Public Diplomacy

Public diplomacy is very important because provide necessary information and help to build relationship and positive image in a particular country.

Leonard points out: “The purpose of public diplomacy is to influence opinion in target countries to make it easier for the British Government, British companies or other British organisation to achieve their aims.” (Leonard, 2002, 1)

British institutions, such as the British Council collaborate with institutions abroad and help to develop long-term relationship though scholarship, exchanges of experts, support training activities where are involved British lecturers etc.

Leonard argues: “In fact public diplomacy is about building relationships: understanding the needs of other countries, cultures and peoples; communicating our points of view; correcting misperceptions; looking for areas where we can find common cause.  The difference between public and traditional diplomacy is that public diplomacy involves a much broader group of people on both sides, and a broader set of interests that go beyond those of the government of the day.”

The importance of public diplomacy is possible to demonstrate on the terrorist act on 11^th September. Public diplomacy was necessary and important not only during days after 11^th September but also before war on terror in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Leonard points out: “In the immediate aftermath of the September events, NO 10 took over direct control of news management, working closely with the FCO to create an incident room to manage the day to day control of crisis.

Within hours, BBC World Service started a 45 hour news programme their longest ever.

Within three months, the British Council had identified £2m saving and developed initial ideas for Connecting Futures, a programme of action specifically aimed at connecting the Muslim and Christian worlds.

Over the next three months, the British Council continued to operate in Pakistan and processed 20,000 exam candidates and 5,000 Chevening scholarship applications.

The US Public Diplomacy Reaction to September 11^th was next:

From September 12^th, every key government speech and policy statement was produced in six languages on the day of publication and in up to 30 languages by a few days later.

‘Leaflet bombs’ dropped on Afghanistan, each with 100,000 flyers depicting, e.g. Taliban beating a group of women and bearing the message, “is this the future you want for your children and women” in Pashtun and Dari. (Leonard, 2002, 34-35)

Increased importance of public diplomacy is seen also on increased expenditures for public diplomacy after 11^th September.

Leonard next points out: ”Planed US public diplomacy expenditure for FY 2003 is $595,711,000, which represents a 5.4 per cent increase over the FY 2002 funding level, and from this amount $287,693,000 is for public diplomacy activities within the Diplomatic and Consular Programs.” (Leonard, 2002, 36)

White argues: “The war against terrorism after 11 September 2001 has posed a major challenge to the role of diplomacy in global politics. This challenge has been framed within a debate about the appropriate relationship between hard and soft instruments of power.”(White, 2005, 396).

Importance of public diplomacy is seen also on visit of Hillary Clinton, Secretary of State of the US, in Pakistan where she met with Community leaders to build better relationship with the Muslim world.

In addition, President Obama during his recent visit of Indonesia proclaimed an interest of the US to improve relationship between the US and Muslim countries.

“Mr Obama finished his visit to Indonesia, where he spent four years as a boy, by acknowledging the hard work America had to do to repair relationship with Islam.

A crowd of more than 1,000 cheered as Mr Obama spoke at the University of Indonesia in Jakarta. The President used Indonesian words and phrases, and said: “Indonesia is a part of me.”

His speech was an update to the address he gave 17 months ago in Cairo, when he declared a “new beginning” in US-Muslim relations to overcome tensions over the 9/11 terror attacks and the Bush government’s response.” (Bull and Zengerle, 2010, 22).

JAKARTA, INDONESIA - During its two-year wait for a visit from President Obama, Indonesia found other ways to celebrate the country's most famous former resident. Indonesian authors produced dozens of Obama books, one of them 5,400 pages. (WASHINGTONPOST, 2010)

Building relationship is important to prevent possible terrorist attacks. For example, British Prime Minister David Cameron as a response at recent Cargo bomb plot proclaimed in the Commons:

“It is clear that we must take every possible step to work with our partners in the Arab world to cut out the terrorist cancer that lurks in the Arabian Peninsula.” (Higginson, 2010, 4)

To sum up, public diplomacy is very important for creation of positive image and building relationship not only to prevent possible terrorist attacks but also to make it easier for the British Government, British companies or other British organisation to achieve their aims.

References:

Leonard,M. et al (2002). Public Diplomacy, The Foreign Policy Centre, London

White, B in Baylis & Smith (2005).The Globalization of World Politics,3^rd edition, Oxford University Press, Oxford

Bull,A. and Zengerle,P. (2010), “We must heal rift with Islam Says Obama as he visits childhood home”, The Evening Standard, November 10^th,22

Higginson,J. (2010), “Terrorist cancer ‘cannot be left to spread in the Arab Peninsula’”, The Metro, November 2^nd, 4

Further Resources - Websites

(WASHINGTONPOST, 2010). Obama’s visit to Indonesia mixes pride with a dose of reality, available at: <http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/connect/article/2010/11/08/AR2010110805103.html> [13 November 2010]