Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy Visits “Capital of Public Diplomacy”

Speaking to a full house of USC students and faculty on October 2, Under Secretary of State Tara D. Sonenshine provided an insider's glimpse into the work of the Office of Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs.

Acknowledging USC as the “capital of public diplomacy,” Sonenshine focused on the challenges faced by public diplomats in an age of social media. A century's worth of content is uploaded every ten days onto YouTube, and one stray tweet can send a country's image into a tailspin. But despite the increased complexity of public diplomacy, Sonenshine remains optimistic about its role in foreign policy. "This is our time," she said to the past, present and future public diplomats in the room.

A lively question-answer period followed. Topics discussed ranged from the Under Secretary’s ardent support of Science Diplomacy, to her conviction that greater patience, understanding and far-sightedness by the American people - and Congress - would enable a deeper appreciation of public diplomacy's assets.

To read the USC Daily Trojan's write-up of the event, please follow this link.

All photos taken by Gus Ruelas.