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.
Af-Pak and Its Discontents
The contours of the Obama administrations’ foreign policy posture toward South Asia - labeled Af-Pak- are becoming increasingly clear: put exogenous pressure on Pakistan to change both the nature and conception of this state nation and de-link India from the equation. The major expectation was that a course correction by the US toward the Muslim world would be vigorous public diplomacy and an approach that has been termed as soft power.
U.S. Conducting High-Level Strategic Review of Somalia Strategy
In Somalia, the U.S. government is determined to support the policy of political reconciliation spearheaded by the beleaguered Transitional Federal Government (TFG). "We are working very hard to…give Somalis a more comprehensive understanding of what the United States is doing and wants to do in Somalia".
Bnei Anousim Join Israel’s Public Diplomacy Efforts
Dozens of Bnei Anousim, whose Jewish forefathers were forced to convert to Catholicism during the Inquisition period more than 500 years ago, gathered in Barcelona this weekend, to be trained in making Israel’s case to the media. This marks the first time in the history of the State of Israel that Bnei Anousim are actively volunteering to be part of Israel's hasbara, or public diplomacy effort.
Web 2.0 – powering the information age news
The Israeli government is the first to use Web 2.0 for public diplomacy for the Israeli government. The country has started its own official blog, MySpace page, YouTube channel, Facebook page and a political blog.
Calvin professor, son earn Fulbright scholarships
Calvin College professor James Bratt couldn't have been happier when he learned his son, Eric, had earned a prestigious Fulbright scholarship. Then the elder Bratt picked up one of his own. And it's the second for James Bratt, an American history professor at the private college in Michigan.
The Arab countries seen through the eyes of journalist Neil MacFarquhar
[MacFarquhar] suggests the U.S. government's decision to counter Al-Jazeera with its own creation was misguided. Washington's Arabic-language news station, dubbed Al-Hurra or "The Free One," is headquartered not in the Middle East but in a suburb of [DC]…. Most Arabs have come to consider Al-Hurra little more than a patronizing propaganda tool of Washington.
Cooperation makes it happen
Nine Serbian leaders participating in the US AID - Community Connections program have been spending three weeks in Ohio and Michigan - including southern Ohio - examining the agricultural cooperative business in the United States.
Is Diplomacy with Iran Futile?
Ask an auditorium full of smart, informed New Yorkers if diplomacy has a prayer of ending Iran's nuclear ambitions and, it turns out, they split evenly into three groups: the yeas, the nays, and the undecideds. Then offer that same audience 90 minutes of cogent debate from four experts…and positions can shift.
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