Public Diplomacy
One million is a lot of people! And to think the US almost didn't have a Pavilion at all. Craziness! Whatever happened to public diplomacy anyway? It's a huge mistake for the government not to support these things (at least when they take place in China, our best frienemy). The USA Pavilion at the Expo will see more people in six months than the all of the consulates in China see in THIRTY YEARS. Yes, thirty years. And that's including all the people we reject for visas, who won't have the most positive view of the US after their experience at the consulate.
One of the other people at lunch was the Shanghai Consulate's Information Officer, who is a Public Diplomacy Foreign Service Officer. It was interesting to talk to him about the foreign service, public diplomacy, and how close the US came to committing the biggest faux pas ever in not participating at the Expo. The Chinese government often talks about how certain US actions, like meeting with the Dalai Lama, "hurt the feelings of the Chinese people." I usually find that a bit ridiculous. But not having a Pavilion at the Expo (which most of you have probably never heard of, but is a big deal in China) would have actually hurt the feelings of the Chinese people. Aside from how ridiculously pissed China would have been, how could the US even think of missing an opportunity to create a positive impression and reach out to this many Chinese people? And how could they leave it to companies to pay for it? Chinese people already know about Coca-Cola and McDonalds. What they don't realize is that American don't actually eat McDonalds (or Burger King or Pizza Hut or Dairy Queen every day).
At any rate, Secretary Clinton, Ambassador Villarreal and others pulled it together in the end, and have seen a million visitors in the first month. They also have a blog in both Chinese and English, which is smart, because what this Expo is really about is reaching out to the Chinese people. It's called Public Diplomacy. Perhaps we should get back to that. First step: Don't fail Rachelle on the Foreign Service Exam next time!!!
Well, I'm off to see the USA Pavilion (and whatever other things I don't have to wait in line for) myself today.
brought to you by Rachelle
0 cents from the peanut gallery
