The Foreign Service Journal, December 2015

16 DECEMBER 2015 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL Affairs through its online platformThe Collaboratory. The report’s authors visited five U.S. missions in FY2014—Algeria, Hungary, Moldova, Kenya and South Africa—and offer their views of the missions’ struggle to balance administrative work with engaging their respective foreign audi- ences. Not surprisingly, a common theme is the chronic lack of resources. The report includes more than 20 recommendations for strengthening and modernizing PD and broadcasting efforts. The recommendations also reflect the pri- orities of the Obama administration, with a focus on countering violent extremism and negative Russian influence, and influenc- ing youth through programs like the Young African Leaders Initiative and the Youth Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative. —Maria C. Livingston, Associate Editor SITE OF THE MONTH: Public Diplomacy NGOs–A Top Five University of Southern California’s Annenberg Center on Public Diplomacy • www.uscpublicdiplomacy.org USC’s Annenberg Center is a leader in public diplomacy research and a recipient of the State Department’s 2008 Benjamin Franklin Award for Public Diplomacy. The center’s website is a treasure trove of resources for anyone interested in the theory and practice of global engage- ment and intercultural relations. And the CPD Blog is a great place to keep up with recent PD scholarship applied to current affairs. Global Ties U.S. • www.globaltiesus.org Global Ties U.S., with more than 100 member organizations, facilitates international exchanges in the private, public and nonprofit sectors, “connecting global leaders and creat- ing networks of problem solvers” from 45 American states and 15 countries. Center for Citizen Diplomacy • www.centerforcitizendiplomacy.org The Center for Citizen Diplomacy advocates person-to-person contact as the best strategy for cross-cultural engagement. The CCD provides citizen diplomats with the tools and the platform to acquire “global fluency” and to approach other cultures with compassion, curiosity and openness. The Center runs student exchanges and higher education programs, facilitates virtual meetings, and holds summits and forums on public diplomacy. Sister Cities International • www.sistercities.org Sister Cities International promotes citizen diplomacy by providing resources to help create and strengthen global urban partnerships. Member cities or states are matched with a “sister city,” and participate in exchange programs and activities designed to “promote peace through mutual respect, understanding and cooperation—one individual, one community at a time.”To date, more than 545 American cities have partnerships with 2,100 cities in 145 countries. Public Diplomacy Council • www.publicdiplomacycouncil.org The Public Diplomacy Council is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the study and practice of (and responsible advocacy for) PD. The PDC focuses on public diplomacy as a key instrument of national power and a true profession: “the ability to weave public diplomacy into strategy is a characteristic of successful foreign affairs professionals.”The PDC provides fellowships and training opportunities. —Shannon Mizzi, Editorial Assistant