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John Brown aggregates all the most recent public diplomacy related news, including current issues in U.S. foreign policy, international broadcasting and media, propaganda, cultural diplomacy, educational exchanges, anti-Americanism, and the reception of American popular culture abroad.

PDPR FOR SEPTEMBER 28-29, 2005
by John Brown

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY PRESS REVIEW, SEPTEMBER 28-29 QUOTATIONS FOR THE DAY “I GO OUT WITH MY DRIVER.” —One Saudi female student, reacting to Under Secretary of State Karen Hughes’s concern that women are not allowed to drive in Saudi Arabia; cited in Guy Dinmore, “Saudi Students Rebuff US Communications Guru” (Financial Times, September 28) LINK SEE ALSO BELOW ITEM 6 For more quotations for the day, please scroll down to Section C EXCHANGES SUPPLEMENT by Elizabeth Nagem Kuhn LINK REPORT A PDPR subscriber has kindly provided a report on “The Power of Great Music in the Revival of U.S. Public Diplomacy,” an event held at the Library of Congress on September 28. Please scroll down to Section D for the text of the report. A) PUBLIC DIPLOMACY 1. US BEGINS NEW PITCH TO MUSLIM WORLD: CLOSE BUSH ADVISER KAREN HUGHES IS TOURING EGYPT, SAUDI ARABIA, AND TURKEY - DAN MURPHY (CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR, SEPTEMBER 28): Karen Hughes, a folksy Texan and longtime confidante of President Bush, has one of the toughest jobs in the US government: convincing the rest of the world, particularly the Arab world, that US policies are in their best interests. She started her first week as the State Department’s top public relations officer with a “listening tour” of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey. But she won’t have to listen too closely to hear the widespread anger over perceived US arrogance and heavyhandedness—perceptions difficult to undo as she engages with the Middle East for the first time in her career. LINK 2. TURKISH WOMEN BLAST KAREN HUGHES WITH IRAQ WAR CRITICISM - GLENN KESSLER (WASHINGTON POST, SEPTEMBER 28): A group of Turkish female activists confronted Undersecretary of State Karen Hughes Wednesday with heated complaints about the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, turning a session designed to highlight the empowering of women into a raw display of the anger at U.S. policy in the region. Hughes later flew had meetings with religious leaders—part of an effort to promote interfaith dialogue—and with Turks who have participated in U.S. exchange programs. She returns to Washington Thursday. LINK 3. U.S. ENVOY’S MESSAGE FALLS FLAT AGAIN, THIS TIME IN TURKEY - STEVEN R. WEISMAN (NEW YORK TIMES, SEPTEMBER 28): Under Secretary of State Karen P. Hughes, seeking common ground with leading women’s rights advocates in Turkey, was confronted instead today with anguished denunciations of the war in Iraq and what the women said were American efforts to export democracy by force. It was the second straight day that Ms. Hughes found herself at odds with groups of women on her “public diplomacy” tour, aimed at improving the American image in the Middle East. On Tuesday, she told Saudi Arabian women she would support efforts to raise their status, but she was taken aback when some of them responded that Americans misunderstand their embrace of traditions. She also held an “interfaith dialogue” with Muslim, Eastern Orthodox, Catholic and Jewish leaders. It was another staple of this trip, which is intended to emphasize that Muslim countries…... FULL TEXT
 
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