The U.S. government is trying to better understand the specific impacts of climate change on vulnerable populations. As part of that effort, I recently visited Senegal as a member of a Study Team on Climate Change and Migration sponsored by the German… more »
About the Author: Katie Dowd serves as New Media Director at the U.S. Department of State.
Today, I am so excited to announce the arrival of a new State Department project called Opinion Space. Opinion Space is an innovative, interactive online tool we are launching in partnership with the University of Berkeley Center for New Media. Accessible to anyone around the world, Opinion Space solicits fresh perspectives on U.S. foreign policy and incorporates users' input into a creative visual display, based on the wisdom of crowds, to identify insightful ideas. You can find Opinion Space at www.state.gov/opinionspace. … more »
The world recognizes March 8 as International Women's Day. This year marks the fifteenth anniversary of the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing. The message from that conference still resonates today: Human rights are women's rights, and women's rights are human rights. As Secretary Clinton has said, no country can move ahead if half its population is left behind.
How best can we advance women's rights as human rights?more »
About the Author: Matthew Buffington serves as the Media Relations Officer for the Middle East and North Africa at the Washington Foreign Press Center.
On a Foreign Press Center (FPC) social media tour with 29 foreign journalists, Achilles Peklaris took on Washington, D.C. and San Francisco. Armed with only his iPhone, the "Village Voice of Athens," as Achilles is sometimes known, directed hard-hitting, poignant questions at U.S. government officials from the State Department, White House and Congress.
However, something funny happened in San Francisco. During a meeting with Facebook, Achilles' questions turned from blunt journalism to a testimonial about how the social media website Facebook changed his work. Not… more »
I accompanied Secretary Clinton last week on a six-country trip across the Americas. The Secretary's travel had been on the books for some time, but given back-to-back devastating earthquakes first in Haiti on January 12, and then in Chile on February 27, the trip took on an even more poignant dimension. Logging more than 16,000 travel miles in just six days, we were able to show solidarity and unity with our regional partners as we collaborate on relief and recovery efforts.
U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnnie Carson and Ambassador to the UN Mission in Rome Ertharin Cousin recently conducted a briefing on U.S. Policy in Somalia. During the event, Assistant Secretary Carson stated:
"The Somali people have suffered tremendously throughout more than 20 years of conflict, and Somalia's turmoil destabilizes not only that country, but the region and also some aspects of the international community. The U.S. recognizes that any long-term solution to the crisis in Somalia must be an inclusive political solution. We continue to call upon all those who seek peace in Somalia to reject… more »
Update: Secretary Clinton's remarks at the UN Commission on the Status of Women.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton addressed the final day of the 54th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women in New York. Her remarks reflected on the progress achieved 15 years since the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing and on the work that still must be done to realize the dreams and potential of Beijing. more »
"The idea of human rights begins with a fundamental commitment to the dignity that is the birthright of every man, woman and child. Progress in advancing human rights begins with the facts. And for the last 34 years, the United States has produced the Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, providing the most comprehensive record available of the condition of human rights around the world.
"These reports are an essential tool " for activists who courageously struggle to protect rights in communities around the world; for… more »
Today, we release the State Department's 2009 Human Rights Reports. We are excited to have expanded the coverage in the 2009 reports to include: • New reports on countries' prison conditions; • Workers' rights; • Countries' initiatives to expand press freedom and their results; • Broader coverage of child… more »
About the Author: Judith McHale serves as Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs.
Today, I had the honor of testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to tell the American people about our strategy for communicating and engaging with the people of the world. This approach acknowledges that people are connected to one another like never before and, at the same time, are becoming increasingly empowered to affect change in their own lives and in their own societies.
Diplomacy doesn 't just happen between government diplomats. Diplomacy happens when a foreign student learns a new English saying from an American friend at one of our universities. Diplomacy… 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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U.S. welcomes decision of govts of Algeria, Burkina Faso, Chad, Libya, Mali, Mauritania & Niger to meet Mar. 16 to confront terrorism.
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