Speeches 2003

People to People Diplomacy Remarks by Ambassador Linda E. Watt American Society Installation Dinner

June 12, 2003

Let me begin by congratulating the new officers of the American Society. I have every confidence you will carry on the splendid work of this organization that serves Panama and the American community here in so many wonderful ways.

When I first came to Panama, I said I would be a representative of America in
general and not just of the U.S. government. I take very seriously my role of
advocating, explaining, and defending my government's policies before the
government of Panama, but there is a wider dimension to my responsibilities.
They include representing U.S. culture, institutions, and society. To fulfill
that role, I am eager to encourage and promote people-to-people contacts and
exchanges for the purpose of promoting mutual understanding and assistance.

I would like to devote a few minutes to explore with you this multifaceted
subject of people-to-people contacts. Critical to it is the role of nongovernmental players in this world -- private citizen groups, like your own
American Society, that are organized to improve, in one way or another, the
lives of their fellow human beings, whether in their own neighborhoods or in
countries half way around the world. I include in my thinking academics,
businesspersons, civic organizations, religious institutions, and much more.

The 20th century gave birth to a plethora of nongovernmental social and political interest groups. Their numbers and influence have exploded in recent
years, thanks in large part to the communications revolution that has enabled
them to recruit and organize members and to disseminate messages instantaneously
around the world.

A quick search of "NGO" on the Internet returned 1,670,000 hits.
One good source for information on NGOs is the Union of International Associations, created back in 1910. The UIA lists 50,000 international NGOs and
more than 100,000 links. That's just NGOs with international reach, and is not
near the total.

In many countries there are countless NGOs concerned with local issues. UIA
lists private organizations dedicated to children & youth, conflict resolution, disarmament, disaster relief, drug abuse, education, environment,
ethics & values, family, human rights, law, natural resources, peace &
security, religion …. Well, the list could goes on and on, covering literally
all the concerns of the human community.

The media have played a pivotal role in this historic and democratic development in human affairs, though, in my opinion, they overemphasize the role
of government and underestimate the role of private-citizen groups. On a very
personal level, the media here, in their insatiable appetite for the instantaneous sound bite, focus on what I say as a representative of the U.S.
government and overlook a good deal of what America and Americans do in Panama.
I want our good works and intentions to be better known.

With the growing influence of NGOs, businesses, and academic institutions, an
ambassador is now but one of many figures and forces influencing relations
between nations and peoples. This is a trend I welcome and embrace. Indeed, I
feel empowered by it, for it extends and expands my reach, vastly broadens the
opportunities for exchanges and personal and institutional linkages, and greatly
improves the socio-political context of mutual understanding within which I must
articulate and promote U.S. policies and interests.

The U.S. government, too, embraces the concept of people-to-people diplomacy.
Programs of the State Department's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs
depend heavily on the involvement and long-term follow-up of private citizens and groups.

Patricia Harrison, Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural
Affairs, notes that her office's programs provide opportunities for people to
effect positive change at every level of society. These programs include:

• Fulbright academic grants and exchanges;
  
• Visits to the United States by mid-career professionals under the famous
  International Visitors program;
  
• And a newly conceived American Fellows program in which government
  employees swap jobs to gain new perspectives and experiences.

 

Among the many illustrious Panamanians who have participated in the International Visitors program are Supreme Court president Adan A. Arjona, Minister of Labor Jaime Moreno, and Colegio de Abogados president Carlos
Vasquez. Among Fulbright alumni are local Transparency International president
Fernando Berguido, Amcham president Ivette Martinez, and National Arts Director Edwin Cedeño.

The State Department's Office of Citizen Exchanges develops professional, cultural, and youth programs with non-profit American institutions, including
voluntary community organizations, professional associations, and universities.

Our embassy in Panama uses many of these programs to cultivate long-term connections and mutual understanding. Though funded by the U.S. government, all
these programs clearly seek to establish private individual and institutional
links that will endure after government support comes to an end.

In Washington recently, Assistant Secretary Harrison met with some Chinese and American students who had just concluded a three-week reciprocal exchange program.

"You are all ambassadors," she told them. "You are able to connect to each other, to establish ties and discover commonalities that counter
misconceptions…. "

Connecting, establishing ties, countering misconceptions - this really gets to the heart of what people-to-people exchanges seek to accomplish. And government-funded programs are only a small part of the overall effort.

From Rotary and Kiwanis and many other service clubs, to high-budget think tanks with well-defined agendas, millions of private citizens invest their time
and resources in important causes. The realm of people-to-people activity is vast. Many NGOs are just that, "non-governmental," and do not want to
engage with any government.

But most pursue their goals by all practical means, and partnerships among NGOs, business, academia, political parties, and governments are major elements
of contemporary international affairs. This rich mix of ideas and resources offers new opportunities, synergies, and formulas for addressing global problems.

And just consider some of the examples of U.S.-related people-to-people
initiatives we have here in Panama:

• U.S. businesses are represented in most sectors of the economy. Many of
  them do good works in the best spirit of American volunteerism. For
  instance, Manzanillo International Terminal sponsors charitable programs
  throughout the province of Colon, and BellSouth, in partnership with the NGO
  Casa Esperanza, operates Pro Niño, a program that provides scholarships to
  children from poor families.
  
• The good works that numerous U.S. sponsored religious and civic
  organizations do here, particularly in the fields of medicine and education,
  go largely unheralded.
  
• Transparency International has an active, influential chapter fighting
  corruption, and CIVITAS, dedicated to promoting civic education and
  democratic values, also has a chapter.
  
• Panama City and Ft. Lauderdale are counted among the some 2,400 sister
  cities relationships around the world that bring citizens together to
  cooperate and share ideas, activities, and solutions on a wide range of
  issues of mutual concern.
  
• The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute has been examining the flora
  and fauna of Panama for the past 90 years.
  
• Former Fulbright scholars have formed an association to promote mutual
  interests, as have several alumni groups from U.S. universities.

 

In an effort to take better advantage of, and encourage, people-to-people interests, I am creating a new position in the embassy. I'm calling it a people-to-people coordinator. The individual selected will promote, facilitate, and initiate bilateral linkages among NGOs and private sector organizations.

I could use your help here. I would like your suggestions and advice as to how we could best focus and direct the efforts of the individual in this new position.

After all, as members of the American Society you are important examples of
people-to-people action and diplomacy in Panama. Your campaign to create a
monument to Panama's ethnic groups is a noble statement on the value of social
and cultural diversity. Such people-to-people activity emphasizes the sharing of
values…and the value of sharing.

People to people diplomacy is a profoundly democratic and profoundly American
attitude of duty and service. I congratulate the new American Society leaders,
and thank all the members for your dedication.

Before closing, let me change the subject for just a moment. As Americans overseas, whether in government or private business, we are seen as extensions
of the United States. Those who wish to harm the United States could direct
their violent intentions against us. It is incumbent on us all to recognize the
realities and dangers of living abroad and to develop plans and strategies to
combat forces that could threaten us.

As your ambassador, I want to make sure that we build and maintain a high level of security awareness and preparedness. Whether participating together in social, religious, or educational activities, or in more formal business and
professional undertakings, we should strive to maintain a high sense of alertness and share our concerns with one another.

We have an organization to help us. It is the Overseas Security Advisory Committee - or OSAC for short. In 1985, a group of American CEOs created OSAC
for the purpose of exchanging information between the government and the private
sector, including American colleges and universities. One of OSAC's primary
goals is to develop and maintain an effective security communication network.
Today more than 2,150 U.S. companies and organizations are affiliated with the
organization.

OSAC will have its first large meeting here on Wednesday, June 18, at 10 a.m.
in the auditorium of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. The purpose
will be to discuss security issues. I encourage representatives of all American
businesses and religious, educational, and social organizations to attend the
presentation and to ask questions and offer suggestions. We all share responsibility for the safety and security of our families, our colleagues, and
ourselves.