state magazine, april 2007

M A G A Z I N E

U . S . D E P A R T M E N T O F S T A T E

A P R I L 2 0 0 7

Dusty-RoadDiplomacy

Teaching Englishin RussiaMultimedia tools boost public diplomacy outreach.

Dusty-RoadDiplomacyBuilding prosperity in rural Peru.

Must-See TVPost videos now available on BNet.

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ON THE COVER“Dusty-roads diplomats” dedicatethemselves to countries in transition.Photograph by Corbis

STATE MAGAZINE + APRIL 2007 + NUMBER 511

CONTENTS

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10 ART in KuwaitART in Embassies artist Linda Touby spreadsAmerican culture abroad.

12 ART in IcelandSanta Fe textile artist shares expertise withIceland’s future weavers.

18 Just MeasuresState helps the world remember the Holocaust.

30 Peace in His TimeFriends, family remember AmbassadorRobert Frowick.

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COLUMNS2 FROM THE UNDER SECRETARY

3 READERS’ FEEDBACK

4 DIRECT FROM THE D.G.

5 IN THE NEWS

31 STATE OF THE ARTS

32 SAFETY SCENE

34 OBITUARIES

35 RETIREMENTS

36 THE LAST WORD

POST OF THE MONTH:

EASTTIMORU.S. helps a new nation find its footing.

I was delighted to recently open theForeign Service Institute’s fifth DistanceLearning Showcase. This event provided anexcellent occasion to view the newest prod-ucts FSI has developed. FSI has made afantastic array of distance learning coursesavailable to our State Department employ-ees and eligible family members throughoutthe world. When visiting posts, I make it aspecial point to inquire about the use ofdistance learning by post personnel andencourage everyone to take advantage ofthese many course offerings.

Distance learning covers a wide range ofsubjects, including language, leadership,tradecraft, security and life abroad. FSI hasmade enormous progress in increasing thenumber of available distance learning offer-ings—FSI purchases passwords to thecommercial courses, called FasTrac, and tothe language resource Rosetta Stone andhas produced almost 100 courses uniquelybased on the needs of the foreign affairscommunity.

The Office of Management and Budgethas designated FSI as one of only fiveauthorized federal service providers underthe President’s Management Agenda e-Gov-ernment initiative, and FSI is successfullycollaborating on a number of interagencyventures, including with the U.S. Agency forInternational Development.

Training—and particularly distancelearning—has been one of the Secretary’sand my top priorities. Moreover, providingfirst-class training to a workforce dispersedworldwide is an increasingly criticalelement in FSI’s strategic plan. Moremembers of our workforce are becomingself-directed learners who continuouslyupdate their skills and knowledge.

I am delighted to see the steady increasein the number of our employees takingadvantage of distance learning. In fact,there were nearly 12,000 distance learningenrollments in 2006—a fivefold increase injust the past five years.

Our workforce is scattered throughout20 time zones, and the convenience of self-paced learning cannot be underestimated.

FSI’s Internet-based LearnCenter makestraining accessible around the clock, fromwork or from home. It tracks progress,records successful course completions andserves as an interactive hub, hosting chat

rooms and bulletin boards for online men-toring or collaboration among ourdispersed community. FSI provides learner-centered curricula and continua outliningindependent study options or key Web sitesand other online resources.

FSI has developed language and culturetraining with a broad spectrum of innova-tive custom distance learning products,some of which employ video and voicerecognition for a truly interactive learningexperience. Offerings range from Introduc-tory and Express language courses forbeginners to mentored training programsfor advanced learners. A new area studiesseries teaches “Cultural Interactions andConnections” for specific foreign countries.

FSI is rapidly expanding its tradecraftcourse portfolio. Employees will find prac-tical and relevant training such as updatedcontracting or grants courses. I providedFSI funds to produce distance learningcourses covering some of the WebPASSsoftware after having heard how much this

was needed. I am pleased to say that FSIwill release nine WebPASS courses this year.

Other courses cover topics such as intel-lectual property rights, world trade issuesand examining passports. Security issuesare covered in the Domestic EmergencyManagement, the Emergency Radio Skillsand the Cybersecurity Awareness courses,which everyone on OpenNet+ must takeannually. Finally, the commercial FasTracprogram offers a wide range of informationtechnology training courses available toend users and professional IT staff, someleading to industry standard certifications.

One new online course relevant to all ofus is “Transformational DiplomacyOverview,” which provides a clearer look atthe meaning of the concept and offers real-world case studies of transformationaldiplomacy in action.

FSI has developed training continua,which are available on its Web site to aidyou in planning your training and develop-ment. These guides include informationon distance learning courses that are cone-specific and offer road maps of FasTraccourses linked to specific topics.

One of our biggest challenges is findingtime. I encourage leaders and supervisorsto review the distance learning offeringsand agree on setting aside time at work soemployees can complete those job-relatedcourses in an uninterrupted way. I also askall of you who have completed distancelearning courses to become office or postchampions and help those who may be juststarting out.

I believe that every member of our StateDepartment family has a vital role to playin carrying out our nation’s foreign policy.Distance learning encourages lifelonglearning to support that role.

I strongly urge everyone to take advan-tage of the opportunities offered by FSI tobecome an engaged learner and acquire orexpand your skills. To learn about all thelatest offerings, visit FSI’s OpenNet Website at http://fsi.state.gov and click on “Dis-tance Learning.” The State Departmentfamily can register online. See you there. �

New FSI Distance Learning Opportunities

UNDER SECRETARY HENRIETTA FORE

2 | S TATE MAGAZ INE | A PR I L 2 0 0 7

APR I L 2 0 0 7 | S TATE MAGAZ INE | 3

Mailing AddressState Magazine2401 E Street, NWHR/ER/SMG, SA-1, Room H-236Washington, DC 20522-0108

[email protected]

Phone(202) 663-1700

Letters should not exceed 250words and should include thewriter’s name, address and daytimephone number. All letters becomethe property of State Magazine.Letters will be edited for length,accuracy and clarity. Only signedletters will be considered.

Let Us Hear from You

R E A D E R S ’ F E E D B A C K

Legendary GratitudeWords cannot adequately express my

appreciation and gratitude for the article“Dr. Jessie Colson, Legend,” which appearedin the February issue. It is so nice to becalled a legend while one can hear it.

It means a lot as a former teacher to knowthat I made an impact on my students at theDepartment. The ladies who wrote thearticle, some now retired, collaborated fromposts as far away as Rome and Lomé—all tomy complete surprise. I appreciate themtoday as I did when they were students, andI remain so proud of their achievements.

During more than 25 years at State, I hadthe opportunity to work with some of themost professional and supportive employeesin the world. The Department gave strongsupport to training and upward-mobilityopportunities to employees at all levels. Itprovided the space, equipment and budget,while supporting our objectives for theprogram and my efforts. An example of thatis the fact that I had the opportunity totravel to more than 25 overseas posts toenhance my own professional knowledgeand skills.

People say that timing is everything. Istill remember vividly the day Ambassador

Carl Rowan conducted a faculty seminar atMorgan State College, where I was then anassistant professor. He suggested that Icome over to Washington and explore thepossibilities of joining the Foreign Service.I came within the week, was interviewedand the rest of my Department of Statecareer is history.

Now in “retirement,” I remain an avidtraveler, a lover of people, an active partici-pant in life and a strong believer that withself-confidence, determination, ability andopportunity, all things are possible.

Jessie ColsonRetired Foreign Service officer

ColonoscopyI was very pleased to read of David

Ollman’s success in running marathons andbattling colon cancer (February).

In 2001, I attended a Department noon-time health care briefing about diabetes andafterward consulted my physician. He hadurged me months earlier to get acolonoscopy, given my family’s cancerhistory. I had put it off, but now decided toget one, my first.

The results showed that I had a growth

the size of a half-dollar coin on the wall ofthe ascending colon. Fortunately, there wasno malignancy. However, the surgeoninformed me that the growth was on its wayto turning precancerous. I had dodged abullet. I have had two subsequent colono-scopies at three-year intervals, and they haveshown that everything is healthy.

One other benefit from the firstcolonoscopy and surgery: I lost weight andstarted a regular workout routine that I con-tinue. The experience was a wake-up call. Ihave urged other family members to getcolonoscopies, and they have done so withhappy results.

Colon cancer is not an old person’sdisease. While the preparation is the mostunpleasant part of it, the actual colonoscopywith anesthesia is “a piece of cake.” I urgeanyone with a family history of cancer to geta colonoscopy. Even people with no familyhistory should have a “benchmark”colonoscopy after consulting their physi-cians. I can thank the Department’s regularhealth lecture series for motivating me to doso in the nick of time.

Bruce K. ByersRetired Foreign Service officer

The article “One-Two-Three” in the February issue on thepromotion process could have been written verbatim in the early1990s. Strategic advice re assignments and tactical advice on EERswere the same back then. Yet, notwithstanding how good andconsonant with those principles an FSO and his or her EERswere, promotions were skewed by managerial considerations. TheDepartment was whipsawed by “reinventing-government” down-sizing, budgetary strictures and gender- and minority-preferencelegal pressures such that limited promotion slots had to be madeavailable for some at the expense of others.

One tactic the Department used was to arbitrarily redefinemultifunctionality standards so as to deny perfectly well-qualifiedofficers their earned opportunity fairly to compete in thatcone. Those were tawdry times for management. One hopes thatsuch distortion of merit principles is past, but the Departmentshould be on guard against recurrence.

D. Thomas Longo, Jr.Retired Foreign Service officerDelmar, Md.

Promotion Process


D.G. GEORGE STAPLES

As with many other federal agencies, theDepartment of State is facing a potentialwave of retirements over the coming yearsdue to the aging of the baby boomers.Approximately 17 percent of the Depart-ment’s workforce is currently eligible toretire. In five years, that number willincrease to 35 percent, and in 10 years,more than half of the current workforcewill be retirement eligible.

At State, we recognize that there is a life-time relationship between our retirees andthe Department. We have taken steps tohelp maintain that relationship throughRNet, the Retirement Network AlumniOrganization for the U.S. Department ofState. RNet recognizes that retirees are anintegral part of State’s talent pool. It intro-duces a completely new perspective onretirement and reemployment.

In November, the Department won thePresident’s Award for Management Excel-lence for RNet as a Talent ManagementSystem. Administered through the Presi-dent’s Quality Award Program, this is thehighest award given to Executive Branchagencies for management excellence. TheDepartment of State was the only agencycited for Strategic Management of HumanCapital, a significant part of the President’sManagement Agenda.

Critical information on retirementissues, such as retirement eligibility andcredit for service, is now available throughthe Internet to employees and retirees alikeon the Office of Retirement’s Web site,www.RNet.state.gov. We have now incorpo-rated AskRNet into the Web site, whereemployees and retirees alike can search for

answers to frequently asked questions.The site also includes complete packages

of the retirement application formsrequired for both Foreign Service and CivilService employees. Timely submission ofapplication forms is essential to timely pro-

cessing. Employees should note thatthey must submit applications 90 daysin advance of their planned date ofretirement.

RNet delivers real services to retireesfrom all seven foreign affairs agencies,including RNet bulletins on importantchanges that affect benefits. Retirees canchange their tax withholding or make theirown address and banking changes, as wellas view their online annuity statements and1099Rs (for tax purposes) throughwww.employeeexpress.gov. Importantly for

the Department’s talent management, RNetmay also serve as a door to reemploymentfor State retirees.

Through secure accounts, retirees cansend inquiries to the Office of Retirement,create a professional profile and indicatetheir interest in employment opportunitiesby registering for the WAE Global Employ-ment registry and also the OperationalReadiness Reserve and Standby ResponseCorps. Retirees must have an EP+profile on record; they can update thisprofile either before retirement throughHROnline, or postretirement through theirRNet account.

The RNet Web site delivers retirementinformation to current foreign affairsagency employees, making AskRNet andthe forms for retirement available to all. Inthe near future, we will establish an elec-tronic application process for Departmentemployees, with forms that can be filledout online and sent electronically toHR/RET. We will issue a DepartmentNotice and guidelines once we are ready tobegin this paperless phase.

RNet has created an efficient method forrapid and frequent communication withour retiree community. In short, it hascompletely changed the way we do busi-ness, relate to retirees and search for talent.

Given the changing demographics, we allneed to view the world of work through anew lens. RNet is a real manifestation ofthe future. Working together, our col-leagues in the Retirement and Executiveoffices have delivered a best-in-class, inno-vative product that serves as a model forthe entire Executive Branch. �

Reaching Out to the Retiredand Retiring Community

“RNet has completely changed the way we do business,relate to retirees and search for talent.”

(NEWSDid you know that more than 3,000

people are killed each day in road trafficaccidents around the world, according tothe World Health Organization’s WorldReport on Road Traffic Injury Prevention?That equates to 1.2 million traffic deaths ayear and one traffic death every 30 seconds.

The human toll and economic burdenfrom road traffic deaths and injuries,especially in developing countries, is enor-mous and expected to increase. There is amove afoot within the U.S. government,among private organizations and on theinternational stage to intervene and reversethis trend.

How does the Global Road Safety focusaffect the Department? Traffic accidents arethe number one cause of nonnatural deathof American citizens abroad, includingthose under Chief of Mission authority. TheBureau of Oceans and International Envi-ronmental and Scientific Affairs now chairsa government interagency working groupon Global Road Safety.

The Overseas Buildings Operations’Safety, Health and Environmental Manage-ment Division provides technical support

to the chair, with theBureau of Consular Affairsproviding additionalinsight on the issuethrough its tracking ofAmerican citizen deathsfrom traffic accidentsabroad. The InternationalInformation Program willwork with missions andposts abroad to stimulateoutreach and public aware-ness programs on globalroad safety. The intera-gency working group willcoordinate U.S. govern-ment activities oninternational Global RoadSafety to ensure a cohesiveforeign policy agenda.

The United Nations hasdeclared the week of April23–29, 2007, Global RoadSafety Week, with a focuson vulnerable young road users. As the leadfor the Global Road Safety interagencyworking group, the Department of State

will be involved in a number of awarenessprograms to get the word out on theimportance of Global Road Safety.

)

PLUS >>> KEEPING HISTORY ALIVE IN ISTANBUL + IMMIGRANT VISA PROCESS-ING RETURNS TO PHNOM PENH + TRUST HELPS FSOS EXPAND COMMUNITYSERVICE + DEPARTMENT TECHNOLOGY BOLSTERS FIELD CONSULAR ACTIVITIES


Around the world, road traffic accidents kill one person every30 seconds.

Promoting GlobalRoad Safety

6 | S TATE MAGAZ INE | APR I L 2 0 0 7

Trust Helps FSOs Expand Community ServiceSay Egypt or Giza, and most people likely think first of the

pyramids, one of the world’s great wonders. The pyramids,however, border an area of Cairo that bustles with commerce,including an extensive transportation system that depends prima-rily on animal power.

Without the transport provided by these animals, many Egyp-tians would lose their livelihood. Yet most have little to nocash to properly support their animals, and may not haveinformation about their options for maintaining animalhealth and welfare.

In April 2006, the Egyptian Society of Animal Friendsopened a large animal clinic within its new animal shelter inGiza. This clinic was opened to serve working animals—thehorses, donkeys and mules that work and travel on thestreets of Cairo. Low- and no-cost veterinary services arenow offered, with the intent of improving the health andwelfare of local animals and to educate owners abouthumane animal treatment and care.

ESAF sought aid for the project from several partners.One partner, the J. Kirby Simon Foreign Service Trust, pro-vided a grant that allowed ESAF to purchase the veterinarytools and equipment needed to work with large animals.Grants like these are awarded to Foreign Service officers toexpand and support community service efforts in their hostcountries. ESAF received this award through the efforts of

Information Resource Officer Carla Higgins, a member of ESAFduring her tenure in Cairo (2001–2005).

Through grants such as the J. Kirby Simon Trust, FSOs can workin meaningful ways with their communities. Host country citizensalso benefit by collaborating with individual Americans to buildbetter understanding and work for a common good.

As Mark Twain said, history may not repeat itself butsometimes it rhymes. America’s alliance with Turkey inthe fight against terrorism was presaged, 176 years ago, byan agreement between the United States and the OttomanEmpire to combat the scourge of piracy—the terrorism ofits day. Commodore David Porter, America’s first diplo-matic representative to the Sublime Porte, signed thetreaty in Istanbul on October 3, 1831. A bronze tabletcommemorating the event was affixed to Palazzo Corpi,which served as the United States Legation and residencebeginning in 1882, as the embassy and ambassador’s resi-dence starting in 1906 and finally as the consulate generalfrom 1937 until the opening of the new consulate generalin 2003.

In honor of Commodore Porter and the long-standing U.S.-Turkish relationship, current Consul General Deborah K. Jones hadthe tablet removed from the now-vacant Palazzo Corpi and installedon a plinth in front of the new consulate general building. Ambassa-dor Ross Wilson presided over its unveiling and rededication at aceremony on February 7, 2007. In his remarks, Ambassador Wilsoncharacterized the tablet as a fitting testament to the depth andendurance of U.S.-Turkish relations. Consul General Jones notedthe appropriateness of the tablet’s finally joining the most impor-tant element earlier transferred from Palazzo Corpi: the dedicatedand talented locally employed staff. The tablet reads as follows:

In Honor of Commodore David Porter, U.S.N.First Diplomatic Representative of the United States of America

accredited to Turkey.——

Commodore Porter and the Reis Affendi exchanged ratificationsof the first treaty between the United States of America and

the Ottoman Empire at Candilli,October 3, 1831.

——This tablet was dedicated by Americans in Constantinople

Fourth of July 1922.

A veterinarian prepares totreat working animals atthe ESAF Large AnimalClinic in Cairo.

Consul General DeborahJones joins AmbassadorRoss Wilson at theFebruary rededication ofthe historic tablet.

Keeping HistoryAlive in Istanbul


MAGAZ INE STAFF

Rob WileyEDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Bill PalmerWRITER/EDITOR

Jennifer LelandWRITER/EDITOR

David L. JohnstonART DIRECTOR

ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS

Maurice S. ParkerEXECUTIVE SECRETARY

Kelly Clements

Annette R. Cocchiaro

Margot A. Sullivan

State Magazine (ISSN 1099–4165) is pub-lished monthly, except bimonthly in Julyand August, by the U.S. Department ofState, 2201 C St., N.W., Washington, D.C.Periodicals postage paid at Washington,D.C., and at additional mailing locations.

CHANGE OF ADDRESS

Send changes of address to State Maga-zine, 2401 E Street, N.W., SA-1, RoomH-236, Washington, D.C. 20522-0108. Youmay also e-mail address changes [email protected].

SUBSCRIPTIONS

State Magazine is available by subscriptionthrough the U.S. Government PrintingOffice by telephone at (202) 512-1800 oron the web at http://bookstore.gpo.gov.

SUBMISSIONS

For details on submitting articles toState Magazine, request our guidelines,“Getting Your Story Told,” by e-mail [email protected]; downloadthem from our web site at www.state.gov;or send your request in writing toState Magazine, 2401 E Street, N.W.,HR/ER/SMG, SA-1, Room H-236,Washington, DC 20522-0108.

The submission deadline for the July/August 2007 issue is June 1. The dead-line for the September issue is July 15.

U.S. Ambassador Joseph A. Mussomeli and Embassy Consular Chief Anne W. Simon, right, presentMs. Sun Dalis the first immigrant visa to be issued in Phnom Penh in more than five years.

The U.S. Embassy in Singapore’sConsular Chief, Julie Kavanagh, left, andNonimmigrant Visa Officer TracyBrown kick off a Web chat about thelaunch of the embassy’s online visaappointment system. The new onlineappointment system is one of many CAefforts to improve services for visaapplicants throughout the world. TheU.S. Embassy in Singapore was the firstpost in the East Asian and Pacific Affairsregion to use the Department’s ContentManagement System Web chat platform.

Immigrant Visa ProcessingReturns to Phnom Penh

U.S. immigrant visa processing officiallyreturned to Cambodia on February 5,2007, with the issuance of the first suchvisa at the U.S. Embassy in Phnom Penh inmore than five years. The recipient of thevisa was Ms. Sun Dalis, who qualified forimmigrant status through a petition filedby her U.S. citizen fiancé. The U.S. ambas-sador to Cambodia, Joseph A. Mussomeli,was on hand to personally present the visato Ms. Sun.

U.S. immigrant visa processing for Cam-bodian citizens was handled by the U.S.Embassy in Bangkok from December 2001until January 2006, when the opening ofthe new U.S. embassy building in PhnomPenh made it feasible to return such pro-cessing to Cambodia. To resume processingimmigrant visas, the consular section hadto hire and train new local staff and trans-fer the paperwork for more than 6,000cases from Bangkok to Phnom Penh.

DepartmentTechnologyBolsters FieldConsular Activities


The scene is from Connect with English,an English-teaching video series that thePublic Affairs section at the U.S. Embassy inMoscow has been piloting in classroomsand American Corners and Centersthroughout Russia since 2006. Little did werealize the tremendous mileage availablefrom this soap-opera-style series thatfollows the life of Rebecca Casey, an aspir-ing singer from Boston who gets accepted tomusic school in San Francisco.

Pooling the resources of our five EnglishLanguage Fellows, we added this productoffered by the Office of Broadcast Services—Video Acquisitions to our public diplomacytoolkit, reaching out to teachers, youth andthe general public even in the most remote,multiethnic republics of the country:Bashkortostan, Tatarstan, Buryatia,Kalmykia, Tuva, the Jewish Autonomous

Republic, Karelia and Komi. We also used itto reach Muslim audiences in the NorthCaucasus, including Chechnya and Dagestan.

In each episode, viewers watch asRebecca’s life takes many turns in herjourney across America in pursuit of herdreams. The story touches on life’s impor-tant issues: leaving home, parenting,education, work, love, success and loss. Thecast of characters represents Americandiversity, and the series lends itself well tothe discussion of topics relevant to youthand adults alike. Each episode has a discus-sion section where learners can makecross-cultural connections.

DIVERSITY IN AMERICARussian teachers say the series helps them

develop their own English skills and refinetheir teaching methods at the same time,

MULTIMEDIA TOOLS BOOST PUBLIC DIPLOMACY OUTREACH BY BRIDGET GERSTEN

Connecting with English

Students in Pyatigorsk, located inthe North Caucasus, prepare fora Connect with English lesson.

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Baseball: The American pastime.Rebecca steps up to the field, eyeingthe small crowd of children squirm-ing around the pitcher’s mound.She coaches a teenager:

Rebecca: Okay, watch me. You keepyour eye on the ball, then get yourbody behind the glove, then scoopit up, like this, okay?

Rebecca (starting to pitch):And bobble the ball so it won’tget past you.

Young ballplayer: Wow, Ms. Casey,you’re pretty good!

Rebecca: They used to call me“Mighty Casey.” (to the childrenplaying ball): Do you know the poem“Casey at the Bat”?

Children: Noooo.


while learning about American lifeand values.

“We have a chance to listen, to watch, todiscuss and to exchange opinions withother teachers,” said Lyudmila, a teacherfrom Yekaterinburg.

Svetlana likes to try new approaches toteaching. “I’ll use the technique of predict-ing what will happen next and the methodof comparing what happens in the film withour own life experiences,” she said.

At the crossroads of European andEurasian Russia, English Language FellowDanai Long has noted how English teachersshe works with can’t wait until the nextepisode.

“Teachers and students love watching theprogram,” she said. “They are eager to seewhat will happen next and to learn newEnglish slang and phrases. They like to seethe American lifestyle and everyday lan-guage use.

“The series dispels myths that moviesabout America portray, for example, that allAmericans have loads of money. They see

how some people live paycheck to paycheckand how saving is part of our culture. Oneclass was surprised at the cost of used carsin America: in a prediction activity, theyguessed that a used car would cost about$50 and were then shocked when costs aver-aged in the thousands.”

In St. Petersburg, Senior English Lan-guage Fellow Sally Barrett uses the series atthe Future Leaders’ Corner and the Ameri-can Center during monthly seminars opento alumni and the general public. Feedbackfrom the field demonstrates the connectionsmade with the series.

One teacher noted that students like tohear native speech, and they like that it’s areal story. Another noted the friendlyatmosphere at the seminars and vowed tocontinue using the series in class.

“For teachers, the program is avaluable resource for those who don’tmeet native speakers often and lack moti-vating materials that demonstratecontemporary language and culture incontext,” Barrett said.

TELEVISION + ENGLISH TEACHINGHarnessing technology for public diplo-

macy outreach is particularly important ina place like Russia, a country with a popula-tion of more than 142 million peoplespanning 11 time zones and home to 41indigenous peoples. Post’s three consulatescontinue to explore new media outlets, fol-lowing the successful television broadcast ofthe series in St. Petersburg, Vladivostok andthe remote, volcanic Kamchatka peninsula,just 1,000 miles from Alaska.

The series has a handy, online programsynopsis available at www.learner.org/resources/series71.html, together withepisodes available for viewing on the Web.Post has started distributing an easy-to-usehandbook that includes teaching tips,idioms and cultural pointers created by ourFellows to posts worldwide. It is now avail-able for downloading in PDF format onlineat http://www.usembassy.ru/english. �

The author is the public diplomacy officer atthe U.S. Embassy in Moscow.

Technology and a good story grab the attention of theseUfa students.

Group discussions like this one in St. Petersburg lead to adeeper and more realistic understanding of American culture.

English teachers use Connect with English materials to devel-op their English skills and refine their teaching methods.

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New York artist Linda Touby was a hitamong members of the Kuwait art commu-nity and public during a five-day visitsponsored by the ART in EmbassiesProgram. Touby is a successful Americanpainter whose work in the abstract expres-sionist style is characterized by vibrantcolors, bold statements and evocative moods.

During her visit to the Gulf state inDecember, Touby gave workshops to stu-dents, met with a large number of Kuwaitiartists and art patrons and made mediaappearances during which she spoke abouther work, the New York art scene and the

Department of State’s ART in EmbassiesProgram.

Six of Touby’s paintings have been ondisplay at the residence of AmbassadorRichard LeBaron since he and wife Jeanarrived in Kuwait in 2004. Touby’s visit,funded by ART in Embassies and arrangedon the ground by the U.S. Embassy inKuwait’s Public Affairs section, was anopportunity for visitors who have enjoyedher artwork for the past two years to meetthe artist in person. Her visit also was achance to promote American-Kuwaiti good-will through a cultural exchange.

Touby’s visit began with a receptionhosted by Ambassador and Mrs. LeBaron atthe ambassador’s residence. The artist andher colorful paintings were the glitteringcenterpieces of an evening for Kuwaiti artistsand art patrons, who were introduced toTouby and invited to view her work. Duringhis remarks, Ambassador LeBaron expressedhow delighted he was to finally meet Touby,since he and Mrs. LeBaron had been livingwith her creations for two years.

“I cannot tell you how much we haveenjoyed having these artworks in our home,”he said. “Jean and I consider ourselves very

ART IN EMBASSIES ARTIST LINDA TOUBY SPREADS AMERICAN CULTURE ABROADBY MONA FAROUKI

Goodwill in KuwaitSeveral abstract expres-sionist works by artistLinda Touby are onprominent display in theambassador’s residencein Kuwait.


fortunate to be able to live with these won-derful paintings and also to share them withour many Kuwaiti guests.”

INSTANT BONDSAt workshops in schools and studios,

Kuwaiti student artists bonded readily withthe artist. Many noted Touby’s friendliness,openness and her New York style, whichsparked an instant connection among fellowartists. At the Kuwait University Women’sCollege, for example, Touby spoke of NewYork’s vibrant art scene and the latest trendsthere. She also talked about her develop-ment as an artist from a child painter in hernative Florida to her schooling in New Yorkand her many exhibitions at galleries andmuseums in the United States and overseas.

At these lectures, aspiring artists learnedTouby’s daily routine as an artist. Each daybegins with a 20-block walk to her studio inNew York’s “Hell’s Kitchen” neighborhood.Once at her studio, she clears her head withmusic and then paints, usually producing aseries of work because no one painting cancontain the idea she wishes to express.Touby concluded many of her sessions withadvice for the students: Be brave, expandhorizons, experiment with different artmediums and find their own true calling inart and life.

The positive response from the studentswas overwhelming; many of them swarmedTouby following her lectures, invited theartist to view their work and asked for auto-graphs and contact information to maintain

a relationship as friends or to seek her men-torship. Touby’s art became a universallanguage, transcending culture and languagebarriers.

Another highlight of her tour was a fieldtrip to the outdoor beach area of the KuwaitScientific Center, which Touby arranged forstudents from the sketching class at theAmerican University of Kuwait. This adven-ture was the first time many of the studentshad sketched outdoors.

Shortly after they began to draw, securityguards notified Touby that the large groupwould require a permit. However, the guardswere so impressed by Touby and by the stu-dents’ sketches that they decided to allowthem to continue their work undisturbed.

At visits to galleries and other culturalcenters, Touby again connected readily withher Kuwaiti counterparts. She received invi-tations to visit the homes of severalprominent Kuwaiti art patrons. At thesesocial visits, Touby viewed unique art collec-tions and met and spoke with even moreKuwaiti artists and art lovers.

One lunch included a group of six youngfemale artists. Following their discussion onthe New York and Kuwait art scenes, the stu-dents promised to contact Touby on theirnext trip to New York. One seasoned galleryowner invited Touby to return and exhibither paintings in 2008.

MESSAGE OF UNDERSTANDINGThe Embassy Public Affairs staff arranged

for Touby’s message of understanding

through the arts to reach the Kuwaiti publicthrough targeted media appearances. Theseincluded an exclusive interview with KuwaitReview, a local art and literature monthlymagazine, as well as appearances on twopopular television programs: “GoodMorning Kuwait,” a morning talk show, and“Raikum Shabab” (“Your Opinion Youth”),a trendy evening program.

Her television appearances included clipsof Touby with her artwork filmed at thehome of the ambassador. Capping off themedia outreach were photographs andstories about her welcome reception andher tour of Kuwait that appeared in thelocal Arabic- and English-language press.

One workshop student asked the locallydubbed “ambassador of art” how she knowswhen a painting is finished.

“A painting is really never finished,”Touby replied, “until we are all finished.This is the beauty of art. It is eternal, for alltimes, all people and all seasons.”

The bonds of friendship the Americanartist formed with hundreds of Kuwaitiscould also be eternal; they will have animpact for a very long time. Touby, throughher art, made a distinctive and lastingimpression on all who interacted with her.Her efforts proved that even in difficulttimes in a troubled region, the commonbonds of humanity run far deeper than thedifferences. �

The author is a cultural affairs specialist atthe U.S. Embassy in Kuwait.

Above: Artist Linda Touby conducted several workshops during her tour,including this one with art students from Kuwait’s Public Authority forApplied Education and Technology. Right: Ambassador Richard LeBaronexpressed delight with Linda Touby’s artwork on display in the residenceand with the ART in Embassies Program that made it possible.


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Under the auspices of the American Artists Abroad Program, textile artistJames Koehler, of Santa Fe, N.M., shared his professional techniques withIceland’s future weavers during a January 2007 visit to Iceland. His audiencesincluded students from Verkmenntaskólinn (Vocational College) in Akureyri,and from a home economics school in Reykjavik.

During two and a half days of workshops at Verkmenntaskólinn, Koehlershowed students how to “dress” a loom prior to weaving, offered valuable tips

about how to dye wool so it remains colorfast andexplained other processes he has developed over his 30-year career as a leading textile artist in the UnitedStates. He showed students how a weaver can vary theshades of a color in a textile piece by dividing the woolinto smaller and smaller strands and then weaving thethinner strands next to each other.

SANTA FE TEXTILE ARTIST SHARES EXPERTISE WITHICELAND’S FUTURE WEAVERS BY SALLY HODGSON

Textile artist James Koehler demon-strates new techniques of weavingtapestries to students and facultymembers at Verkmenntaskólinn(Vocational College) in Akureyri.

dream weavers

Koehler also demonstrated how to weave a circle by holding atransparency of the circle at the back of the loom and marking thedesign with a felt-tipped pen. When the artist weaves, using the dotsas a guide ensures that the circle appears smooth, without zigzags.

Earlier in the week, Koehler spoke to 25 students andfaculty members from the home economics school inReykjavik, and met with Iceland’s most famous weaver,Ásgerður Búadóttir, whose tapestries are similar to Mr.Koehler’s in their use of wave-like patterns.

Koehler’s tapestry, Harmonic Oscillation XXXV, wasamong the art pieces selected by Ambassador Carolvan Voorst to decorate the ambassador’s residence inReykjavik. Koehler was the featured artist at theAmbassador’s ART in Embassies reception in January.More than 100 textile artists, weavers, painters andothers representing the visual arts community inIceland attended the reception.

The workshops were featured in two major newspa-pers, Fréttabladid and Bládid, and by nationwidebroadcasters RÚV Radio and TV, which reach 40percent of the population. An interview with thetextile artist is also scheduled to appear in Hús,

a home design magazine. �

The author is the Public Affairs Officer for the U.S. Embassyin Reykjavik.


Created in 2002, American ArtistsAbroad is a global education initiative ofthe U.S. Department of State’s ART inEmbassies Program that sends some of itslenders, mostly artists, overseas for short-term cultural exchanges. Nominatedparticipants travel to the country wheretheir work is currently on exhibit at theresidence of the U.S. ambassador or chiefof mission. There they engage in a seriesof public programming activities—lec-tures, workshops, studio visits, etc.—withlocal artists, students, educators and

members of the cultural community. Asof February, 36 AAA participants havedone programming on five continents.

According to Anne Johnson, director ofthe ART in Embassies Program, themission of AAA is “to extend the visualdiplomacy of ART in Embassies beyondthe walls of diplomatic residences intolocal communities. It is this sort ofexchange that promotes understandingbetween cultures, no matter how diverse.”

Since 1964, the ART in EmbassiesProgram has been exhibiting original

works of art by U.S. citizens in the publicrooms of American diplomatic residencesworldwide. These exhibitions, with artloaned from a variety of public andprivate sources, play an important role inour nation’s public diplomacy. Theyprovide international audiences with asense of the quality, scope and diversity ofAmerican art and culture through someof our most important and perceptive cit-izens, our artists. You can learn moreabout the ART in Embassies Program athttp://aiep.state.gov.

James Koehler and Ásgerður Búadóttir, Iceland’s mostfamous textile artist, pose in front of one of Mrs. Búadóttir’stapestries, which incorporate wave-like designs similar tothose found in the American artist’s work.

EXTENDING VISUAL DIPLOMACY BY ART IN EMBASSIES STAFF

Dusty-Road


Dust billowed up into the cab of our pickup truck as

we careened around hairpin turns thousands of feet

above a gorge deep in the Andes Cordillera of Peru.

We were traveling in a convoy of six high-powered,

four-wheel-drive vehicles between Departamento de

Huancavelica and the town of Lircay.

I was in the last vehicle, escorting a delegation of dig-

nitaries on an official visit to Peru’s forgotten hinterland.

During three days of rattling over potholed, washboard

dirt roads at altitudes above 14,000 feet, past herds of

llamas and alpacas, I had plenty of time to meditate on

the rigors of diplomacy and the comforts of home. As I

pressed a handkerchief to my face, trying to filter out the

dust, I gleaned a new understanding of the term...

Building Prosperity in Rural PeruByChris Istrati

Diplomats

I had come across the expression justprior to my trip in something Thomas A.Shannon Jr., assistant secretary for WesternHemisphere Affairs, had written.

“I am what is known as a ‘dusty-roads’diplomat,” he said. “I have dedicated myselfto countries in transition—countries thathave struggled to make democracy realfor their people, and to provide the prosper-ity and security necessary for humandevelopment.”

He told me later he had inherited theterm in 1984 from Richard Dols, who at thattime was serving as the director of the Officeof Pacific Island Affairs and advised himabout making a career of the ForeignService.

LESS-TRAVELED PATHS“The decision you have to make is pretty

simple,” Dols told him. “If you enjoy whatWashington has to offer, especially its com-forts and culture, then stay put. However, ifwhat you like to do at the end of a day is towalk down a dusty road, poke around open-air markets, listen to the chatter of foreignlanguages and realize that you are far awayfrom all that is familiar but right in front ofall that is exciting and interesting, then theForeign Service is for you.”

Those words came back vividly as wedescended into the beautiful valley of Lircayat the end of a kidney-killer ride.

Peru is a country in transition, bothpolitically and economically. The presiden-tial elections last July revealed underlyingsocial and political strains. Alán García wonby a narrow margin with support from thecoastal regions, while Ollanta Humala, thepopulist candidate, gained votes in themountains, jungles and the poorer south-ern region.

The benefits of economic growth have yetto trickle down to more remote areas, andmore roads need to be built to get goods tomarket. Clearly, Peru’s government has workto do, leaving room for a partnership withdusty-road diplomats to help build up thecountry’s stability and prosperity.

Our delegation—consisting of CurtStruble, U.S. ambassador to Peru; GastonBenza Pflucker, director of Sierra Exporta-dora, a Peruvian initiative to engagehighland farmers in international trade;Roque Benavidez, general manager of Bue-naventura Mining Company; a securitydetail; U.S. Agency for International Devel-opment project coordinators; reporters; andme, acting as the embassy press secretary—was scheduled to visit export-producing

projects in Huancavelica, considered one ofthe poorest departments in Peru.

GROUNDBREAKING INVESTMENTSOn the way, we had visited an artichoke

farm; here in Lircay, we were to visit atrout farm.

A sign at the entrance to the valley wel-comed us to the “Lost Paradise of Lircay.” Ariver of glacial melt roared down the middleof fields ripe with crops indigenous to theAndes: potatoes, maize, quinoa and kiwicha(amaranth)—as well as new products des-tined for export.

Peru’s agro-industry has invested heavilyin nontraditional export products such ascoffee, asparagus, paprika, artichokes andtrout. Many jungle products such as maca, aroot with reputed health and aphrodisiacalbenefits, are beginning to find their way intoglobal markets. Textiles made of pimacotton and alpaca wool have also successful-ly penetrated international markets.

The Sumaq Challwa (“pretty fish” inQuechua) trout farm is one of several jointprojects of USAID’s Poverty Reduction andAlleviation Project. PRA is implementedunder a contract with Chemonics Interna-tional, an international developmentconsulting firm.


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Ambassador Struble participates in the celebration ceremonies marking the return of the famed El Retablo de Challapampa to its home.


The trout farm manager told us thatShining Path terrorists had bombed theirenterprise and it was abandoned for manyyears, until the regional government gave aconcession to a private investor to rebuildand manage the farm. Sumaq Challwa hasbecome an excellent model for public-private/local-international cooperation.

In 2002, as part of a partnership betweenthe U.S. government and the private sector,the Buenaventura Mining Company con-tributed $1.1 million to establish an“Economic Service Center” for Huancaveli-ca. The center provides technical assistanceto develop small businesses in the region.

These businesses have produced sales of$2.5 million in Huancavelica alone. The cre-ation of 1,250 jobs in one of the mostimpoverished regions of the country maybe the single most important benefit ofPRA’s work.

The highlight of this trip was the signingof an agreement to continue the partner-ship between USAID, the BuenaventuraMining Company and the Peruviangovernment.

THE PERSONAL TOUCHAmbassador Struble interacted with the

local population that greeted us at various

projects. At the trout farm, he was asked tohold a live fish, break a bottle of cham-pagne on a rock and stand with an endlessline of well-wishers wanting their picturetaken. Eating the local fare and rattlingacross mountain roads at high altitudesdidn’t seem to faze him.

Other junior FSOs made frequent tripsinto Peru’s forgotten regions. Abby Gonza-lez traveled to Departamento de Puno tomake arrangements for the return of ElRetablo de Challapampa, a 17th centuryaltar stolen from a church and found in anart gallery in New Mexico. During Peru’spresidential elections, Pablo Valdez crossedthe Ticlio Pass—at 16,000 feet, Peru’shighest paved road—to report on the polit-ical landscape and assess anti-Americanfeelings in the provinces. In Ayacucho, acentral transit zone for the illegal cocaindustry and seat of the Shining Pathmovement, Valdez met a reformedterrorist who was running for mayor.

Ambassador Struble believes that gettingout of the capital can complement othertransitional diplomacy initiatives such asvirtual presence posts and e-diplomacy. He

remembers a local officialat a ceremony calling him“the most important visitorto Puno since 1964.”

After the trip to Huan-cavelica, a Peruvianinvestigative journalistintroduced a TV reportwith this question: “Whathappens when the ambas-sador of the most powerfulnation on earth visits thepoorest region of ourcountry? It’s truly anencounter of two cultures.Luckily this encounter willbenefit our compatriots inHuancavelica.”

Score another publicdiplomacy point for “dusty-road diplomats.” �

The author is a consularofficer at the U.S. Embassyin Lima.

Left: Ambassador Struble admires one of theproducts produced by the trout farm inDepartamento de Huancavelica. Below:Ambassador Struble, right, joins Huancavelica’smayor Dr. Edgar Ruiz, left, and RoqueBenavidez, director of a private mining compa-ny that contributed more than $1 million toestablish an Economic Service Center.


STATE HELPS THEWORLDREMEMBER THE HOLOCAUSTBY KRISTEN BUNTING

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“Help the world remember us,” requested an elderly Holocaust survivor inBerlin. He and Christian Kennedy, the Special Envoy for Holocaust Issues,were attending a meeting of the board of the German foundation that by May2007 will have paid nearly 5 billion euros to former slave and forced laborersof the Nazi regime and to certain other Nazi victims.

Remembrance and securing a measure of justice are the daily work of theDepartment’s Office of the Special Envoy for Holocaust Issues 60 years afterthe cataclysm that nearly destroyed European Jewry. From April 17 to 19, theU.S. Congress and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, joined bymany around the country, will organize remembrance events intended tohonor both victims and survivors of the Holocaust.


A group of survivors and their children will meet in the Depart-ment on April 20 to discuss the meaning of the Holocaust in theirown lives. OHI and the Office of Civil Rights have partnered tobring this educational event to State.

Remembrance and education are important ways to honorvictims, expose the unthinkable consequences that hatred andbigotry can lead to if unchecked and help ensure that such tragicevents are not forgotten—and never repeated.

The Office of Holocaust Issues focuses on:Education: OHI works with The Task Force for International

Cooperation on Holocaust Education, Remembrance and Research,

an informal group of 24 nations that supports andcofinances projects designed to support Holocausteducation by training educators, promoting remem-brance through memorials and commemorations,and encouraging academic research and study.

Property Restitution: During World War II theNazis seized property from organizations and indi-viduals. Much property in Western Europe wasreturned during the postwar period, but it was onlyafter the collapse of communism that it was possibleto restitute property in the former Iron Curtaincountries. Working closely with Jewish nongovern-ment organizations, OHI encourages EasternEuropean countries to adopt and implement lawsand practices to restitute private and communalproperty.

Art Restitution: The Nazis confiscated thousandsof works of art, many of which the Allies returned tocountries of origin after the war. But others were notimmediately identified, and ownership issues havearisen. At the 1998 Washington Conference on NaziEra Assets, 44 nations adopted principles to guideclaimants and holders of disputed art. The Washing-ton Principles remain the standard by whichmuseums, collectors, dealers and claimants deal withdisputed ownership issues.

Payments and other Compensation: Over the pastdecade, the United States has facilitated severalagreements by foreign governments and foreigncompanies to provide a measure of justice forHolocaust survivors. Under these agreements nearly$8 billion has been paid to Jewish and non-Jewishvictims of Nazi persecution. These supplement thevarious payment and compensation programsadopted by Germany in the postwar era, which haveresulted in payments of more than $60 billion to sur-vivors, approximately $100 billion in today’s values.

Opening Holocaust Archives: The United Stateshas taken the lead in opening Holocaust archives,declassifying millions of pages of archived materialsince the 1980s. We are now working with othercountries to open the archives of the InternationalTracing Service for researchers and historians. ITSarchives 30 million pages of WWII and postwar

concentration, labor and displaced persons camp records. Seven-teen million names appear in these archives.

For more information about OHI activities, please visit theWeb site at www.state.gov/p/eur/rt/hlcst. �

The author is an intern in the Office of Holocaust Issues.

The views or opinions expressed in this article, and the contextin which the images are used, do not necessarily reflect the viewsor policy of, nor imply approval or endorsement by, the UnitedStates Holocaust Memorial Museum.

Jewish children working in a locksmith’sworkshop in the Lodz, Poland, ghetto.


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The surf breaks gently ata beach west of Dili.

U.S. Helps a New NationFind Its Footing

By Seiji Shiratori and Aaron Forsberg

P O S T O F T H E M O N T H<<<


EastTimor


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U.S. officials posted to Dili grapple withthe same challenge East Timor itself faces:

How to guide one of the world’snewest nations along the path to success.

Spectacular lion fish are among thesea life divers can see near Dili.


AT A GLANCE: EAST TIMOR

CapitalDili

Total area15,007 square kilometers

Approximate sizeSlightly larger than Connecticut

GovernmentRepublic

IndependenceNovember 28, 1975 (fromPortugal)May 20, 2002 (from Indonesia)

Population1.1 million

LanguagesTetum, Portuguese, Indonesian,English and indigenous languages

ReligionsRoman Catholic, Muslim andProtestant

CurrencyU.S. dollar (USD)

Per capita income$800

Population below poverty line42 percent

ImportsFood, gasoline and kerosene

ExportsCoffee, sandalwood and marble

Internet country code.tl

SOURCE: CIA World Factbook 2007

Mission officials say that each personposted to Dili deals with front-burnerissues every day and has the opportunityto make a real difference.

The 10 direct-hire Americans at thissmall post represent State, the U.S.Agency for International Developmentand the Department of Defense. Themission also employs more than 120Locally Employed staff, including localguards.

BEAUTY AND CONFLICTAccording to legend, the island of

Timor first came into being as a croco-dile. It differs from the volcanic islandsto the west in Indonesia. Composedmainly of limestone, Timor is on partof the continental shelf that has beenpushed up as the Australian tectonicplate slides over the Eurasian plate tothe north. Below the sea are richdeposits of oil and gas.

Timor is in the dry tropics. Outdoorsports enthusiasts find the rugged envi-ronment inviting. Despite severedeforestation, the island’s varied land-forms and vegetation offer spectacularnatural beauty. Untouched coral reefsteeming with marine life make for primescuba diving.

The first inhabitants were Austrone-sian peoples. Subsequent Asian migrantsintroduced agriculture. The first Euro-peans were the Portuguese, whoestablished a colony in the 16th centurycomprising the eastern half of the islandplus the enclave of Oecussi. The Dutchoccupied West Timor, which laterbecame part of Indonesia. Chinese mer-chants conducted most trade.

The Portuguese ruled East Timoruntil 1975, and Portuguese is one oftwo official languages, along with theindigenous and widely spoken Tetum.Bahasa Indonesia and English areworking languages.

On Nov. 28, 1975, East Timordeclared independence from Portugal.Nine days later the Indonesian armyinvaded. The Timorese fought unsuc-cessfully against annexation. Thisstruggle cost the lives of more than 10percent of the population and reaffirmedthe Timorese identity apart fromIndonesia.

The people of East Timor voted forindependence in a United Nations-


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supervised poll in August 1999. The ensuing wave of violencecaptured the world’s attention. Indonesian troops and the Timo-rese militias they backed killed hundreds and laid waste to thecountry’s infrastructure before international peacekeepers arrivedin September.

LAUNCHING A NATIONThe United States established a liaison office in the capital of Dili

in 2000 and has assisted the Timorese in building their new nation.

“The United States hopes East Timor can strengthen itsnascent and democratic institutions and wisely use its rapidlygrowing petroleum revenues to become an example of stability inthe region,” says Chief of Mission Gary Gray.

Most Timorese live on the land and practice subsistence agri-culture. With USAID assistance, the country has begun sellingniche agricultural products, most notably organic coffee, to inter-national buyers such as Starbucks.

Still, East Timor is one of the poorest nations in the world and

Upper left: USAID Director Flynn Fuller helps unload a Food for Progress donation destined for internally displaced persons. Upper right: The sun risesover Cristo Rei. Lower left: Water buffalo can be seen from the road between Dili and Baucau. Lower right: Darragh Paradiso and Elizabeth Wharton,wearing floppy hats, pose with their guides during a climb of Mt. Matebien, which is spiritually important to the Timorese.


has a high rate of unemployment. Oil and gas revenues now flowinto a petroleum fund the government established to preserve thewealth for future generations. The country’s future dependsheavily on how its leaders invest these funds, because its petrole-um resources will eventually run out.

Since independence, Timorese leaders have faced immensechallenges in making the government apparatus work, defining anational identity and accommodating the many conflictingdemands of the Timorese people. In the words of Prime MinisterJosé Ramos-Horta, “Building a state, from almost zero, is a Her-culean task.”

Finding places in independent East Timor for veterans of the

resistance, the Catholic Church and other institutions has beenparticularly contentious.

“In dealing with all of these challenges,” says Gray, “there isn’tany real alternative to success. If East Timor does not succeed, thecountry could fall into long-term internecine strife and violence.”

Embassy employees saw firsthand what the future could looklike when internal divisions in the army sparked a national crisisin 2006. Early in the year, soldiers from the western districts of thecountry alleged discrimination by military leaders, who camemostly from eastern districts. These soldiers abandoned theirposts and, in March, the commander of the armed forces dis-missed about one-third of the army for absence from duty.

Underwater photographer Kathy Khusnaps a picture of passing fish.


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IProtests against this decision inflamed previously mild divisionsbetween easterners and westerners.

Clashes in Dili among demonstrators, the army and police inApril and May claimed the lives of about 30 people and led to thecollapse of public order. More than 150,000 Timorese fled theirhomes, mostly to camps for internally displaced persons. Interna-tional security forces led by Australia intervened to restore orderat the request of the government in May, and the U.N. SecurityCouncil established a new mission in East Timor in August.

The challenge now is to get East Timor back on track. Theimmediate focus is on the presidential and parliamentary elec-tions scheduled for this year.

“We hope that East Timor has free and fair elections and thatall parties accept the results,” says Gray. “We hope the militaryand the police will emerge from this crisis and develop into pro-fessional institutions under civilian control that fully respecthuman rights.”

Longer term, the U.S. government has been working topromote democratic governance, private sector–led growth andinvestment in the health and education of the people.

LIFE AT POSTDili’s population is about 200,000, but the city feels smaller.

American citizens number about 100. Many more Australians,

??????????The U.S. embassy sitson a beachfront lot.


Portuguese and other expatriates work for U.N. agencies, non-governmental organizations and the international security forces.Several well-stocked grocery stores and international restaurantscater to the expatriate community.

Many employees live within walking distance of the embassy,and the commute for all is short. The embassy compound iswidely known as the nicest facility in town. Its spacious beach-front lot contains the chief of mission’s residence, a smallchancery, a gym, a playground, a tennis court and a new swim-ming pool.

The embassy has a small health clinic and a locally hired physi-

cian. Two international schools provide education through eighthgrade. On weekends, children can enjoy the pool or the beachwhile parents take a break snorkeling, cooking outdoors or justrelaxing at one of Dili’s many restaurants.

“Despite its being among the Department’s highest differentialposts,” says Management Officer Steve Hunt, “we’ve really workedhard to make Embassy Dili into a place that can support ForeignService families.” �

Seiji Shiratori is the deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy inDili. Aaron Forsberg is the Indonesia and East Timor desk officer.

Upper left: Candlenut is processed at a USAID-funded facility near Baucau. Upper right: A garden on the side of Mt. Matebien features limestone forma-tions. Lower left: USAID Director Flynn Fuller and AID administrative assistant Celestina da Fonseca survey the ruins of da Fonseca’s family home, whichwas destroyed in the May 2006 violence. Lower right: The Portuguese left a reminder of their religious faith in this statue, which overlooks Dili.

BNET is now showing empty rooms—bathrooms, kitchens, living rooms, commis-saries, stores, embassy offices and school classrooms—and even the proverbialkitchen sink.

Why? The Overseas Briefing Center and BNET have partnered to make top-qualitypost videos more accessible to employees all over the world. Post videos are an impor-tant tool in helping viewers bid on and prepare for places that meet their needs.

Videos meeting BNET standards are broadcast 30 times over a period of two weeksto allow for viewing in different time zones. The schedule is at http://bnet.state.gov/weekly/.

For those in the U.S. and at a small number of overseas posts, the growing collectionof post videos is available anytime on BNET on Demand at http://obc.bnet.state.gov.

More than 1,000 audiovisual materials in the OBC Information Center at theGeorge P. Shultz National Foreign Affairs Training Center in Arlington, Va., can alsobe viewed from the comfort of home. Videos, CDs and DVDs can be checked out fortwo days at a time.

In addition to post audiovisuals, the OBC collection includes training materialssuch as video recordings of Transition Center workshops—“Traveling with Pets,”“Managing Rental Property” and many more. The complete listing is on the Transi-tion Center Web site, http://fsi.state.gov/fsi/tc. Choose “Overseas Briefing Center,”then “Audiovisuals.”

Not every post can create a broadcast-quality product, but in today’s digital world,coming up with a CD of informational photos or an amateur video of life at post is notdifficult. OBC offers guidelines for everything from reducing photo size and placingphotos into a Word or PowerPoint document to meeting BNET’s DVD standards.OBC’s online audiovisual section has details.

In addition, the annual KidVid contest offers Foreign Service children ages 10–18the chance to share what life is like at post. This year’s deadline is April 16. Contestrules are in the OBC audiovisual section.

While experienced foreign affairs community members recognize the value of seeingpost videos to fine-tune their bid lists and preparations, the DVDs are indispensable forthose newer to the community. OBC staff members often see someone leave a viewingroom saying, “I could live there.” �

The author is a writer/editor in the FSI Transition Center of the Overseas Briefing Center.


POST VIDEOS NOW AVAILABLE ON BNETBY JAN FISCHER-BACHMAN

Must-See

TV


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More than 150 friends and familymembers gathered at the Department Feb.14 for a memorial service honoring retiredAmbassador Robert Frowick, who died inJanuary at the age of 77. They remembered adistinguished diplomat whose careerspanned the Cold War, which he helpedbring to a peaceful conclusion.

Frowick was also remembered for hisrole in helping realize the Helsinki Accordsand the Conference on Security and Coop-eration in Europe, as well as his willingnessto come out of retirement in the 1990s tohelp prevent further interethnic conflict inthe Balkans.

Under Secretary for Political AffairsNicholas Burns recalled Frowick’s quietdetermination and charm, noting thatFrowick’s definition of diplomacy as “theart of letting the other guy have your way”should be included in international rela-tions textbooks.

Bosnian Ambassador Bisera Turkovic paidtribute to Frowick’s work heading the BosniaMission of the Organization for Security andCooperation in Europe, as well as his twomissions in Macedonia. Turkovic recalledthat while organizing Bosnia’s 1995 elections,the first after the Dayton Accords, Frowickremoved from the ballot Bosnian Serb leaderRadovan Karadzic, who had been indicted bythe International Criminal Tribunal for theFormer Yugoslavia, a move deemed risky atthe time but ultimately vindicated.

Assistant Secretary for European AffairsDaniel Fried recalled Frowick as a rolemodel for Foreign Service officers, empha-sizing the key role Frowick played in draftingand ensuring implementation of HelsinkiFinal Act provisions that gave birth to thedemocratic movements that brought downthe Iron Curtain. Fried said Frowick wouldbe remembered for saving lives, rebuildingcountries and leaving a legacy of a Europe“whole, free and at peace.”

Friends described Frowick’s rare combi-nation of personal grace, strong moralcompass and steady leadership. FormerUnder Secretary for Political Affairs MarcGrossman attributed to Frowick lessons,such as the centrality of strong alliances to

advancing U.S. strategic interests, that stayedwith him throughout his own career. Gross-man also praised Frowick’s organization ofthe 50th-Anniversary NATO Summit, whichhelped hold the alliance together during thedifficult period of Operation Allied Force inKosovo, and saw the expansion of thealliance to former Warsaw Pact countries.

Frowick’s son, Foreign Service officerGeorge Frowick, closed the service withtouching memories of his father as atremendous role model and loving father. �

Gailyn McClung is a program assistant andDan Sainz is the principal deputy director inthe Office of South Central European Affairs.

FRIENDS, FAMILY REMEMBER AMBASSADOR ROBERT FROWICKBY GAILYN McCLUNG AND DAN SAINZ

Peace in His Time

A photo of Ambassador Frowick graced the stage at his memorial service.

The Foreign Affairs Recre-ation Association and the Stateof the Arts Cultural Serieskicked off the new year with aperformance by Gotta Swing,and also presented classicalpianist Jeanette Fang.

Tom Koerner, Debra Stern-berg and their energetic groupof dancers kicked up their heelsdoing the jitterbug and LindyHop. Tom and Debra teachclasses and have won manyswing competitions. The term“swing dancing” refers to afamily of dances that evolved

from the 1920sCharleston into theLindy Hop—alsoknown as the jitter-bug—and itsprogeny. The LindyHop uses the movements andimprovisation of Africandances, along with the formaleight-count structure of Euro-pean partner dances. Theaudience couldn’t seem to getenough of these talenteddancers.

Jeanette Fang, 22, wowed theaudience with her phenomenal

piano artistry. She is a studentof Yoheved Kaplinsky, attendsJuilliard and has won manycompetitions. She has per-formed at prestigious venuessuch as Alice Tully Hall, WeillRecital Hall and the John F.Kennedy Center for the Per-forming Arts. She performedRachmaninoff ’s étude Tableaux,

op. 33, no. 6 and Schumann’sSonata no. 1 in F# minor, op. 11.Her interpretation revealed asensitivity rarely seen insomeone her age. An apprecia-tive audience applaudedresoundingly. �

The author is a computer special-ist in the Executive Secretariat.

Members of the Gotta Swing dance group give it their all.

Swing DancersHelp Kick Offthe New Year

[ ]APR I L 2 0 0 7 | S TATE MAGAZ INE | 31

Performances are on Wednesdays at 12:30 p.m.in the Dean Acheson Auditorium.

April 11

William and Mary Players, DavidMontgomery, conductor

April 25

Frank Conlon–Pianist, MemorialConcert for Emerson Myers

May 09

State Department and MontgomeryCollege Piano Recital

May 23

Korean Costumesand Dancers

June 06

To Be Announced

June 20

Piano Prodigies

STATE OF THE ARTSB Y J O H N B E N T E L

PHO

TOG

RAPH

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S A F E T Y S C E N E

Statistically, a person is more likely to be struck by lightning thanto win $100 playing the Powerball lottery. In an average year, about100 people are killed and 1,000 are injured by the approximately 20million cloud-to-ground lightning strikes in the United States.

More people are killed and injured by lightning than by torna-does and hurricanes combined. Lightning is second only to floodsin causing weather-related deaths.

So what can you do to avoid being struck by lightning?

WATT POWER

Lightning is simply a very large electric spark, one with about atrillion watts of power. By contrast, a bright lightbulb produces 100watts of power. The electrical power contained in lightning heatsthe adjacent air to more than 36,000 degrees Fahrenheit, or aboutthree times the temperature of the surface of the sun, causing theair around the strike to literally explode. This produces the soundof thunder.

Check the weather forecast before planning any outdoor activi-ties. The best way to prevent being struck by lightning is not to beoutdoors when it occurs. When you go out, take a radio along.

When you see lightning, count the time until you hear thethunder. If it is less than 30 seconds, the lightning is close enoughto be dangerous, so seek shelter immediately. Even if you don’t seethe lightning, hearing the thunder means you may still be closeenough to be struck, because lightning can strike up to 10 milesfrom the cloud that generates the strike. Stay in the shelter for atleast 30 minutes after you see the last lightning strike.

The best shelter is indoors in a substantial building. An openstructure, such as a picnic shelter, does not provide adequate pro-tection. Avoid using electric appliances and stay away from waterand pipes, swimming areas, bathrooms and showers.

If a building is not available, the second best shelter is a car withthe windows rolled up. Be sure to avoid touching any metal parts.The car protects you because the metal body directs the electricalcurrent around the outside of the car, protecting those inside.

HEIGHT HURTS

If no shelter is available, go to lower ground. Stay away from tall,isolated objects such as lone trees, poles and towers. Also stay awayfrom metal objects.

Once lightning strikes, it can spread and strike other objects,including people, up to 60 feet away from the initial point ofcontact. Separate yourself by several body lengths from otherpeople and avoid wide-open spaces.

As a last resort, use the lightning crouch to protect yourself:Squat low to the ground, place your head between your knees andput your hands over your ears. This will make you the smallest pos-sible target. Do not lie flat on the ground; this will make you alarger target.

If someone is struck by lightning, seek medical attention imme-diately. Call 911 and, if trained, perform rescue breathing or CPR,if needed. Check for burns at the points where the lightning enteredand exited the body and treat the victim to minimize the onsetof shock.

Remember Ben Franklin’s experiment? He produced an electricalspark by flying a kite with an attached key into a strong electricalfield. If lightning had struck his kite, he probably would not havesurvived to tell the story and later to become the young country’sfirst diplomat. So take thunderstorms and lightning seriously. �

The author is an industrial hygienist with the Safety, Health andEnvironmental Management Division.


KNOWWHAT TO DOBY TERRY CARRAWAY

Lightning Kills

O B I T U A R I E S

Charles Andrew Breitenbach,85, a retired Foreign Service officer, diedDec. 23 in Calabasas, Calif. He began hisForeign Service career in 1949 and joinedthe U.S. Agency for International Develop-ment in 1961. He retired in 1981. As an

agronomist, he helped develop new crop varieties—wheat, corn,cotton, sorghum and rice—in Paraguay, Cuba, Guatemala, Thai-land, Brazil and the Philippines. He also served in Uruguay andEl Salvador.

Carl R. Fritz,83, a retired Foreign Service officer, diedFeb. 4 in Chapel Hill, N.C., after a longillness. He served in the Army Air Corpsduring World War II. He worked for bothState and USAID and served overseas in

India, Sri Lanka, East Africa, Vietnam and Thailand. After retiringin 1976, he worked as a consultant in Indonesia and Bangladesh. Hewas active in civic affairs and coordinated an international confer-ence on health, education and development.

Henry L. Heymann,86, a retired Foreign Service officer, died Feb. 8 of cancer in Wash-ington, D.C. He served in the Army in World War II. He joined theDepartment in 1950 and served overseas in Stuttgart, Hamburg,Naples, Jakarta and Surabaya. An ardent conservationist, he tookthe lead for State in completing the Convention on InternationalTrade in Wild Fauna and Flora. He retired in 1975 and was active inwildlife and population organizations. He enjoyed tennis, squashand running.

Hawthorne “Hawk” Mills,78, a retired Foreign Service officer, diedFeb. 3 of bone cancer in Havelock North,New Zealand. He served overseas in Israel,Athens, Amsterdam, Tehran, Vietnam, TheHague, Salzburg and Afghanistan, where he

was chief of mission during the first two years of the Soviet occupa-tion. His autobiography, The Time of My Life, was published in 2004.

Covey T. Oliver,93, a retired ambassador, died Feb. 22 at hishome near Easton, Md. He worked for Stateon international conferences involving post–World War II settlements before becoming aprofessor of international law. He was

named U.S. ambassador to Colombia in 1964 and also served asassistant secretary for Inter-American Affairs, U.S. coordinator ofthe Alliance for Progress and U.S. executive director of the WorldBank. He was a member of the Council on Foreign Relations andserved as president of the American Society of International Law.

John D. “Jack” Rendahl,75, of Greenville, S.C., a retired ForeignService officer, died Feb. 10. His overseaspostings included Durban, Stockholm,Vienna and Dublin. He helped create theU.S.-Iran Claims Settlement Office in 1981.

After retirement, he was a consultant to the Department’s inspectorgeneral and taught international relations at Florida State University.

Ruth Mortenson Sowash,86, widow of Foreign Service officerWilliam B. Sowash, died January 31 of astroke in Bath, Maine. She accompanied herhusband to overseas postings in Madrid, ElSalvador, Guatemala, Buenos Aires and

Honduras. She participated in many volunteer efforts and enjoyedtravel, current and cultural events, and many artistic pursuits.


Laura Ponnone Wiggins,80, a retired Foreign Service communica-tions officer, died March 6 in Falls Church,Va. She joined the Department in 1958 andserved in Jakarta, where she met andmarried FSO Frontis B. Wiggins Jr. They

served together in Italy, Malta and Australia. An accomplishedentertainer and cook, she also enjoyed gardening, mahjong andvolunteering.

In the Event of a DeathQuestions concerning employee deaths should be directed to the Office ofCasualty Assistance at (202) 736-4302. Inquiries concerning deaths of retiredemployees should be directed to the Office of Retirement at (202) 261-8960.


Bailey, Stephen M.Bray, Bessy T.Brown, Linda MarieCabral Jensen, Doris E.Del Vecchio, Patrick L.Dickens, Charles EdwardEscobedo, George L.Griffith, Oliver WilliamGutierrez, LinoHunt, Donald E.Krage, Fred W.Martin, Cheryl AnnMcIntosh, Brian H.

Mitchell, Sally J.Moos, Brenda H.Moreau, James O.Moseley, James R.Praster, Thomas A.Revere, Evans Joseph

RoberRollman, David

AlexanderRouse, Julia CardozoScott, Donna J.Sears, Gregory RussellSequeira, John S.

CIVIL SERVICE >>>Allen, S. BernadetteAseneta, Vicente ArangoBlades, Catherine M.Blocker Jr., FrankBonard, Bonna L.Boyd, Antoinette YvonneCasper Jr., Charles RayClements, Janice

SingletonDorian Jr., Cornelius E.English, Mattie E.D.Fearwell, George A.Green, Renee L.Halter, K. StevenHammonds, Eileen M.

Hamner, Charlene E.Heflin, Patricia LynnHickerson, Annett P.Jackson Jr., Charles G.Jefferson, Ernest G.Jenkins, Robert MichaelJohnson, Crystal AnnKalamets, Gloria J.Keller, Cecilia A.Labrie, Barbara AnnLenet, Jan E.McCorkle, Nettie D.McNeil, Lattice IveyO’Brien, John JosephPerez, Pearline T.

Richmond, MarleneHarkless

Roca, SebastianShipp, Kathleen M.Short, Margaret H.Stickels Jr., Richard G.Stottlemyer, David P.Taylor, Vonzella LeeTsukayama, Robert A.Turner, Marsha E.Uytingco, Angel G.Van Buren, Lester M.White, Irma L.White, Keith M.Workman Jr., Clarence E.

FOREIGN SERVICE >>>

retirements*

CorrectionThe photo of Benjiman Blue was inadvertently omitted fromhis obituary in the February issue, so we are reprinting it withthe photo.

Benjiman Thomas “Ben” Blue,66, a Civil Service employee, died Dec.11 in Falls Church, Va., from pul-monary fibrosis due to Agent Orangeexposure in Vietnam. He served withthe Air Force from 1960 to 1980.

He joined the Department in 1987, where he served with theTravel Division and, since 2004, the Office of the InspectorGeneral. He was active in his church and enjoyed workingon cars.

This issue features diplomats and col-leagues practicing their craft around theworld in very different venues and withwidely disparate tools. Let’s join our col-leagues as they travel down dusty roads inPeru, experience the good will generated byAmerican artists in Kuwait and Iceland,marvel at the latest technology that makesteaching English to Russian children funand wonder at the awesome responsibilityassumed by the Office of the Special Envoyfor Holocaust Issues.

In Lima, Foreign Service officers oftenfind themselves far from the comforts andculture of cosmopolitan cities. They followthe path described by a long-ago mentor toAssistant Secretary for Western Hemi-sphere Affairs Thomas Shannon as the“dusty road” where FSOs wander throughlocal open-air markets, revel in the musicof different languages and embrace thediversity in front of them as the excitingand interesting raison d’être of life in theForeign Service.

American culture frequently plays aprominent role in diplomacy, and the ARTin Embassies Program is the Department’sVisual Diplomacy instrument charged withacquainting international audiences withthe quality, scope and diversity of Ameri-can art and culture. Through its AmericanArtists Abroad program, ART in Embassies

sent abstract expressionist artist LindaTouby to Kuwait and textile artist JamesKoehler to Iceland for some hands-ondiplomacy. Their lectures, workshops and

media appearances earned much goodwillfor American art, culture and diplomacy.

Teaching English in American schools ishard enough, but teaching it through thevastness of modern Russia challenges theresources and ingenuity of the U.S.Embassy in Moscow. Fortunately, a newEnglish-teaching video series produced bythe Office of Broadcast Services—Video

Acquisitions proved to be a big hit in apilot program run in classrooms andAmerican Corners and Centers throughoutRussia since 2006. Public diplomacy profes-sionals in Moscow used the series to reachout to teachers, students and the generalpublic even in the most remote, multieth-nic republics of the huge country. Theseries focuses on real Americans usingeveryday English in real life situations, andin true soap opera fashion, always leavesthe audience waiting for the next episode.

The Office of Holocaust Issues is official-ly charged with many worthyresponsibilities, but none so telling as therequest from an elderly Holocaust survivor:“Help the world remember us.”

Last but never least, a final salute to ourcolleagues en route to their final posting:Charles Andrew Breitenbach; Carl R. Fritz;Robert Frowick; Henry L. Heymann;Hawthorne “Hawk” Mills; Covey T. Oliver;John D. “Jack” Rendahl; Ruth MortensonSowash; and Laura Ponnone Wiggins.

Power, Grace and Style

THE LAST WORD

Rob WileyEditor-in-Chief

COMING IN MAY

• State’s Youngest Diplomats

• The World’s Oldest Republic

• Calgary’s High Energy Consulate General

• IIP Office Thrives on Creativity

... and much more! Questions? [email protected]


U.S. Department of StateBureau of Human ResourcesWashington, DC 20520

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State MagazineHR/ER/SMGSA–1, Room H-236Washington, DC 20522–0108

PERIODICALSPOSTAGE AND FEES

PAIDDEPARTMENT

OF STATEISSN 1099-4165

*APR.2007

WHO>WHAT>WHERE>WHEN

�Foreign Affairs Day

RE M E M B E R

MA Y 4 , 2 0 0 7

state magazine, april 2007

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