A team of U.S. civilian experts are preparing to travel to Papua New Guinea's Autonomous Region of Bougainville, where they will partner with local authorities to find and to safely clear unexploded ordnance left over from some of the fiercest fighting of the final years of the Second World War.
In a response to a request from the government of Papua New Guinea, I traveled with… more »
About the Author: Ambassador Carmen Lomellinserves as the Permanent U.S. Representative to the Organization of American States.
Last Friday, I visited my home town of Chicago to speak at the United States National Hispanic Leadership Institute (USHLIL) national conference. Addressing the gathering -- composed of high school and college students from across the country, elected officials, and representatives from national organizations -- I highlighted the importance of public service and efforts to bolster recruitment of Hispanics for careers in government.
The nature of public service has evolved since President John F. Kennedy's historic challenge of "ask… more »
My first full day as an intern in the Office of Commercial and Business Affairs was a blur of new information, new people and a new language used here at the Department of State comprised solely of acronyms. By the end of the day I was feeling a bit overwhelmed about what I would be doing in days to come.
That evening as I sat at home, feeling a little uneasy about the internship and what my role would be in the department,… more »
About the Author: William Millman is a retired Foreign Service Officer providing public affairs assistance in Vancouver.
The atmosphere was electric on Sunday afternoon in Vancouver as spectators prepared for the unquestioned showcase event of this stage of the Games: U.S. -- Canada Men's Hockey. Oops, Canada-United States.
I know. In the U.S. ice hockey ranks somewhere between bowling and badminton in the pantheon of big time athletics. But here in Canada?
Hockey is king. Make that king, queen and jack, with jokers thrown in for good measure. As much as the Canucks love curling (you know, the game with the brooms…), it's hockey that captures the popular imagination. You could literally feel the excitement build here in the downtown area as tens of thousands prepared for the… more »
About the Author: Ertharin Cousin serves as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Agencies in Rome.
On the one month anniversary of the tragic earthquake in Haiti, high-level representatives gathered in Rome to witness the unveiling of Haiti's new agriculture plan. The plan was presented by Haiti's Agriculture Minister, Joanas Gue, who noted at the outset of his presentation that Haiti's planting season is set to begin next month, and thus urgent steps need to be taken now to ensure… more »
About the Author: Ambassador Eric Goosby serves as the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator, leading all U.S. Government international HIV/AIDS efforts.
Earlier this month, the Obama Administration revealed an important new piece of its foreign policy agenda: a consultation document on the strategy for the Global Health Initiative (GHI). This document outlines the U.S. Government's operation plan for the GHI, emphasizing integration of programming, implementation of sustainable efforts, efficient approaches with positive… more »
About the Author: Arturo A. Valenzuela serves as Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs.
The 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, British Columbia kicked into high gear this week. This is, in fact, the second time that our northern neighbor has hosted the Winter Olympics, bringing the world's athletes to the Western Hemisphere. The Olympic Spirit is a wonderful example of the power of sport to bring all citizens of the world together in pursuit of a common goal: Citius, Altius, Fortius; Swifter, Higher, Stronger. By simply qualifying for the games, the athletes serve as role models to all of us.
TeamUSA is in the thick of the competition in all… more »
About the Author: Jeffrey Feltman serves as the Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs.
The Obama Administration has made it a priority to broaden U.S. engagement around the world -- reaching out to a wider range of partners, in and beyond governments, to discuss and work together on shared challenges, concerns, and opportunities. To see this approach in action, you don't have to look further than Secretary Clinton's February 13 - 16 trip to Qatar and Saudi Arabia, which I was privileged to join.
On the ground, Secretary Clinton's schedule was jam-packed. Even younger aides, accustomed to the Secretary's often grueling schedule, began dropping like flies after the sixteen… more »
About the Author: Matthew G. Fuller is a Foreign Service Officer working as Ambassador Roos' staff aide at U.S. Embassy Tokyo.
January 19, 2010 marked the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between the United States and Japan, and the United States Embassy in Tokyo has been deeply engaged in celebrating the U.S.-Japan Alliance and explaining its meaning and importance to the Japanese public. On the anniversary date of the signing, U.S. Ambassador to Japan, John Roos, published an op-ed piece in a leading Japanese newspaper and on Friday, January 29, he delivered… more »
About the Author: Anna Mussman serves in the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs' Youth Programs Division.
"Are women encouraged to join defense services?" asked a high school student from Brahmanbaria High School at a web chat hosted by Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Judith McHale during her visit to Bangladesh on February 8. As students from schools throughout the country logged on to discuss issues with the Under Secretary, their questions ranged from the status of women in the United States, to co-ed versus women's only education, to whether women received equal pay with men, and how American women balanced career and family responsibilities.
"I think it is important for women to pursue a good education and be active in their communities and the political… more »
DipNote is the official blog of the U.S. Department of State —a place to share stories, discuss experiences, and inspire new ideas on the important foreign policy issues of the day. more »
Chile Earthquake
For information or inquiries about U.S. citizens in Chile, please call 1-888-407-4747. You may email: ChileEarthquake@state.gov.
Assistant Secretary Crowley (Mar. 15): " We are determined as are Mexican authorities to get to the bottom of this particular tragedy, but also do everything we can to restore the rule of law in Mexico." Full Text» more »
Secretary Clinton (Mar 13): " is an example of what we call 21st century statecraft and an opportunity to extend our engagement...directly to the people of the world." Media Note» more »
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At Nat'l Gala of American Ireland Fund, #SecClinton said that en route Russia she will land in #Ireland, 1st time there for St Patrick's Day
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