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A Snapshot of
Public Diplomacy in Action
Tara D. Sonenshine, Under Secretary of State for
Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs
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Greetings!
Welcome to the 2nd edition of the Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Newsletter (aka "The NEWS-LETTER.") We want this to serve as a way to connect you to the impactful global diplomacy programs that State Department Public Diplomacy professionals (the "R" family) are engaged in as they carry out an enduring strategy that integrates our foreign policy tools around the world. And we want the NEWS-LETTER to educate readers on the value and purpose of public diplomacy and how it enables citizens overseas to better understand America - our language, history, culture, policies, values, ideals and ideas. In the end, our programs and activities reflect who we are, what we stand for, and how we are perceived. Therein lies the challenge of securing our nation, advancing our goals and making a positive difference in the lives of others.
As you read through the individual initiatives that embassies and posts have undertaken, consider the collective impact of the outreach and engagement. The common thread for many of these approaches includes:
Educational Exchanges/Networking Alumni: Over decades, through our educational and cultural programs, the State Department has created an enormous roster of former Fulbrighters, Humphrey fellows, Gilman Scholars, YES and ACCESS students, etc. There are over 140 programs today that link American and overseas students and the graduates of these programs have become Nobel Prize winners, leaders of countries, parliamentarians, and friends of the US. In addition to their strong connections to the US, international students coming to the US generated $20 billion for the US economy last year. And as students and scholars go overseas, they serve as educational ambassadors - teaching English, running programs, speaking, interacting, sharing our narrative and countering negative stereotypes. You will see in various regions how we interact with our alumni and engage them in our work. Taken together you get a snapshot of an educationally robust exchange network.
Media Programs: Through print, radio, television and online media, our posts generate stories and programs about America and about themes that we consider important such as democracy, pluralism, and inclusion. Often we fund or facilitate a program or series. Sometimes we tweet, blog, or convene thinkers so that information keeps flowing, or partner with a television station to focus on local programming. Other times we replay speeches or videos to give our materials a second life. In some cases we fund journalist training or communications work. Taken together, these distribution platforms and capacity-building efforts amplify America's message and respond, directly, to anti-American messages through video and social media as well as programming.
Teaching English: Many of the countries report their progress in meeting the growing demand for English language teaching and advising.
American Spaces: The U.S. has over 800 "Spaces" or places around the world where we are teaching, training, hosting, presenting, and providing resources and connectivity. Many of our posts report on their Spaces.
Citizen-to-Citizen: Much of PD work is bridging gaps - bringing entrepreneurs together, enabling women and youth to find approaches to empowering their sectors, connecting cultural figures, historians, speakers and experts to policymakers and one another or simply providing an American means of celebrating local culture. All of that is part of building trust, seeding the future, making inroads into thinking and behavior, and creating linkages and partnerships that can withstand the ups and downs of relationships.
Sincerely,
Tara D. Sonenshine
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Public Diplomacy Programs
Programs by Area for the Week of June 11, 2012:
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Bureau of African Affairs (AF)
MOVE IT, MOVE IT - Madagascar's Mobile Center Magnifies Our Message: Faced with a challenging environment in which an illegal regime attempts to manipulate information and 
perceptions about the United States, Embassy Antananarivo launched its Mobile Cultural Center (MCC) as a powerful platform to connect directly with isolated populations in rural towns and villages. Under the title "Innovation for the Next Generation" and packed with resources that emphasize technology, including computers, a large-screen television, digital picture frames - and hundreds of books, e-readers, and tablet PCs - the MCC is an impressive structure that stands taller than most buildings in Madagascar. Though focused primarily on environmental preservation, the MCC attracts audiences through English and information on the United States. The Embassy's Public Affairs Section created the MCC from end-of-year funds, but sustains the program through public-private partnerships that transport the MCC from town to town and host the exhibit for one
 month free of charge, along with identifying volunteers to run the MCC every day. Local Peace Corps volunteers have played an invaluable role in the MCC's success by identifying partners, finding volunteers, engaging in the programs, and bringing the American experience to the Center. Now touring its sixth city, the MCC has drawn over 30,000 visitors in just six months, making a significant and sustained impact on the communities that it has visited. Through the MCC and the people - Americans and Malagasy - who come together to make it work, the Embassy has forged linkages in regions that are inaccessible by road and cut off from communications, inspiring new ideas and connections between people and their environment.
Secretary Clinton, Under Secretary Sherman Headline Major AF Bureau Events: Secretary Clinton welcomed 62 young African entrepreneurs to the Department on June 13 at the start of the Mentoring Partnership for Young African Leaders, a three-week program organized by AF Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs and Meridian International that will take the young entrepreneurs to Washington, Chicago and six other cities for conferences and mentoring experiences with U.S. companies and NGOs. Under Secretary Wendy Sherman was the keynote speaker for the program's Youth Innovation Summit that opened in Washington on June 14. The Secretary launched the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Forum at the Department on June 14, with over 500 participants and 34 African government ministers. AGOA is the cornerstone of U.S.-Africa trade relations. The Secretary also met with participants in the African Women's Entrepreneurship Program (AWEP), a three-week visitor program in which 47 African women entrepreneurs from 37 countries engage in professional development training and networking opportunities with American counterparts.
Women Peacebuilders from Somalia and Liberia Meet Department Leaders: The week of June 11, senior Department leaders met with nine Somali and Liberian women who are attending the Women's Peacebuilding Leadership Academic program at Eastern Mennonite University. These dynamic women met with Under Secretary Tara Sonenshine, Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues Melanne Verveer, Special Representative to Muslim Communities Farah Pandith, and AF Deputy Assistant Secretary Reuben Brigety. Their conversations covered women's political participation, women's role in conflict resolution and peacebuilding, and challenges to and opportunities for the advancement of women and girls in Somalia and Liberia. They also met with U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) leadership following their visit to State.
Young Senegalese Enjoy Aviation Education Weekend: Embassy Dakar's Federal Aviation Association (FAA) office hosted "Aviation Education Weekend" June 8-10 at the Air Force Base at Ouakam in Dakar. With the Senegalese Air Force and several local aviation organizations, the FAA promoted career opportunities in aviation for more than 1700 young Senegalese students.
Charg� d'Affaires Robert Yamate spoke to students who toured tents with aviation information and vied for a chance to fly with aviators. To encourage growth in Senegal's aviation sector, Embassy Dakar supported this event to educate young students about aviation careers. Exposure to both civilian and military aviation role models demonstrated the breadth of jobs available for students and facilitated civilian-military relationship building.
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Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs (EAP)
Maya Soetoro-Ng Opens Ann Dunham Batik Collection Exhibit in Malaysia:
An exhibit of batik pieces that belonged to President Obama's mother, Ann Dunham opened at the Islamic Arts Museum in Kuala Lumpur with help from our embassy's Public Affairs Section -
the first time the collection has been shown outside the United States.
Maya Soetoro-Ng, President
Obama's half sister, attended the launch at the Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia and spoke about her mother's love of Southeast Asia. In a video that President Obama recorded for the event - and which IIP helped subtitle in Malaysian - the President said,
"I hope that this exhibit continues the work to which she devoted her life-enlarging our discourse and our understanding, among peoples and among nations."
Mona Locke Sends Electronic Words of Encouragement to Chinese Students: Two days before the nation-wide college 
entrance exams, Ambassador Locke's wife recorded a brief message to encourage Chinese students preparing for this annual rite of passage and remind them of the importance of education. The 21-second
video was posted to Embassy Beijing's video-sharing site on Youku and was tweeted out on its Sina micro-blog.
U.S. and Brunei Partners Sign $25 Million Agreement to Provide English Language Training to ASEAN: The University of Brunei Darussalam and the East-West Center signed an MOU to implement the Brunei-United States Partnership on English Language  Education for ASEAN. The five-year, $25 million initiative - fully funded by the Brunei government and supported by ECA - originated in discussions between EAP Assistant Secretary Campbell and the Brunei government last year. This significant public-private initiative will improve English language capacity in the region, advance educational and teaching opportunities, and expand U.S.-ASEAN educational ties.
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Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA)
U.S. Ambassador Alejandro Wolff Opens New EducationUSA  Advising Center in Chile: Ambassador Wolf spoke to 130 members of the Chilean educational community and highlighted President Obama's 100,000 Strong in the Americas initiative on June 7 at Universidad Mayor in Santiago, Chile, following a ceremonial ribbon cutting and tour.
FLEX Capitol Hill Reception: Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Adam Ereli addressed 174 Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) students from Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, and Ukraine on June 13, as well as Congressional representatives at a reception hosted by ECA and American Councils for International Education. In the 20 years of the FLEX program, more than 21,000 students have participated.
Thousands Connect with Fulbright Program through Live Webcast: ECA live-streamed a meeting of the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board (FSB) on June 12, featuring FSB Chair Tom Healy, an MTV presentation on the Fulbright-mtvU Fellowship, and a panel on "Fulbright in a Connected Word." The webcast drew 1,000+ views and generated 3.5 million impressions from 596 tweets.
Thousands Connect with Fulbright Program through Live Webcast
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Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs (EUR)
Deputy Secretary Nides Strengthens U.S.-Polish Economic Ties: Deputy Secretary Nides's remarks at the third annual Wroclaw Global Forum emphasized our message in Poland and in the region that Europe and the United States have never been more closely aligned, that U.S.-European economic partnership is key to all areas of cooperation, and that the United States and Europe must promote their ideals around the world to help build a stable international economic system. As the Wroclaw Forum develops into a leading event on Europe's policy calendar, Embassy Warsaw and Consulate Krakow have taken advantage of the high-level audience assembled to reinforce a shared agenda, particularly European and American economic and commercial leaders.
Sports Promote Tolerance in Macedonia: To deepen youth engagement and help overcome ethnic and religious differences in  Macedonia, over 500 youth joined Ambassador Wohlers and the Mayor of Tetovo at the city's historic Painted Mosque for art and sports activities. This followed the first GLOBAL event held on May 31 in Skopje, where the group visited an Orthodox church and then participated in a sports camp.
Moldova: Outreach takes off in troubled Transnistria region:
Long off-limits to Embassy Chisinau officers and accessible only by few exchange participants, the breakaway Transnistria region of Moldova is experiencing a revitalization of ties with the U.S. This past week, five American baseball coaches interacted with coaches and players from both sides of the Nistru River. On June 1-3, the first-ever American Film Festival was held in Tiraspol, the Transnistria capital, with five films on the theme of friendship. Public Affairs Section Chisinau is also planning the opening of a new American Room in the region's leading university library, as the region's leaders show new openness to cooperation with the Embassy.
Charg�'s Photo Exhibit Highlights Appreciation of the Beauty of Kosovo: PAS Pristina helped Charg� d'Affaires Michael Murphy bid farewell and leave a lasting mark of goodwill by assembling his photographs into an online exhibit. Commemorating his 1000 days as DCM/Charg�, the Facebook posting became one of the most popular in Kosovo and was featured in national daily Z�ri under the headline "The Politician with a Sense of Photography."
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International Information Programs (IIP)
Global Economic Statecraft Day: IIP coordinated the overseas communications plan to provide posts with the tools they needed to amplify the Global Economic Statecraft Day (GESD) initiative. IIP streamed the Secretary's June 14 remarks on Economic Statecraft at the AGOA Forum, watched by more than 230 viewers in 20 countries, and partnered with PA to stream the June 13 Washington Foreign Press Center briefing by Deputy Secretary Nides, Interior Assistant Secretary Rhea Suh and Commerce Deputy Assistant Secretary Kenneth Hyatt on travel and tourism to the United States. More than 140 viewers from Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia tuned in. IIP also produced and released two videos this week to promote GESD: "Secretary Clinton and Economic Statecraft,"available in eight languages, showcases the Secretary and U.S. economic and business leaders in action. "Visit America," which will be posted on the Consular Affairs website and U.S. Embassy pages worldwide, demonstrates the ease of applying for a U.S. visa.
IIP Amplifies U.S.-India Strategic Dialogue: Coordinating with SCA and Embassy New Delhi, IIP produced a video, articles, texts and transcripts covering the third U.S.-India Strategic Dialogue June 12-13. The video, featuring images of Secretary Clinton, Prime Minister Singh, Ambassador Nancy Powell and others, emphasizes shared values between the two countries and their growing strategic and economic partnership. Posted on the New Delhi YouTube page and the Facebook pages of India's four U.S. Consulates, the video was also screened during the June 12 U.S.-India Business Council event in Washington.
Ambassador Introduction Video Amplifies Tripoli Outreach: Since its May 15 release, the IIP-produced video of U.S. Ambassador to Libya John (Chris) Stevens has been viewed more than 6,000 times on the Embassy, IIP@State and Freelibyan YouTube pages. Benefiting from active sharing of information by Libyans themselves through word-of-mouth, interest in the video helped the Embassy's Facebook page more than quadruple its fan base to 10,000 over the past three weeks. Another 50,000 viewers were reached via broadcast on two local TV channels. Post concludes: "This video has played a key, irreplaceable role in setting the tone for Ambassador Stevens as humble, excited about Libya, and hopeful for the future of our relations."
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Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs (NEA)
Iraqi Journalists Train with Leading Regional Media Figures: The most recent round of Embassy Baghdad's broadcast journalism training concluded in Beirut on June 6. The program brought 13 Iraqi journalists from six provinces together for training in broadcast techniques, including scriptwriting, editing, and journalistic ethics. In partnership with the Institute for Media Training and Research at the Lebanese American University, the program features prominent journalist presenters from Al Jazeera and other regional media. By the end of the year, the entire project will have trained more than 50 Iraqi journalists in investigative journalism, broadcast journalism, and media management.
FocUS Music Brings Arab and Jewish Youth Together in Song: Arab and Jewish students from Jerusalem, Jaffa, Haifa, Beer Sheva, Nazareth and Akko gathered this month to perform songs they had learned in their different communities. The event was the culmination of PD Jerusalem's American Studies workshops on songs of the Civil Rights Era, the Labor Movement, the Vietnam War, and the Women's Movement. U.S.-born musician/educator Ami Yares co-organized the concerts and accompanied the students.
Small Grants Competition Inspires Creative Use of Social Media: Thirty-seven proposals tackling issues related to media, advocacy, social justice, education, and information technology were submitted to PAS Jerusalem's small grants competition following PalConnect, the first-ever Palestinian social media conference which was held in Ramallah in December 2011. PalConnect was funded with support from R's Fund for Innovation and implemented by the Arab Media Internet Network (AMIN). On May 26, PAS Jerusalem announced two winners - one from the West Bank which uses social media to highlight community issues, and one from Gaza which creates an online educational network.
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Public Affairs (PA)
AGOA Forum and the President's Policy Directive for sub-Saharan Africa: The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) is the U.S. Government's signature trade initiative with sub-Saharan Africa. On June 14 and 15, PA worked with the Bureau of African Affairs to amplify the AGOA Forum's key messages. The Forum brings together over 600 participants, including senior U.S. and African officials, and members of the private sector and civil society. High-level Department officials, including Assistant Secretary for African Affairs Johnnie Carson, conducted media interviews to discuss U.S policy toward Africa, trade promotion, and peace and security in the region. Our Foreign Press Center and South Africa Media Hub hosted a panel discussion with experts on African economics from the State Department, Commerce, USTR, and USTDA who previewed the Forum. More than 20 news organizations participated. The event outlined the objectives and expected outcomes of the Forum and continuing importance of African development.
Economic Statecraft Day: Promoting Trade and Increasing Tourism: On June 13, Deputy Secretary Nides, along with officials from the Departments of Commerce and the Interior, briefed journalists on Global Economic Statecraft, with an emphasis on international travel and tourism. Deputy Secretary Nides led the briefing by presenting a new video by Secretary Clinton explaining the importance of the Economic Statecraft and how U.S. embassies are working to promote international trade and increase tourism to the United States. Attendees included journalists from Belgium, Poland, Venezuela, China, Taiwan, Mexico, and Japan. Building on this event, and to echo Economic Statecraft themes, Assistant Secretary Mike Hammer participated in a conference call with Chambers of Commerce and business schools from around the country. He also interviewed with a reporter from Grupo de Diarios, a consortium of 11 large Spanish-language news outlets to talk about economic interests in the Hemisphere.
Youth in Politics: American Youth Show Activism in Action: On June 11, the Foreign Press Center (FPC) kicked off one of its largest reporting tours focused on election events, building on Secretary Clinton's stated commitment to ending the marginalization of young people's needs and concerns. The FPC is hosting 32 foreign journalists from outlets with significant youth audiences and introducing them to the role of youth in American politics and the economy. Particular focus is on university activism and young political leaders.
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Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs (SCA)
U.S. and India Sharpen Focus of Collaboration at the Higher Education Dialogue: The June 12th U.S.-India Higher Education Dialogue, co-chaired by Secretary Clinton and the Indian Minister of Human Resource Development, sharpened focus areas of educational collaboration and helped chart future strategies for effective partnerships. Participants included leaders from universities  and community colleges, representatives of academic and business associations, and officials from both governments. Under Secretary Sonenshine and the Indian Higher Education Secretary led discussions focused on workforce development through community colleges, leveraging new technologies to provide greater access to education, and undertaking joint research in priority fields, such as food security and public health. The discussions yielded several concrete outcomes, including agreement on key focus areas and mechanisms of future collaboration.
Afghanistan: Women Build Sustainable Silk Business: Household silk production is a traditional activity in northern Afghanistan where silk is used to make carpets and textiles. Silk production stopped during the civil war because of a lack of silkworm eggs but the demand for silk and its products returned in recent years. A new USG project is training over 400 women in this craft. The project is implemented by a private, women-owned company with nine years experience in silk production. The long-term goal is to create sustainable income for the beneficiaries by reviving silk production, developing the capacity for spinning, dyeing, and weaving to meet the demand for silk products in Afghanistan and abroad. Click here to see a 2-minute video about this project.
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Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs (WHA)
Global Economic Statecraft Day: On June 14, WHA partnered with the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC) to brief members throughout the United States about Economic Statecraft in the Western Hemisphere. WHA Deputy Assistant Secretary Matt Rooney highlighted the ways the Department of State and partner agencies help U.S. companies find new markets and develop existing markets in Latin America and the Caribbean. DAS Rooney discussed the National Export Initiative, the Direct Line to American Businesses, and the Small Business Network of the Americas, which are all geared toward helping U.S. businesses succeed overseas and creating jobs in the United States. USHCC President and CEO Javier Palomarez moderated the call, which generated lively discussion.
Colombia: Building International Networks Through Alumni Conference: Argentine International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) alumnus Ricardo Vanella, founder of the IVLP Alumni Network of the Americas, was the keynote speaker for Embassy Bogota's second National Alumni Conference June 6-9, with more than Colombian 60 alumni attending. The conference included presentations by 2011 IVLP alumni on state consolidation, democratic security and the rule of law, cultural heritage of the African diaspora, arts management, human rights and U.S. foreign policy, and economic growth and environmental issues. Charg� d'affaires Perry Holloway presented Colombian ex-minister and former IVLP participant Guillermo Perry Rubio with the second Alumni Public Service Award "Rodrigo Lara Bonilla."
Peru: U.S. Fulbright Artist and Rural School Children Build Sculpture on World Environment Day: In celebration of World Environment Day, U.S. artist Kathy Bruce installed a nine-foot environmental sculpture honoring the Peruvian Mother Earth  (Pachamama) on the grounds of a rural school in Lima's impoverished Pachacam�c district. Collaborating with a Peruvian artist from Lake Titicaca and with the help of 30 students and their parents, Kathy created the Pachamama figure with bamboo and local plants to represent the fertility of the earth and to help the school create a green space. She spoke with students from the elementary and high schools about environmental art, working with sustainable materials, and protecting the environment. Local media covered the event. Ms. Bruce is a Fulbright-Hays Senior Scholar working near Lake Titicaca, researching traditional techniques of the Aymara community who craft boats using totora reeds. Last month, she presented a 26-foot long mermaid made from totora reeds at the Binational Center in Puno.
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