united states
Concerned that the foreign aid budget could be cut as Congress deals with a mounting fiscal crisis, influential voices from government and philanthropy are calling attention to the benefits of – and need for – "smart power."
In the debate over what is and is not public diplomacy, here’s another example to throw into the mix. In 2009, the ad agency for Nike China won an award for its series on Liu Xiang, a Chinese phenom in the hurdles. Liu carried the inspirations of China into the Beijing Olympic games in 2008.
With armies of reporters from Al Jazeera and Alhurra and slews of other news media organizations covering the Middle East, one wonders how the seeds of anti-government sentiment in Egypt were not detected before streets were filled with protesters and now police violence and death.
Welcome to the December/January issue of PDiN Monitor, CPD's electronic review of public diplomacy in the news. This issue focuses on the topic of WikiLeaks: America's Cablegate.
In Egypt - as well as Tunisia, Sudan, Yemen and elsewhere - change is unfolding very rapidly. The reactions of the USA, EU, UN, and have positioned the international community well behind the curve. Developments on the ground have outpaced responses by a wide margin.
This is one of those rare, defining moments in world history. In Egypt - as well as Tunisia, Sudan, Yemen and elsewhere - change is unfolding at almost blinding speed. The reactions of the USA, EU, and UN so far have succeeded mainly in positioning the international community well behind the curve, scrambling to catch up. Developments on the ground continue to outpace responses by a wide margin.
The US State Department maintains nine full-time Arabic-language bloggers, two Farsi bloggers and two Urdu bloggers, while the Pentagon also maintains a team of bloggers. The UK's Foreign and Commonwealth Office maintains two full-time Farsi language bloggers.
The events unfolding in Tunisia and Egypt are part of an arc of profound political change across the Arab world. Each country has its own historical contours, but this moment is offering a cumulative example that demonstrates that the times are indeed changing. And the ways in which the U.S. engages the Arab world must change accordingly. Fast.