Assistant Secretary Dina Powell Addresses Opening of 2nd Annual Edward R. Murrow Program for Journalists

The program brings about 200 emerging leaders in the field of journalism from around the world to examine journalistic practices in the United States. Planned for April 7-28, 2007, the program is an innovative public-private partnership between the Department of State, the Aspen Institute, and 12 leading U.S. schools of journalism. Working in conjunction with these partners, the Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs developed a specialized International Visitor Leadership Program to engage young international media professionals in dialogue with their U.S. counterparts.

The visitors will begin their program with an orientation in the nation's capital (April 9-11) that will offer overviews of U.S. foreign policy objectives and the practice of journalism in the United States. They will then travel in groups according to their regions of origin or language for academic seminars and field activities with faculty and students at one of twelve host campuses as follows (April 12-18):

• Africa (Francophone) group: University Maryland, Philip Merrill College of Journalism;
• Africa (Anglophone) group: University of Kentucky, School of Journalism & Telecommunications;
• East Asia (Chinese) group: University Minnesota, School of Journalism & Mass Communication;
• East Asia (English) group: University of Texas at Austin, School of Journalism;
• Europe (English) group: Louisiana State University, Manship School of Mass Communications;
• Europe (Russian) group: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Department of Journalism;
• Multi-Regional (English) group: American University, School of International Service, International Communication Division;
• Near East (French) group: Syracuse University, Newhouse School of Public Communications & Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs;
• Near East (Arabic) group: Boston University College of Communications, Dept. of Journalism and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill;
• South Asia (English) group: University of Southern California-Annenberg School of Communications; and
• Western Hemisphere (Spanish) group: University of Oklahoma, Gaylord College of Journalism & Mass Communication.

The journalism schools will design specialized courses for their international counterparts to examine journalistic principles and practices, both in the United States and around the world. The universities are generously contributing their resources, time and talent to make this program possible. Finally, the journalists will travel to several contrasting cities and small American towns to gain an understanding of media coverage of state politics and government and to observe American civic life and grassroots involvement in political affairs in smaller towns. The program will conclude in Washington, D.C., with a symposium hosted by the Aspen Institute to highlight current trends and challenges facing the media in the United States and around the world.

2007/268 (Revised)