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'Tis the Season for Citizen Diplomacy

National Summit on Citizen Diplomacy Precedes NCIV National Meeting

by Tunde Akinmade, Meridian International Center, Program Associate, on Loan to NCIV

After more than a year of planning and hard work, the National Summit on Citizen Diplomacy took place at the Renaissance Washington, DC Hotel on February 12-13, 2008. Immediately preceding the 2008 NCIV National Meeting, the National Summit brought together more than 200 individuals from across the county interested in the practice and promotion of citizen diplomacy. About one-third of the participants were NCIV members, while the others were professionals based in Washington, DC and beyond. This summit is the second of its kind; the first National Summit on Citizen Diplomacy took place in July 2006. Organized in partnership between the Coalition for Citizen Diplomacy and the U.S. Center for Citizen Diplomacy, one goal of this National Summit is to encourage citizen diplomacy summits on the local level.

The idea behind citizen diplomacy is that ordinary Americans can shape foreign relations, “one handshake at a time.” To that end, the goal of the National Summit was two-fold. The first goal was to define the concept of citizen diplomacy for anyone new to the movement. Secondly, in order to effectively promote and practice citizen diplomacy, the National Summit brought together an impressive array of panelists to share their ideas and exchange best practices. The ultimate goal is to ensure that as many people as possible know about the concept of citizen diplomacy and the long-term benefits associated with having a world full of active citizen diplomats. When that happens, the movement will ideally reach “the tipping point.”

Challenging delegates to propel this grassroots movement to the tipping point, Sherry Mueller, President, National Council for International Visitors (NCIV), opened the Summit. She introduced David Roe, President of the Board, U.S. Center for Citizen Diplomacy, who stressed the importance in promoting the acknowledgment and growth of citizen diplomacy, eloquently setting the stage for what would eventually occur during the National Summit. After their remarks, Mr. Dick Martin, author of Rebuilding Brand America, delivered a keynote address that enlightened and entertained the audience. Accompanied by a visual presentation that cleverly illustrated the need for increased federal support of for public diplomacy, particulary international exchanges, Mr. Martin’s call to action was a highlight of the Summit. The opening plenary was also graced by the presence of twenty International Visitors. Part of a multi-regional delegation hosted by Meridian International Center, the group was here in the United States on the International Visitor Leadership Program to study “NGOs and Civic Activism.”

The concurrent sessions provided the substantive content of the National Summit. Sessions were diverse and informative, covering topics from "The Interplay of Foreign Assistance and Citizen Diplomacy" to “Youth as Citizen Diplomats” to “The Nexus of Media and Citizen Diplomacy.” On Tuesday evening, the National Awards for Citizen Diplomacy, organized by the U.S. Center for Citizen Diplomacy, honored six individuals whose extraordinary efforts exemplified the true spirit of citizen diplomacy. The venue, the Robert and Arlene Kogod Courtyard at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery and American Museum of Art, provided an impressive setting for this event. Each of the recipients was treated to a personalized performance that highlighted their accomplishments through spoken word and dance. One of the six honorees was Tarik Daoud, NCIV Board Member and Chair Emeritus, Internatioal Visitors Council of Metropolitan Detroit.

After attending another round of concurrent session the following morning, Summit participants gathered together for the Luncheon Plenary. Ambassador Kenton Keith, Senior Vice President, Meridian International Center, introduced Ms. Alina Romanowski, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, U.S. Department of State, and Dr. Allan Goodman, President and CEO, Institute of International Education (IIE). Experts in their respective fields, Ms. Romanowski covered new public diplomacy initiatives of the U.S. Department of State while Dr. Goodman shed light on the highly effective international education programs that IIE offers as well as the results of the Smart Power Commission.

As the closing plenary ended the second National Summit on Citizen Diplomacy, it was clear that participants were motivated to apply the concepts learned at the Summit and eager to expand knowledge of the notion of citizen diplomacy to the general population. Whether immediately returning to their respective communities and organizations or staying in DC to attend the 2008 NCIV National Meeting, the mission of the Summit had been clear: the time is now to overcome the necessary barriers, reach that tipping point, and engage more Americans as active citizen diplomats.

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