John Brown's Public Diplomacy Press and Blog Review

Ace June Rell S. Perez, sunstar.com.ph, April 21, 2019 Image from article, with caption: Asian journalists in a recent visit to China. Two delegates are from Sun Star Davao - former EIC now columnist Stella Estremera and social media editor Ace Perez (contributed photo) IN A recent trip in China, the term “Belt and Road Initiative” (BRI) was very dominant in every discussion. It was introduced in 2013 but it is still relatively unfamiliar to some, especially to Filipinos. And with the recent developments on China-Philippines relations, there is a need for people to understand this connectivity and infrastructure development global project to fully grasp where our foreign affairs is heading. Understanding BRI In a discussion with Asian journalists, Zhang Zhixin, counselor and director of Division of Information and Public Diplomacy [JB emphasis], Department of Asian Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, People’s Republic of China explained that the “Belt and Road Initiative” is a $1 tr..

globaltiesus.org The Diplomacy Begins Here Regional Summits bring together leaders in business, government, and nonprofit organizations to forge new connections with local communities around exchange programming and issues. They also serve as an opportunity for local communities to deepen their understanding of U.S. foreign policy, public diplomacy [JB emphasis], and how exchange programs such as the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) play a role in each.Hosted in partnership with the U.S. Department of State and Global Ties U.S. Community-Based Members, the summits take place several times each year in various cities across the country. Each summit involves a day full of sessions, keynotes, and other activities to promote awareness and support of international exchange programs.Anyone is welcome to attend a Diplomacy Begins Regional Summit, including students, staff of nonprofit organizations, and the general public. Registration fees will vary based on affiliation.2019 S..

Erik Khzmalyan, nationalinterest.org, April 20, 2019 image from article It’s high time for the United States to recover the numerical superiority. Excerpt: As the U.S. land wars in the Middle East fade into obscurity, Washington is slowly bracing itself for the naval age that will dominate the twenty-first century. Inherently a maritime nation, the future of America’s role in the world will be determined by its sea power. In light of China’s entrance into the global commons, no other military branch is flexible enough to respond to Beijing’s challenge and maintain the balance-of-power in the Indo-Pacific. But despite its unmatched technological superiority, the Navy has the numbers problem as a result of self-inflicted disarmament of the United States. Due to perceived low-level maritime threats such as piracy and smuggling in the seas, the U.S. Navy was reduced dramatically in the aftermath of the Cold War. ... While the U.S. decommissioned its warships, Russia and China began their..

twnews24.comEmbassy of Bangladesh, The Hague has turned “Pahela Baishakh” into a pan European event over the years. It all begun in 2015 when musical maestro and popular mass singer Momotaz Begum, MP, performed along with her troupe. In 2016, celebrated artist Samina Chowdhury and in 2018, Hoimanti and Sandipan with their team performed in this event. This year, once again, Bangladesh Embassy in The Hague is presenting Momotaz Begum, MP, and a seven-member cultural troupe from Bangladesh on 21 April 2019. This year, the event, likewise last years, will begin with the Mongol Shovajatra where besides NRB [JB - Non-resident Bangladeshi]s, diplomats, city Mayors, local residents are expected to join to beam out the message of peace. It may be noted that Bangladesh “peace procession” was one of the largest processions ever held in the municipality of Wassennar where Bangladesh House is going to host this event.Bangladesh Embassy is expecting, besides NRBs from the Netherlands, expatriates f..

fundsforngos.org image fromDeadline: 24 May 2019 The U.S. Embassy Podgorica/Public Affairs Office of the U.S. Department of State has announced an open competition for organizations to submit applications to carry out a program to address one of the priority areas stated below.Program ObjectivesThe United States Embassy in Podgorica supports specific projects and initiatives on the topics listed below through awards ranging from $5,000 to $10,000.This year’s topics should include the following:Women’s Advocacy and EmpowermentYouth Empowerment through Educational InitiativesCommunity Engagement*Civil Justice Reform**Social Entrepreneurship***U.S.-Montenegrin Relations through Arts* The U.S. Embassy encourages local projects to better Montenegrin communities. While topics may vary, successful proposals should identify how the applicant will mobilize local communities to address local challenges.** The U.S. Embassy encourages projects that (1) identify obstacles to judicial expediency in ..

fundsforngos.org Deadline: 15 May 2019image fromU.S. Embassy in Lebanon has announced the Fulbright Student Scholarship Program 2020.BenefitsThe grant includes: roundtrip airfare between Lebanon and the United States, tuition, books, health insurance, and room and board.The program, which covers a maximum of two academic years of study beginning in August 2020, is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State through the U.S. Embassy in Beirut.Eligibility CriteriaApplicants must meet the following requirements:Be a Lebanese citizen or a legal, long-term Palestinian resident in Lebanon.Reside in Lebanon at the time of the application.Cannot be a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident (green card holder).Have a bachelor’s degree from an institution recognized by the Lebanese Ministry of Higher Education (or will graduate with a bachelor’s degree before summer 2020).Demonstrate academic excellence within his/her field of specialization.Pursue a field of study benefiting Lebanese society and..

fundsforngos.org image fromDeadline: 17 May 2019The U.S. Embassy Kigali Public Affairs Section (PAS Kigali) has announced an open competition for organizations to submit applications or proposals for a grant to carry out a program that meets the specifications stated here below for the program “Academy of Women Entrepreneurs-Rwanda”.The Academy of Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) is a program supporting the development of women entrepreneurs around the world. AWE’s reach extends across Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, and other regions where promoting women’s economic empowerment is a principal U.S policy priority.AWE was developed to support White House led Global Development and Prosperity (W-GDP), which is designed to empower women worldwide to fulfill their economic potential, creating conditions for increased stability, security, and prosperity for all. AWE provides educational resources for women to engage in U.S-style education with guided facilitation and localization from local ..

researchcentre.trtworld.com ; on the Istanbul-based TRT World Research Centre, see VisionTo be an internationally-recognised centre in distinctive and strategically-focused areas of research with regional and international impact and a culture of excellence.MissionThe TWRC mission revolves around four main goals:To conduct high level research and analysis in distinctive areas of research so as to make a significant national and international impact on policy and practice.To provide a forum for scholarship and research on specific areas of interest.To produce knowledge through publishing the products of its research, sponsoring conferences and seminars, and holding workshops designed to explore the complexities of the twenty-first century.To engage in outreach activities with a wide range of local, regional, and international partners.ValuesLeadership: To identify shared interests and find opportunities to maximize research output.Excellence: To enhance the quality and availability of t..

utu.fi Rizvi image from TIME 24.4.2019 at 12.15 - 13.45 PLACE Lecture hall EDU 3, Educarium, Assistentinkatu 5, 20500, Turku Excerpt: While the policy discourses of internationalisation of higher education at systematic level are relatively recent, there is nothing new about its practices. Attempts to share and exchange knowledge across cultural and national borders go back to the very origins of attempts to organise higher learning in formal settings. In this talk, I will discuss the ways in which ‘neoliberal rationality’ (Brown 2015) has now colonised both the discourses and practices of internationalisation of higher education. The current approach to internationalisation is dominated by the considerations of trade and revenue generation, and now defines the value of international experiences and exchange in consumerist terms. My analysis will be based on the illustrative case of Australian higher education, where the shift from ‘colonial’, ‘developmentalist’ and ‘public diplomacy’..

chinaafricaproject.com Hosts' commentary: With Eric Hollander & Cobus van Staden Throughout the history of China’s engagement in Africa, even today, Beijing has spent most of its time and resources to foster ties with elites across the continent. And it’s done a remarkable job. Political leaders across Africa have built strong relationships with their counterparts in China, establishing powerful bonds built on hard-earned trust and mutual interest.But with other stakeholders, particularly non-elites in civil society, China isn’t faring so well. Trust in the Chinese is low among broad swaths of populations in many segments of African societies that fear the Chinese as the new imperialists who use debt rather than guns to conquer their countries. Rumors and unfounded news reports about the Chinese in Africa fly around the internet, unchecked by the Chinese themselves and repeated so often that they have become normalized by millions.The bottom line is that China has a trust problem..