Cidadãos diplomatas

RACINE, Wis., Oct 06, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- To dramatically improve international relations throughout the world, the U.S. Center for Citizen Diplomacy (U.S. Center) announced today a National Presidents' Initiative for Citizen Diplomacy. The National Presidents' Initiative was launched as a result of discussions by 40 U.S. leaders, associated with more than 90 organizations in international affairs, who attended a Leadership Forum on Citizen Diplomacy. A National Presidents' Initiative Steering Committee plans to meet with members of the U.S. Center's Board, forum participants, nationally recognized leaders in foreign affairs, members of Congress, members of the new administration's transition team on foreign policy, and with the president-elect in early December to discuss this strategic plan and its implementation. The Leadership Forum, co-sponsored by the Johnson Foundation, convened October 1-3, 2008, at the Wingspread Conference Center in Racine, Wisconsin.
"Polls and studies document that anti-American sentiment around the globe is dangerously high, growing to unprecedented levels. In an era of increasing interdependence, more and more people develop their most lasting impressions from face-to-face, personal encounters with people visiting the U.S. or when Americans travel abroad," said Former Ambassador Mark Johnson, V.P. of the U.S. Center's Board of Directors and facilitator at the Leadership Forum. "Restoring America's global image demands the active engagement of American citizens in a dramatic expansion of citizen diplomacy. Implementation of the National Presidents' Initiative, increasing our capacity to reach out, will be a powerful force in defining the U.S. to the rest of the world."
The National Presidents' Initiative will be a "Call to Action" to energize and motivate Americans to become citizen diplomats, dramatically increasing the number of Americans, of all ages, who are actively engaged globally to strengthen America's international relationships. The strategic plan includes the expansion of existing citizen diplomacy efforts and identifies bold new, innovative opportunities to engage all Americans globally through education, business, volunteer service, community-based initiatives, professional exchange, arts & humanities programs, sports, development assistance or international travel.
Harriet Fulbright, President of the J. William & Harriet Fulbright Center and U.S. Center Board member said, "President Dwight D. Eisenhower recognized the importance of citizen diplomacy more than 50 years ago when he convened the People to People Conference in 1956. Today, we must redefine citizenship for the 21st century. All Americans can be a driving force in improving international relations, working across cultures to ensure global political and economic stability."
The U.S. Center, based in Des Moines, Iowa, is a nonpartisan, non-profit organization established in 2006 to promote opportunity for all Americans to become citizen diplomats of the highest order, for their communities and for their country. To advance its mission, the U.S. Center invited leaders with extensive backgrounds in all facets of international engagement, in both public and private sectors, business, education and non-profit international organizations to the Leadership Forum.
For more information on the U.S. Center for Citizen Diplomacy, visit http://www.uscenterforcitizendiplomacy.org. Contact: Marisol Molstre
Phone: 515-282-7145
m.molstre@essmanassociates.com
Denise Essman
Phone: 515-282-7145
d.essman@essmanassociates.com
SOURCE U.S. Center for Citizen Diplomacy