The Council sponsored four half-day forums between 2006 and 2013, each providing a “deep dive” into an aspect of U.S. public diplomacy.
Here are capsule summaries of the forums. Original materials are archived, but may be provided by request. Send an email to PDC at publicdiplomacycouncil@gmail.com
U.S. Public Diplomacy: A Look to the Past, A Look to the Future
November 12th, 2013, at the George C. Marshall Conference Center at the Department of State
Cosponsors: The Walter A. Roberts Endowment and the PDAA (Public Diplomacy Alumni Association)
The Honorable Evan Ryan, Department of State Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs, and Macon Phillips, the Department’s Coordinator of International Information Programs, offered keynote addresses.
Three panels of scholars, practitioners, and leaders from the nonprofit and media sectors discussed the historical foundations of U.S. PD, the impact of the September 11 attacks, and future changes to the field.
Six simultaneous breakout sessions focused on:
- countering violent extremism and terrorism
- the age of engagement through social and other new media
- partnerships in cultural diplomacy, religion, interagency collaboration, and nation-building
See the conference schedule here. Forums_2013_Schedule
The program included a salute to veterans of the U.S. Information Agency (USIA), the Voice of America (VOA), and the Soviet Exhibitions program. A parallel project can be viewed online: Telling America’s Stories, a collection of still images showing the people and the programs of public diplomacy drawn from public and private archives.
The Last Three Feet: New Media, New Approaches and New Challenges for American Public Diplomacy
November 3, 2011
Jack Morton Auditorium, George Washington University, Washington, DC
Cosponsors: The Walter A. Roberts Endowment and George Washington University
Ambassador Thomas Shannon, U.S. Ambassador to Brazil at the time, delivered the keynote address. Two panels of veteran U.S. field officers reflected on their experiences in engaging with audiences in the Muslim world and with young audiences around the globe.
See the conference schedule here. Forums_2011_Schedule
Rebuilding America’s Public Diplomacy: Proposals for a New Administration
March 27, 2008
Jack Morton Auditorium, George Washington University
Cosponsors: GWU’s School of Media and Public Affairs and the Alliance for International Educational and Cultural Exchange
Two panels of speakers shared viewpoints and ideas about how to strengthen U.S. public diplomacy efforts worldwide for the consideration of the new Obama Administration.
See the conference schedule here. Forums_Schedule_2008
International Broadcasting: The Public Diplomacy Challenge
November 6, 2006
Jack Morton Auditorium, George Washington University
Cosponsor: George Washington University School of Media and Public Affairs
Saluting the 65th anniversary of the Voice of America, two panels discussed prospects for the Congressionally-funded U.S. civilian overseas broadcast networks in light of pending budget cuts. Former broadcasting executives, scholars, and U.S. diplomats reviewed the structure and the impact of American overseas broadcasts — a forum which Robert Callahan called “a changing environment that is endlessly fascinating and still extremely important to our efforts as a government.”
See the conference schedule here. Forums_Schedule_2006
You’ll find a full sampling of each Forum’s presentations in the book which it inspired. See our Books page for more information.