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Greetings from the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs
and a Snapshot of
Public Diplomacy in Action
Office of the Under Secretary of State for
Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs
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Saludos from the Office of Press and Public Diplomacy in the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs!
When President Obama famously declared, "somos todos americanos," he meant that in active and interconnected ways. In the Western Hemisphere, we are all Americans, but not only because of our geographic proximity, shared values, and demographic connections. By reaching across borders, we are also deepening those ties as partners in a shared future of innovation, economic opportunity and prosperity. Our public diplomacy programs reflect that powerful idea: From Brazil's English without Borders program to Mexico's J�venes en Acci�n youth exchange, we are opening doors for a new generation to learn, connect, and act beyond geographic, linguistic, and cultural boundaries.
President Obama and Secretary Kerry recognize that one of the most effective ways we can support that brighter future is through education. They have created a signature initiative called "100,000 Strong in the Americas," which works to increase the exchange of students between the United States and Latin America and the Caribbean to 100,000 students in each direction, each year. By investing in young people at a crucial time in their lives, we can create opportunities for thousands of doctors and other scientists to share ideas, pursue new cures and make new discoveries with colleagues across the hemisphere. Thousands of entrepreneurs will be able to form networks, export their products to new markets. And a new generation of leaders, from Asuncion to Anchorage, will understand the power of working across borders to achieve shared goals and address common challenges from climate change to building stronger economies.
In this newsletter, you will see snapshots of the work we do, so that more of us can learn, live and work together, and so more people across the hemisphere can achieve their potential, connect and prosper together -as Americans.
Jefferson T. Brown
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Diplomacy
Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs
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Public Diplomacy Programs
Programs by Area for August 12 - 23, 2013
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Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs (WHA)
 Secretary Kerry Meets Students in Brazil: Secretary Kerry met alumni and prospective students of Brazil's Science without Borders Program, which aims to send more than 101,000 university students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics to study and conduct research abroad by 2015. The United States has welcomed more than 7,000 students at more than 200 U.S. universities in 47 states.
Secretary Kerry Visits Wounded Warriors in Bogota, Colombia: Secretary Kerry visited the Arcangeles Wounded Warrior Program in Bogota,  Colombia, where soldiers and policeman who lost limbs in the war are rehabilitated through sports. The Secretary sat down to play volleyball with veterans, and talked with wheelchair rugby players. In his remarks afterwards, the Secretary reminded the veterans that he himself is a veteran of the Vietnam war, and pledged to "ultimately try to help bring peace in Colombia."
Investigative Journalism Training for Rural and Indigenous Journalists: U.S. journalist and Institute of the Americas Vice President Lynne Walker conducted workshops on investigative journalism for 70 rural and indigenous journalists in Quetzaltenango and Solol�,  Guatemala. Walker led practical sessions based on her work as an investigative journalist covering corruption and narco-trafficking in Mexico City. She covered topics including journalism safety, use of social media, interview and research methods, and professional ethics and responsibilities.
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Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs (SCA)
Social Media Workshop Empowers Women's Political Participation: International Visitor's  Leadership Program (IVLP) exchange alum Saqib Javed Raja led a workshop on "Social Media and Citizenship" for 25 female participants from Mirpur Azad Jammu and Kashmir who learned to utilize social media for community mobilization, and to empower women's participation in the democratic process and community development. The workshop is part of Saqib's Alumni Small Grant project which aims to increase women's political participation in the region.
Computer Lab for Female Students at Herat University: Mission Afghanistan opened a new  computer lab for Afghan women studying law at Heart University. Fourteen new computers with internet connections, printers, desks, and chairs will improve their ability to conduct research.
Cultural Preservation Training in Sri Lanka: Ambassador Michele Sison visited the Sri Lankan Department of Archaeology to see progress on the 2012 Ambassador's Fund project, which provided $40,000 to protect artifacts that have been displayed for decades without adequate conservation treatment. The project  will evaluate the state of several artifact collections and provide conservation personnel instruction for examining, conserving, and displaying archeological objects. The Metropolitan Museum of Art is collaborating on the project and curators will visit Sri Lanka in November.
Young Ambassadors of Peace Reality Show  Completes First Season: In collaboration with Individualland Pakistan, Mission Pakistan launched the Young Ambassadors of Peace (YAP) youth group in October 2012. Over 200 high school students competed in public speaking programs across the country until the field narrowed down to twenty finalists. The entire competition was turned into a reality television series that has been airing since June.
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Bureau of Public Affairs (PA)
Amplifying the Secretary's Messages to Latin America: The Office of International Media Engagement (IME), and the Media Hub of the Americas in Miami coordinated with Public Affairs Office of Digital Engagement to promote the Secretary's trip to Latin America. They re-tweeted messages and photos in Spanish from the Department's Spanish and U.S. Embassy Bogota's Twitter feed. The Hub worked with PA's Office of Broadcast Services to translate and subtitle two sound bites in which the Secretary praises those fighting to combat narcotrafficking and discusses U.S. support for peace in Colombia.
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Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs (NEA)
Palestinian Youth Attend Smithsonian and  NASA Summer Camp:
Winning participants of the Palestinian Science and Technology Entrepreneurship Program (STEP 2013) will participate in a summer science camp organized in partnership with the Smithsonian's Air and Space Museum and NASA. The winning students were chosen out of 46 finalists participating from all eight governorates in the West Bank and will go on to spend a week at the Smithsonian, followed by the NASA space camp program in Florida.
Access Programs Open in Baghdad and Four Iraqi Provinces: In collaboration with the English Language Office at Embassy Baghdad, new Access English language programs have been created in Baghdad and the provinces of Anbar, Saladin, Najaf, and Basra. The English Access micro-scholarship program is funded by the Department of State and managed by local administrators to provide English language instruction to economically underserved children. Through this initiative, 180 children from underserved communities across Iraq will receive 24 months of English language instruction. |
Bureau of International Organizations (IO)
 Ambassador Power's First Twitter Town Hall: Ambassador Power participated in her first Twitter Town Hall on August 15. Of the thousands of questions and comments received, she responded to 19 during the one-hour-long interaction. She covered a range of issues including Sudan, Burma, DRC/Great Lakes, CRPD ratification, and youth engagement. Some tweets were also translated into Arabic and Spanish by Department of State Twitter feeds. During the Town Hall the hashtag #whatmatters was one of the top three used in Washington, DC, as prominent individuals and groups, as well as hundreds of members of the public, tweeted at @AmbassadorPower with their questions. During the 24 hours preceding the town hall, over three million people were reached with a #whatmatters tweet, and it continued to be used heavily across social media platforms one day later.
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Bureau of International Information Programs (IIP)
IIP Supports International Youth Day. IIP supported International Youth Day (August 12) through events and coverage of the global event on social media including:
- A discussion with Special Adviser for Global Youth Issues Zeenat Rahman about the importance of today's youth with eJournal USA's Facebook and Twitter communities that sparked extensive conversations.
- A post on G�n�ration Innovation (French) asking readers in which domain or job they would like to improve their skills and encouraging them to read about USAID's programs to improve access to higher education.
- A post on AlAmreekania asking for the top priorities young of Arabic-speaking female followers (answers: "Transparent government" and "education for all").
Study in the USA Post Webchat Draws Audience: IIP supported an Entrepreneurship 101 webchat produced by U.S. Embassy Lima. The webchat featured Dr. Angel Cabrera, president of George Mason University and co-founder of The Oath Project, an international initiative to establish a code of conduct for business leaders. More than 320 individuals from 12 countries participated in the webchat. IIP's Iniciativa Emprende and @AmericaGovEsp supported Embassy Lima's promotional efforts.
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Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs (EUR)
U.S. and Russian Track Stars Share an Evening at Spaso House: The U.S. National Track and Field Team attended the World Athletics Championship in Moscow. With sponsorship from USA Track and  Field (USATF), Public Affairs Moscow hosted a reception including Hall of Famers Edwin Moses and Maurice Greene, Team USA medalists and record holder Ashton Eaton, David Oliver, Ryan Wilson, Nick Symmonds and Aries Merritt; USATF President and Chair Stephanie Hightower and USATF CEO Max Siegel; and Team USA head coaches Beth Alford-Sullivan and Mike Holloway. Athletes from both teams exchanged gifts, and Ambassador McFaul, Hightower and Russian federation president Valentin Balachnikov made remarks.
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Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA)
 Former Congresswoman Giffords Sworn in as Fulbright Board Member: Former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was sworn in as a member of the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board in Tucson, Arizona. Deputy Director of the Western Passport Center John Caveness performed the swearing-in. Giffords was a Fulbright Student to Mexico in 1993 and described the experience as a "defining time" in her life.
Arrival of Libyan Participants in the Chris Stevens Youth Network Leadership Exchange: A group of 12 high school students and three adult educators from Tripoli and Benghazi, Libya participating in the Chris Stevens Youth Network Leadership Exchange arrived in the United States for their three-week exchange program. They participated in community service activities, leadership and peace-building workshops, and meetings with civic, youth, and governmental organizations. The group started their program in Vermont and will finish in Washington, DC with meetings with the U.S. Institute of Peace, the U.S. Diplomacy Center, the State Department, and the National Security Council.
Fulbright Board Member Addresses FLTA Gateway Orientation at Columbia University:
J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board  MemberMark Alexander visited Columbia University to welcome new Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistants (FLTAs) from Argentina, Austria, Brazil, China, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Indonesia, Ireland, Kenya, Kuwait, Nigeria, Russia, South Korea, Spain, Taiwan, Tajikistan, and Tunisia. He engaged the FLTAs on building mutual understanding through international educational exchange.
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Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs (EAP)
 Timor-Leste Graduates Awarded Hillary Clinton Academic Scholarships: Six high school graduates won the first round of scholarships to study in the United States under USAID's new Hillary Clinton Scholarship Program. Ambassador Fergin said, "We are very proud to announce that former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and current Secretary of State John Kerry agreed to name this the Timor-Leste Hillary Clinton Scholarship Program. This new name commemorates the historic 2012 visit when Secretary Clinton announced the program and signifies the importance that the United States attaches to it."
Embassy Rangoon Sponsors Religious and Civil Society Leaders for Tolerance and Diversity Exchange: Ambassador Mitchell met with Burmese religious and civil society leaders selected to participate  in the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) entitled "Tolerance and Diversity in a Multiethnic Society." The eight participants will spend three weeks in the United States to study the vital role local and community leaders play in developing methods to address ethnic or religious differences.
Embassy Seoul Hosts Second Annual U.S. Studies Seminar: The seminar, "The Study of the  United States: Why it Matters," brought together 40 university students from across the country to spend three days with U.S. and Korean diplomats, scholars, and business leaders. Participants discussed the U.S.- Korea alliance, American art history, U.S. corporate culture, and American Studies. Students received career and professional counseling through daily small group meetings, and made final presentations on why studying in the United States is a worthwhile endeavor.
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Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG)
BBG Board Welcomes New Members: The Broadcasting Board of Governors met on August 21. Three newly appointed members - Jeff Shell, Matthew Armstrong and Ambassador Ryan Crocker - all attended their first open meeting since their appointment by President Obama and unanimous confirmation by the Senate.
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Bureau of African Affairs (AF)
American Corner Abuja Summer Reading  Program: The opening ceremony of the American Corner Abuja Summer Reading Program brought together 80 children, their parents and a few media houses. The theme for the 12-day summer reading program is "Dig into Reading."
IRC Opens New Doors to Congolese Access Microscholarship Program Students: About 100 students from the Embassy's Access Microscholarship  Program visited Embassy Kinshasa's Information Resource Center (IRC). During their visit, they toured the library and had the opportunity to ask questions about the Embassy's activities across the DRC. The English Access Microscholarship Program (ACCESS) is a State Department program, which provides a foundation of English language skills to talented 13-20 year-olds from economically disadvantaged sectors through after-school classes and intensive sessions.
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