Global Leadership in Public Diplomacy

October 15, 2015

By Danielle Saroyan

Armenian Agenda Associate Editor

On Wednesday, October 14, Armenian Assembly Public Affairs Associate Danielle Saroyan attended the Global Leadership in Public Diplomacy summit hosted by the University of Southern California Center on Public Diplomacy at the U.S. Institute of Peace in Washington, D.C.

Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy & Public Affairs Richard Stengel was the keynote speaker. He discussed the importance of using public diplomacy today and implementing “Soft Power” in hard places. The summit continued with conversations on the topics of advancing international advocacy in the digital age, the future of cultural diplomacy, public diplomacy in congress, bridging the study-practice gap, and the next frontiers of public diplomacy incorporating technology and talent.

Keynote Speaker Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy & Public Affairs Richard Stengel

Among the panelists were former U.S. Representative Howard Berman (D-CA, 1983-2013) and former Mexican Ambassador to the U.S. Arturo Sarukhán (2007-2013). Rep. Berman served as House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman in 2010 and was instrumental in the Armenian Genocide Resolution bill’s adoption. Saroyan met Rep. Berman and thanked him for his efforts on behalf of the Armenian American community. Saroyan also spoke with Amb. Sarukhán who, like her, is a descendent of an Armenian Genocide survivor. Sarukhán’s grandmother fled to Thessaloniki, Greece during the Armenian Genocide, then moved to Venice, where she met and later married Artur Sarukhanian, his grandfather. Together, they left Italy for Mexico, where Amb. Sarukhán’s parents met.

Former U.S. Representative Howard Berman (D-CA, 1983-2013) and Armenian Assembly Public Affairs Associate Danielle Saroyan at the USC Center on Public Diplomacy Global Leadership in Public Diplomacy summit.

Former Mexican Ambassador to the U.S. Arturo Sarukhán (2007-2013) and Armenian Assembly Public Affairs Associate Danielle Saroyan at the USC Center on Public Diplomacy Global Leadership in Public Diplomacy summit.