The Journal of Public DiPlomacy in The americas PromoTing

The Journal of Public Diplomacy in the Americas
PD AMERICAS
Promoting educati o n al exch an ge i n Mex ic o / PG . 11
Expanded Economic Opportunity for All - pg. 1
Safety of the Hemisphere’s Citizens - pg. 4
Clean Environment and Secure Energy - pg. 5
Social Equity Among All Peoples of the Americas - pg. 7
Regional Publics Support Our Shared Values - pg.11
Monthly Video Highlights - pg.17
JUNE - JULY
2014
Expanded economic opportunity for all
1
CANADA
U.S. Embassy Ottawa Startup Weekend Promotes CrossBorder Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Sixty young Canadian future entrepreneurs
took part in three days of ideas, inspiration, and
pitches at U.S. Embassy Ottawa’s first Startup
Weekend June 13-15, 2014. The event was supported by UP Global and Imagine Space, a joint
American Corner Makerspace project of the
U.S. Embassy and the Ottawa Public Library.
The aspiring entrepreneurs were selected from
a Canada-wide call for applications.
The Startup Weekend connected would-be
entrepreneurs with American and Canadian
mentors who brought a range of experience in
startup companies and business development.
Over the weekend, the participants had the opportunity to brainstorm and pitch their business ideas, develop teams, and compete to turn
their plans into a startup company with guid-
ance and support from mentors.
“Startups are engines of job creation. Entrepreneurs intent on growing their businesses create the lion’s share of new jobs, in every
part of the United States and Canada, and in
every industry,” said Ambassador Heyman in
his remarks to the future business leaders of tomorrow at the Startup Weekend kickoff Friday
evening. “It is entrepreneurs who will build the
new industries of the 21st century, and solve
some of our toughest global challenges.”
U.S. Embassy Ottawa’s first Startup Weekend will help create a strong, bi-national network of future entrepreneurs and innovators to
help drive economic development on both sides
of the border.
SNAPSHOT
Audience type & size: Young professionals, business, general public, media; 80
Media: CBC Ottawa radio and television (250,000), CTV Ottawa (150,000)
Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs / PD AMERICAS / pg. 2
MEXICO
IIP Speaker Janet Cronick Empowers Female Entrepreneurs in Mexico
From June 2-6, IIP speaker Janet Cronick participated in a variety of programs
empowering and inspiring
hundreds of local entrepreneurs in northeastern Mexico. During her visit, PAS
organized presentations, networking events, and discussions focusing on indigenous
women, women business
leaders and young entrepreneurs. Her presentations included tips and advice on
how to start a business, as
well as some skills and tools
available to women and other entrepreneurs. Cronick encouraged the participants to
meet each other and support
each other’s business. She is
the owner of Ultimate Gifts,
a promotional products company that helps clients enhance their brands through
the use of promotional ideas.
Cronick participated in Pathways to Prosperity’s October
2009 conference, that focused on women entrepreneurs.
S napsho t
Audience type & size: Indigenous women, women business leaders, young entrepreneurs; 215
Media: Airecable Canal 29 (25,000), Canal 2 (50,000), Televisa Nuevo Laredo (50,000), Líder TV (20,000); El Mañana (15,000), Líder Informativo
(7,000), El Diario (5,000), Hoy Laredo (5,000); Radiorama, Imagen
GUATEMALA
Access Achievement Camp Re-engages Program Alumni
PAS Guatemala hosted an
English language immersion camp for 60 Access
alumni June 14-20. During
the week, students received
intensive English language
training from four outstanding Access teachers in classes that focused on the U.S.
interpretations of democracy, media, leadership, and
ideal communities. Students
also participated in a wide
variety of cultural and educational activities, including
a community service project
with children from a local
orphanage, cultural literacy
programs, and workshops
focused on career development and goal planning.
Activities emphasized the
U.S. culture of community
service and leadership, and
were focused on reengaging
with alumni through enhancing their team-building
and English language skills
as well as inspiring these
promising young leaders to
have a positive impact on
their own communities. The
camp replicated a successful
2012 Innovation Fund proj-
ect and built on two previous
camp activities in 2013 with
Access alumni and students.
A Guatemalan magazine
published a highly favorable
S napsho t
Audience type & size: Youth; 60
Media: Crónica Magazine (7,500)
article on the camp and the
Access initiative, highlighting student experiences and
Embassy involvement.
Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs / PD AMERICAS / pg. 3
BARBADOS
The “Numbers Lady” Promotes STEM through Sports in Barbados
Embassy Bridgetown hosted IIP speaker Dr. Rebecca Klemm,
also known as the “Numbers Lady,” in Barbados June 1-4.
In a series of presentations, she used her exuberant presentation skills to explain the complexities of math and science in
everyday language, reinforcing key concepts through sports
such as cricket, soccer, and track and field. In addition to
leading a series of workshops with students, teachers, and
coaches, she led an evening workshop for the general public. Dr. Klemm also included a number of fun historical and
cultural references in her presentation in order to engage the
diverse audience, which included a wide age-range of children, as well as parents and math and science enthusiasts.
The results of Dr. Klemm’s series of workshops were twofold; classroom teachers were taught ways to enlist coaches to reinforce the principles taught in the classroom, and
coaches were given some simple exercises that will help them
incorporate math and science into their practices to improve
student athletes’ academic performance. This program focused on ensuring children’s success in school and strengthening the cadre of students interested in STEM fields, proven
drivers of economic development. The promotion of STEM
though sports also aligns with the Embassy’s youth outreach
strategy and CARICOM’s youth development goals, which
include educational opportunities and sports for all youth.
S napsho t
Audience type & size: Government, civil society, community; 289
Media: The Barbados Advocate (15,000); Starcom Network Radio (55,000); CBC Television Television (42,000)
EL SALVADOR
San Salvador Celebrates International Education at U.S. Independence Day Reception
Embassy San Salvador highlighted the
importance of education and learning
English at the annual July 4th Celebration. This year’s theme was “Celebrating Education,” and over 1,000 guests
attended. Ambassador Aponte’s remarks focused on the opportunities afforded by education. She recognized 21
Salvadoran scholarship recipients, and
she awarded six scholarships for study
in the U.S. with travel support from
Delta Airlines, American Airlines, and
United Airlines. To date, Embassy San
Salvador has awarded 28 scholarships
for study in the United States through
its 100,000 Strong Scholarship Fund in
collaboration with BNC- Centro Cultural Salvadoreño Americano. The private sector and U.S. universities have
played an important role in supporting
the fund with in-kind contributions of
about $400,000.
To complement the 4th of July celebration, over 300 youth submitted 30
second videos, explaining why they
wanted to learn English in a PAS-organized video contest. Five winners were
selected from each of the three major
S napsho t
Audience type & size: Salvadoran public, 1000+
Media: El Diario de Hoy (100,000), Embassy Facebook (135,158)
geographic regions of the country and
will receive a one-year scholarship to
study English at a local institution.
safety of the hemisphere’s citizens
4
CANADA
Beyond Allies: D-Day Commemoration in Montreal
On June 6th, Montreal’s POLECON section
hosted a commemorative event, which was supported by PA staff, for the 70th anniversary of
D-Day at the de Maisonneuve Regiment. Three
panelists, representing the different landings of
Utah, Omaha, Juno, Gold and Sword, discussed
military cooperation in the 21st century and the
success the allies have had since the landing on
Normandy beaches on June 6, 1944. The panel,
consisting of U.S. Defense Attaché Creg Paulk,
U.K. Consul General Patrick Holdich, and
Major Mathieu Lebrun from the Black Watch
Regiment of the Canadian Armed Forces, was
moderated by IVLP alumnus Stéphane Roussel.
CG Andrew Parker and Defense Attaché Creg
Paulk highlighted the sustained cooperation
between Canada and the United States, notably
through the Beyond the Border Action Plan,
NORAD and NATO. Following the discussion,
CG Parker was awarded the title of Honorary
Member of the de Maisonneuve Regiment by
Lieutenant Colonel Stéphane Tremblay. Afterwards, participants answered questions from
the audience and spoke informally with guests
during an afternoon reception.
SNAPSHOT
Audience type & size: Military officials, academics, diplomatic corps, business leaders; 80
Media: 45e Nord, Facebook, Flickr
CLEAN ENVIRONMENT AND SECURE ENERGY
5
BE LIZE
U.S. Mission Belize Promotes World Oceans Day
In honor of World Oceans Day and the Department’s “Our Oceans” Conference in June, the
U.S. Mission Belize hosted a community cleanup project. Together with the Dangriga Town
Council, students from the the CARSI-funded
Community Policing Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T) program, and
the Toledo Institute for Development and Environment (TIDE) Belize, post brought together
150 volunteers to clean up the beach area in
Dangriga, collect rubbish, and separate plastic
materials for recycling. The U.S. Chargé d’Af-
faires Margaret Hawthorne and Deputy Mayor
of Dangriga participated and encouraged the
community effort. In addition to the cleanup
effort, a TIDE Representative offered a presentation to students and volunteers on the importance of coral reefs in the ocean, the impact of
beach erosion, and the basics of recycling and
land preservation. As part of the cleanup campaign effort, a local university students worked
with PAS to create a video of the event that was
featured on the Embassy’s official website and
Facebook page.
S napsho t
Audience type & size: Youth, civil society, media; 150
Media: Love FM Television and Radio (350,000); Facebook (13,028)
Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs / PD AMERICAS / pg. 6
ECUADOR
Embassy Quito Advances Climate Change Diplomacy
Embassy Quito held several events in June to promote environmental awareness and action in support of its Climate
Change Diplomacy Initiative. Ambassador Namm delivered a major policy
speech
on climate
3 ecu
trash
cans change at Escuela
Politécnica Nacional (EPN), one of the country’s premiere
technological universities, where he outlined the Obama
Administration’s Climate Action Plan and highlighted the
U.S. government’s environmental conservation efforts in
Ecuador. On World Environment Day, Ambassador Namm
visited a PAS-sponsored community recycling project in the
town of El Quinche. In this project, funded through an alumni mini-grant, Indigenous Exchange program alumnus Juan
Pablo Tituana created a series of “talking trashcans” (“Basureros Electronicos”) that “talk” to the user and encourage
them to recycle properly. PAS Quito actively publicized the
June 16-17 “Our Ocean” conference by running an in-depth
social media campaign, airing the Secretary’s World Ocean
Day video in the Consular Waiting Room, and including a
spotlight on oceans and climate change in a foreign policy
speech delivered by the Ambassador at Universidad Inter-
nacional del Ecuador. PAS also recorded and disseminated
an interview on climate change and ocean preservation with
the USAID Environmental Program Coordinator through
in-house radio program “Reportaje.”
S napsho t
Our Ocean
Audience type & size: General public; 500/
daily in Consular Section
Media: Reportaje (Embassy radio broadcast,
120 radio stations); Facebook (26,000), Twitter
(7,000)
Basureros Electronicos
Audience type & size: Community members
ages 6-80; 50
Media: El Universo (60,000); Facebook
(26,000); Twitter (7,000)
Escuela Politécnica Nacional
Audience type & size: Youth ages 18-22; 80
Media: Twitter (7,000)
MEXICO
Green Race Juárez USA-México
On Sunday, May 18, PAS, post’s Green Committee, and
BRP México organized the first annual Green Race Juárez
USA-México event at the Las Misiones Shopping Center. This
event included children’s races, a 10km competitive race,
and a recreational 3km race that was run by Consul General
Ian Brownlee and BRP México’s Human Resources Director
Lic. Francisco Ayala. In addition to the races, an Ecological
Fair provided workshops and games to children and adults
on recycling, composting, and urban gardening. PAS handed out 500 small pine trees and the Fundación Zaragoza
handed out tomato and cilantro plants. The non-profit organization Juárez Límpio accepted electronic waste (i.e. cell
phones, radios, televisions, batteries, computers, monitors,
etc.) from the public in order to properly recycle and dispose of them. At the awards ceremony for the runners, Consul General Brownlee and NGO Fundación Comunitaria de
la Frontera Norte announced the three winners of the Green
Race Juárez Eco-Project Competition. During the next several months PAS will support the winners to implement their
projects. This event was covered positively in the media and
well received by the community and ecological activists. It
also raised awareness on the importance of taking care of
the environment.
SNAPSHOT
Audience type & size: Runners, Eco-Fair participants; 2,900
Media: Canal 44 (1.2 million), Televisa (1 million), TV Azteca Deportes; Desde las Gradas (5,000), Sports 614 (5,000), Muy Juarense (5,000), El Norte
de Juárez (35,000), El Diario de Juárez (45,000); La Red Noticias (10,000), Parral al Instante (5,000), Puente Libre (10,000); Pre-Green Race Juárez
Website; Twitter, Facebook, YouTube
social equity among all peoples of the americas
7
PERU
Community Theater Project Addresses Issues of
Race, Class, Homophobia and Violence
Washington D.C.’s Arena Stage led a one-week
community theater workshop with 20 youth
and activists from the district of Villa El Salvador, a community that was targeted during
a period of internal war during the 1980s and
1990s. The activists there have moving stories to tell about courage and pride in the face
of repression and hate. Ashley Froman, Arena Stage Director of Education, and Fareed
Mostoufi, Community Program Coordinator,
in partnership with local theater company Arena y Esteras worked with 20 community actors
to develop their personal traumatic experiences
into a play and performed the piece to an audience of 250. The final play addressed issues of
race, class, homophobia, and domestic violence
through a message of perseverance and hope.
Arena Stage also conducted a series of master
classes with people with disabilities, elderly
women who had suffered from terrorism and
domestic violence, and theater students. Their
sharing of community theater techniques and
tools to express feelings and emotions through
body movement helped participants explore
how they can use art to convey a message.
S napsho t
Audience type & size: Artists, youth, people with disabilities, women and students: 250
Media: Facebook (130,000), YouTube
Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs / PD AMERICAS / pg. 8
MEXICO
Celebrating Pride Month: IIP Speaker Changes Perspectives on LGBT Issues
Through an IIP Speaker program, Tijuana, Hermosillo, Ciudad Juárez
and Guadalajara welcomed Francisco
Dueñas from Lambda Legal to discuss
LGBT issues with Mexican students,
lawyers, activists, non-profits, media
and government officials during June.
In Ciudad Juárez, Mr. Dueñas spoke
to the flagship organization that has
supported the LGBT community for
the past 28 years, Programa Compañeros, on June 11. Mr. Dueñas also
gave a workshop to the organizers of
the annual Pride March. The workshop
helped the group identify strengths and
weaknesses in their community and
media outreach, as well as cooperation
with other organizations. In the words
of attendees, the workshop was “an eye
opener.” On June 12, Mr. Dueñas gave
a workshop to journalism students and
active journalists at the Universidad de
Durango, giving them the tools and the
language to report on LGBT issues in
a balanced and respectful way. He fin-
ished his visit with a television interview
and a meeting with Department of State
Alumna of the Month Lizeth Martinez
to discuss LGBT empowerment and legal strategies.
PAS Juarez continued its Pride Month
activities by co-sponsoring and participating in the annual Pride March on
June 18. PAO Olga Bashbush kicked off
the march which had more than 2,000
participants.
SNAPSHOT
Audience type & size: Journalists, Journalism students, LGBT community and activists, general public; 2,250
Media: Televisa Chihuahua (1.5 million); El Diario de Juarez (45,000), El Mexicano ( 10,000), Parral al Instante (5,000)
COLOMBIA
VP Biden Meets Outstanding Colombian Students
During his June 17 visit to Colombia,
Vice President Biden met with 17 outstanding Afro-Colombian and Indigenous college students who are beneficiaries of the Martin Luther King
(MLK) Scholarship program. The Vice
President took time to chat with the
students, share life experiences, and
pose for photos. The MLK scholarship
is one of post’s most significant educational programs, providing higher
education opportunities nation-wide
to outstanding Afro-Colombian and
Indigenous university students through
English scholarships. Over 230 students have participated in the program to date in Bogotá, Cali, Medellín,
Quibdó, Barranquilla, and Cartagena.
Another 120 Fellows will be selected
in September to begin studying English
at one of the Binational Centers in Co-
lombia. The Fellows attend 18 months
of English and leadership development
classes, and participate in community
service programs. Many of the MLK
Fellows go on to pursue advanced degrees in the United States.
S napsho t
Audience type & size: Afro Colombian and Indigenous College Students; 17
Media: La Republica (36,197), El Tiempo (3,058,264), El Espectador (789,572), El Colombiano (464,300), El Heraldo.co (262,984), Noticias Caracol
(12,058,200), El Universal (70,000)
Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs / PD AMERICAS / pg. 9
URUGUAY
“Pride Memoirs” Video Promotes
Positive Discussion on LGBT Rights
In celebration of Pride Month, Embassy Montevideo launched a social media
campaign entitled “Pride Memoirs” featuring videos of members of the Embassy community, including Ambassador Reynoso, and Uruguayan contacts
on why LGBT rights are important. The videos have generated significant
online discussion and much positive commentary, a notable achievement in
a country where despite the 2013 passage of legislation to allow same-sex
marriage, LGBT rights remain a controversial topic.
S napsho t
Audience type & size: General public
Media: U.S. Embassy webpage, Facebook, Twitter (100,000); partner organization
social media sites (12,140)
MÉXICO
VENEZUELA
Consulate Promotes LGBT Pride in Nuevo Laredo
Journalists’ Workshop
Connects Print, TV, Radio, and
Digital Correspondents
On June 28, staff from the Consulate in Nuevo Laredo participated for
the first time in the local LGBT Pride “Marcha Por la Diversidad y los
Derechos Humanos” (March for Diversity and Human Rights). More
than 500 members of the community gathered in a vibrant show of support for LGBT human rights. One organizer commented that the Consulate’s presence was particularly meaningful since it was the only government participation of any kind. Media coverage, by three local television
stations and a local newspaper, was positive. The march was organized
by the Comite de Nuestro Orgullo Gay (CNOG), a community-based organization founded in 2007 that promotes respect of LGBT youth within
families, holds fundraising events for HIV education and marriage equality, and hosts social events in the LGBT community. Consulate participants carried a banner with the message “The U.S. Consulate General of
Nuevo Laredo Supports Diversity and Human Rights.” Acting Consular
Chief Nyree Tripptree gave well-received remarks highlighting Secretary
Kerry’s recent message on LGBT rights and emphasizing the U.S. government’s commitment to human rights.
SNAPSHOT
Audience type & size: Civil society, youth; 300
Media: Líder Informativo (7,000), Airecable Canal 29 (25,000), Multimedios (25,000),
Milenio
On July 8, the Embassy Caracas Press Section
organized a day long workshop for 30 Caracas-based journalists, bringing together correspondents from different media to discuss
censorship and digital media. Unlike typical
Venezuelan journalism events, which usually
feature an expert’s presentation followed by
audience Q&A, the PAS-sponsored workshop
incorporated American style breakout sessions
where local journalists were encouraged to discuss topics of concern in small groups before
reconvening as a large group to share ideas.
The workshop, held in conjunction with the local Venezuelan NGO Press & Society Institute,
was the first event of its kind to provide a space
for journalists from different media to discuss,
connect, and collaborate on solutions to some
of Venezuela’s most challenging press freedom
issues.
S napsho t
Audience type & size: Civil society, journalists; 35
Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs / PD AMERICAS / pg. 10
CANADA
U.S. Consulate Toronto Supports World Pride in Toronto
The U.S. Consulate in Toronto hung a 12’x29’ Pride banner on the facade
wall of the consulate for the duration of World Pride events in the city. The
activity was chosen to highlight the importance of LGBT rights and to celebrate diversity together with Toronto. Photos of the banner became very
popular on social media – one photo attracted 300 likes and the one on the
consulate’s Facebook page was viewed by over 1,500 people. A photo of the
Consulate with the banner also made a national CBC news broadcast on
Pride activities in Toronto.
SNAPSHOT
Audience type & size: General public; 750,000+
Media: CBC The National (680,000)
BOLI VIA
CHILE
La Paz Brings Together American and
Bolivian Dancers for Incredible Exchange
Dance Aficionados Young and Old
Celebrate Salsa and Urban Dance
PAS La Paz hosted Los Angeles-based dance company CONTRA-TIEMPO on a two-city Bolivia tour June 9-17. The program was part of the company’s DanceMotion USA Latin
America tour. Company members showcased U.S. culture and
diversity through the participants’ own stories of community activism and through dance workshops including break dancing,
hip hop, rueda salsa, and urban Latin. One highlight was the
dance exchange workshop where members of the Saya Afro-Bolivian dance troupe taught the visiting dancers traditional Saya
steps and songs.
The program reached over 1,600 participants from non-traditional youth audiences in classical dance and hip hop communities as well as youth organizations. The tour laid the groundwork
for future post-sponsored dance programming and solidified
partnerships with civil society organizations. PAS La Paz generated social media engagement via real time updates and post-produced videos, which were “liked” and shared widely with fans.
DanceMotion USA and CONTRA-TIEMPO amplified PAS messaging via separate social media campaigns. National and local
television and print media covered the tour daily, including interviews with the dancers and exhibitions on morning talk shows.
S napsho t
Audience type & size: Dancers, artists, students, civil society, general
public; 1,600
Media: Red Unitel (400,000), Red Uno (350,000), Red PAT (100,000);
Diario Los Tiempos (25,000); Embassy Facebook (198,000); Embassy
Twitter (6,500); Embassy YouTube (305)
For ten days this June, Embassy Santiago hosted Los Angeles’s Urban Latin dance troupe CONTRA-TIEMPO, through
DanceMotion USA. Mixing salsa, hip-hop and contemporary, the 11 member group travelled throughout southern
Chile to Talca, Temuco, Frutillar, and Santiago sharing performances and workshops with a wide variety of audiences. Local dancers learned and shared their love of Latino
rhythms with a mostly bilingual company that was able
to teach and connect with ease. Based on the interest this
program generated wherever it performed, post plans to
continue to focus on urban hip-hop and breakdancing in
inner city areas.
S napsho t
Audience type & size: Youth, community; 2,200
Media: Centro de Talca (100,000), Diario La Prensa (30,000);
Embassy Facebook (111,450), Twitter (16,200), Website (100,000)
Regional Publics Support Our Shared values
11
MEXICO
Secretary Kerry Promotes 100,000 Strong at Cultural Fair in Mexico City
Embassy Mexico put U.S. priorities on display
at Mexico City’s “Feria de las Culturas Amigas,” located in the world’s largest square, the
“Zócalo.” The U.S. stand attracted an estimated 800,000 visitors from the 2.3 million people who visited the event from May 17 through
June 1, 2014. During his May 21 visit to Mexico, Secretary of State Kerry stopped at the
stand to promote 100,000 Strong in the Americas with youth and students. He was joined
by Assistant Secretary Roberta Jacobson, Assistant Secretary Evan Ryan, and Ambassador
Wayne. Throughout the community event, over
80 Embassy volunteers promoted educational
opportunities, tourism, American history, culture, music, sports and traditional dishes as
they distributed approximately 70,000 U.S.
flags, 60,000 bookmarks with visa information,
2,500 Discover America guides, and thousands
of flyers on the Benjamin Franklin Library, EducationUSA, and COMEXUS. PAS was joined by
staff from across the embassy representing five
U.S. federal agencies. Non-government participants included the NFL, Discovery Channel,
MTV, the American Peanut Council, California
Cling Peach Board, Pear Bureau Northwest,
US Potato Board, Idaho Potato Commission,
and USA Popcorn. Over 6,000 people signed
up for the Benjamin Franklin Library’s mailing
list. Daily social media postings reached over
400,000 people over the two weeks.
S napsho t
Audience type & size: Students, youth, families; 800,000
Media: Social Media (+ 400,000); Televisa (10,000,000), Milenio TV (1,200,000), TV Azteca (7,500,000); Reforma
(139,000 + 195,000 hits per day), La Jornada (107,000 + 700,000 hits per day), Excelsior (25,000 + 405,000 hits per
day), El Sol de México (43,000 + 535,000 hits per day)
Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs / PD AMERICAS / pg. 12
GUYANA
COSTA RICA
Embassy Georgetown Promotes Press
Freedom and Media Professionalization
Embassy San Jose and Peace Corps
Diversify Foreign Policy Message
PAS Georgetown held its second annual Youth Action Network (YAN) Conference June 21-22 in conjunction with
USAID. Twenty Guyanese YAN members participated in
USAID seminars in the areas of personal development, goal
setting, leadership styles, and strategies to motivate others.
Embassy Georgetown continues to reach out to young
people through youth-based programs and social media.
With the creation of the YAN in July 2013, the Embassy
established a consolidated and more formalized two-way
exchange between the Embassy and youth of Guyana. Under the theme “Ready to Serve, Ready to Lead,” the YAN
provides opportunities to Guyanese youths of diverse backgrounds for networking and training in order to enhance
their leadership skills and professionalism.
The 2014 YAN Conference served as a starting point for
the new administration of the YAN. The group elected new
officers and planned projects for the year. Its first major volunteer project will start in August, when members will team
up with visiting U.S. military cadets to renovate a shelter for
victims of domestic violence.
To support the Mission’s efforts to present a more balanced
view of U.S. foreign policy in Costa Rica, on July 10 PAS
arranged for Chargé d’Affaires Gonzalo Gallegos to visit
a Peace Corps community development project in Ciudad
Neily, just north of the Costa Rica-Panama border, where
local contributions and the U.S.-based organization Courts
for Kids funded a $9,500 multi-use sports court. Community volunteers also raised almost half of the funds through
bake sales, raffles, and sports events, and worked alongside
23 girls from the Triangle Volleyball Club in North Carolina to construct the facility, which was coordinated by Peace
Corps volunteer Haley Caldwell.
The visit to Ciudad Neily demonstrated U.S. support for
community development as a means to improve security
and improve economic conditions. Later that morning, CDA
Gallegos joined members of Costa Rica’s National Police
Force at the opening of a new security checkpoint to promote our continued efforts to help the Costa Rican government maintain secure borders. This checkpoint has already
successfully interdicted vehicles carrying contraband ranging from illegally imported liquor and electronics to cocaine
and cash.
S napsho t
Audience type & size: Youth from Civil Society (20)
Media: Guyana Chronicle (7,000), Guyana Times (4,000), Stabroek
News (14,500); NCN, Prime News, Capitol News; Embassy
Facebook (26,082)
S napsho t
Audience type & size: General Public, students; 35
Media: Embassy Facebook (40,000)
SURINAME
Ambassador Anania Joins World Cup Fever
On June 22, Ambassador Jay Anania was a special guest on
the late night show on Suriname national television’s program “World Cup Journal.” During the World Cup, the show
featured commentators reviewing the World Cup games of
the day. The Ambassador was the first in the diplomatic
corps to appear on the show, where he used his knowledge
of soccer to highlight U.S. interest in the World Cup and emphasize the ability of sports to bridge cultural differences. S napsho t
Audience type & size: General Public
Media: STVS (200,000)
Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs / PD AMERICAS / pg. 13
BRAZIL
Cultural Envoys Rock Brazil During the World Cup
The World Cup raised Brazilian interest in international culture, and Mission Brazil capitalized by programming two
Cultural Envoy music groups throughout the country June
24 – July 5.
The Clinton Curtis Band started its tour in the state of
Espirito Santo, where band members learned about local
Capixaba Congo music’s African roots, as well as local rock/
pop music, by collaborating with local musicians and performing to packed crowds, including at the newly inaugurated Afro-Brazilian museum. Events in collaboration with
Binational Centers brought American culture to students of
English and EducationUSA advisees, highlighting the recent
arrival of an English Language Fellow to the city of Vitoria.
A Cultural Festival at the City Park Pedra da Cebola attracted an audience of over 1,500 people, who marveled at
the similarities between the Clinton Curtis’s American roots
style of music and the local music.
The band moved on to Recife and Garanhuns, where it
explored the African-influenced percussion genres of Northeast Brazil with at-risk youth and emphasized the value of
artistic expression with people who have Down syndrome.
Finishing up its tour in Brasilia, the band served as the
highlight to the Embassy’s Independence Day reception
at the Ambassador’s residence. Veterans of programs like
American Music Abroad, the Clinton Curtis band commented that the trip to Brazil was their best overseas experience
so far due in large part to the open minds and warm hearts
the group found throughout the country.
S napsho t
Audience type & size: Youth, musicians, English students, journalists, general public; 1,000
Media: Bom Dia Pernambuco on TV Globo (54% market share); TV Globo Website, Catraca Livre, Jornal do Commercio (43,464), NE10 (10 million),
Diario de Pernambuco (24,680),,GazetaOnline (4 million), BrasilNoticia, ShoppingPCosta, Prefeitura de Vitoria, WN, GeraldoMouret, Correio
Capixaba, Frequency, Viaje com a gente, G1 (49 million), Seculo Diario, Vitrine Capixaba, BSB Flash (10,000); Embassy social media (100,000),
NE10 Instagram (4,190)
BRAZIL
Bluegrass Scores at World Cup
Mission Brazil also welcomed the Della Mae Band, which
started its tour in Curitiba, Paraná, at an overflowing concert hall. In Porto Alegre, the group shared a unique bit of
American culture in a workshop with Access students striving to excel at English. They capped off their tour of southern Brazil with the first U.S. Independence Day reception
held in Porto Alegre in 20 years.
In the interior, the ladies of Della Mae helped open the
first American Corner in the consular district, which features a photo exhibit on shared U.S.-Brazil cultural heritage
and an EducationUSA Advising Office. They then performed
to over 200 guests at the São Paulo Consulate General’s July
4th celebration. A recording of the performance then went
viral on internet television channel Terra with over 80,000
views.
In each city, collaborations with local musicians enriched
the experience for all involved. In fact, after learning about
and playing songs of the Brazilian “choro” style of music,
the Dellas and their new friends coined the “chorograss”
musical genre, a perfect melding of music and linguistics to
encompass the program.
S napsho t
Audience type & size: Youth, musicians, English students, journalists, general public; 2,500
Media: Folha de São Paulo Magazine (332,354); Terra web TV (10 million); Jornal Cruzeiro do Sul (33,000), R7 site (50 million), G1 site (49 million),
Portal Meon, Revista Quem (6.2 million), Rock in Chair Taubate, Jornal Metro de Curitiba (30,000), Catraca Livre (4.2 million), Guia da Folha
(332,354), UOL site (50 million), Jornal Online Bem Paraná (590,000), Caderno G do Jornal Gazeta do Povo (430,000)
Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs / PD AMERICAS / pg. 14
ARGENTINA
“English @ the Embassy” Introduces Students
from Across the Country to U.S. Culture
Embassy Argentina hosted English students (ages 12 to 15) and teachers
for its second “English @ the Embassy” program at the Bosch Palace, the
United States Ambassador’s Residence. The program, which was livestreamed across the country through IIP’s CO.NX, featured welcome remarks from Chargé d’Affairs Kevin Sullivan, an interactive presentation
highlighting United States culture, and a tour of the Bosch Palace from
Embassy officers. Special guests, Daniel Politi, Local News Editor at the
Buenos Aires Herald, and representatives from the EducationUSA office
also spoke to the live audience, highlighting the role of English language
in journalism, and the opportunities for future study in the United States.
Participants at the Bosch Palace also received English language learning
and teaching materials.
SNAPSHOT
Audience type & size: Students, Educators, General Public; 150
Media: CO.NX (275)
NICARAGUA
MEXICO
Domestic Violence Speaker Trains
Grassroots Organizations to Help
Combat Violence Against Women
Special Performance of The Laramie
Project in Mexico City
Embassy Nicaragua supported the visit of Juan Carlos
Areán, director of the US-based National Latin@ Network
for Healthy Families and Communities, to conduct a series
of workshops in Nicaragua for organizations working to
combat violence against women. Mr. Areán covered a wide
variety of topics, including the importance of working with
both abusive and non-abusive men to end violence against
women, as well as the need to change our working paradigms from demonization to humanization of men, and to
encompass both prevention and intervention when working
in this field. All workshops were well attended by NGOs,
law enforcement representatives, communication specialists,
lawyers, and members of the community. The workshops
were interactive and built upon the work already happening
in Nicaragua in the fields of gender-based violence and the
nature of masculinity.
S napsho t
Audience type & size: Grassroots activities, general public; 175
Media: TV interview Channel 10 (300,000), Radio interview Radio
Hit (150,000), 2 Local radio stations (20,000), Local TV interview
(10,000)
In June, PAS Mexico City implemented two complementary
LGBT Pride Month programs. DCM Dogu and Jason Marsden, Executive Director of the Matthew Shepard Foundation, delivered opening remarks at a special production of
The Laramie Project, a play about the community’s reaction to Matthew Shephard’s murder in 1998. The play had
a deep impact on the audience resulting in multiple positive
comments on Twitter. Earlier in the day, U.S. speaker Jason
Marsden met with the actors and was able to tell them firsthand about the real-life characters in the play. Mardsen also
gave a number of media interviews and two workshops: one
focused on young people who want to become activists and
one focused on professional activists. The workshops focused on teaching best practices about fundraising, coalition building, and policy advocacy.
SNAPSHOT
Audience type & size: Students, professors, human rights activists
and media; 345
Media: El Financiero (25,000)
Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs / PD AMERICAS / pg. 15
MEXICO
US Embassy Mexico City Joins Mexican Public and Private Partners in
Sending over 80 Young Mexican Entrepreneurs to Silicon Valley
On June 26, 2014, Ambassador Wayne joined Mexico City
Mayor Miguel Mancera and other local dignitaries to celebrate the selection of 82 Mexican public university students
for a summer entrepreneurship program in Silicon Valley.
The program is funded by a mix of private and public partners, including the U.S. government, the government of Mexico City, and private partners Santander bank and Impulsa
Business Accelerator. The students were chosen from the
more than 3,000 Mexican public university students who
participated in entrepreneurship training in 2014. They will
be spending 3 weeks at San Jose State University, working
both in the classroom and at business start-ups in Silicon
Valley. This program is a pilot program for Mexico, with
several additional states expressing interest in replicating it
in the years to come.
This program is an important model of how government
and the private sector can work together to support the binational entrepreneurship and educational exchange envi-
sioned under both the Bilateral Forum on Higher Education,
Innovation, and Research, and the Mexico-U.S. Entrepreneurship and Innovation Council. Both initiatives are part
of U.S.-Mexico efforts to develop a region of prosperity in
North America.
SNAPSHOT
Audience type & size: Students, GOM representatives, private sector representatives; 300
Media: Reforma (139,000 + 195,000 hits per day)
PARAGUAY
New Fulbright Funding Secured
CUBA
Havana Film Club Discusses LGBT Issues
On June 30 Ambassador Thessin and Itaipú
Binational Hydroelectric Plant Director James
Spalding signed an extension of the Fulbright-Itaipú Agreement. This extension will
fund five additional Fulbright scholarships
worth a total of $375,000 to complete postgraduate study programs in the STEM fields
in the United States. The previous agreement
signed in 2010 allocated more than a million
dollars for five years of Fulbright scholarships.
With the additional funding, there are now a
total of 25 Paraguayan Fulbright-Itaipú recipients. The Itaipú funding complements ECA
funding for five standard Fulbright scholarships; this year the Embassy will offer 10 scholarships for Paraguayan students to study in the
United States.
On June 30, 40 Cuban contacts gathered at the PAO’s residence to watch
and review the movie “Milk.” In addition to the questions distributed
prior to the film screening, the participants discussed topics related to
LGBT issues, including civil rights, freedom of speech, and freedom of
the press. Since the audience members work as activists in their own
neighborhoods and communities, often with young Cubans, the program
provided an opportunity to share different perspectives on activism, and
civil and human rights for the LGBT community.
The Havana Book and Movie Club program, sponsored by the Information Resource Centers, supports the U.S. Interests Section’s outreach
to new audiences and provides a platform to build connections among
civil society organizations in Cuba. Interested Cubans can also join the
conversation on the Book Club Blog: http://clublecturairchavana.blogspot.com. By facilitating a conversation about American culture, society,
institutions, history and values, these film screenings enrich the experience of Cubans in areas of shared interest and concern.
S napsho t
S napsho t
Audience type & size: Media and general public; 20
Media: ABC Color (60,000)
Audience type & size: Civil society representatives, journalists, librarians; 40
Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs / PD AMERICAS / pg. 16
PANAMA
Kerry Attends Inauguration of
President Varela in Panama
PAS Panama implemented a robust and effective social media campaign
including several live tweets for Secretary Kerry’s first visit to Panama
on the occasion of the Panamanian presidential inauguration. The Panamanian public reacted positively, thanking the Secretary for his visit. In
a meeting with Secretary Kerry, President Varela described his plan to
expand bilingual education in public schools by sending 10,000 Panamanian teachers to the United States for English study programs.
S napsho t
Audience type & size: Panamanian public; 3.8 million
Media: All major media outlets in the country, regional wires and U.S. press covered
the visit.
THE BAHAMAS
U.S. Embassy Nassau Equips Bahamian
Youth to be Leaders of Substance
HONDURAS
George Bedard and Kingpins Band
Promote Social Inclusion through Music
PAS, in partnership with the Ministry of Youth, Sports and
Culture, hosted a dynamic and engaging leadership seminar for young Bahamians on New Providence and Grand
Bahama Islands June 2-5. The workshop brought together
a diverse group of more than eighty Bahamian youth for interactive sessions with BoldLeaders facilitators out of Denver, Colorado. The facilitators focused on equipping participants with the ability to sharpen their leadership and
community building skills. The youth leadership workshop
was designed to explore civic engagement and social entrepreneurship and targeted youth between the ages of 17 and
30. The overall goal was to give participants the tools and
techniques to address different challenges facing their communities, throughout The Bahamas and in the region. The
event received the support of Minister of Youth Dr. Daniel
Johnson. PAS worked closely with Ministry of Youth officials and NGO’s in the planning and coordination in the
lead-up to the event as part of the Embassy’s ongoing commitment to youth development.
From June 30 through July 3, Embassy Honduras collaborated with cultural and academic partners in San Pedro Sula
and Tegucigalpa to present ECA Arts Envoy, The George
Bedard and the Kingpins band. Known in the Michigan music scene for their signature blend of blues, jazz, rock and
roll, rockabilly and swing, George Bedard and the Kingpins
showcased the diversity of American music through their
performances and through discussions of the importance of
social inclusion. The band held workshops on the importance of the contributions of African-American musicians
to the development of American music and stressed to amateur musicians that a career in the arts can be a viable one.
The band then demonstrated their skills through concerts
to packed rooms of enthusiastic music lovers. Following the
performances, the participants were invited to try out the
instruments. The band’s two-city, seven-day concert tour
concluded in Tegucigalpa with a performance at the official
4th of July celebration held at the Ambassador’s residence
on Thursday, July 3.
S napsho t
S napsho t
Audience type & size: Youth, Government Officials, NGO’s; 100
Media: ZNS TV 13 (70,000); The Nassau Guardian (15,000), The
Tribune (20,000), The Freeport News (4,000); Bahamasweekly.com
(2,000); Embassy Facebook (5,800)
Audience type & size: Students, general public; 2,100
Media: La Tribuna (45,000), El Heraldo (45,000), La Prensa (75,000),
Tiempo (45,000)
17
WHA Video highlights
LI M A
QUIT O
June,2014
This month’s video highlights include
LGBT Pride Month, the World Cup, and
exchange and youth programs.
Click on the photos to see the videos or
see the playlist here: http://ow.ly/ysAyD
B O G O TA
Becas Fulbright
Fulbright is the Department’s flagship
exchange programs, and in this clip
Embassy Bogotá demonstrates how
the program makes significant impact
across societies. Afro-Colombians describe new scholarship opportunities
for their populations, a scholar in
crutches shows how a physical ailment
is not a barrier to study, and an alumnus explains how the Fulbright experience was a call to public service.
Programa Work and Travel
Copa del Mundo
You only have to watch this video
for a few seconds to sense the genuine enthusiasm of the Peruvian Summer Work & Travel program participants. This is an excellent example of
an “in-person” program that Embassy Lima captures on film to reach a
broader online audience. There really
is no greater endorsement of a youth
program than the excited words of
former participants.
World Cup fever gripped posts
throughout the Western Hemisphere,
and Embassy Quito uses the tournament to launch its most ambitious video to date. The shot list includes footage of young participants in Embassy
programs across the country. Team
Quito worked with WHA Digital to
get licensing rights and marketing support from Coca-Cola to use its World
Cup anthem.
SANTIAGO
SANTO DOMINGO
First Lego League
Santiago’s FIRST Lego League features teams of girls and boys using
Lego bricks and motors to design machines to solve a problem. Bright introductory graphics, an upbeat iMovie
soundtrack, nice camera work and cuts
make this an exciting clip. The video
team also mixes sound bites from the
young participants with footage of
adults mentoring them.
Mes del Orgullo LGBT
Ambassador Brewster and his spouse
speak from personal experience about
the link between LGBT rights and human rights. They cite well-known declarations of human rights, and also
describe the warm reception they’ve
received in the Dominican Republic.
While some comments on YouTube
were negative, just as many supported
the Ambassador, and the clip has over
20,000 views.