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.
Ritual Ramadan Dinner Becomes an Opportunity for Muslims to Reach Out
It has been a busy month for some Muslim Americans. According to Muslim tradition, the holy month of Ramadan is marked by fasting from dawn to dusk, ending each day with a festive meal known as Iftar. According to an emerging American tradition, Iftar is a great opportunity to show respect to the Muslim community. The result: an increasing number of official Iftar dinners held by government agencies, local communities, universities and interfaith groups..."Every year there are more events.
‘Brand USA’ Is Most Lopsided Of All 50 Nations Studied
The NBI [Nation Brand Index] is a report card for countries, measuring the world's perception of each nation as if it were a public brand," explains Simon Anholt, NBI founder, in a statement. "Within the top 10 most positively perceived countries, the ranking reveals a strong correlation between a nation's overall brand and its economic status.
Cameroon: British Council to Transfer Library Services to Partners
The British Council will soon transfer its library services to some of its partners, the Council Director, Paul Norton, announced September 17. The general collection from its library will be handed over to a public-access library in Yaounde, from Nov 14, 2008. The partner has not been announced but the British Council has hinted that the partner is providing good library facilities and is in good position to carry on direct management of the council's general library collection.
First Ladies to Change the Image of the Gulf
First ladies of the Gulf, are stepping in for social transformation of the oil-rich Arab countries. They have already been taking active roles in relatively more secular Egpyt, Syria, Jordan, however it is a new phenomenon for the small Gulf sheikhdoms, like Dubai and Qatar. Like Shekia of Dubai, Oxford-educated Princess Haya, Mozah is trying to adopt the Western "first lady" model; activist, outgoing and involved in public affairs. "She broke all cultural barriers and shaped an image of a woman that is fully modern, fully confident and fearless of a backlash from the society...
Bipartisan Group of U.S. Leaders Calls for ‘Changed Course’ in Relations With the Muslim World
Today at the National Press Club, the bipartisan Leadership Group of the U.S.-Muslim Engagement Project released its report entitled Changing Course: A New Direction for U.S. Relations with the Muslim World. The report argues that the Global War on Terror has been an inadequate framework for improving our security and preventing future 9/11s. It proposes a comprehensive strategy with concrete actions to reverse extremism, increase U.S. and international security and improve U.S. relations with Muslim countries and communities.
Malaysia Needs To Strengthen Its Public Diplomacy Programmes
Malaysia needs to strengthen its information and public diplomacy programmes overseas to reposition the country as a robust and forward-looking nation, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim said here Tuesday. Malaysian embassies and missions should cultivate "Friends of Malaysia" from among leaders, journalists and businessmen to inform them of the latest business opportunities and of the country's national development, he said.
The Visa Waiver Program: Mitigating risks to ensure safety of all Americans
The Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Terrorism, Technology and Homeland Security, heard testimony on the visa waiver program (VWP). The VWP allows citizens in participating countries to enter the United States without obtaining a visa or being interviewed or screened in U.S. embassies and consulates. Bush administration officials are “moving aggressively” to expand the program to include 13 new countries before the end of the year, according to a General Accounting Office (GAO) report released in late September.
Schuker Testifies on Reforming Public Diplomacy
Jill A. Schuker, president of JAS International and a member of the Atlantic Council Board of Directors, testified 24 September before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Subcommittee On Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia on “A Reliance on Smart Power--Reforming the Public Diplomacy Bureaucracy."
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