U.S. Hosts G8 Summit

Posted by DipNote Bloggers / May 20, 2012

On May 18-19, 2012, the leaders of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, and the EU joined President Barack Obama at Camp David for the annual G8 Summit. The leaders met to address major global economic, political, and security challenges, including energy and climate change, food security and nutrition, Afghanistan's economic transition and transitions taking place across the Middle East and North Africa.

In his remarks at the closing of the Summit, President Obama said, "For the past three years, our nations have worked together and with others first to rescue a global economy from freefall, then to wrestle it back to a path of recovery and growth. Our progress has been tested… more »

Afghanistan’s Progress Heading into the NATO Summit

Posted by Daniel Feldman / May 18, 2012

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 »

Journey to TechCamp Lima

Posted by Sean Boda / May 18, 2012

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 »

Museums and Communities Connect

Posted by Michele Peregrin / May 18, 2012

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 »

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

Posted by Sarah Goldfarb / May 18, 2012

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 »