The Public Diplomacy Council and its members, events and activities
1. UNITED STATES PULLS OFF “LEADERS SUMMIT ON CLIMATE”: This year’s “Earth Day” was different. It really was “Earth Days” — plural. April 22-23, 2021 were rather remarkable days for the Biden Administration and U.S. public diplomacy. Timed for the annual “Earth Day” observance, the White House and State Department quite smoothly managed a two-day Leaders…
1. “GLOBAL TRENDS 2040” — TOWARDS A SCARY FUTURE? Intelligence reports — the rare ones that are unclassified and officially made public — aren’t always very helpful in explaining an issue or concern. They usually are cryptic and sanitized, and not very readable. But let me highly recommend one released April 8, 2021 by the National Intelligence…
Ancient ruins, a prime asset for Egypt’s soft power, just made new headlines. Egypt’s most famous archeologist, on the scene in Luxor on the Nile, told journalists from around the world on April 10 that his team has unearthed brick houses, artifacts, tools from a large city buried for three millennia. The archeologist, Zahi Hawass,…
1. COMING UP: A COSTLY U.S. DEPARTURE FROM AFGHANISTAN?: For literally decades, one of the most challenging and frustrating jobs for U.S. diplomats, as well as the military and non-governmental organizations, has been trying to deal with the Afghanistan war and the Afghan government and the Taliban. Billions have been spent on various well-intended “nation-building,” “reconstruction,” and…
1. HUMAN RIGHTS ARE BACK: Anyone doubting that U.S. policy towards human rights has changed under the Biden Administration should take a look at Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s words on March 30, 2021 when he unveiled the 45th annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices. In releasing the comprehensive review of human rights in nearly 200…
1. GLOBAL TIES U.S. MARKS 60 YEARS OF CITIZEN DIPLOMACY: The March 22-26, 2021 National Meeting of Global Ties U.S. — the nation-wide network of partners and community supporters which makes the successful, State Department-funded International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) possible — was historic. Not only did the huge annual gathering mark the 60th anniversary of…
1. HATE CRIMES — ANOTHER PUBLIC DIPLOMACY CHALLENGE: Our ambassadors and PD officers suddenly have a new challenge: explaining what President Biden has called a “skyrocketing spike” of harassment and violence against Asian Americans and the need for the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act to pass Congress. On several occasions since taking office, President Biden has clearly…
1. HONORING “WOMEN OF COURAGE” AND ADVANCING A “FEMINIST FOREIGN POLICY”: For the past 15 years, the State Department has marked International Women’s Day by recognizing a group of amazing women who have shown unusual courage and leadership. This year’s International Women of Courage (IWOC) ceremony, held March 8, 2021, seemed better and more inspiring than…
Let’s begin with some personal recollections by this lifelong journalist and former VOA staff reporter and manager over nearly six decades. The Heils’ first overseas post was Beirut, then popularly and rightly known as “the Paris of the Middle East.” We arrived there in early 1965, and have since been gravely saddened during two disastrous…
1. VISITING THE NEIGHBORS – OFFICIALLY, BUT VIRTUALLY: A major feature of diplomacy has been face-to-face interaction between American senior officials and their foreign counterparts. Those days — at least for the immediate future — are over during this painful time of border crossing restrictions. As Secretary of State Blinken demonstrated on February 26, 2021, you can…