Media Note Office of the Spokesman Washington, DC September 29, 2008
Nominations Open for Second Annual Benjamin Franklin Award for Public DiplomacyThe Benjamin Franklin Award for Public Diplomacy is the most prestigious honor that the U.S. Department of State can bestow on American citizens who are making outstanding international contributions to public diplomacy. Nominations for this second annual award will be accepted from October 1, 2008 through December 15, 2008.
In January 2007 Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice announced the creation of the award, which reflects the Secretary’s conviction that the solutions to the challenges of the 21st century will come from all sectors of American society working together.
Benjamin Franklin Awards will be presented in four categories: individuals, corporations, academic institutions (schools, universities, etc), and not-for-profit organizations (non-governmental organizations, foundations, associations, etc.). Special emphasis will be given to activities and programs that provide hope and opportunity in education, culture, and information; empower, educate, and inspire key audiences such as women, students, and educators; and engage under-served communities and grassroots organizations.
Nominations will be accepted from any individual or group. Those who submit nominations need not be U.S. citizens, but all nominees must be U.S. citizens. The nominated activity must have taken place during calendar year 2008, and nominations will be considered only for activities that do not involve U.S. Government funding. The award will be presented in Spring 2009.
Nomination forms and criteria are available at http://www.state.gov/r/partnerships/award/ or by emailed request to diplomacyupdate@state.gov.
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Released on September 29, 2008
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