At First Monday Forum, a panel discusses public diplomacy in the State Department. (L-R) Ambassadors Cynthia Efird, Kenton Keith, Jean Manes and Shawn Powers of the U.S. Agency for Global Media. Photo by Bruce Guthrie.
Civilians are the first line of defense for America’s interests abroad. Diplomats and private citizens play vital roles in advancing U.S. policies and building relationships with foreign counterparts.
The Council advocates for adequately funded and professionally conducted public diplomacy through the actions of its individual members, and together as an organization. Here are some examples of PDC’s advocacy.
- The Council Blog: PDC members work behind the scenes to stay informed. Associate members are active professionals. Read what they’re thinking here.
- First Monday Forum: The first Monday of every month PDC co-hosts a lunchtime speaker program featuring experts on public diplomacy or international broadcasting. First Monday is a partnership with the University of Southern California’s Annenberg Center on Communication Leadership, and with PDAA, the Public Diplomacy Association of America.The Forum is held at the George Washington University Elliott School of International Affairs, 1957 E. Street, NW, Washington, D.C. Forums now take place via Zoom teleconferencing. Find upcoming Forums on our Events page.
- Spring and Fall Forums: These half-day programs have investigated broad topics, each spawning a book. See the summary page for them here.
- Council Books: Each book features chapters on its topic by Council members and speakers at the PDC Forum. Books are available on Amazon. See our offerings.
- The members: Many PDC members are available to speak or to be interviewed on topics of interest. Look for the names in red on the PDC membership roster [hyperlink to Members page] to view their areas of expertise. If you write to PDC at publicdiplomacycouncil@gmail.com, we will put you in contact.