About the Author: Ann Stock is the Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA).
The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) had a busy and exciting 2011, marked by a bevy of accomplishments, quick responses to foreign policy challenges, and a swath of new people-to-people exchange programs that help advance American standing and interests around the world.
Many of our most exciting programs responded to the needs and opportunities generated by changes in the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia. Throughout these regions, ECA bolstered English teaching and the Fulbright Program. We also added new International Visitor Leadership Programs to give rising leaders in countries like Tunisia and Libya a look at American entrepreneurship and democratic, transparent governance.
Our cultural and historical preservation work also helped raise the U.S. profile abroad. For instance we restored the historical citadel of Herat, our… more »
About the Author: David M. Robinson serves as Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees, and Migration.
With an estimated 40 million displaced people worldwide, up to 12 million who do not have citizenship to any country, and some 10.5 million refugees around the globe, the State Department's Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) assists persecuted and uprooted people through our support to international organizations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and by advocating for their protection through humanitarian diplomacy. From the Arab Awakening to the crisis in the Horn of Africa, global political upheaval and conflict have presented many humanitarian challenges, and as 2012 begins, I'd like to take a moment to share a few examples of the work we did last year.
Refugee Admissions: The United States welcomed more than 56,000 refugees… more »
About the Author: Katie Dowd serves in the Office of the Secretary of State.
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton launched the Civil Society 2.0 initiative two years ago to build capacity among grassroots organizations. Since then, the State Department has dedicated itself to increasing the digital literacy of those working in civil society through the TechCamp program, orchestrating half a dozen camps around the world with more planned for 2012.
Our most recent project, TechCamp: Bucharest, was held in the Romanian capital's historic Central Library and hosted in partnership with the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Romanian Ministry of Communications and Information Society, the International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX), and the National Democratic Institute (NDI). The agenda focused on helping working-level staff from non-governmental… more »
About the Author: Kris M. Balderston serves as Special Representative for Global Partnerships.
In 2011, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton continued to champion cross-sectoral partnerships as a cornerstone of her 21st Century Statecraft. In support of her priorities, the Global Partnership Initiative (GPI) focused on four flagship initiatives last year:
Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves
Over the past year, our work on clean cookstoves has continued to thrive. In 2011, we built the Alliance infrastructure and strategic base, launched major communications initiatives, and began a wide range of operational priorities, much of which was either led by the U.S. government or made possible because of our strong commitment.
All of us at DipNote -- Andrea Curran, Edward Dunn, Victoria Esser, Luke Forgerson, Sarah Goldfarb, Jeff Jackson, Hannah Johnson, Tamika Johnson, Eric Jones, Anne McCarthy, Thomas Ogden, and Daniel Schaub -- wish you a healthy and joyous 2012! more »
DipNote is the official blog of the U.S. Department of State —a place to share stories, discuss experiences, and inspire new ideas on the important foreign policy issues of the day. more »
In 2011, the eastern Horn of Africa was reeling from the region’s most severe drought in 60 years. Progress has been made over the last year, yet some 9 million people are still in need of assistance in the Horn of Africa. Learn more about the crisis, and how you can help.
Thank you, Jonathan, for this insightful post on World Food Day and the importance of strengthening our efforts as an international community to end world hunger…
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Spokesperson Nuland (Oct. 17): "Assistant Secretary for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, Michael Posner, led a 22-member interagency delegation from the U.S. to discuss the full range of human rights issues affecting the country." more »
Oct. 16: Judith Heumann, Special Advisor for International Disability Rights, held a conversation with Ann Cody, Director of Policy and Global Outreach, BlazeSports; and Kirk Bauer, Executive Director of Disabled Sports USA. more »
![Water center in Dolo Kobe, Ethiopia, 2011 [State Department photo]](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20121019000245im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2012_0102_prm_water_center_m.jpg)
![Part of the 17th century Mogosoaia Palace building is viewed through the centre of an unidentified instillation of modern art exhibited in the grounds of the palace, on the outskirts of Bucharest, Romania, Oct. 19, 2008. [AP File Photo]](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20121019000245im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2012_0102bucharest_m.jpg)
![U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton meets with Chef José Andrés, Culinary Ambassador for the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves, at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C., on September 13, 2011. [State Department photo/ Public Domain]](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20121019000245im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2011_0913_clinton_chef_andres_m.jpg)
