Engaging Youth To Combat Violence and Build Peace

Posted by David T. Killion / April 26, 2011

About the Author: David T. Killion serves as U.S. Permanent Representative to UNESCO

As U.S. Ambassador to UNESCO -- the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization -- I often get to meet impressive young people who are doing amazing things to change the world. At a recent UNESCO High-Level Forum in New York, I met 27-year-old Meghann Aurea Villanueva, who has been fighting for change since she was a 10-year-old volunteer helping her parents work with street children in the Philippines. At 17, Meg was already presenting at international conferences on peace-building through volunteer work as a seasoned expert. Today, she serves as Director of the Peace and Human Rights Program at Fundacio Catalunya Volontaria.… more »

Exchange 2.0: Join the Conversation April 27

Posted by Suzanne Hall / April 26, 2011

About the Author: Suzanne Hall serves as Senior Advisor for Innovation in the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

The U.S. Department of State is pleased to participate in Exchange 2.0, a summit organized by the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP) with the partnership of Soliya, Partners for a New Beginning, and the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations. A cross-cutting audience of 200 people will participate in discussions regarding how connection technologies are affording us incredible opportunities to scale exchanges around the world to as many people -- youth in particular -- as possible. Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy… more »

Officials Provide Update on Current U.S. Humanitarian Assistance Efforts in Libya

Posted by DipNote Bloggers / April 25, 2011

Deputy Assistant Secretary of State of Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration Reuben Brigety and USAID Director of Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance Mark Bartolini provided an update on current U.S. humanitarian assistance efforts in Libya on April 25, 2011.

Deputy Assistant Secretary Brigety said, "The United States Government continues to provide aid to the people of Libya. To date, we've committed $47 million toward humanitarian assistance. There have been some optimistic changes over the last two or three days, but conditions continue to be difficult to assess in many areas due to security.

"In Misrata, as you've heard, there's been some pullback of forces; however, there's still intense shelling of the city. And you've seen the reports that 32 people were killed on Saturday and 8 people were killed on Sunday. We don't have verification… more »

World Malaria Day: Celebrating Progress Against a Preventable and Curable Disease

Posted by Timothy Ziemer / April 25, 2011

About the Author: Rear Admiral Tim Ziemer serves as U.S. Global Malaria Coordinator.

Over the past four years I have had the privilege of serving as Coordinator of the President's Malaria Initiative. The initiative is led by USAID and implemented together with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Our goal is to reduce malaria illnesses and death by half for 70 percent of at-risk populations in sub Saharan Africa, and to remove the disease as a major public health threat by 2015

I also oversee two regional malaria programs outside of Africa. The Amazon Malaria Initiative covers seven countries making up the Amazon Basin of South America, and the Mekong Malaria Program covers five countries in the Greater Mekong Sub-Region of Southeast Asia. In both of these areas, multi-drug resistance is a major problem.

I am fortunate to work with a talented group of technical staff and public health experts who implement U.S. global malaria… more »

U.S. Supports Completion of Gomal Zam Dam in Pakistan

Posted by Alberto Rodriguez / April 25, 2011

About the Author: Alberto Rodriguez serves as Spokesperson at the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan.

A delegation of senior United States Agency for International Development (USAID) officials joined the Water and Power Development Authority's (WAPDA) Chairman, Shakil Durrani, on a visit to Gomal Zam on April 21, for an update on construction progress. USAID is co-funding completion of the Gomal Zam Dam, which will add 17.4 mega-watts of power to the national grid. This amount is sufficient to supply electricity for 25,000 households.

With USAID support, WAPDA has already completed more than 90 percent of the dam and hydropower components, as well as nearly half of the transmission line of the Gomal Zam project. The reservoir has already started filling with water, and by mid-May, testing and commissioning of the first powerhouse unit will begin. The entire project is expected to be finished by this coming winter.

"This project will increase the supply… more »

PSAid Helps Spread Message: Cash Is the Best Way To Help in Disaster-Affected Areas

Posted by Rebecca Gustafson / April 25, 2011

About the Author: Rebecca Gustafson serves as Press Officer for USAID's Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance.

When an international disaster strikes, we soon begin to hear stories of the devastation and the suffering of those affected. They have lost loved ones, livelihoods and homes. The pictures we see are gut-wrenching, and we can't help but think about how we can help. We have so much, and they have so little. The least we can do is help, right?

The next thing you know, schools are collecting shoes for children, houses of worship are collecting clothes for families, and neighborhoods are collecting teddy bears for those who have nothing. The local radio station is announcing locations to drop off donations of items that might be needed, and everyone pitches in to make a difference by bringing supplies from the pantry, the closet, the garage, and wherever else to help the cause.

What most people never see is what happens to that goodwill on the other end in… more »

International Visitors Program Explores Cultural Heritage of the African Diaspora in the Americas

Posted by Zakiya Carr-Johnson / April 25, 2011

About the Author: Zakiya Carr-Johnson serves as Senior Advisor to the Race, Ethnicity, and Social Inclusion Unit in the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs.

In almost every country in the Western Hemisphere, people of African descent have left an indelible mark on modern-day expression; in music, culinary arts, dance, language, literature, science, and much more. The contributions men and women of African descent made during slavery and for generations afterward are often undervalued and unrecognized. Although they make up more than one-third of the population in Latin America and the Caribbean, people of African descent have historically been and continue to be underrepresented in government, civil society, and the media.

The United Nations and the Organization of American States have designated 2011 as the International Year for People of African Descent and the U.S. Department of State has initiated a worldwide campaign to commemorate the year. A highlight of our programming is an International Visitors Leadership Program… more »

Ensuring the Harvest in Kyrgyzstan

Posted by Kimberly McDonald and Christian Wright / April 25, 2011

About the Author: Kimberly McDonald serves as a Public Affairs Officer and Christian Wright serves as an Information Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

After a troubled year, Kyrgyzstan is experiencing a glorious spring. But many farmers have experienced financial hardships that will limit their ability to get the spring planting done that will ensure a good fall harvest. In response to this crisis, the U.S. government (USG), through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic (GOK), have officially launched the Seed Assistance Voucher Program. USAID awarded $ 4.1 million to increase improved seed use in Kyrgyzstan during the spring planting season of 2011. The program was jointly designed by the USG and the GOK, and is being jointly implemented by a USAID implementer and the GOK through its Ministry of Agriculture.

The ceremony to launch the project took place at the Djail Farm, Alekseevka village, Chui Oblast. The Minister of Agriculture, Torogul Bekov,… more »

DipNote: The Week in Review

Posted by Sarah Goldfarb / April 24, 2011

About the Author: Sarah Goldfarb serves as Associate Editor to DipNote.

On April 17, Secretary Clinton returned from her visit to Berlin, Seoul, and Tokyo. Assistant Secretary Gordon said the NATO Ministerial in Berlin was “an opportunity to consult with key allies and partners not just on Libya, but on a wide range of other bilateral and multilateral issues.”

This week, Secretary Clinton and former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger participated in the first of a series called "Conversations on Diplomacy," moderated by Charlie Rose. The Secretaries reflected on their experiences as America's… more »

Getting Ready for World Press Freedom Day 2011

Posted by Tiffany Miller / April 23, 2011

About the Author: Tiffany Miller serves as a Public Affairs Specialist in the Bureau of International Organization Affairs.

The U.S. Department of State is gearing up for World Press Freedom Day 2011 (WPFD 2011). This is the first time that WPFD is being hosted in the United States. More than 100 speakers from 44 countries will join over 800 registered participants from 100 countries in this year's commemoration.

This year's events kick off with an Opening Ceremony on Sunday, May 1, at the Newseum in Washington, D.C. The next two days will be filled with panel discussions and speakers covering a wide range of topics including social media, censorship, and press freedom. On May 3, the events will close with a ceremony honoring UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize winner Ahmad Zeidabadi, a jailed Iranian… more »