News – Page 9 – The Institute for Public Diplomacy and Global Communication

November 10, 2021

“Nothing is Impossible” 2021-22 Walter Roberts Annual Lecture recording

Retired U.S. Ambassador Ted Osius shares stories about the daring diplomacy that brought the U.S. and Vietnam closer together.

The recent Walter Roberts Annual Lecture featured retired U.S. Ambassador Ted Osius speaking on the diplomatic work that helped bring about reconciliation between the U.S. and Vietnam. Amb. Osius served in Vietnam from 2014-2017.

He shares stories from his recent book, “Nothing Is Impossible” and talks about leaders from both countries who put aside past traumas to work on creating a brighter future. Amb. Osius also draws upon his own experiences of working first-hand with various Vietnamese leaders and also traveling the country on bicycle to spotlight the ordinary Vietnamese people who helped bring about their nation’s extraordinary renaissance.

Please enjoy the recording:

October 7, 2021

2021-22 Walter Roberts Annual Lecture

Nothing is Impossible: The diplomatic journey towards reconciliation

By Yvonne Oh, IPDGC Program Coordinator

The Walter Roberts Lecture will feature Ambassador (retired) Ted Osius who will speak about U.S.- Vietnam relations; how a relationship fraught with tensions following a painful war that cost nearly 60,000 American and over two million Vietnamese lives, was able to reach reconciliation after a 20-year journey of daring diplomacy. Amb. Osius was U.S. ambassador to Vietnam during the Obama administration. His recent book, Nothing Is Impossible, offers a vivid account of the diplomatic work that made this reconciliation possible. He speaks to the leaders who put aside past traumas to work on creating a brighter future for the two countries. Amb. Osius also draws upon his own experiences of working first-hand with various Vietnamese leaders, and also traveling the country on bicycle to spotlight the ordinary Vietnamese people who helped bring about their nation’s extraordinary renaissance.

Dean Alyssa Ayres, dean of the GW Elliott School of International Affairs will deliver introductory remarks.

Dr. Janet Steele (right), director of the Institute for Public Diplomacy and Global Communication, will moderate the discussion and Q&A session with Amb. Osius.

A reception will follow.

Please, join us for this free event.

2021-22 Walter Roberts Lecture

Tuesday, October 26
6pm -7:30pm (ET)
City View Room, Elliott School of International Affairs
1957 E St NW, Washington DC 20052

RSVP to attend in-person

RSVP to attend on Zoom

August 30, 2021

Welcome Students!

By Yvonne Oh, IPDGC Program Coordinator

The new academic year begins today at the George Washington University.

IPDGC is happy to welcome the new graduate students joining our cohort in the MA program in Global Communications at the Elliott School for International Affairs. We look forward to the fall semester!

June 15, 2021

Summer support for GW students

By Yvonne Oh, IPDGC Program Coordinator

Six GW students receive Walter Roberts Endowment grants for PD internships

The Walter Roberts Endowment (WRE) and the Institute for Public Diplomacy and Global Communication (IPDGC) is pleased to announce that our $15,000 internship grant has been successfully awarded to six GW students to support them in their Public Diplomacy internships over summer 2021.

Walter R. Roberts, former diplomat and foreign policy and public affairs expert

Adeniyi Funsho will be working with IPDGC on the Public Diplomacy Examined (PDx) podcasts and the institute’s online engagement.

Other recipients of the grants are Kevin Cao and Charles Shapiro who will be working at Global Ties US; on the World Expo pavilion, and on membership and development.

Nikki Hinshaw will work for the Public Affairs office at the US Embassy in London.

Evelyn Adams will be with the Alliance for International Exchange, where she gets training on activities that promote the growth and impact of exchange programs.

Sophie Van Gilder will work on developing marketing and communication products for Strategies for International Development (SID). SID helps poor farmers graduate from poverty by helping them build successful farm businesses that increase their income. Their work is centered in communities in Guatemala, Peru and Bolivia.

WRE and IPDGC wish our GW students well as they embark on their public diplomacy experiences this summer.

April 28, 2021

Congratulations to the 2021 winners of the Walter Roberts Public Diplomacy Studies award!

By Yvonne Oh, IPDGC Program Coordinator

The Walter Roberts Endowment and the Institute for Public Diplomacy and Global Communication (IPDGC) are proud to announce that Global Communication graduates Saiansha Panangipalli and Halea Kerr-Layton are the joint recipients of the Walter Roberts Award for Public Diplomacy Studies for 2021.

Each year, the Walter Roberts Endowment recognizes a GW graduate student who shows exemplary performance in public diplomacy studies and has aspirations for a future career in this field. This year, we recognize two exceptional students.

Both Ms. Panangipalli and Ms. Kerr-Layton have demonstrated their passion for public diplomacy with internships at diplomatic missions and non-profits; working to advance government relationships and strengthening ties with foreign publics through educational and professional exchanges, and other programs.

Ms. Panangipalli used her brilliant writing and strategic planning skills at her internships with the Embassy of India in Washington, D.C., the Moroccan Embassy in New Delhi, and at the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) on the kind of work that exemplifies the spirit and intention of the Walter Roberts Award.

I aim for a career with opportunities to widen my exposure to countries and cultures, adapt to new cultural and historical constraints, and tell stories that inform and engage audiences across borders.
— Saiansha Panangipalli

Ms. Kerr-Layton demonstrated her outstanding leadership as a GW Presidential Fellow and in roles ranging from Strategic Outreach and Engagement Coordinator at Sustainable GW to Billingual Storytelling Associate at DC public school Mundo Verde. She was able to put into practice her public diplomacy skills working as an intern with Global Ties US, the oldest non-profit citizen diplomacy organization, last summer.

I have worked to advance the values of integrity, inclusion, diversity, and justice as I believe they are a foundation for cultural expression and community engagement. I choose to specialize in Public Diplomacy to master the skill of strategic communication in our contemporary world to create enduring change.

– Halea Kerr-Layton

Last year’s winner was Chaniqua Nelson, Foreign Service Officer at the U.S. State Department.

April 14, 2021

Video: 2021 Walter Roberts Annual Lecture

Panel says the US can do more to protect global media freedoms

By Yvonne Oh, IPDGC Program Coordinator

The 2021 Walter Roberts Annual Lecture featured a virtual panel comprising of Richard A. Stengel, former Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs (2014-2016), Amanda Bennett, former director of the Voice of America (2016-2020), and Professor Nicholas Cull, historian, and professor at the USC Center on Public Diplomacy in California.

The discussion addressed the question of what the U.S. could do to protect global media freedoms and also how should the U.S. international broadcasting agencies be organized to address this challenge.

Our distinguished Panel:

Here is the recording of the event: