Public diplomacy

By Anton Troianovski and Ellen Nakashima, The Washington Post, December 28 at 8:00 AM; original article contains additional illustrations and a video; some of the below photos are missing elements in the original photos in the article; please consult the original article; see also (1) Nina Loguntsova, 17, at her Moscow school this month. (Mary Gelman/For The Washington Post) December 28 at 8:00 AM arrives at school early to stand at soldier-style attention, and she leaves late after extra classes that have included cryptography. Three different military uniforms hang in her closet.The 17-year-old student is part of an expanding military-education program at Moscow’s public schools that aims to inculcate respect for security services and boost the math and computer knowledge of potential recruits. New details uncovered by The Washington Post also show that a GRU unit has been at the forefront of Russia’s psychological-warfare efforts, including an attempt to influence Ukraine policy in..

One of the most striking elements of the public discourse of President Donald J. Trump is his loud love of winners and his equal...

youtube.com Shorenstein CenterPublished on Dec 11, 2018 Mr. Stevens is Director of the Public Diplomacy [JB emphasis] Division at the Foreign Service Institute. He spoke about “Adversarial Narratives” and their use by states, non-state actors, and domestic political parties. He also discussed his work training U.S. diplomats to represent the United States in challenging times, American influence around the world, and how public diplomacy intersects with disinformation, social media, and Hybrid/Gray Zone warfare. December 10, 2018Hosted by the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Foundation at Adams House, Harvard College Part of the Misinformation Speaker Series put on by Harvard Kennedy School's Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy, and Northeastern University

fundsforngos.org Image (not from entry), with caption from: U.S. Embassy Windhoek Welcomes New Ambassador Deadline: 1 March 2019 The U.S. Embassy Windhoek Public Affairs Section (PAS) of the U.S. Department of State has announced that funding is available through its Public Diplomacy [JB emphasis] Small Grants Program.ThemesJUDICIARY AND LAW ENFORCEMENTPrograms that will work hand in hand with the Government of Namibia to improve their abilities to effectively plan and implement policies for wildlife conservation.SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIPPrograms that promote policies that incentivize the private sector to take more risk, and support small businesses and entrepreneurship.ECONOMIC GROWTHPrograms related to innovation and women’s empowerment.SOCIAL ISSUESPrograms that seek to promote a better understanding of human rights and diversity and inclusion.ENGLISH TEACHINGPrograms that promote teacher training in areas related to English teaching, or those that enhance English learning among Nam..

Isabelle Niu in Lancaster, qz.com, December 27, 2018; original article contains a video, "Foodie culture is now part of foreign policy." image (not from article) from Thailand is not a superpower. But when it comes to food, it’s one of the most influential countries in the world. Thai food is not just popular, it’s mainstream. It’s the late-night food at British pubs and the go-to dine out choice of Peter Parker. But Thai food didn’t magically become popular. Since 2002, the government has been promoting its food overseas through a multifaceted campaign. The strategy has been so successful that it inspired a new trend in foreign policy: gastrodiplomacy. Countries including South Korea, Lebanon, Peru, Malaysia and Vietnam have launched their own gastrodiplomacy campaigns, using food to extend cultural influence, boost tourism, and promote agricultural exports. And food isn’t just a diplomatic tool for governments. There’s a new kind of gastrodiplomacy on the rise, one that’s led by peop..

Akiva Eldar, al-monitor.com; original article contains links Image from article: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends the weekly Cabinet meeting in Jerusalem, Dec. 23, 2018.Excerpt: “Israel’s foreign relations are flourishing and have hit an unprecedented … all-time record,” boasted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at a Dec. 17 meeting of his Likud party’s Knesset members. “We have tremendous accomplishments [from] around the world, including the Arab world, which we never had before,” bragged Foreign Minister Netanyahu. “We are protecting Israel as an island of calm,” continued Defense Minister Netanyahu in the same vein. Netanyahu's remarks were prominently reported the following day by Israel Hayom, the newspaper owned by the family of American casino mogul Sheldon Adelson and distributed free on every street corner in Israel. ... Netanyahu complained about “several journalists” who “criticized and slandered” the Dec. 10 visit by “my wife, Sara” to Guatemala, a vi..

Given our dear daughter Michelle's long silence in communicating with her father, I first thought: "It must be a complicated situation" in her current stage of her 38-year old life. Let it ride ... Background: Many months ago I responded by email (with, frankly, now with feelings of guilt) re her "failure to communicate," with my two acidic e-mails comments about her potential inheritance. Keeping in touch was an essential element in my side of the Brown family -- especially with my poet Father -- a standard to which I strongly adhere (but not always, regrettably, observe), even during passing "family squabbles." Seeking advice and (quite frankly, understanding/support) re darling daughter Michelle, I recently decided to share my concerns with dear friends our 38 year-old divorced childless daughter's "canceled" relationship with her father, at a time coinciding (?) with when she evidently ended her affiliation with the University of Denver (UD) in seeking an MA in Anthropolo..

thenational.ae; original article contains additional photographs The country is harnessing culture and technology to boost its global footprint Image from article: Chairman of Abu Dhabi's Tourism and Culture Authority, Mohamad Khalifa al-Mubarak, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan and French President Emmanuel Macron laugh as they visit the Louvre Abu Dhabi Museum. AFP December 26, 2018 As a momentous year draws to a close, The National is running a series of articles examining the impact of the growing diplomatic strength of the UAE. Over the next few days, we will examine the country’s growing international influence, be it through the soft power of culture and connectivity, or strengthening ties within the GCC and further around the globe. This nation has never had a more prominent position in the world – and this series will explain how it was achieved, why it matters and what lies ahead. The strategic relationship between the UAE and France was strengthened s..

Christian Whiton, Fox News Whiton image from Christian Whiton was a senior advisor in the Donald Trump and George W. Bush administrations. He is a senior fellow for strategy and public diplomacy [JB emphasis] at the Center for the National Interest and the author of “Smart Power: Between Diplomacy and War.” President Trump announces Defense Secretary James Mattis' resignation date is now Jan.1 President Trump’s decision to replace Defense Secretary James Mattis on Jan. 1 – rather than allowing him to stay on the job until Feb. 28, as the retired Marine general requested when he resigned Thursday – was the right move. Mattis no doubt thought a two-month transition would be helpful to his successor and minimize any disruption caused by his departure. But no president would want an avowed opponent of his foreign and national security policies to continue running the Pentagon for that long. As Mattis correctly stated in his resignation letter to the president: “Because you have the ri..

cstonline.net image from XXVII IAMHIST Conference POWER AND THE MEDIA (Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, 16-19 July 2019)Confirmed keynote speakers include:James Curran (Goldsmiths, University of London)Jennifer Smyth (University of Warwick)Papers and panels are invited for the 2019 conference of the International Association for Media and History. The conference theme this year is POWER AND THE MEDIA. Scholars of media history have not just been concerned with analysis of the individuals, institutions and elites exerting control, but also with how the media has represented, perpetuated or challenged power structures. Taking place in the immediate aftermath of Britain’s planned exit from the European Union, the conference invites scholars and practitioners from all relevant disciplines to take part in a timely conversation about the relationship between power and the media, from the film and broadcasting industries and the press, to new media, social media and advertising. I..