PUBLIC DIPLOMACY IN THE NEWS

SEP 5, 2008
Old foes Armenia and Turkey put faith in football diplomacy
The Guardian
In what has been termed "football diplomacy", Turkey's president, Abdullah Gul, will attend the match after accepting an invitation from his Armenian counterpart, Serge Sarkisian, in an attempt to kick-start relations between the two neighbours, who do not have diplomatic ties...A carefully worded statement from his office said that the occasion had "meaning beyond being just a sporting event". It added: "The visit held in the context of a match will contribute to the creation of a climate of friendship in the region. The match will be an opportunity to overcome obstacles and prepare a new ground to bring the two people together."  Read more...

SEP 5, 2008
Heavy Metal ‘Hasbara’
The Jerusalem Post
It's highly improbable that the Foreign Ministry is aware of the latest hasbara (public diplomacy) tool in Israel's arsenal. But the "Counterstrike" video on YouTube featuring vintage footage of IDF fighters juxtaposed over the band's pummeling music and lyrics has generated thousands of user hits - both from heavy metal fans around the world and from young Israeli rock fans who may have found in Sabaton and "Counterstrike" an unlikely, inspirational source of patriotism.  Read more...

SEP 5, 2008
Assistant Secretary of State Goli Ameri To Name Fran Drescher as Public Diplomacy Envoy
U.S. Department of State
Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs Goli Ameri will announce Fran Drescher as the newest Public Diplomacy Envoy on September 8, 2008, at 10:00 a.m. in the Treaty Room of the U.S. Department of State. Ms. Drescher will join Cal Ripken, Jr. and Michelle Kwan as Public Diplomacy Envoys.  Read more...

SEP 5, 2008
Russia Profile Weekly Experts Panel: Why Is Russia Losing the Media War?
RussiaProfile.org
One of the hotly debated aspects of the Russian military operation in Georgia is how Moscow managed to lose the war in international media while winning the battle on the ground.  Read more...

SEP 5, 2008
Dole Food Company Recognized by U.S. Secretary of State for Corporate Social Responsibility Programs
MarketWatch
As an ACE finalist, the U.S. Department of State has recognized Dole's operations in the Philippines as an exemplary corporate citizen..."Public diplomacy and long-term community investment have been at the heart of Dole's core principles for decades," said David DeLorenzo, president and chief executive officer of Dole Food Company.  Read more...

SEP 4, 2008
Bush’s Enduring Legacy in Africa
Boston Globe
When President Bush traveled to sub-Sahara Africa in February he was greeted by large and tumultuous crowds of admirers - which mystified many of his critics, who believe that the animosity toward his administration abroad is universal. But polling data from the Pew Foundation shows something different: Approval ratings for the United States exceed 80 percent in many African countries, some with large Muslim populations. In Darfur, many families name their newborn sons George Bush.  Read more...

SEP 3, 2008
Abu Dhabi takes fortunes to Hollywood
Financial Times
Fresh from buying into English Premier League football, Abu Dhabi has its eye on another trophy. The emirate on Wednesday set out plans to become one of the world’s largest film producers, with $1bn to invest in productions to be made in Hollywood, Bollywood and beyond. The funding, provided by Abu Dhabi’s government, will allow the Gulf state to back up to eight films a year over the next five years.  Read more...

SEP 3, 2008
Abu Dhabi Puts More Cash on the Line in Hollywood
The New York Times
Imagenation Abu Dhabi, will manage Abu Dhabi Media’s side of the partnership with Warner Brothers. In addition to movies, Imagenation will also create shows and short films for the Internet.Abu Dhabi Media is controlled by the government, and media companies in the United States do not like to be seen making such deals. The new name, Imagenation Abu Dhabi, gives Warner and other film companies a more politically palatable name to put on promotional materials for jointly financed movies. The deal, to be announced Wednesday, comes amid a flurry of partnerships being created between Hollywood studios and outfits in Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the U.A.E. But many of those have been aimed at creating studios, theme parks and multiplexes in the U.A.E., and in supporting Arab filmmakers.
  Read more...

SEP 2, 2008
Guns and Gold of August
Gulf News
China and Russia have just provided the world with sharp contrasts in the use of power. As the French analyst Dominique Moisi recently put it, "whereas China intends to seduce and impress the world by the number of its Olympic medals, Russia wants to impress the world by demonstrating its military superiority - China's soft power versus Russia's hard power".  Read more...

SEP 2, 2008
Selling the Taliban
The Wall Street Journal
In the West, assumptions about Afghanistan too often seem premised on the idea that the Taliban are "men in caves," raising questions about why thousands of international troops cannot quickly defeat them. However, an insurgency is at its heart a battle of wills and staying power, not of military might. Insurgents in Afghanistan appreciate this and have created a sophisticated propaganda operation that both targets what is seen as weakening support back in foreign capitals and seeks to mold perceptions among the Afghan population.  Read more...

SEP 2, 2008
Hezbollah Shrine to Terrorist Suspect Enthralls Lebanese Children
The New York Times
The presentation, which opened Aug. 15, is Hezbollah’s most ambitious multimedia exhibit to date, meant to dramatize the group’s bitter conflict with Israel on the second anniversary of their latest war. Schoolchildren pour in throughout the day, absorbing the carefully honed message of heroic resistance.  Read more...

SEP 2, 2008
Why America needs a post-Bush makeover
The Times
The US has lost many of its natural supporters and allies in recent years. Here are six changes that would help.  Read more...

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