Afghanistan’s Progress Heading into the NATO Summit

Posted by Daniel Feldman / May 18, 2012

Flags of NATO members states seen in front of NATO headquarters, Brussels, June 11, 2009. [AP File]

About the Author: Dan Feldman serves as the Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan at the Department of State.

In Afghanistan, the Administration has implemented three mutually reinforcing surges -- military, civilian and diplomatic -- to fulfill the national security imperative of ensuring that Afghanistan never again serves as a safe haven for al-Qaida.

We are committed to learning the lessons of history and avoiding the kind of precipitous pullout that can fuel instability. We are now in the execution phase of our strategy. We expect some continuing challenges along the way, but we are achieving the goals we set in each of these three surges -- fighting, talking and building all at once.

Just two weeks ago, a Strategic Partnership Agreement was signed that provides a comprehensive framework… more »

Posted under: South and Central Asia

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Journey to TechCamp Lima

Posted by Sean Boda / May 18, 2012

Technologists and representatives of NGOs pose for a group photo at the end of the second day of TechCamp Lima. [U.S. Embassy Lima/ Public Domain]

About the Author: Sean Boda serves as the Digital Media Officer in the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs at the Department of State.

I stepped onto South American soil for the first time to participate in TechCamp Lima, the tenth such TechCamp. TechCamps are the pillar of Secretary Clinton's Civil Society 2.0 initiative and organized and run by the Secretary's Innovation team and the Office of eDiplomacy in close collaboration with local embassies.

Perched cliff-side, bustling Lima crouches over the Pacific teeming with a third of Peru's population. An incredibly diverse country, Peruvians point out its three major regions: coast, sierra, and jungle, each with starkly contrasting histories and culture. The NGOs participating in TechCamp Lima work in many sectors. However, they share the broader goal of bridging Peru's differences… more »

Posted under: Western Hemisphere

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Museums and Communities Connect

Posted by Michele Peregrin / May 18, 2012

Children participating in Museums Connect help design and construct a mosaic for their school. [State Department photo by Michele Peregrin/ Public Domain]

About the Author: Michele Peregrin serves as a Program Officer in the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the Department of State.

For decades, the Department of State has recognized the importance of cultural institutions and the arts to connect individuals, build community, and showcase world cultures. At the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, we believe that arts and culture have the ability to go beyond language barriers to open new channels of communication and bridge differences.

A few weeks ago, I was fortunate enough to travel to our country's largest yearly conference for museum professionals. Organized by the American Association of Museums (AAM), this year's theme was "Creative Community." The conference focused on ways for museums to not only reach out to their local community, but to explore… more »

Posted under: Behind the Scenes

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Photo of the Week: Secretary Clinton Hosts Strategic Dialogue With Civil Society

Posted by Sarah Goldfarb / May 18, 2012

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton hosts Strategic Dialogue with Civil Society at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C., on May 16, 2012. [State Department photo/ Public Domain]

About the Author: Sarah Goldfarb serves as an Assistant Editor for DipNote.

This week's "Photo of the Week" comes to us from Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton's official photographer Michael Gross and shows Secretary Clinton and Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Tara Sonenshine hosting a Global Town Hall with Civil Society Representatives on May 16, 2012. Present in the audience were civil society representatives from more than 40 countries and senior leaders from the State Department and throughout the U.S. Government. Individuals also participated online through embassy viewing parties held around the world.

Secretary Clinton said, "...As we see the explosion of civil society groups around the world, we want to support you. I think that in… more »

Posted under: Photo of the Week

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Decent Work for Informal Sector Workers

Posted by Melanne Verveer and Barbara Shailor / May 17, 2012

Special Representative Barbara Shailor and Ambassador-at-Large Melanne Verveer meet on informal sector workers with a group of experts from academia, labor, and civil society. [State Department photo by Matthew G. Miller/ Public Domain]

About the Author: Melanne Verveer serves as the Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues and Barbara Shailor serves as the Special Representative for International Labor Affairs at the Department of State.

On May 14, a group of experts from academia, labor, and NGOs joined us for a vibrant discussion on the role of women in the global economy. The conclusion was clear; we must continue to advocate for decent work for working women around the world -- especially for women in the informal sector.

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton commented on this in 2010 at the United Nations in New York: "I remember once driving through Africa with a group of distinguished experts. And I saw women working in the fields and I saw women working in the markets and I saw women with wood on their heads and water on their heads and children on their backs. And I remarked that women just seem to… more »

Posted under: Policy

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