- Secretary Clinton Names Special Envoys to Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the Middle East
- Secretary Clinton (Jan. 22): "Today, we start the hard work to restore our standing and enable our country to meet the vexing new challenges of the 21st century, but also to seize the opportunities that await us. The President is committed to making diplomacy and development the partners in our foreign policy along with defense, and we must be smarter about how we exercise our power." -Full Text -Video
- Secretary Clinton Delivers Welcome Address at U.S. Department of State
- Secretary Clinton (Jan. 22): "President Obama set the tone with his inaugural address. And the work of the Obama-Biden Administration is committed to advancing America's national security, furthering America's interests, and respecting and exemplifying America's values around the world." -Full Text -Video
- Secretary Clinton Calls for Use of Smart Power
- Secretary Clinton (Jan. 13): "The President-Elect and I believe that foreign policy must be based on a marriage of principles and pragmatism, not rigid ideology; on facts and evidence, not emotion or prejudice. ...We must use what has been called "smart power," the full range of tools at our disposal -- diplomatic, economic, military, political, legal, and cultural -- picking the right tool, or combination of tools, for each situation." -Full Text -Video
In Other News
- About the Secretary of State
- The Secretary of State, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, is the President's chief foreign affairs adviser. -More
- Doors to Diplomacy Contest
- The 2009 "Doors to Diplomacy" award competition recognizes student-created Global SchoolNet Web projects that teach others about the importance of international affairs. -More
- Asia-Pacific Partnership
- The Asia-Pacific Partnership (APP) on Clean Development and Climate aims to increase development and deployment of clean energy technologies. It is a key component of U.S. efforts to combat climate change, promote energy security, and foster global economic growth and cooperation. -More
Foreign Policy Highlights
- Online Video Contest
- Enter your 3-minute video on "My Culture + Your Culture." Deadline: January 26.
- Ask The Ambassador
- This online forum lets you interact with U.S. Ambassadors around the world. When a chat is announced, questions submitted online will be answered by State Department officials and posted to the website so that others many benefit from the discussion. Check this space for upcoming chats.
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- Democracy Video Challenge
- Create a video short that completes the phrase "Democracy is." Deadline: January 31.
- Policy Podcast
- State Department officials discuss upcoming events and foreign policy issues. See the video collection and check this space for upcoming Podcasts.
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Traveling?
- Costa Rica
One-fourth of Costa Rica's land is dedicated to national forests, often adjoining picturesque beaches, which has made the country a popular destination for affluent retirees and eco-tourists despite increasing crime. Costa Rica used to be known principally as a producer of bananas and coffee, but pineapples have surpassed coffee as the number two agricultural export.
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Japan
- Japan, a country of islands, extends along the eastern or Pacific coast of Asia. About 73% of the country is mountainous, with a chain running through each of the main islands. Japan's highest mountain is the world famous Mt. Fuji (12,385 feet). Since so little flat area exists, many hills and mountainsides are cultivated all the way to the summits.
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- Northern Ireland
- By the mid-1990s, gestures toward peace encouraged by successive British governments and by then-President Clinton began to open the door for restored local government in Northern Ireland. Key elements of the Good Friday Agreement of 1998 include devolved government, a commitment of the parties to work toward "total disarmament of all paramilitary organizations," police reform, and enhanced mechanisms to guarantee human rights and equal opportunity. - Full Text
- Saudi Arabia
- Saudi Arabia's current development plan focuses on economic diversification in addition to education and inclusion of women in society. The plan calls for establishing new universities and new colleges with technical specializations. Privatization as well as emphases on a knowledge-based economy and tourism will help in the goal of economic diversification.
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- Italy
Europe's Renaissance period began in Italy during the 14th and 15th centuries. Literary achievements--such as the poetry of Petrarch, Tasso, and Ariosto and the prose of Boccaccio, Machiavelli, and Castiglione--exerted a tremendous and lasting influence on the subsequent development of Western civilization, as did the painting, sculpture, and architecture contributed by giants such as da Vinci, Raphael, Botticelli, Fra Angelico, and Michelangelo.
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