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Published: FEB 24, 2005 - 8:00AM PDT

John Brown's Public Diplomacy Review
John Brown aggregates all the most recent public diplomacy related news, including current issues in U.S. foreign policy, international broadcasting and media, propaganda, cultural diplomacy, educational exchanges, anti-Americanism, and the reception of American popular culture abroad.

FEBRUARY 24, 2005 EXCHANGES SUPPLEMENT
by Jennifer Brigham

WEEKLY EXCHANGES SUPPLEMENT
(A weekly supplement to John Brown’s Public Diplomacy Press Review.)

The following articles are related to educational and cultural exchange programs. Specific topics in this supplement include USG-funded exchange programs (e.g., Fulbright scholarships, Ron Brown Fellowship, International Visitors) as well as issues relating to student visas, study abroad, and NGOs involved in exchanges. The articles are aggregated weekly by MS. JENNIFER BRIGHAM, UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.

A) USG–FUNDED EXCHANGE PROGRAMS (SCROLL DOWN TO SECTION B FOR OTHER TOPICS)

1. NUMEROUS US PROGRAMS BACK PALESTINIAN WOMEN’S DEVELOPMENT (All American Patriots (press release), Sweden - Feb 23, 2004): The United States sponsors numerous programs that support Palestinian women in politics, business, legal empowerment, medical care, food supplies, and education, according to a fact sheet released by the State Department’s Office of the Senior Coordinator for International Women’s Issues February 22. http://www.allamericanpatriots.com/m-news+article+storyid-6633-PHPSESSID-dfbd938e07d41f8aa93441c18a53db1e.html

2. WORLD’S FIRST SERVICE ORGANIZATION REACHES CENTENNIAL BIRTHDAY (PR Newswire (press release) - Feb 22, 2005 ): Chicago’s Rotary One, the world’s first service organization and the founding club of Rotary International, with its 1.2 million members in 166 countries, will celebrate its centennial with a documentary produced by filmmaker Rick Roberts to air Thursday, February 24, 2005 at 7PM on WYCC-Channel 20 in Chicago. It will air nationally in the near future. The actual anniversary, Wednesday, February 23, will be recognized with a black-tie ball at the Chicago Hilton & Towers that honors Harriet M. Fulbright, Ambassador of the Fulbright Scholarships. http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=109&STORY=/www/story/02-22-2005/0003068042&EDATE=

3. VISITING CZECH TEACHER ADJUSTS TO LIFE IN THE U.S. - GEORGE BASLER (Press & Sun-Bulletin, Feb 23, 2005) In the Czech Republic, where Milan Kovar has taught for five years, he rarely has to raise his voice, the 30-year-old teacher said. In America, he has to be more animated, more outgoing and yes, louder to hold students’ attention. Raising his voice is just one adjustment Kovar has had to make as he spends the year teaching global studies at Whitney Point High School as part of the Fulbright Teacher and Administrator Exchange Program. http://www.pressconnects.com/special/schools/stories/022305-150087.shtml

4. SLIDE SHOW EXHIBITION (South Bay News, NY - Feb 22, 2005): On Thursday, March 3, at 11am in the Ward Hall Great Room, Painter Brian Rutenberg will present a slide show of paintings at Farmingdale State University. This event is co-sponsored by the Distinguished Speakers Program and the University Club. Brian Rutenberg has had over eighty exhibitions throughout the United States and is widely considered one of the finest young painters working today. (Rutenberg is a Fulbright Scholar and was awarded a 2004 Fellowship in Painting from the New York Foundation for the Arts.) http://www.southbaynews.com/news/2005/0222/Community_News/021.html

5. TAPPING THE PULSE (Arts Calendar, New Zealand - Feb 22, 2005): From February 24th until May 8th The New Zealand Film Archive plays host to “Tapping the Pulse” a survey of film and video works by Philip Dadson created between 1971-2004. Tapping the Pulse” will be presented in 3 three-week cycles: Body, Geography and Sonics and will include a live musical performance from Dadson on March 30th. In a career which spans more than 30 years Dadson has created a body of music and video art that has been exhibited around the world. (Dadson has been the recipient of many an honour including a Fulbright Fellowship, an Antarctic New Zealand Artist Fellowship and the prestigious Arts Foundation Laureate Award.) http://www.artscalendar.co.nz/article/1101/

6. TODAY’S BUSINESS BRIEF - UNH PROFESSOR AWARDED FULBRIGHT TO SOUTH ... (Portsmouth Herald News, NH - Feb 20, 2005): DURHAM - Associate Professor Igor Tsukrov, a mechanical engineering professor in the University of New Hampshire College of Engineering and Physical Sciences received a Fulbright Award to study in South Africa this year. Tsukrov, a resident of Lee, departed for the University of Kwazulu-Natal in Durban last month. He will teach and conduct joint research at the school’s Center for Composite Materials for six months. http://www.seacoastonline.com/news/02202005/business/65676.htm

7. SCRIBES TALK ETHICS AT WORKSHOP (Chandigarh Newsline, India - Feb 18, 2005): A workshop on media ethics, sponsored by the Public Affairs Division of the US Embassy, saw participants discussing ethics-based issues that they faced everyday and during their tenure as journalists. The topics chosen for the workshop dwelt on questions like how to deal with privacy of the subject, whether the rape victims should be named or if minors be photographed. They also deliberated on the question of whether journalists could have political ambitions and if they should retire after joining politics.
(Dr Shakuntala Rao, visiting Fulbright senior lecturer was one of the distinguished moderators.) http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=118323

8. FELLOWSHIP OFFICE NOT VOCAL ENOUGH (Georgetown Independent (subscription), DC - Feb. 23, 2005): With over 6,500 undergraduates attending Georgetown University, the fact that the office of the Fellowship Secretary advises only fifteen students annually, according to Dr. John Glavin, is unacceptable. The university offers aid and direction to its students for fifteen distinct fellowships, including the Rhodes, Fulbright and Marshall grants as well as lesser-known awards. http://www.thegeorgetownindependent.com/news/2005/02/23/Editorials/Fellowship.Office.Not.Vocal.Enough-873371.shtml

9. BUDDING AUTHORS WIN RANKIN’S HELP (BBC News, UK - Feb 18, 2005): Crime writer Ian Rankin has gone back to his roots and is setting up a student scholarship programme for would-be young authors. The brains behind the Inspector Rebus series plans to financially support three Fife College students a year for the next three years. (In addition to many other awards, Rakin was elected a Hawthornden Fellow and received the prestigious Chandler-Fulbright Award.) http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/4277141.stm

10. JURY AWARDS FORMER SCHOLAR $40K FOR ATTACK ON HER FIRST NIGHT IN ...- TERRY ROMBECK (Lawrence Journal World, KS - Feb 17, 2005): A former Fulbright scholar at Kansas University will receive more than $40,000 from a Lawrence hotel found partially responsible for an attack that occurred in August 2001. She sued the hotel in July 2002 because, she said, lax security was partially to blame for the attack. Shamieh left KU as scheduled in April 2002. (She had been accepted to attend the doctoral program in public administration at the University of Southern California but decided to stay in Beirut instead.) http://www.ljworld.com/section/citynews/storypr/196585

B) OTHER NEWS ON EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL EXCHANGE ISSUES

11. FRANK JAO ELECTED CHAIRMAN OF VIETNAM EDUCATION FOUNDATION (PR Newswire (press release) - Feb 22, 2005): The Vietnam Education Foundation (VEF) announced today that Mr. Frank Jao, CEO of Bridgecreek Development Company, has been elected Chairman of the Board of Directors. “Frank Jao is an exceptional person and leader,” said Herb Allison, Jr., the outgoing chairman of VEF. “He is superbly qualified to help VEF accomplish its mission of expanding educational opportunities for Vietnam’s talented young people and strengthening the friendship between the United States and Vietnam.” http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=109&STORY=/www/story/02-22-2005/0003067913&EDATE=

12. 2 GIRLS GRADUATE AT DMZ SCHOOL -KOREA HERALD CORRESPONDENT (Korea Herald, South Korea - Feb 17, 2005): DAESEONG-DONG IN DMZ - This serene village of 220 people nestled in the southern half of the 4-kilometer-wide Demilitarized Zone was crowded with dignitaries, military officers and reporters Wednesday for a tiny but unique graduation ceremony for two students at the Dae Sung Tong Elementary School. This tranquil farming village was formed in the aftermath of the 1953 Armistice Agreement that ended the Korean War. North Korea and the U.S.-led United Nation Command each agreed to build a model village on either side of the DMZ to extol their respective superiority. http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/SITE/data/html_dir/2005/02/18/200502180009.asp

13. US-VIETNAM FRIENDSHIP ORGANIZATION DEBUTS (Thanh Nien Daily, Vietnam - Feb 23, 2005): The American Vietnamese Friendship Organization, which aims to promote art and cultural exchanges between the two countries and help poor children, made its official debut in New York City Tuesday night. With more than 100 U.S. businessmen, artists, journalists and social activists attending the ceremony, renowned Vietnamese pianist Nguyen Thi Chau Giang, thanked all the supporters for helping the organization carry out its missions. http://www.thanhniennews.com/overseas/?catid=12&newsid=5076

14. OUTREACH TARGETS IMMIGRANTS - DONNA GRAY (Glenwood Springs Post Independent, CO - Feb 23, 2005): The Colorado Trust has awarded $75,000 each year for four years to a group of community service organizations to bring immigrants together with their community for mutual aid and understanding. Sandy Swanson of the Family Visitor Program visited the Garfield County commissioners to hear their views on how to help immigrants fit in.
http://www.postindependent.com/article/20050223/VALLEYNEWS/102230008