The Foreign Service Journal, October 2018

48 OCTOBER 2018 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL AFSA NEWS D I PLOMACY THROUGH MUS I C AFSA President’s Speech Brings People to Their Feet On Aug. 7, AFSA President Ambassador Barbara Stephenson delivered a nearly hour-long speech at the Chautauqua Institution on “Conducting Diplomacy Through Sharing Music.” Founded in 1874, the Chautauqua Institution springs to life for nine weeks each summer offering a wide range of lectures, fine and performing arts shows, interfaith programs and recreational activities. Each of the nine weeks focuses on a different theme; Amb. Stephenson was invited to speak during the week centered on the arts and global understanding, which included a performance by the Silk Road Ensemble with Yo-Yo Ma. On the morning of her speech, the Chautauquan Daily published an article, “What Diplomats Do and Why it Matters,” written b y Amb. Stephenson. In addition to those who tuned in via Facebook Live, an audience of nearly 3,500 gathered in the open-air amphitheater to listen as Amb. Stephenson described how music can be used to bring people—even adver- saries—together, with the potential to create a break- through to peace. Amb. Stephenson began with an anecdote about cultural diplomacy in which a Foreign Service officer watched performances by villagers in Lesotho before being invited to share her own country’s song and dance. On a whim, the FSO taught the villagers the hokey pokey. This light- hearted exchange offered a starting point, Amb. Ste- phenson explained: “You share your song with me, I share my song with you, we see where we can go from there.” She went on to contrast soft power, which invites others to join in, with hard, coercive power, citing Joseph Nye’s 2004 masterwork Soft Power: The Means to Success in World Politics. She then played several audiovisual clips reflecting the role of music in society: in celebra- tion during Christmas, at prayer during Ramadan, in joy during a Jewish wedding and in grief at an African funeral. She shared a clip of the impromptu moment when members of the House of Representatives, united at a time of national tragedy, sang “God Bless America” on the steps of the Capitol on Sept. 11, 2001. The audi- ence watched a solemn clip of Foreign Service officers singing “The Star-Spangled Banner” together, as names of those who died in the line of duty were unveiled on the marble memorial plaque in the lobby of the State Department. Amb. Stephenson then spoke of the U.S. Diplo- macy Center’s recent “Jazz Diplomacy” display, housed in the State Department’s 21st Street entrance. She recalled the golden age of jazz diplomacy, during which America’s most famous jazz musicians—Dizzy Gillespie, Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Dave Brubeck and many others—embarked on years-long world tours to share American jazz music and culture. It was America’s answer to the Cold War cultural diplomacy emanating from the Soviet Union in the form of Russian ballet, literature and clas- sical music. And it worked. Amb. Stephenson showed a clip in which Brubeck was performing a piano concert in the Soviet Union when an audience member leapt to his feet, violin in hand, and began to play a duet with a stunned and delighted Brubeck. “I think this musical moment captures the concept of soft, attrac- tive power perfectly,” Amb. Stephenson explained. “The best diplomacy feels like that to me—it feels like, ‘Let me join you. I want to be part of this.’ Creating an experience like that is hard work, art almost, but it’s worth it. Those who seek to master the art of diplomacy should seek to create moments like this— moments when our partners choose to walk with us— Ambassador Barbara Stephenson at Chautauqua. RILEYROBINSON/THECHAUTAUQUANDAILY Continued on p. 57