, which includes communications with international audiences, cultural programming, academic grants, educational exchanges, international visitor programs, and U.S. Government efforts to confront ideological support for terrorism. The Under Secretary oversees the bureaus of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Public Affairs, and International Information Programs, as well as the Center for Strategic Counterterrorism Communications, and participates in foreign policy development.

In its listing of "senior officials," (http://www.state.gov/misc/19232.htm) the State Department website has another mission statement for public diplomacy:

Date: 03/05/2014 Description: Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Rick Stengel (2014) - State Dept ImageUnder Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs: Richard Stengel
The Under Secretary leads America's public diplomacy outreach, which includes communications with international audiences, cultural programming, academic grants, educational exchanges, international visitor programs, and U.S. Government efforts to confront ideological support for terrorism. The Under Secretary oversees the bureaus of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Public Affairs, and International Information Programs, as well as the Center for Strategic Counterterrorism Communications, and participates in foreign policy development.
Term of Appointment: 2/14/2014 to present

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