Posted by DipNote Bloggers on Oct 09, 2009 - 01:48 PM
![Pres.Obama delivers remarks after being awarded Nobel Peace Prize, White House, Oct. 9, 2009. [AP]](http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2009_1009_obama_nobel_m.jpg)
"I am both surprised and deeply humbled by the decision of the Nobel Committee. Let me be clear: I do not view it as a recognition of my own accomplishments, but rather as an affirmation of American leadership on behalf of aspirations held by people in all nations.
To be honest, I do not feel that I deserve to be in the company of so many of the transformative figures who've been honored by this prize -- men and women who've inspired me and inspired the entire world through their courageous pursuit of peace.
But I also know that this prize reflects the kind of world that those men and women, and all Americans, want to build -- a world that gives life to the promise of our…
Category: Behind the Scenes More entries by DipNote Bloggers | Comments (7)
Posted by DipNote Bloggers on Oct 06, 2009 - 04:29 PM
![U.S. armored vehicle travels through Helmand province, southern Afghanistan, Sept. 18, 2009. [AP]](http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2009_1005_armored_vehicle_m.jpg)
The Civilian Response Corps is gearing up – literally. With over 500 Standby members recruited and 50 new Active members hired (with 200 more on the way), the initiative is moving full steam ahead. However, recruiting, hiring, and training these rapid responders is only half of the story. The men and women of the Civilian Response Corps will be deployed to some of the most isolated and restricted overseas locations and will need specialized equipment to support…
Category: Behind the Scenes More entries by DipNote Bloggers | Comments (3)
Posted by Robert T. Lalka on Oct 06, 2009 - 10:42 AM
![Girl looks at sphere reflecting visitors to Shanghai Expo exhibition, Beijing, July 21, 2009. [AP]](http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2009_1005_shanghai_expo_m.jpg)
At her swearing-in ceremony as the first Special Representative for Global Partnerships, Ambassador Elizabeth Frawley Bagley said, “The time has come to take a bold and imaginative look, not just at the substance of our foreign policy, but at how we conduct our foreign policy.” She went further in a DipNote blog entry several weeks ago, where she discussed the reasons to pursue partnerships with the private sector and civil society.
Since…
Category: Behind the Scenes More entries by Robert T. Lalka | Comments (2)
Posted by DipNote Bloggers on Oct 01, 2009 - 05:25 PM
"Hello to everyone at Oprah.com. I am so excited that Oprah and all of those who watch her and love her are going to be firmly behind the idea that our country can do more to help those women and girls who hold up half the sky. There are so many ways that you can be involved. There are resources right here at Oprah.com that can give you the tools you need to help a child go to school, to help a young woman get the healthcare she needs.
I am inspired every day by the women I meet around the world who are part of a change that must happen, so that girls and women have the…
Category: Behind the Scenes More entries by DipNote Bloggers | Comments (6)
Posted by Aaron Snipe on Sep 29, 2009 - 06:02 PM
![Students walk past lockers at high school in Bazine, Kan., Apr. 20, 2004. [AP File Photo]](http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2009_0929_school_hallway_m.jpg)
Explaining our foreign policy to audiences abroad is one of the many tasks faced by U.S. diplomats serving overseas. During my previous assignment on a Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in Iraq, my colleagues and I often explained to the good people of Muthanna Province how the State Department partners with Iraqis to build greater stability and prosperity.
Now that I am home from Iraq,…
Category: Behind the Scenes More entries by Aaron Snipe | Comments (5)