Under Secretary Karen Hughes: Travel to the Czech Republic and Austria

Office of the Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs

Under Secretary Hughes visited Prague, Czech Republic from June 10-13.  She attended the annual Board meeting of the Broadcasting Board of Governors, which is the 9-member corporate board of directors responsible for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL). While in Prague, Under Secretary Hughes participated in media interviews, in which she explained her strategy for reaching out to other cultures and societies as part of the U.S.-led global war on terrorism. She also spoke to high school students who participated in the Prague Model United Nations, comparing notes global issues with the young future diplomats and talking about how she pursued a career in public service.   

Under Secretary Hughes then traveled to Vienna, Austria, and participated in a Women's Empowerment Roundtable discussion, together with Deputy Assistant Secretary Colleen Graffy, U.S. Ambassador to Austria Susan McCaw, and an Austrian-based international NGO, Women Without Borders (WWB). Under Secretary Hughes helped WWB brainstorm how to expand women's empowerment projects in South Asia and the Middle East to more countries in the respective regions, and what role the U.S. Government might take to promote such projects.