Dr. Shawn Powers, former executive director of the US Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy, and senior advisor to the Broadcasting Board of Governors, spoke at the First Monday Forum on Aug. 6. He discussed weaknesses and strengths of current US public diplomacy broadcast strategies as well as ways for improvement. He also noted the research to understand markets is key in engaging with foreign audiences.

Panelists (L-R) Ron Nixon of The New York Times and author of 'Selling Apartheid: South Africa’s Global Propaganda War'; USC Prof. Nicholas John Cull; and Thilivhali Ratshitanga a Political Counselor at the Embassy of South Africa discuss the impact and legacy of Nelson Mandela's life during the First Monday Forum in honor of what would have been his centennial birthday.

Our Lunch and Learn sessions for Department of State public diplomacy staffers featured Department of State bullpen journalists on April 26 at the American Foreign Service Association. Left-right: Felicia Schwartz, Foreign Affairs Reporter (Wall Street Journal); Abigail Williams, State Department Producer (NBC News), Barbara Plett Usher, State Department Correspondent (BBC) and Matt Lee, Diplomatic Writer (Associated Press). Photo Credit: BBC

PDC President Adam Clayton Powell III attended the first ever Africa-US Public Diplomacy Conference at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg on March 10th. The conference was co-sponsored by The Public Diplomacy Council, aims to commence the first Public Diplomacy Project in Africa. Pictured L-R: Adam Clayton Powell III, President of the PDC; Prof. Gilbert Khadiagala, Director, African Center for the Study of the USA; Prof. Tawana Kupe, Acting Vice Chancellor of the university; Jay Wang, Director, USC Center on Public Diplomacy; and Dr. Bob Wakesa, Director of the university's new Public Diplomacy initiative. (Photo credit: Koko)