“proper public relations, what the Americans call ‘public diplomacy’, and more cynical Europeans call propaganda.”
--Alexander Lucie-Smith, Catholic Herald Online; image from
PUBLIC DIPLOMACY
Disparate Cultures Engage in a Youthful Dance - Wall Street Journal (July 22): "In June, the National Dance Institute—a New York-based nonprofit that brings dance programs to 30 public schools—sent three teaching artists plus 13-year-old dancer Andrea Ting to Shanghai's Children's Palace, a state-run after-school arts program. ... The exchange project also illustrates how the private and nonprofit sectors are taking up the mantel of arts and cultural exchange. NDI's connection to Shanghai's Children's Palace was facilitated by Shirley Young, a Chinese-American consultant to corporations looking to expand in China and a member of the U.S.-China Cultural Institute (formerly known as the Committee of 100 Cultural Institute). ... 'In the absence of more substantial
funding from the federal government, organizations like this are trying to raise that money privately,' said Margaret C. Ayers, president of the Robert Sterling Clark Foundation, which in April published a report titled 'Promoting Public and Private Reinvestment in Cultural Exchange-Based Diplomacy.' 'This [program] is an excellent example of a reciprocal exchange that will promote mutual understanding between China and the United States. But to capitalize on such programs, we need increased public support for international arts engagement.' The State Department's allocation for cultural programs, which is overseen by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (and includes music, dance, theater and writing), for fiscal year 2010 is $11.5 million—roughly equivalent to George Soros's Open Society Institute gift to New York City arts institutions, announced Wednesday." Via LB. Image from article: NDI founder Jacques d'Amboise with pupil Andrea Ting, who traveled to China in June as part of the Institute's cultural exchange with Shanghai's Children's Palace.
Russia - Comment of the Russian MFA Press and Information Department Following the Publication of the US State Department Report on Adherence to and Compliance with Arms Control, Nonproliferation, and Disarmament Agreements and Commitments - ISRIA: "The US State Department released on July 28 its 2010 Report on Adherence and Compliance with Arms Control, Nonproliferation, and Disarmament Agreements and Commitments, which presents evaluations of the implementation by foreign countries of the relevant treaty obligations during the period January 1, 2004 to December 31, 2008, including sections which contain allegations of Russia's violations of its international obligations. Without the presentation of any evidence Russia is ranked among the category of 'violators' of nonproliferation agreements. ... [I]t is appropriate to emphasize that the publication of such reports is not conducive to establishing a new spirit of partnership and a trustful relationship between our countries, about which so much has been said. We believe that it is high time to abandon stereotypes of the past and stop clinging to forms that have outlived their usefulness and do not correspond to the new nature of our interaction. It is unlikely that such exercises of public diplomacy, not based on facts, will serve to achieve our common nonproliferation goals."
Swearing-in of the new Broadcasting Board of Governors – Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on International Broadcasting:
"Thursday, 29 July, at 5:00 PM EDT (2100 UTC), Vice President Biden will swear in the new members of the Broadcasting Board of Governors in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building." Image from
David Cameron's courageous talk is site-specific - Globe and Mail: "David Cameron, the new British Prime Minister, is a refreshing presence in the world, but some of his frankness this week has been misplaced – quite literally, in the wrong places. In both India and Turkey, he has given an unfortunate appearance of playing to the gallery, as if to ingratiate himself with his immediate audience, rather than giving a salutary message to those who really need to hear it. If Mr. Cameron had been in Islamabad or Karachi, a frank warning about the aiding and abetting of terrorism by some elements in the government – and among the people – of Pakistan might well have had a good, chastening effect. Public diplomacy too often consists of empty commonplaces. But to have spoken in such terms about Pakistan in New Delhi was worse than useless. India and Pakistan are not precisely enemies, but they are certainly rivals with border troubles and mutual historical grievances; they have fought wars with each other and are now both armed with nuclear weapons."
VOL. VI NO. 15, July 16-July 29, 2010 - Layalina Productions:
"WikiLeaks and Afghanistan
Wikileaks, an organization that has published numerous internal memos to reveal “unethical behavior” by governments and corporations, recently disclosed a trove of classified military field reports about the Afghan war, stirring quite a controversy.
DoD’s Operations’ New Namesake
US Special Operations Command (SOCOM) recently replaced the term psychological operations (PSYOP) with the term military support to information operations (MISO) to allegedly improve the procedures of the public affairs officer and clarify operations. However, some in the field disagree, claiming that it will only bring more confusion.
Using New Media Landscape to Digitize Public Diplomacy
As the social media revolution becomes a more prominent feature in Arab youth's daily experience, the US is now keener than ever to utilize these tools to promote greater engagement between American and Islamic societies.
Mrs. Clinton Goes to Pakistan
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton’s visit to Pakistan appeared more successful than her previous visit in October 2009, possibly hinting that her public diplomacy efforts have yielded some success.
Getting Rid of Extremists
Saudi Arabia recently fired or transferred some 2,000 high school teachers described by the Saudi Interior Ministry as extremist and potential supporters of terrorism, indicating a change of policy against terrorism in the Kingdom.
Oops, Hollywood Said it Again
The Oscar-winning film-maker Oliver Stone stirred quite a controversy following his description of Nazi leader Adolf Hitler as history's "easy scapegoat," angering Jewish and Holocaust remembrance organizations.
Clashing Civilizations and Cooperative Civilians
With little, if any, perceivable advances being made on relations between the US and the Muslim world, commentators propose new approaches to foreign policy and public discourse. Meanwhile, citizen-led initiatives in the United States and the Middle East are developing creative new projects to improve relations at a local level.
Niqab Ban Unveils Controversy in Middle East
Syrian Minister of Higher Education Ghaith Barakat recently decided to ban the niqab in universities, following the dismissal of 1200 school teachers for wearing it in class last month. This appears to be the latest attempt to combat what the Syrian government perceives as growing radicalism within the country.
Battlegrounds Shifting in War on Terrorism
More details of Faisal Shahzad's bomb plot come to light as parts of his martyrdom video recently aired on Al-Arabiya. With all eyes on Pakistan and Yemen, the UN also recently placed Anwar Al-Awlaki on the Al-Qaeda and Taliban Sanctions Committee list." Image from
When the Catholic Church excelled in PR: The Counter-Reformation shows us how to ‘detoxify the brand’ of Catholicism - Alexander Lucie-Smith, Catholic Herald Online - "In Europe ... faith and culture have become separated, and Catholicism is marginalised. Hence the Pope has recently set up the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelisation, under the leadership of Archbishop Rino Fisichella. ... [T]he situation of the Church in Europe today greatly resembles that of the Church in Europe during the Reformation period. Vast territories that once were Catholic are Catholic no longer; many symbols of the faith endure, but they are symbols whose meaning is now obscure to all but the antiquarian-minded. One thing that the new Pontifical Council must do is open up a way for the Church to speak to the world without being misunderstood.
This means, in essence, proper public relations, or what the Americans call 'public diplomacy', and more cynical Europeans call propaganda. ... Before anything like evangelisation can begin, we need to detoxify the brand, to make it attractive once more, to undo the damage to the Church done by paedophile priests and their enablers. Re-enchanting Catholicism, and making it synonymous with beauty again, will perhaps take centuries." Image from
Minister Elena Udrea: Tourist brand emphasizes what Romania has most beautiful - Financiarul: "Romania’s tourist brand was launched under the logo Romania – Explore the Carpathian Garden, at the World Expo Shanghai 2010, on Thursday. ... Along with officials and visitors, Romania’s best known sports people Nadia Comaneci, Gheorghe Hagi and Ilie Nastase were also attending the ceremony of presenting the brand. ‘Picking up Shanghai as a venue to host the event is not accidental. We are witnessing the biggest event of public diplomacy, of this year. Over 70 million people are expected to visit the exhibition, over 200 countries and organizations present their pavilions here, therefore there is no better place to get the whole world know our tourism potential,’ Minister Udrea pointed out."
Slovakia - Students from a number of European countries visiting MFA - ISRIA: "Within the framework of public diplomacy over 60 students from Slovakia, Germany, Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Lithuania visited the MFA on 26 July. They are in Slovakia
to attend the International Youth Summit of Europe organised by the Secondary Business School in Trenčín." Image: Miss Slovakia Eva Veresova
China-made documentary series spotlights Israel - Liang Jun, People's Daily Online: "An event to mark the launch of the TV documentary series 'Walk into Israel – The Land of Milk and Honey,' the first comprehensive TV series about the Jewish civilization and the State of Israel produced by CCTV, was held at the National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing on July 29. 'The TV documentary series 'Walk into Israel – The Land of Milk and Honey' is the most important TV series ever produced in China about Israel and the Jewish People, and it offers the viewer an historical, comprehensive and systematic introduction to the Jewish civilization and Israel,' said Guy Kivetz, Director of Communications and Public Diplomacy at the Embassy of Israel in Beijing."
What Mpds And Mbas Can Learn From Each Other - Cari Guittard, Newswire – CPD Blog & Blogroll, USC Center on Public Diplomacy:
Key Life Lessons from Business Strategy for Public Diplomacy • Remember the Importance of Humility -- Humility as defined not by self-deprecating behavior or attitudes but by the esteem with which you regard others. Good behavior flows naturally from that kind of humility. • Create a Strategy for Your Life -- Keep the fundamental purpose of your life front and center as you decided how to spend their time, talents, and energy • Allocate Your Resources -- Your decisions about allocating your personal time, energy, and talent ultimately shape your life’s strategy. • Create a Culture -- Build a culture in your life that promotes the development of self-esteem and confidence in those around you. Like employees, children build self-esteem by doing things that are hard and learning what works • Choose the Right Yardstick -- Don’t worry about the level of individual prominence you have achieved; worry about the individuals you have helped become better people." Image from
Public Affairs/Economic Assistant (FSN-65/2010) - lokerlowongankerja.com: "The U.S. Consulate in Medan has a vacancy for Public Affairs/Economic Assistant (FSN-65/2010), FSN-8* (Rp. 116,373,611 p.a. Full Performance Starting Salary). Under the supervision of the Deputy Principal Officer and the guidance from the Political / Economic Specialist and Public Diplomacy Assistant, the incumbent is responsible for supporting the U.S. education and exchange programs as well as economic and commercial programs, analysis, and reporting."
RELATED ITEMS
3 Americans killed in Afghanistan, making July deadliest month of war for U.S - Associated Press, Los Angeles Times
Local Afghan Media Outlets Paid to Run US Propaganda – DemocracyNow!: Yahoo! News has revealed the leaked Afghan war logs include evidence that the United States is paying local Afghan media outlets to run US propaganda.
The logs include several reports from Army psychological operations units that show local Afghan radio stations were under contract to air content produced by the United States. Other reports show US military personnel apparently referring to Afghan reporters as "our journalists" and directing them in how to do their jobs. The Pentagon ran a similar program in Iraq, where it hired a private company called the Lincoln Group to pay Iraqi newspapers to run stories written by US soldiers. Image from
Time Magazine Exploits Afghan Girl Who Had Her Nose Cut off to Defend Occupation - alternet.org: But why is Time ratcheting up the war propaganda in the most shameless avenge-the-atrocities way, even going so far as to aestheticize the cover victim so she looks remarkably like a disfigured version of National Geographic’s famous “Afghan girl” from the 1980s? Or, more to the point, why does Time seem to be far ahead of even the usual media jingoists in its effort to increase U.S. support for the war?
Taliban Propaganda Watch: Taliban “Critique” of Petraeus’ New Approach - MILNEWS.ca Blog
Psychological Operations by another name are sweeter - Christopher Paul, Small wars Journal: The Department of Defense has decided to change the name of military psychological operations (PSYOP) and this is a good thing. I make this assertion despite concerns about the name change raised by others . ... Public and congressional support for PSYOP has lagged because of the incorrect assumption that these operations are inherently insidious. Changing the name from the menacing “psychological operations” to the more benign “military information support operations,” with the friendlier acronym MISO, should go some ways toward fixing the problem. ... PSYOP (now MISO) doctrine
should be rewritten to ban misleading or false content or disseminating messages with false attribution. Image from
Paul the Octopus denounced by Iranian President as agent of western propaganda - examiner.com - Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has declared war against the German cephalopod decribing him as “a symbol of all that is wrong with the western world,” and proclaimed that "Those who believe in this type of thing cannot be the leaders of the global nations that aspire, like Iran, to human perfection, basing themselves in the love of all sacred values."
Event: Influence and Fighting Propaganda! - Matt Armstrong, MountainRunner.us: The IO Institute, in partnership with the MountainRunner Institute, presents a conference on Influence & Fighting Propaganda on October 13-14 at the Turning Stone Resort in Verona, NY.
Image: Turning Stone Resort Turning Stone Casino and Golf Resort in Verona, N.Y., is owned and operated by the Oneida Indian Nation.
Woo joins cast of Chinese propaganda blockbuster - Min Lee, AP: A-List filmmaker John Woo is the first celebrity to join the cast of the second major film in the leading Chinese state film studio's campaign to reform the propaganda genre with a heavy dose of star power. Last year, China Film Group Corp. released "The Founding of a Republic" to mark the Chinese Communist Party's 60th year in power. China Film Group is now following up the 60 million Chinese yuan ($8.8 million) production with a second star-studded blockbuster that commemorates the 90th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party next year.
Latest Directives from the Ministry of Truth: July 22-July 28, 2010 - China Digital Times: Examples of censorship instructions, issued to the media and/or Internet companies by various central (and sometimes local) government authorities, have been leaked and distributed online.
Chinese journalists and bloggers often refer to those instructions as “Directives from the Ministry of Truth.” CDT has collected the selections we translate here from a variety of sources and has checked them against official Chinese media reports to confirm their implementation. Image from article
Russians may be more negative but less depressed than Americans - Alan Mozes, USA Today: Despite what many social observers have described as a generally dark and brooding take on life, a new report suggests that Russians are actually less likely than Americans to be depressed. In fact, researchers have uncovered indications that the Russian cultural tendency to dwell on of distress when engaged in self-reflection.
The deception of real-world inception - David Sirota, sfgate.com: For all of its "Matrix"-like convolutions and "Alice in Wonderland" allusions, the new film "Inception" adds something significant to the ancient ruminations about reality's authenticity - something profoundly relevant to this epoch of confusion. In the movie's tale of corporate espionage, we are asked to ponder this moment's most disturbing epistemological questions: Namely, how are ideas deposited in people's minds, and how incurable are those ideas when they are wrong?
Many old sci-fi stories, like politics and advertising of the past, subscribed to the "Clockwork Orange" theory that says blatantly propagandistic repetition is the best way to pound concepts into the human brain. But as "Inception's" main character, Cobb, posits, the "most resilient parasite" of all is an idea that individuals are subtly led to think they discovered on their own. This argument's real-world application was previously outlined by Cal State Fullerton's Nancy Snow, who wrote in 2004 that today's most pervasive and effective propaganda is the kind that is "least noticeable" and consequently "convinces people they are not being manipulated." The flip side is also true: When an idea is obviously propaganda, it loses credibility. Indeed, in the same way the subconscious of "Inception's" characters eviscerate known invaders, we are reflexively hostile to ideas when we know they come from agenda-wielding intruders. Image from
