A curated selection of public diplomacy-relevant news from a global cross-section of English-language media outlets, including independent, corporate-owned, and state-sponsored sources. The stories featured don't necessarily represent CPD's views nor have they been verified by CPD.
Being counter-intuitive in e-diplomacy
‘The higher the budget often the lower the impact of e-diplomacy projects,’ was the first counter-intuitive insight by Ambassador Alexandre Fasel, Swiss Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva. Combining his rich experience from corporate and government sectors, he outlined a few e-diplomacy law/principles.
Pentagon Abandons Strategic Communication?
A couple of public diplomacy colleagues have asked me what we should think of the Pentagon memo issued earlier this month, the one that seems to say Strategic Communication is out. Over. Finished... Does this mean the end of MIST teams at embassies? No more military websites targeting foreign audiences? Is it the end of a fat foreign media analysis landing on your desk every morning? No more social and cultural adaptation training for troops deploying? Probably not.
Four Hollywood Donors on Obama Shortlist for Ambassador Jobs
Attention, Hollywood political donors: The Obama administration has begun the delicate post-election process of deciding which key supporters to reward with coveted diplomatic appointments, and THR has learned that at least four fundraisers with close showbiz connections are under consideration.
HOMEPOLITICS When Assad Dropped the Façade
In 1994, Bashar al-Assad was appointed chairman of the Syrian Computer Society. It was the only official title he would hold before landing the country’s top job, president, in 2000, but the appointment seemed to speak volumes about the direction in which his country was headed. This was six months into President Bill Clinton’s first term, in the same year that Tony Blair was elected as the leader of Britain’s Labour Party. Modernization was all the rage.
Navigating The State Department’s Byzantine Foreign Service Selection
If you want to join the State Department's Foreign Service, you need a solid resume, plenty of time on your hands and the patience of Job. When I joined the Foreign Service back in 2002, Colin Powell spearheaded the Diplomatic Readiness Initiative, which aimed to increase and streamline the hiring process. Ten years later, the Foreign Service selection process for generalists is even longer and more byzantine than it was before.
DIPLOMATIC DISPATCH: Lacking a few basic lessons
The Congress party would do well to have lessons in public diplomacy for its senior ministers. Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde is a fit case to be the first student, and as encouragement Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi should also grant him a scholarship so that there are little chances of him dropping out.
Foreign Service needs support
The murder of Ambassador Chris Stevens and three colleagues in Benghazi highlights the dangers and hardships our Foreign Service personnel face every day as America’s first line of defense. Our nation’s diplomatic and development personnel are present overseas before the U.S. military is deployed, supports them if they are engaged in combat, and remains in place when the military returns to the United States.
Gabourey Sidibe to host African pop-culture show on PBS
Gabourey Sidibe has a new gig: The Oscar-nominated actress will host a documentary series on public television starting next month. The show is AfroPoP: The Ultimate Cultural Exchange, a series of independent films showcasing contemporary life, art and pop culture in the African diaspora, as the many communities of African-origin people around the world are known.
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