Press Release
Media Advisory: Initiative for Global Citizen Diplomacy
February 10, 2010
Contact:
Margaret A. Ferry
margaretaferry@comcast.net
202-244-5823
Diane Rasmussen
drasmussen@uscenterforcitizendiplomacy.org
515-282-8192
WHAT: National Launch: Initiative for Global Citizen Diplomacy
The U.S. Center for Citizen Diplomacy, a non-profit, nonpartisan organization that promotes and expands opportunities for all Americans to be citizen diplomats and affirms the indispensible value of citizen involvement in foreign relations, is officially launching a nation-wide campaign to dramatically increase the number of Americans of all ages who are actively engaged in efforts to strengthen America’s international relationships. The Initiative recommends expansion of existing citizen diplomacy efforts and includes a “Call to Action” for all Americans to become more globally engaged through education and study abroad programs, commercial enterprise, international volunteer service, development assistance, community-based initiatives, and exchanges in the arts and humanities, as well as through sports and tourism. The goal is to increase significantly the nation’s commitment to citizen engagement in international relations, multiplying the connections between American citizens and their counterparts overseas fourfold by 2016.
WHEN: Thursday, February 5, 2009, 5:30 p.m.
WHERE: First Amendment Lounge, National Press Club
529 Fourteenth Street NW, Washington, DC 20045
WHO: The Initiative and Call to Action was formulated using the collective experience
of a diverse group of more than 40 U.S. leaders from prominent organizations in international affairs, who attended a Leadership Forum on Citizen Diplomacy co-sponsored by the U.S. Center for Citizen Diplomacy and the Johnson Foundation in October 2008. The collective knowledge and expertise of those participants, their experiences engaging with thousands of counterparts around the world, and the long histories of their organizations in international relations and multicultural relationship building formed the basis for the Initiative. Some 70 national leaders have already signed on supporting the Call to Action.
The February 5 program will feature commentary by a broad cross section of leaders driving the initiative, including business, international education, state and local government, foreign service, and academia. For a complete list of featured speakers, go to http://www.uscenterforcitizendiplomacy.org/.
To arrange for interviews outside of the February 5 launch event,
contact Margaret Ferry at 202-244-5823.