News – Page 11 – The Institute for Public Diplomacy and Global Communication

February 5, 2021

In PDx: Sports diplomacy and leadership

Using sports to change the world: one high-five at a time

By Yvonne Oh, IPDGC Program Coordinator

At the inaugural Laureus World Sports Awards in 2000, former South African president and anti-apartheid revolutionary Nelson Mandela said, “Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can create hope where once there was only despair.”

In total commitment to that idea, the Center for Sport, Peace and Society plans to create a more peaceful, equitable, and inclusive world through sports. CSPS is based at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and led by Dr. Sarah Hilyer.

Through mentorship and exchange programs, CSPS has taught leaders how to develop Action Plans for sport-based social change in their communities. These plans have contributed to the creation of national sports leagues and federations for women and people with disabilities and impacted legislation to make countries more inclusive and accessible.

In 2018, as part of the recognition of Sen. Bob Corker’s support for U.S. public diplomacy, CSPS received a $5000 grant from the Walter Roberts Endowment to support a public diplomacy project. Read more about that project HERE.

This year’s recipient of the Walter Roberts Award for Congressional Leadership in Public Diplomacy is Sen. John Boozman (R-Arkansas). Read about his active backing of the Fulbright program, the globally recognized U.S. Cultural Exchange Program with the goal to improve intercultural relations, cultural diplomacy, and professional competence: HERE.

Find out more about the Center for Sport, Peace and Society and its programs, go to https://sportandpeace.utk.edu/

Enjoy the latest PDx podcast with Dr. Sarah Hilyer: HERE

January 27, 2021

Boozman Receives Award For Congressional Leadership in Public Diplomacy

Senator John Boozman with the Congressional Leadership in Public Diplomacy award

Senator honored by George Washington University Institute for Public Diplomacy and Global Communication

WASHINGTON (Jan. 27, 2021) – U.S. Senator John Boozman, Arkansas’s senior senator and the dean of the state’s congressional delegation, on Wednesday received the George Washington University’s Institute for Public Diplomacy and Global Communication’s (IPDGC) annual Walter Roberts Award for Congressional Leadership in Public Diplomacy. IPDGC
director Janet Steele also announced a $5,000 grant from the Walter Roberts Endowment to Global Ties Arkansas, which will be used to support a competition to bring select International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) alumni back to Arkansas for follow-up projects with American
mentors.

Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs Matthew Lussenhop, Global Ties Arkansas Executive Director Toni Carr, Global Ties Arkansas board chair Vernon Markham also spoke at the virtual event about the importance of American public diplomacy.

“We can be proud of the initiatives developed and advanced by the United States to aid and uplift people around the world. I’ve seen first-hand how our investments in diplomacy have had positive impacts on the economic, education, health and nutrition needs of individuals across the international community. I appreciate this recognition from the George Washington University’s Institute for Public Diplomacy and Global Communication. By working together, we can continue to share our American values globally,” U.S. Senator John Boozman said.

“The Institute for Public Diplomacy and Global Communication created this award for congressional leadership in public diplomacy because we wanted to highlight the importance of something that for many Americans is largely invisible,” said Janet Steele, director of GW’s Institute for Public Diplomacy and Global Communication. “As a staunch supporter of the Fulbright program and other kinds of educational and cultural exchanges, Senator Boozman has been a tireless advocate for the exchange of persons, knowledge, and skills.”

Boozman has been a U.S. Senator for Arkansas since 2011. He previously represented Arkansas’s Third Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2001-2010 where he was a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. As a member of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, Boozman continues to advocate for investments abroad. The senator serves on the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, commonly referred to as the Helsinki Commission. He is a member of the Congressional Study Group on Europe (CSGE), a bipartisan organization dedicated to frank and candid dialogue between American lawmakers and their peers in European capitals and Brussels, and is a leader of the Senate Delegation to the British-American Interparliamentary Group. In the 117th Congress Boozman will serve as the ranking member of the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry.

The grant to Global Ties Arkansas will be used to invite alumni of three international exchange programs to submit proposals either to expand their original projects or create new ones with the help of American mentors. Former IVLP grantees will be invited to submit proposals either to expand their original projects or create new ones with the help of American mentors.

For more media information, contact:
Maralee Csellar (GW) at 202-994-6460 or gwmedia@gwu.edu.
Sara Lasure (Boozman) at 202-224-2420
Toni Carr (Global Ties Arkansas) at 501-940-9743

January 25, 2021

Building equality into international affairs

By Yvonne Oh, IPDGC Program Coordinator

In this latest interview, Victoria Makanjuola, PDx interviewer and SMPA graduate student, talks to Dr. Shirley Graham, director for the Gender Equality Initiative in International Affairs at the Elliott School of International Affairs. The Gender Equality Initiative in International Affairs (GEIA) is a program to encourage gender equality in all areas of global affairs, international development, political power, military strength, and government leadership.

Dr. Shirley Graham, director for the Gender Equality Initiative in International Affairs

Dr. Graham shares highlights from the initiative and how gender inclusion is making progress in academia and practice for international affairs.

Please enjoy the podcast > PDx GEI A

January 25, 2021

IPDGC to present 2021 Award for Congressional Leadership in Public Diplomacy

Arkansas senator honored for support of the Fulbright program

By Yvonne Oh, IPDGC Program Coordinator

Four years ago, the Institute for Public Diplomacy and Global Communication launched an initiative to honor members of Congress who have been outstanding in their support of public diplomacy. While the work of public diplomacy was at most times, “invisible” to many Americans, is essential to U.S. leadership and diplomatic engagement around the world.

This year’s recipient is Senator John Boozman for his active participation, advocacy and legislative support for the Fulbright program. The Fulbright program was established by Arkansas Senator William J. Fulbright in 1946 in order to promote intercultural relations, cultural diplomacy, and intercultural competence between the people of the United States and other countries through the exchange of persons, knowledge, and skills. Senator Boozman has regularly met with international visitors brought in by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Exchanges.

Together with this recognition, the Walter Roberts Endowment will grant funding to Global Ties Arkansas to support bringing select International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) alumni back to Arkansas for follow-up projects with American mentors.

The virtual award ceremony to present Sen. Boozman with the 2021 IPDGC Walter Roberts Award for Congressional Leadership in Public Diplomacy will be this Wednesday, January 27 at 5pm.

Attendees are welcome, please RSVP through this LINK.

For more information, please contact ipdgc@gwu.edu

November 9, 2020

New in PDx: Public Diplomacy Council and global engagement

In this episode of our PDx podcast, our interviewer and SMPA graduate student Victoria Makanjuola spoke to Dr. Sherry Mueller, volunteer President for the Public Diplomacy Council.

Founded in 1988, the Council is a nonprofit organization that promotes excellence in the professional practice, academic study, and advocacy for public diplomacy.

Dr. Mueller talks about the Council, its activities, and membership – especially its current initiative, the “Rising Professional” associate membership, to encourage newly minted foreign affairs professionals, graduate students, and other young colleagues with an interest in public diplomacy.

Click HERE to go to our Smart Power blog and to listen to our PDx podcast.

October 16, 2020

Latest PDx podcast: Global connections

UN Day will be celebrated on October 24

The year 2020 marks the 75th anniversary of the United Nations and its founding Charter. This anniversary comes in a time of great disruption for the world, compounded by an unprecedented global health crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with severe economic and social impacts. But it is also a reminder that times of struggle can become an opportunity for positive change and transformation.

In this PDx episode, SMPA graduate student Victoria Makanjuola speaks with Dr. Dennis Weng, Assistant Professor of Political Science at her alma mater Sam Houston State University, Texas. As an undergraduate, Victoria participated in the university’s Model UN and attended the national conference in New York City in 2019.

Dr. Weng, who was her faculty advisor for the Model UN team, talks about diplomatic relationships, foreign policies, and the importance of multilateral organizations.

Read more and listen to the PDx podcast on our Smart Power blog HERE.