Diplomatic Connections November-December 2014 Issue by Diplomatic Connections

A Business, Diplomacy & Foreign Policy Publication

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1/31/14 10:1

Diplomatic Letter From

the

Publisher

Welcome to our final publication for 2014. I’m very pleased to say that we’re featuring an interview with Bangladesh Ambassador Mohammad Ziauddin in this edition. His nation has experienced severe turmoil and poverty for decades but is now on the cusp of transforming itself into a middle-income country. Ambassador Ziauddin reminds us that Bangladesh is forward-thinking with a female prime minister, sweeping education reforms and a reputation as peace-maker amongst its nuclear neighbors. I’m sure you’ll enjoy reading this interview as much as I did. We also cover a new landmark some of you may have seen on Embassy Row. His Excellency Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, President of Indonesia, has made a lasting contribution to our capital city with his embassy’s new statue. Expertly crafted by master Balinese carvers, the statue is in a striking Hindu style. While the country is home to the globe’s largest Muslim population, Hinduism plays a prominent role in Indonesia’s civic life. Headlines were made the world over when one of its most eligible bachelors, George Clooney, officially came off the market. In Italy, he married Amal Alamuddin, a Lebanese-born British human rights lawyer. Clooney proclaimed he was “marrying up,” and with Amal’s world-stage legal work (she’s on the team defending WikiLeak’s Julian Assange), could Hollywood’s playboy extraordinaire have finally settled down for good? We wish our best to the newlyweds. We also take a look at India’s new Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, who is already hard at work promoting his country’s manufacturing capabilities (he’s launched a “Make in India” campaign), attempting to secure a seat on the United Nation’s Security Council and addressing 18,000 Indian-Americans in New York City. As the leader of nearly one billion people, he certainly has an incredible job ahead of him and we will watch his term unfold with anticipation. Once again turning our focus to celebrities who use their fame as a platform for social influence, we cover Emma Watson’s launch of the United Nations’ HeforShe campaign, designed to promote gender equality. Watson’s call for feminism to ditch its element of man-hating has resounded across the world. Her speech went viral, and we explore the potential for the former “Harry Potter” heroine to affect real change. Our International Diplomat Appreciation Receptions™ continue to surprise and delight our guests. The Fairmont Washington, D.C., Georgetown hotel was the stately, sophisticated and stunning setting for foreign dignitaries of the diplomatic community to come together with staff representatives from international organizations and Capitol Hill on September 18th to meet valuable businesses who cater to this very prominent and refined audience. On October 16th, we brought all the glamour and good times to the Windy City at the very prestigious and exclusive Peninsula Chicago. We thank everyone who joined us for these very memorable events! The spectacular and very distinguished Turkish Embassy will be the venue for our next International Diplomatic Appreciation Reception™ on April 16, 2015. We very much hope to see you there.

Warmest regards, Dawn Parker Publisher & Founder Diplomatic Connections 12

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Diplomatic EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Dawn Parker AssistantS to the Editor Chanel Cherry, Ashley Gatewood, Pamela Landis, Andrew Meggs BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Executives Washington, D.C., Evan Strianese; New York, Mongoose Atlantic, Inc. - Stephen Channon, Julia Bucciero and Kathryn Latham DESIGN & CREATIVE KDG Advertising, Design & Marketing msocha@kdgadvertising.com Contributing Designer Larry Smith

DIPLOMATIC CORRESPONDENTS and CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Roland Flamini, James Winship, PhD, Mike Mosettig, Monica Frim, F. Bristol Lewis, Mark Kennedy

To contact an advertising executive CALL: 202.536.4810 EMAIL: info@diplomaticconnections.com DIPLOMATIC CONNECTIONS WEBSITE DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT IMS (Inquiry Management Systems) 304 Park Avenue South, 11th Floor New York, NY 10010 Marc Highbloom, Vice President marc@ims.ca Maria D’Urso, Project Manager Mariad@ims.ca CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHY Jennifer Girard, Paula Morrison, Joey Oliver To order photos from the events go to: www.diplomaticconnections.com Send any name or address changes in writing to: Diplomatic Connections 4410 Massachusetts Avenue / #200 Washington, DC 20016 Diplomatic Connections Business Edition is published bi-monthly. Diplomatic Connections does not endorse any of the goods or services offered herein this publication. Copyright 2014 by Diplomatic Connections All rights reserved.

Cover photo credits: George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin, Andrew Goodman/Getty Images for Celebrity Fight Night; Emma Watson and UN Secretary-General, Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/Getty Images; Ambassador of Bangladesh, Paula Morrison, Diplomatic Connections; Ambassador of Hungary, Embassy of Hungary; Ambassdors of Czech Republic, Poland, Bulgaria and Estonia, Joey Oliver, Diplomatic Connections

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Diplomatic Airlines and TOURISM Turkish Airlines Back COVER APARTMENTS and HOUSING Dittmar Realty – Courtland Towers 46 Dittmar Realty – Randolph Towers 46 AUTOMOTIVE - CARS and LIMOUSINE SERVICES Admiral Leasing 75 BMW of Rockville 82 Jim Coleman Cadillac 28 & 47 Lehmann-Peterson 59 Manhattan Armor 64

Diplomatic Connections Events Diplomatic Connections Reception, September 18th at The Fairmont Washington, D.C. Georgetown . .48

PAGE 30 EDUCATION – INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS Idyllwild ARTS 11 Landmark School 10 Randolph-Macon Academy 10 [The] Rectory School 14 St. Thomas More School 9 Think Global School 10 Trinity-Pawling School 10 World Class Learning Academy 9 EDUCATION – Language School Rosetta Stone 6 FINANCIAL SERVICES, LOANS and MORTGAGES ACC Mortgage 15 Intrepid Executive Group 15 FURNITURE CORT Furniture 6 Hospitals and Medical Centers Johns Hopkins Medicine INSIDE Back COVER Indiana University Health 4 & 5 HOTELS, DINING and ACCOMMODATIONS Concordia Hotel 83 [The] Fairfax at Embassy Row 29 Fairmont Washington, D.C. – Georgetown 20 [The] Hay-Adams 2 [The] Peninsula Beverly Hills INSIDE Front COVER [The] Peninsula Chicago 81 Trump Hotel Chicago 7

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Diplomatic Connections Reception, October 16th at The Peninsula Chicago, Illinois . ...................76

Moving, Relocation & Logistics InterState Moving | Relocation | Logistics 73 Schumacher Cargo Logistics 73

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Health & Beauty Clarins 45 La Prairie 96 L’Occitane 87 L’Oreal 3 Shiseido 95 Luggage Tumi 42 Watches, Timepieces and Luxury Items Chopard 1 Cross Pens 23 Ulysse Nardin 3 Victorinox Swiss Army 89 EDUCATION – Duty Free School Items Crayola 8

Featured Articles Ambassador Interview ~ Bangladesh 16 Ambassador Statements ~ Bulgaria 60 Czech Republic 60 Estonia 60 Hungary 60 Poland 60 Austria 64 Diplomatic Connections Receptions Washington, D.C. 48 Chicago 76 Humanitarian Amal Alamuddin 30 Emma Watson 90 India 66 Indonesia 24 Italy 84

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H.E. Mohammad Ziauddin, Ambassador of Bangladesh to the United States

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B y M i c h a e l D. M o s e t t i g

Diplomatic Connections: Your professional diplomatic career runs almost concurrently between the difficult birth of your nation in the early 1970s to where it is today — a sought-after partner in a contested, and sometimes dangerous, region. Tell us what lessons you’ve drawn between these parallel journeys.

Ambassador Mohammad Ziauddin: In 1971, a genocide was unleashed on the people of Bangladesh. A war of liberation ensued that lasted for nine months. During this period over three million Bangladeshis were killed and 10 million forced to migrate to neighboring India, which provided refuge to all these helpless, hapless people. On Bangladesh’s independence as a sovereign state, the geo-political picture of South Asia changed. Under the leadership of the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who believed in peace, a peaceful country was born. His foreign policy dictum was

peace and friendship with all countries of the world, and malice towards none. Based on this philosophy, Bangladesh, a war-ravaged country in 1971, began to progress rapidly. Unfortunately, on August 15, 1975, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and 18 members of his family were brutally murdered by some military miscreants. From then until 1996, Bangladesh was ruled for 21 years by military dictators and quasi-dictators. In the 1996 national elections, Sheikh Hasina, the indomitable daughter of the Father of the Nation, was elected the prime minister. Since then, except for the period from 2001 to 2008 when the country was ruled again by a quasi-dictator and a military-backed caretaker government, huge progress was made by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government. At the moment, Bangladesh is on the road to becoming a middle-income country by 2021, the 50th

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anniversary of the country’s independence. Therefore, my experience of those years, from the birth of Bangladesh until now, has been a journey of invaluable learning. Really, one lesson that I have learnt from these tumultuous years of Bangladesh’s history was that good inevitably wins over evil. Diplomatic Connections: You are in a region of three nuclear powers: India, Pakistan and a bit farther away — China. How does Bangladesh fit into this triangle? Ambassador Mohammad Ziauddin: Bangladesh is a country that feels strongly about and is committed to peace. We have contributed to peace and international security with a large contribution to U.N. Peacekeeping operations. We joined the U.N. Peacekeeping operations in 1988 with some advisers in Lebanon. In 1992, we introduced troops for the first time. Since then up until now, we have contributed more than 122,000 troops in several dozen missions around the world. At this moment we have more than 9,000 troops in nine countries in nine missions. As you very rightly said, there are three nuclear powers in the region, and Bangladesh has an excellent relationship with all three of them. At one time, when there was tension in 1998 between our two nuclear South Asian neighbors, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina took one-day visits to those two countries and talked to the leadership. She was able to persuade them to reduce the tension among themselves, and thus bring some stability and normalcy to the subcontinent. Bangladesh, indeed, has a role to play in the maintenance of peace and security in the region. Diplomatic Connections: Your biggest neighbor is India. Is it accurate to describe India as your most important and best friend? Ambassador Mohammad Ziauddin: India has been our best friend and most important friend since 1971, when we were in dire straits and struggling for our independence. As they say, “A friend in need is a friend indeed.” So has been India to Bangladesh, when they gave refuge to 10 million of our people and looked after them with food, medicine and all that they had. India even helped us in our fight for freedom from the very beginning of our struggle till our independence, and thereafter. Indeed, we are grateful to India and we believe that India is definitely our very good friend. Diplomatic Connections: But there are, at the moment, issues with India on the border — immigration and allegations of sheltering terrorists. Much of your relationship with India was when the Congress Party governed them. Will you 18

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be able to maintain these close ties in an India run by the Hindu nationalist BJP Party, which during the campaign was critical of some Bangladesh policies?

Ambassador Mohammad Ziauddin: Bangladesh believes in a strong, durable friendship with India. India has been our time-tested good friend, and it would remain so. To strengthen the relationship, on assuming office of prime minister in January 2009 after a landslide victory in the nationwide elections held on December 29, 2008, Sheikh Hasina took certain initiatives. Believing that our common enemy in the region is poverty and that it could not be overcome with lone effort, she initiated a move to fight this scourge together with the neighboring countries. She believes that if all countries jointly fight poverty, then all countries in the region will stand to gain. On her first visit to India in 2010 after becoming prime minister for the second time, she convinced the then-Indian leadership of this. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina also suggested that good connectivity among the countries in the region would facilitate faster trade, investment and development. Eliminating poverty would also help eliminate terrorism and extremism in our region. In this respect, she assured that Bangladesh’s territory would not be allowed to be used by any terrorist group to create terror or misunderstandings with India or with our other neighbors. We believe that India trusts us on this. Therefore, irrespective of whichever party is in government in India, the current Bangladesh government believes that we shall continue to work together for mutual benefits of peace, security and development. Diplomatic Connections: How do you see China’s role playing out in South Asia? Ambassador Mohammad Ziauddin: China has been a good friend of Bangladesh, too. As a developing country beset with many problems, Bangladesh has still been progressing steadily for the last six years to become a middle-income country by 2021. To continue on this road of progress, Bangladesh needs the help of all friendly countries. China has been one that has been helping Bangladesh with all kinds of assistance and support. It has been helping us build our infrastructure, among other things. Diplomatic Connections: James O’Neill of Goldman Sachs put Bangladesh in what he called “The Next 11,” a group of countries that has already or will achieve middleincome status. Is this realistic? Ambassador Mohammad Ziauddin: Prime Minis-

ter Sheikh Hasina has a “Vision 2021,” that is, by 2021, to transform Bangladesh into a middle-income country. Since assuming the office of the prime minister in January 2009, she has thus been working relentlessly to achieve that goal. In the last five years, her government has succeeded in keeping the average GDP growth at 6.2 percent despite the global recession; increasing export earnings from US$10.53 billion in 2006 to over US$30.5 billion; remittance flow from US$5 billion in 2006 to US$14.5 billion; foreign currency reserve from US$3.49 billion in 2006 to US$22 billion at present; per capita income from US$650 to the current US$1,190. Bangladesh has also met, well ahead of the stipulated deadline of 2015, a good number of MDGs like reducing the poverty gap ratio, attaining gender parity at primary and secondary education, reducing infant and maternal mortality rates, containing HIV infection, to name a few. It is clear that Bangladesh is progressing according to the prime minister’s time schedule to be a middle-income country by 2021. Therefore, it seems that Goldman Sachs is right in placing Bangladesh in its Next 11. Diplomatic Connections: There are specific aspects of this that have been cited by experts: one is the BRAC, and the other is microcredit and Grameen Bank. How does the BRAC work? What sets it apart? Ambassador Mohammad Ziauddin: BRAC is a nongovernmental organization that is doing good work. So are the other thousands of NGOs working in Bangladesh. They are all contributing to elevate the overall conditions of the people. However, the NGOs’ resources are dependent on

various and diverse sources and obviously limited. Clearly, their resources cannot match the resources possessed by the government, which is why the government can do maximum good for the people.

Diplomatic Connections: The fact that so much microcredit in Bangladesh is going to female businesses and female entrepreneurs, this seems to set it off from a lot of other poor countries. Ambassador Mohammad Ziauddin: Well, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is a crusader for women’s rights and empowerment. She believes women must have as equal a role as men for real development of a society and nation. Therefore, she has initiated some special measures to help and support women to be self-employed or to get jobs. Among them are regular huge annual budgets for microcredit support to women; special loans and allotment of land for women entrepreneurs to establish their own business enterprises; and enhancing their access to productive resources and representation at national and local levels. She has also been promoting girls’ education by offering them liberal stipends and assistance. In fact, under her watch, girls’ education has been made free up to 12th grade. Improving the education of women has also been a key factor in bringing down the maternity mortality rate in Bangladesh. Sheikh Hasina’s pragmatic policies have also helped women leadership grow from the grassroots to the topmost levels. Bangladesh is possibly the only country today where women simultaneously hold high positions of the prime minister, the speaker, the leader of the opposition and the

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deputy leader. Ten percent of posts for women are reserved in judicial, administrative, civil service and in the armed forces and law enforcement agencies. Sixty percent of primary school teacher posts are reserved for women. Diplomatic Connections: Now, of course, another element in the economic development of the country, perhaps central, is garment manufacturing — billions of dollars of sales of clothing to Europe and to the United States. But after the Rana tragedy, there’s been a lot of pressure from the U.S. and EU governments, private sector and NGOs for major reforms in worker safety. What is your government doing to act on those reforms and to create safe and decently paid jobs for the thousands of people in the garment industry? Ambassador Mohammad Ziauddin: Bangladesh is an agriculture-based country becoming an industrial one. At the forefront of this movement is the garment sector. It has picked up because in Bangladesh, the labor is young and the wages are affordable and investment policies are extremely liberal. It has been a popular sector for investment for those possessing some resource and interest in business. It has also attracted a lot of foreign investors in the country. The result has been that within the last two decades more than 4,000 garment factories have mushroomed. Many of the factories were hurriedly set up in buildings meant for residential purposes and not for housing factories. The rush for this lucrative business finally resulted in accidents, of which the horrendous Rana Plaza was one. It traumatized the nation and the government. Aside from compensating the victims and their families, the government immediately adopted measures addressing the safety, security and labor rights issues in the ready-made garment (RMG) sector. Such measures include setting up of an 11-member high-powered cabinet committee in March 2013; adopting a National Occupational Safety and Health Policy in October 2013; a National Tripartite Plan of Action on Fire Safety and Structural Integrity in RMG Industry in July 2013; Bangladesh Labor Amendment Act 2013; hiring hundreds of inspectors for ensuring conditions are safe for workers in factories and the Bangladesh EPZ (amendment) Act 2014, to name a few. The government has also intervened in the negotiation between the owners and the workers in the RMG sector and raised the wages of the workers twice in the last five years. The government is also facilitating the efforts of the “Alliance” and the “Accord,” the forums of North American and

European buyers and retailers respectively, as well as the International Labour Organization and other American and European stakeholders to improve the labor safety and workers’ rights situation in Bangladesh. Diplomatic Connections: No country can pick its own geography. You’re one of the most low-lying, water-covered nations in the world, and now considered the most potentially vulnerable to global warming. Could you describe some of the efforts to reduce the effects of all these floods, cyclones and typhoons, particularly to the extent that some of them are made worse by a lot of deforestation? Ambassador Mohammad Ziauddin: When the present government assumed office in January 2009, one of the foremost foreign domestic policy initiatives was to do something about climate change and its impact on Bangladesh. The prime minister participated in several international conferences on climate change and placed the plight of Bangladesh before the world. Since then, we have been getting some

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assistance from countries that felt that Bangladesh needed support. Yes, Bangladesh is a country situated in the lowlying Gangetic Delta. According to scientific estimates, a one-degree centigrade rise in global warming will lead to a meter rise in sea water submerging one-fifth of Bangladesh. This would force about 25 to 30 million people to safer areas, causing social chaos and disorder. As the government is deeply concerned about this situation, it has adopted a 129-point action plan on mitigation and adaptation. To implement these action plans, the government has established two trust funds, one with its own resources and the other with the assistance of friends and traditional donors. Needless to say, Bangladesh continues to look for more support from the developed world to counter the adverse impacts of climate change. Diplomatic Connections: Do you think you will be able to reach an accord in the upcoming Paris conference that will replace the Kyoto Treaty? Ambassador Mohammad Ziauddin: We are optimistic and hopeful. We have been working hard to convince the world of our plight, the plight of the least developed countries and small island developing countries. We hope that the upcoming Paris conference will take the issue to a higher plane so that there will be real cooperation among all participating countries. We look forward to a just accord at the Paris conference. Diplomatic Connections: You had a very high-level U.S. delegation in Dhaka just a few months ago stressing a desire to expand and improve what has been historically a pretty good relationship, a friendly relationship between the United States and Bangladesh. How do you see relations with the United States evolving at this point? Ambassador Mohammad Ziauddin: Bangladesh and the United States enjoy the best of relations. The U.S. has been very supportive of our development efforts. President Barack Obama introduced a global initiative that included Bangladesh among eight countries to have the benefit of those initiatives. The initiatives cover: health, education, climate change and also reaching out to the Muslim world. The U.S. and Bangladesh, in fact, share common values and goals, among which is our equal determination to eradicate terrorism from the world. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government, in fact, is committed to a “zero tolerance” policy on terrorism and extremism. It is firm on eliminating these malaises in all their 22

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H.E. Mohammad Ziauddin, Ambassador of Bangladesh to the United States

forms from our country and the region, in cooperation with our neighbors. We don’t want extremism and terrorism to destabilize our part of the world. With the U.S., Bangladesh also has an ongoing Partnership Dialogue, a Security Dialogue, a Defense Dialogue as well as a dialogue under the Trade and Investment Cooperation Framework Agreement Council, which was being held annually. Diplomatic Connections: You’re unique among ambassadors in that you were once a Congressional Fellow in the United States, so you have a particular insight into American politics. Ambassador Mohammad Ziauddin: [Laughs] I thank you very much for reminding me of one of my most exciting and memorable experiences. Yes, I was a Congressional Fellow and served in the offices of Senator Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts and Congressman John Bryant of the 5th District in Dallas, Texas. It was in 1989 – 90. Truly it was an enlightening experience providing some insight on the politics of that time in the country. I am sure things may have changed a lot since then. Diplomatic Connections: Well, welcome back and thank you very much for joining us for this interview. n

The statue of the Hindu goddess Saraswati â&#x20AC;&#x201C; representing knowledge, wisdom and tolerance â&#x20AC;&#x201C; situated on the Indonesian Embassy grounds.

President Yudhoyono gathers embassy staff. L from statue: Ani Bambang Yudhoyono, President Yudhoyono, former Ambassador to the United States Dr. Dino Patti Djalal (currently Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs), Dr. Rosa Rai Djalal. R from statue: Reshanty Bowoleksono (wife of the Ambassador and herself a career diplomat), Ambassador Budi Bowoleksono, staff representatives of the embassy.

Traditional Indonesian dancers were part of the dedication ceremony of the statue.

is Excellency Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, President of the Republic of Indonesia, came to Washington, D.C., this fall as part of his final weeks in office after leading his country for 10 years. His primary official purpose in Washington

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By James A. Winship, Ph.D.

was to preside over the formal presentation of a statue of the Hindu goddess Saraswati, situated on the Indonesian Embassy grounds along Embassy Row on Massachusetts Avenue. The statue was

given by the Indonesian government as a gift to the people of Washington, D.C., and the United States. The gifted statue is the cachet on the renewed relationship between Indonesia

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Left: Embassy staff gather at the formal presentation of the statue of the Hindu goddess Saraswati.

and the United States that was signed by President Obama and President Yudhoyono in 2010. This “comprehensive partnership” between the two countries recognized Indonesia’s continued progress toward democratization and political reform and committed the two countries to expanded highlevel engagement across a variety of issues. The strength of this comprehensive partnership was underscored earlier this year when Indonesia successfully held democratic elections to choose President Yudhoyono’s successor. The election was closely contested and resulted in the closest vote in the history of Indonesia’s free elections. Even in the face of a challenge to the election result, Indonesia’s electoral machinery, including its Ethics Council and the Supreme Court, appeared to work efficiently and well. President-elect Joko Widodo took office in October in a peaceful transfer of power. The United States values the democratic process in Indonesia both because of that country’s leading role in Southeast Asia and because Indonesia has the world’s largest Muslim population. In a global context where Islam has been stereotyped into an extremist and often terrorist box, Indonesia serves as a critical role model for relations between a Muslim nation and other states as well as a model of religious tolerance across diverse cultures, all living side-by-side in the same state. The idea to add a statue to the embassy grounds originated with Indonesia’s previous Ambassador to the United States, Dr. Dino Patti Djalal, who now serves his country as Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs. According to Dr. Djalal, President Yodhoyono immediately accepted the idea, but there was concern regarding what sort of statue should be built. It was President Yodhoyono who came up with the idea of creating an 26

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illustration of the goddess Saraswati, as it is believed in Hinduism, representing knowledge, wisdom, tolerance, and respect leading to peace and harmony. In the words of Indonesian Ambassador H.E. Bidi Bowoleksono, the statue of Devi Saraswati “is concurrently a reflection of Indonesia’s commitment — as the country with the largest Muslim population in the world — to religious tolerance, freedom and peace.” Saraswati’s representation at the Indonesian Embassy, a spokesperson observed, “was not decided on any religious grounds, but more because it symbolized values that parallel several key principles of Indonesian-United States relations under the ‘comprehensive partnership,’ in particular the value of education and the importance of people-to-people contact.” Indonesia is a predominantly Muslim nation, but Hindu traditions are deeply rooted in the country’s civic culture. The famous Hindu epics — the “Mahabharata” and the “Ramayana” have been declared official legends of Indonesia and are taught in Indonesian schools. Hinduism remains the dominant tradition on the island of Bali. It is there on Bali that the most skilled sculptors of Hindu statuary live, and for that reason the assistance of the Badung Regent, Anak Agung Gde Agung (governor of Bali’s most heavily visited tourist sites), was enlisted to help identify master sculptors and join Indonesia’s National Economic Committee in supporting the project. Though portions of the underlying support structures for the Saraswati statue were prefabricated in Indonesia and shipped to Washington, the actual sculpting, in specially formulated white cement, was done on-site on the embassy lawn during an intense five-week burst of “totally spiritual” creativity. A team of master craftsmen, headed by noted

Center: The statue of the Hindu goddess Saraswati, situated on the Indonesian Embassy grounds. Right: President Yudhoyono greets two former United States Ambassadors to Indonesia. L – R President Yudhoyono, Scott Marciel (2010 – 2013) — currently Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in East Asia and Pacific Affairs, and J. Stapleton Roy (1995 – 1999).

artist I Nyoman Sudarwa, traveled from Bali to Washington to sculpt the statue. The white statue accented in gold stands 16-feet tall and is rich with artistic symbolism. Saraswati’s tilted head symbolizes the courage of the goddess as she stands for truth and kindness. In her four hands she carries a book as the source of knowledge, beads symbolizing the promise of education, a mandolin symbolizing the creative arts, with the fourth hand — palm facing outward — representing the giving of knowledge and love. Saraswati rides a white goose as an illustration of learning and the transference of wisdom. The entire structure sits atop a lotus blossom conveying both purity and the ability of humans to gain knowledge and improve the world in which they live. Most interesting is the presence of three young children reading a book, perhaps studying together, at the base of the statue. The children are of different races to symbolize the diversity of the world’s people coming together despite their differences. Children are, the statue insists, the hope of the world. The young boy to the left at the base has distinctly African-American features. It has been suggested by some that the sculptors intended this figure to suggest the young Barack Obama, who spent a portion of his boyhood — from ages six to 10 — in Indonesia. Throughout his dedicatory remarks, President Yodhoyono emphasized the power of love and the critical values of knowledge, wisdom and tolerance. “The world,” President Yodhoyono observed, “has gotten far from the power of rationality as witnessed by the presence of violence, terrorism, local conflicts and regional war. Reason is disappearing and tolerance is vanishing. We must discover how to reduce mis-

understanding and try to break the chain of violence.” The President tempered his remarks with a dose of realism, but refused to back away from the values Saraswati represents. “I am not a utopian,” he noted, “but there is always a way to reduce violence in the world, always a way to end hatred, reduce enmity and reject intolerance.” A ritual dedication and purification ceremony, rarely seen in the United States, was included in the presentation of the Saraswati statue festivities. The percussive, gong-dominated sounds of gamelan music, the traditional ensemble music of Java and Bali, accompanied by exquisitely graceful dancers, incense-laden air and abundant multicolored flowers designated a sacred space along Embassy Row. The sprinkling of water on the statue represented not only the blessing of the statue but also of the artists who created it, those who conceived the idea and carried it forward, as well as Saraswati’s mission of extending friendship and promoting peace and understanding. Ambassador Bowoleksono concluded the dedication by noting that, “with this culturally dense symbolization, it is expected that the erection of the Saraswati statue will help promote the importance of mutual understanding within today’s culturally diverse global society.” This newest addition to the symbolic art lining Embassy Row is a diplomatic gift that memorializes political values — Indonesia’s revitalized democracy and the deepening relationship with the United States. It also demonstrates cultural values — the importance of education and openness to challenging ideas; and spiritual values that become global political values — the commitment to human diversity and the renewal of religious tolerance in a world where political extremism and inhuman violence are too often justified in the name of religion. n

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Amal Alamuddin attends the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict on June 12, 2014, in London, England. The four-day conference on sexual violence in war was hosted by Foreign Secretary William Hague and U.N. Special Envoy and actress Angelina Jolie.

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was headline news across the world when it was announced that the absurdly handsome and notoriously non-committal actor George Clooney had become engaged to London-based attorney Amal Alamuddin. This could be just another story about George Clooneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s engagement and wedding ceremony in London and Venice, but it isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t. Instead, this is a story about a woman with a passion for human rights and for actively using evolving international criminal law to protect the rights of individuals and threatened groups, often in the midst of conflict or post-conflict situations. It is also a story about a stunningly beautiful and strikingly accomplished woman who moves flawlessly between the high fashion world of Alexander McQueen and Oscar de la Renta, who designed her wedding day gowns, the legal world of Hugo Grotius (the 17th century godfather of international law) and the emergent system of international criminal courts that is slowly being established in the pursuit of global order.

rules of war in the Gaza Strip during the extended confrontation between Israel and the Hamas regime controlling the Gaza. Apparently the initial U.N. announcement was made before clearing the nomination with Alamuddin.

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Graciously Declines to Serve on a United Nations Commission of Inquiry That juxtaposition was elegantly on display in the weeks before the wedding, when the U.N. Human Rights Council announced that it had named Alamuddin to a special three-member commission of inquiry. Its task was investigating possible violations of the

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Family Roots in Lebanon and in the United Kingdom Alamuddin was born in Beirut, Lebanon, in 1978, but as a very young child moved with her family to London in the 1980s as Lebanon’s civic and political fabric dissolved into civil war. Though educated in Britain, she was very much a child of Lebanon and grew up learning French and Arabic as well as English. She attended Dr. Challoner’s High School in Little Chalfont, Buckinghamshire, and embodies the ideals the school sets forth for its students: developing “wellbalanced individuals with the intellectual courage to question and reflect upon life and learning;” encouraging students “to embrace opportunities, challenges and change;” developing “a mutually supportive community in which respect, integrity and tolerance inform thinking and actions;” and fostering “good citizenship so that students participate in and contribute to the wider society.” Dr. Challoner’s paved the way for entrance into St. Hugh’s College at Oxford University. There she earned a bachelor of arts in jurisprudence, gaining what Oxford terms a 2:1 in law, meaning second-class honors/upper division . . . a considerable distinction from one of Britain’s leading universities. From Oxford, Alamuddin chose to continue her legal studies at the New York University (NYU) School of Law, where she earned the advanced master of laws degree. She then took and passed the New York Bar Examination, notoriously one of the more difficult bar exams in the United States and even more so for graduates of foreign law schools. 32

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Ramzi Alamuddin, father of Amal Alamuddin, stands in his office in Beirut, Lebanon, on April 30, 2014.

During her year at NYU, Alamuddin spent one semester as a student law clerk working with Judge Sonia Sotomayor, who was at that time a judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. Perhaps as an omen of things to come, Alamuddin received NYU’s Jack J. Katz Award for excellence in the field of entertainment law. Imagine negotiating a pre-nup for this couple — Alamuddin and Clooney — as they approached their marriage!

A Practicing Attorney Trained in Criminal Defense and Human Rights Law Alamuddin never rested on her academic laurels, however. She joined the more than 800 lawyers of the international law firm of Sullivan & Cromwell LLP (S & C), consistently ranked as one of the leading firms in the world, in its New York City headquarters. Long recognized as one of America’s most politically and financially connected law firms, S & C helped finance the building of the Panama Canal, served as home to the Dulles brothers — Allen and John Foster — of Cold War renown and counselled the European Union on the creation of the euro. Alamuddin was a member of S & C’s criminal defense and investigations group. Here, she honed her litigation

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Surprised by the public announcement that was made before she had time to respond to the Human Rights Council’s request, Alamuddin quickly issued a gracious statement — through Clooney’s Hollywood agent Stan Rosenberg — indicating that she must decline the nomination because of her full legal caseload. In the same statement, however, she also reiterated her strong support for the work of the proposed commission. “I am horrified by the situation in the occupied Gaza Strip,” she stated, “particularly the civilian casualties that have been caused, and strongly believe that there should be an independent investigation and accountability for crimes that have been committed.” Alamuddin’s statement noted that she was “contacted by the U.N. about this for the first time this morning. I am honored to have received the offer, but given existing commitments — including eight ongoing cases — unfortunately could not accept this role. I wish my colleagues who will serve on the commission courage and strength in their endeavors.”

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Amal Alamuddin and George Clooney attend the Celebrity Fight Night in Italy benefitting The Andrea Bocelli Foundation and The Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center Gala on September 7, 2014, in Florence, Italy.

skills before state and federal courts, including work on the criminal probes of failed energy giant Enron and its auditing firm Arthur Andersen. After three years at S & C, Alamuddin left to work as one of two NYU-sponsored clerks at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands. There, she clerked under Judge Nabil Elaraby of Egypt, today secretary-general of the Arab League and previously one of the chief negotiators between protestors and the government during Egypt’s Arab Spring in 2011, and Sir Frank Berman QC, a leading BritishSouth African expert on international law who today sits on the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague. These connections led to a series of special appointments within the U.N.’s efforts to build an expanding framework of international criminal law that would deal with the acts of individuals and groups, not only the acts undertaken by sovereign states as had long been the traditional parameters of international law. Alamuddin served as legal adviser to the U.N. International Independent Investigation Committee, charged with investigating the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafic Hariri, allegedly at the hands of terrorist bombers. Subsequently, she filled a similar position in the Office of the Prosecutor for the U.N. Special Tribu-

nal for Lebanon. It is a hybrid court formed in 2007 merging domestic and international law and charged with trying the alleged perpetrators of that deadly bombing. Alamuddin also worked with the U.N.’s International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia as it began planning for the final stages of its legal process.

A Fascinatingly Diverse Caseload and Growing Legal Expertise In 2010, Alamuddin sat for and passed the examination for admission to the Bar of England and Wales, becoming a barrister at Doughty Street Chambers in London. The firm’s profile on Alamuddin describes her as “a barrister specializing in international law, human rights, extradition and criminal law. She has represented clients in cases before the International Criminal Court, the International Court of Justice and the European Court of Human Rights, as well as in domestic courts in the United Kingdom and the United States.” Alamuddin is the quintessential human rights attorney, meaning that she represents clients to the best of her ability regardless of whether she is prosecuting or defending. This makes for what sometimes seem unusual assignments. She is,

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Veronica and Andrea Bocelli, Amal Alamuddin and George Clooney attend the Celebrity Fight Night in Italy benefitting The Andrea Bocelli Foundation and The Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center Gala on September 7, 2014, in Florence, Italy.

for example, representing Abdallah al-Senussi, former Libyan Intelligence Chief in Moammar Gaddafi’s regime, before the International Criminal Court on charges of alleged crimes against humanity. She is also representing Julian Assange, head of WikiLeaks, in his attempt to avoid extradition from the United Kingdom to Sweden for questioning regarding alleged acts of rape and sexual assault in that country. While some might question these assignments, Alamuddin’s Doughty Street colleague, John Jones QC (who is himself defending Gaddafi’s son) observes that, “Justice needs defense lawyers. The system only works if there’s robust advocacy on both sides.” At the same time, Alamuddin has served as part of the prosecution team in the case of four persons accused of assassinating former Lebanese Prime Minister Hariri before the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. She has also worked as judicial assistant to Judge Patrick Robinson, presiding judge on the trial of former Head of State Slobodan Miloševic´ before the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, ICTY. Building on her criminal law experiences, Alamuddin now regularly advises clients on cross-jurisdictional criminal matters and on cases involving so-called INTERPOL “Red Notices.” These are functionally the equivalent of an international arrest warrant naming persons wanted for prosecution or to serve a sentence based on an arrest warrant and conviction by a national or international court. She also has developed expertise in advising victim groups seeking to initiate prosecutions in national courts and has represented clients subject to economic sanctions and asset freezes. Even with her wedding fast approaching, Alamuddin was actively defending one of three journalists: one Canadian (Alamuddin’s client Mohamed Fahmy), one Australian and one Egyptian, working for Al Jazeera English news network. The three were sentenced to prison terms of seven years or more for “producing false news that harms Egypt’s reputation and its national security,” and for giving material support to members of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood. In mid-August she published an article in The World Post, a joint publication of The Huffington Post and the Berggruen Institute on Governance, in which she denounces the journalists’ trial as “unfair” and their conviction as a “travesty of justice.” She even uses the specifics of the case to spell

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out the particulars of how a “kangaroo court” such as the one that convicted these journalists operates. “Free speech,” Alamuddin insists, “means that reporting that harms a country’s image should not be criminal, especially when — as in this case — there is no evidence that it is false, let alone knowingly so. Under both international and Egyptian law, a fair trial means independent judges, the need for evidence of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt and due process. But all of this was ignored in the journalists’ case.” Beyond the courtroom, Alamuddin has also had an extraordinarily active legal and academic life. She has served as counsel to the inquiry led by U.N. Special Rapporteur on Counter-Terrorism and Human Rights, essentially a searching exploration of the legal implications of the use of drones in extraterritorial lethal counter-terrorism operations that asks hard questions of states employing drones. She has served as advisor to former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan during his service as Joint Special Envoy of the U.N. and the Arab League on Syria. She served as a member of the Expert Panel of the Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative, formed by then United Kingdom Foreign Secretary William Hague to gather evidence of sexual crimes committed in conflict zones. And, in her spare time, she has co-edited a book, “The Special Tribunal for Lebanon: Law and Practice,” as well as several book chapters.

A Marriage Made for Advocacy Clooney and Alamuddin make a strikingly beautiful couple, of that there is no doubt. Clooney has repeatedly said that in finding Alamuddin he is “marrying up.” Of that there is little doubt. The fascinating aspect of their marriage, beyond the inevitable glitz and glamour of the wedding and the ever-present red carpets, will be to see how they blend their passion for each other with their passion to combat the world’s evils and to advocate, in public forums on stage and in court, for global justice. Theirs is truly a cosmopolitan love story reaching from Sudan and Syria to Lebanon and Ukraine, from the film studios of Hollywood to the courtrooms that seek the rule of law in the midst of chaos, from London and Washington to Geneva and The Hague, and from protecting the artistic heritage of humankind to protecting the safety and human rights of women, men, children, the elderly and the unjustly accused. That’s a heady start for any marriage and an inspiration to a conflicted world that needs the example of their love. n Photos continued to page 44...

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George Clooney and his Lebanonborn British then-fiancĂŠe, Amal Alamuddin, holding a bag bearing the logo A&G (Amal and George), arrive at Veniceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Piazzale Roma in Venice on September 26, 2014, on the eve of their wedding.

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Amal Alamuddin & George Clooney A Marriage Made for Adv

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ocacy

A general view shows boats surrounding the taxi boat of George Clooney and his wife Amal Alamuddin on September 28, 2014, on the Grand Canal in Venice. Hollywood heartthrob George Clooney and Lebanese-British lawyer Amal Alamuddin married in Venice on Saturday, September 27, 2014, before partying the night away with their A-list friends in one of the most high-profile celebrity weddings in years. “George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin were married today (September 27) in a private ceremony in Venice, Italy,” Clooney’s spokesman Stan Rosenfield said. The announcement came as a surprise as the pair were not expected to officially tie the knot until the following Monday, though they did a civil ceremony at the town hall

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to officialize the marriage under Italian law.

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Amal Alamuddin & George Clooney

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Left: George Clooney arrives with his father Nick Clooney (L) at the Aman Hotel on September 27, 2014, in Venice where Clooney and then-fiancée Amal Alamuddin celebrated their wedding. George Clooney said goodbye to bachelorhood in Venice with a stag party at his favorite restaurant with Hollywood chums, and was gearing up for a day of glamourous pre-wedding celebrations. The actor had swept into the floating city with his British then-fiancée Amal Alamuddin on a watertaxi dubbed ‘Amore’ — zipping up the Grand Canal to cheers from fans at the start of nuptials that took place over the last weekend in September. Below left: Model Cindy Crawford (C) arrives with her husband Rande Gerber (R) at Palazzo Papadopoli, Hotel Aman, on a taxi boat on September 27, 2014, in Venice for the wedding celebration. Below: Matt Damon boards a taxi boat at the Cipriani Hotel on September 27, 2014, in Venice en route to the wedding celebration.

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A Marriage Made for Advocacy

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Amal Alamuddin & George Clooney

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George Clooney and his wife Amal Alamuddin leave the Aman Hotel on September 28, 2014, in Venice.

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George Clooney and British lawyer Amal Alamuddin arrive on September 29, 2014, at the palazzo Caâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Farsetti in Venice, for a civil ceremony to officialize their wedding.

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H.E. Gyรถrgy Szapรกry, Ambassador of Hungary to the United States

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H.E. Eerik Marmei, Ambassador of Estonia to the United States

H.E. Petr Gandalovic, Ambassador of the Czech Republic to the United States

H.E. Elena Poptodorova, Ambassador of Bulgaria to the United States

By Roland Flamini

H.E. Ryszard Schnepf, Ambassador of Poland to the United States

Eerik Marmei vividly remembers the rock concert in Tallinn, capital of Estonia, one summer evening in 1987. There, when the huge crowd joined in singing protest songs, he saw, suddenly, thousands of blue, black and white Estonian flags, banned under Soviet rule, being waved in public for the first time in 50 years. In June 1989 in Hungary, György Szapáry went with his son to a large public demonstration in a Budapest square where speakers openly called for the withdrawal of Soviet troops. When the police failed to intervene, an amazed Szapáry turned to his son. “It’s cracking,” he said. He was talking about the Kremlin’s control over his country — and he was right.

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Some months later, Petr Gandalovic, then a 25-year-old high school math teacher in what was Czechoslovakia, was present at a national student day march in Prague. The march became violent when activists turned it into an anti-regime protest and baton-wielding police stepped in. As Gandalovic remembers it, out-of-control police forced students to run a gauntlet causing many injuries. The student march sparked a groundswell of public protest that pulled Czechoslovakia from the Soviet grasp. In Bulgaria, a young diplomat named Elena Poptodorova started going to political rallies and joined one of the new opposition parties. She stood successfully as a candidate in the first Bulgarian free election since World War II, and as a parliamentarian, was closely involved in reforming the constitution — starting with the removal of article one, which established the monopoly of the Communist Party. “It was a growing awareness, and there was a kind of naïveté in those very first months,” she recalls. “There were fabulous public rallies, and I still feel nostalgic about this energy, which was out there in the street.” In Poland, college professor Ryszard Schnepf, one of the founders of Solidarity, watched jubilantly as the independent labor movement, led by Lech Wałesa, won a majority in the country’s first free election, and said goodbye to Pavel Zamovski, the pseudonym he had used to write “second circulation” (a euphemism for clandestine) anti-regime pamphlets. Five individuals in five different countries with two things in common: all were witnesses to one of the greatest events of the 20th century, the collapse of the Soviet empire, and today all are ambassadors in Washington of their respective countries. The shattering of the Berlin Wall 25 years ago in November 1989, with its piles of destroyed masonry, was a perfect visual metaphor for the seismic crack that opened in the hisˆ

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regimes had simply reached the end of their historical cycle. “Dictatorships are like apples — when they are ripe, they fall,” he observed in a recent interview. “Today you hear criticism that you see the same people in power as you did under communism. You see them getting rich and sitting in parliament,” he adds, “but at the time, politicians didn’t have the taste for carrying out revenge.” In Czechoslovakia, recalls Petr Gandalovic, the Czech ˆ

Ambassador, “it wasn’t what you would expect of a revolution.” He attributes the restraint to Václav Havel, playwright, founder of the dissident group Charter 77 and patron saint of the Velvet Revolution. With his sense of theater, says Gandalovic, Havel “was skillful in organizing the mass demonstrations as shows that raised people’s spirits. He brought in singers and actors; he knew how to calibrate the movement.” One of the dissident movement’s slogans was, “We’re not going to do to you what you have done to us.” In Estonia, which like the other Baltic states was a Soviet republic and for all intents and purposes run from Moscow with security in the hands of the KGB, “no Estonian communist was ever put in prison,” recalls Eerik Marmei, the Estonian Ambassador, “and everybody realized that the separate sides had to cooperate in the society.” But in 1992 Estonia introduced a program called “Purge the Place.” Two years later 73 percent of Estonian top officials were new appointees. The peaceful transition to democracy was achieved by literally talking the communists out of office in debates, roundtable discussions and newspaper articles. The first comˆ

torical surface. It crumbled what many had thought was the unbreakable link between the Kremlin and its East European and Baltic vassal states. And besides, East Germany was the gem in the imperial crown of the Soviet Union. Even so, each country found its own path to independence and democracy, and any historian of the period will tell you that dramatic events in East Germany were not the beginning of the end, but the end of the beginning. As revolutions go, it was untypical in its amazing lack of violence. The Estonians literally sang their way to independence. Their protest meetings were song festivals and concerts. The Czechs dubbed theirs the “Velvet Revolution” to suggest the non-violent transition. Throughout the region, retribution against those who had held power was mostly non-violent. Although by the end of 1990 every former Soviet satellite or republic in Europe had a process of some sort in place for weeding out former communists from the top, and blocking former secret police collaborators from government employment. And yet Nicolae Ceau escu of Romania was the only deposed communist leader to be executed by the dissidents, along with his wife. Virtually every other former party boss died in his bed. There is actually a debate in Poland over whether the late Gen. Wojciech Jaruzelski, the leader who tried to suppress Solidarity, was a tyrant who did Moscow’s dirty work, or a patriot who through his own actions managed to stave off direct Soviet military intervention. Ambassador Szapáry suggests that Eastern European

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The incident increased pressure on the East German regime to allow its people to travel to West Germany and the communist leadership suddenly and unexpectedly announced the opening of Checkpoint Charlie, the main crossing into West Berlin for East Germans. Crowds immediately swarmed to the crossing point like lemmings sweeping towards the sea; some danced on the wall and even began to tear it down — while East German border guards stood idly by. In West Berlin, the West German government gave each visitor 100 Deutschmarks to spend in the well-filled West German stores, in part hoping that they would then return home with their purchases, rather than defect. What speeded up the transition across Eastern Europe was a common view of the future, which was to join what was then called the European Economic Community (now the European Union). The Czech Republic’s Ambassador Gandalovic says “Back to Europe” was one of the most frequent slogans seen at anti-regime rallies. And Hungary’s Szapáry adds, “Clearly [the European Union] helped when it came to setting up democratic institutions by spelling out its expectations, and it also helped to speed things up.” Elena Poptodorova, of Bulgaria, says, “The ABC of parliamentary structure was actually greatly assisted by [Western] experts. And, of course, we had economic experts. The World Bank was there.” In June 1993, Brussels presented the fledgling democratic governments of Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria with its conditions of membership — the so-called “avis communautaire” — they needed to establish stable institutions that guarantee democracy, legality, human rights and respect for and protection of minorities; a working, competitive market economy; and to demonstrate that they were capable of accepting membership responsibility: political, economic and monetary. Brussels would ˆ

petitive elections in Eastern Europe since before World War II were held in Poland, and the communist regime lost a lot of ground to the Solidarity movement. But political developments in Eastern Europe and the Baltic states amounted to a rapid process of corrosion to which the climax unfolded in Berlin on November 9, 1989. Unrest had been rumbling in East Germany for some time. However, the incident that triggered the uprising actually unfolded in Hungary, which had long been the country to which East Germans could travel (because it was behind the Iron Curtain) to meet up with their West German relations. In the late summer of 1989, Hungarians and Austrians agreed to open a free transit crossing point for a day as a sign of good neighborliness. When East Germans who were visiting Hungary learned of it they rushed to the crossing point and poured into Austria in thousands. “The Hungarians didn’t try to stop them, and Austria acted very positively,” says Austria’s Ambassador to Washington, Hans-Peter Mans. He had been at the receiving end of the exodus as an Eastern Europe desk officer in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Vienna. “We could not have taken care of them, but everyone knew that they were just passing through. Australia and Canada immediately took them as immigrants in big numbers.”

also test each country’s progress towards the required standards. It was not until 2004 that the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia became full EU members. Bulgaria and Romania joined in 2007. But Eastern Europe is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its liberation with one eye on the achievements of the past. The other is trained on a somewhat anxious future, with Russian troops once more on the move and a Kremlin leader with predatory dreams of past glory. In 1989, Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev had his hands full dealing with Russia’s seriously deteriorating economy and its sclerotic communist government. Having earlier that year extricated the Soviet Union from Afghanistan, he “might have been able to deal with unrest in one country, but not in so many,” says Hans-Peter Mans. But Gorbachev’s vision of the Soviet Union, partly of necessity, did not include using military force to suppress opposition to communist rule anywhere in the Kremlin’s empire as it had done in Hungary in 1956 and in Czechoslovakia in 1968. His was the Russia of “glasnost” (openness) and “perestroika” (reform or restructuring). Leading by example from Moscow, he encouraged satellite leaders to seek new ways of gaining popular support. That, as they say, was then. Is it coincidence that Vladimir Putin grabbed the Crimea and many believe wants to annex the whole of the Ukraine even as countries of the former Soviet empire celebrate 25 years of freedom? “It’s very difficult to know what Putin wants. You can only see what he’s doing,” says György Szapáry. “He probably feels that Russia was humiliated by the break-up of the Soviet Union and wants to regain some of the prestige.” To anyone in Warsaw, Prague or Tallinn, that sounds ominously familiar. n

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India’s new Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, has used his sweeping electoral mandate — an outright majority for his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the lower house of India’s national parliament, the Lok Sabha, to undertake an energetic and aggressive series of diplomatic initiatives designed to bolster India’s domestic economy and its national security. This is the first time in 30 years that any Indian political party has been able to govern without forming a coalition with smaller parties. Prime Minister Modi has moved quickly to take advantage of his political capital.

New Diplomatic Initiatives Early diplomatic missions included a visit to Japan where Prime Minister Shinzo Abe agreed that Japan would invest $35 billion in public and private funding to help India develop 100 “smart cities” where computerized systems would monitor and control various aspects of urban life to promote sustainable delivery of service and improve quality of life. Modi’s travels also included visits to Nepal and Bhutan to begin the process of strengthening the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), which includes both Pakistan and Afghanistan. 66

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To emphasize the global sweep of Indian diplomacy, Modi also attended the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) summit in Fortaleza, Brazil, where he underscored India’s close relationship with these emerging economies as partners in development and held meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin. He has also received visits from Chinese leader Xi Jinping, Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbot, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg of the United Kingdom and French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius. The Prime Minister’s diplomatic initiatives are aimed at multiple audiences, each of which is critical to India’s reemer-

Nicholas Kamm/AFP/Getty Images

B y J a m e s A . W i n s h i p , P h .D .

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi waves to supporters at the Indian Embassy in Washington, D.C., on September 30, 2014. The statue in the background is of Mahatma Gandhi. Modi met with President Obama, Vice President Biden and other key U.S. officials at the White House for a private dinner, ahead of formal talks in the Oval Office on September 29, 2014.

gence as a major international presence in the changing 21st century international environment. While Modi is transparently reaching out to a long list of international and regional leaders, he is also reaching out to international business leaders through his “Make in India” campaign, hoping to stimulate greater foreign investment in India. At the same time, he is attempting to mobilize the global Indian diaspora both to expand India’s role in international diplomacy — thereby strengthening India’s national security — and to stimulate India’s economic growth by encouraging ex-patriot Indians to invest in their home country. All of these efforts are simulta-

neously designed to boost the Prime Minister’s reformist hand with his domestic political audience.

Multilateral Diplomacy and Political Theater in New York Prime Minister Modi’s visit to New York City included a speech before the United Nations General Assembly, a series of high-level meetings with international leaders at the United Nations, trade-focused discussions with leaders of major American businesses, a presentation to the Council on Foreign Relations, a cameo before the Global Citizens Festival

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just for itself, but also for the cause of justice, dignity, opportunity and prosperity around the world.” While focusing on the international response to terrorism, Modi diverged from his prepared remarks to speak directly to the question of India’s relations with Pakistan. He referred to India’s willingness to engage in “serious bilateral dialogue with Pakistan in a peaceful atmosphere without the shadow of terrorism.” While he spoke of a wide range of issues, the Prime Minister also used the speech to renew India’s call for reform of the United Nations, notably an Indian seat as a Permanent Member of the United Nations Security Council, “Institutions that reflect the imperatives of the 20th century won’t be effective in the 21st century. [They] would face the risk of irrelevance.” Speaking at the Global Citizens Festival in Central Park, Prime Minister Modi adopted the tone of a Jedi master from the “Star Wars” screen saga, “Some believe that the world changes with the wisdom of the old. I think that the idealism, innovation, energy and ‘can do’ attitude of the youth is even more powerful. That is my hope for India, too, [with] 800

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India’s new Prime Minister Narendra Modi (L) and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe (front R) feed carp next to the garden pond of the State Guest House in Kyoto, western Japan, on August 30, 2014. Modi flew into Japan on August 30 on a five-day official visit as their governments seek to boost security ties and counter an increasingly assertive China.

Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck (L), Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (C) and Bhutanese Queen Jetsun Pema (R) pose for a photograph during a photocall in Tashichhodzong on June 15, 2014. India’s Narendra Modi arrived in Bhutan on his first foreign trip since becoming prime minister, stepping up a charm offensive with neighbors to try to check China’s influence in the region. 68

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in Central Park and an appearance with an audience of more than 18,000 IndianAmericans in Madison Square Garden. In Washington, D.C., the Prime Minister held a series of meetings with President Obama as well as with other key U.S. officials, a meeting with the U.S.-India Business Council and a visit to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial with President Obama as his personal tour guide. While addressing the United Nations General Assembly, Prime Minister Modi noted that, “India’s ancient wisdom sees the world as one family. It is reflected in a tradition of openness and diversity; co-existence and cooperation. This is why India is a country which speaks not

million youth joining hands to transform our nation. To put the light of hope in every eye and the joy of belief in every heart. Lift people out of poverty. Put clean water and sanitation within the reach of all. Make healthcare available to all. A roof over every head.” As if to solemnize his point, the Prime Minister concluded his remarks by invoking the Jedi benediction: “May the force be with you.” Prime Minister Modi was greeted like a rock star by a cheering, chanting, Indian and American flag waving, Modi t-shirt wearing assemblage of more than 18,000 IndianAmericans in Madison Square Garden. Indian traditional music was melded with Bollywood dancers and Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the USA.” Promising that he would make an India of their dreams, the Prime Minister encouraged Indian-Americans not only to take pride in their Indian roots and their cultural heritage, but to invest in building a new India simultaneously true to its cultural traditions and a vibrant rapidly growing part of the global economy.

A Goal of Political and Diplomatic Synergy in Washington

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In an op-ed piece written for The Wall Street Journal in advance of his visit to the United States, Prime Minister Modi described what he called a “high tide of hope for change.” The people of India — the world’s largest and most diverse democracy — “spoke unequivocally for political stability, good governance and rapid development,” he declared. “A Above: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi gestures as he is met by Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay at Paro Airport on June 15, 2014. The Hindu nationalist premier was met at the airport by his Bhutanese counterpart Tshering Tobgay at the start of a two-day visit to the tiny Buddhist kingdom, a month after his landslide election victory. Modi said relations with Bhutan “will be a key foreign policy priority of my government.”

Mikhail Klimentyev/AFP/Getty Images

Right: India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi (L) shakes hands with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin during their meeting on the sidelines of the BRICS group leaders sumit in Fortaleza, Brazil, on July 16, 2014. Leaders of the BRICS group of emerging powers (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) met to launch a new development bank and a reserve fund seen as counterweights to Western-led financial institutions.

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It was this spirit that Prime Minister Modi brought with him to his meetings with President Obama. In a joint “Vision Statement for U.S.-India Strategic Partnership” entitled “Chalein Saath Saath: Forward Together We Go,” the President and the Prime Minister sought not only to reinvigorate and stabilize the historically roller-coaster-like path of India-U.S. relations, but to outline a strategic partnership that would be a “joint endeavor for prosperity and peace. Through intense consultations, joint exercises and shared technology,” the two leaders agreed, “our security cooperation will make the region and the world safe and secure. Together, we will combat terrorist threats and keep our homelands and citizens safe from attacks, while we respond expeditiously to humanitarian disasters and crises. We will prevent the spread of weapons of mass destruction and remain committed to reducing the salience of nuclear weapons, while promoting universal, verifiable and non-discriminatory nuclear disarmament.” The President and the Prime Minister wrapped up their Washington meetings with what has been called “a touch of diplomatic poetry” — a shared visit to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial. Their joint statement noted that, “When Martin Luther King, Jr. sought to end discrimination and prejudice against African-Americans, he was inspired by Mahatma Gandhi’s nonviolent teachings. Gandhiji himself drew upon the writings of Henry David Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi waves with Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott after a signing ceremony for the Agreement of Cooperation in the Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy in New Delhi on September 5, 2014. Conservative leaders Tony Abbott and Narendra Modi sealed a long-awaited nuclear energy deal, paving the way for Australia to sell uranium to India crippled by power shortages and blackouts.

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Prakash Singh/AFP/Getty Images

young nation with 800 million people under age 35, India is brimming with optimism and confidence. The young people’s energy, enthusiasm and enterprise are India’s greatest strength. Unleashing those attributes,” Modi promised, “is my government’s biggest mission.”

Raveendran/AFP/Getty Images

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj shake hands as Chinese President Xi Jinping (2L) and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (BACK-R) look on following the signing of an agreement to open a new route for Indian pilgrimages to the Tibet Autonomous Region in New Delhi on September 18, 2014. India’s Prime Minister expressed concern to China’s visiting President Xi Jinping about “incidents” on the two countries’ disputed border, as a stand-off between troops at the frontier overshadowed key talks. “I expressed concern on the incidents on the border and said peace and tranquility on the border is the foundation for good relations,” said Prime Minister Narendra Modi after formal talks with the Chinese leader.

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius talks to India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi during their meeting at the latter’s residence in New Delhi in July of this year. Fabius was in India for a two-day official visit.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi launches the “Make In India” project as Minister for Commerce and Industry Nirmala Sitaraman looks on in New Delhi on September 25, 2014. Prime Minister Narendra Modi pledged to slash red tape and harness the benefits of a huge young population as he launched a campaign to attract global business to manufacture in India. India’s business-friendly new leader wants to revive his country’s flagging economic fortunes by kickstarting a manufacturing sector long eclipsed by that of neighboring China.

Raveendran/AFP/Getty Images

Thoreau.” Here was a spiritual link between leaders and peoples that underscored shared dreams of democracy and the promise of social and economic development across divides of caste, class, education and wealth. The Prime Minister’s electoral victory, his energetic first months in office and his broad diplomatic outreach, however, are not without a degree of irony. In 2005, responding to allegations that as Chief Minister of Gujarat state Narendra Modi had failed to stop deadly religious violence and anti-Muslim rioting, the United States refused him a visa. The ban lasted until soon after his sweeping electoral victory in 2014. Now, recognizing Prime Minister Modi as head of India’s government and leader of the world’s largest democracy, the United States moved quickly to invite him to visit.

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In this photograph taken on July 5, 2014, Indian laborers load 50 kilogram sacks of rice onto a truck at a storage facility near Khasa village, about 25 km from Amritsar. Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new government presented its first full budget in July 2014, which economists said contained a credible outline of steps to steer India from a subsidy-laden, bureaucratic culture to a more business-friendly investment climate. The Narendra Modiled government, elected on promises of reviving a flagging economy and which took office in June 2014, is expected to eschew overtly populist measures and stress financial discipline in the national budget. Indian workers plant rice paddy cuttings in a field on the outskirts of Amritsar, India. This photograph was taken on July 5, 2014.

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Counterclockwise from top: Indian farmers sort peas after harvesting in a field on the outskirts of Amritsar, India.

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Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi, Hugh Jackman and his wife Deborra-Lee Furness speak onstage at the 2014 Global Citizen Festival to end extreme poverty by 2030 in Central Park on September 27, 2014, in New York City.

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Possibilities and Perils for the Future Modi’s political success has been built in part on his reputation as a Hindu nationalist but also on his effectiveness in governing and bringing about economic development in Gujarat. The underlying question is whether he can harness the power and emotional appeal of India’s traditional culture not to prey on Indian anxieties but to generate widespread popular support for his political and economic reform efforts. History has shown that it often takes a leader whose conservative cultural and political credentials are well established to make the most dramatic political reforms and initiate the most dramatic diplomatic turnabouts. Historically, the English term “juggernaut” is derived from Hindu tradition where the “Jaganatha” was a giant cart bearing a sacred image of Hinduism in parade through the crowded streets of an Indian city. The intent was a celebration of faith — a combination of power, hope and possibility — but it was also often the case that the giant carts rolled over the pressing crowds of the faithful, seriously injuring them. The symbolism of Prime Minister Modi’s electoral juggernaut must not be lost on either India or the world. It is rich with political and diplomatic possibility while at the same time fraught with peril and potential conflict. n

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President Barack Obama visits the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi after an Oval Office meeting at the White House on September 30, 2014, in Washington, D.C. The two leaders met to discuss the U.S.-India strategic partnership and mutual interest issues.

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by Monica Frim Diplomatic Connections recently expanded its program of International Diplomat Appreciation Receptions™ to the city with the fourth largest number of missions in the United States — Chicago. After Washington, New York and Los Angeles, Chicago is a natural choice for hosting Diplomatic Connections’ elegant networking events. The city sits on the shores of Lake Michigan in the heart of the Midwest. It aptly features world-renowned architecture and cultural attractions that impress not only the representatives of its more than L-R: Pamela Miller, Director of Sales, The Peninsula Chicago; Ramiro Jimenez, Banquet Manager, The Peninsula Chicago; Kerry Parmley, Sales Manager, Entertainment, Sports and Diplomatic, The Peninsula Chicago, KerryParmley@Peninsula.com * 312.573.6606

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International Diplomat Appreciation Reception™

80 consulates/consuls general offices but almost 40 million international and domestic visitors each year. Here, in the heart of Chicago’s “Magnificent Mile,” one of the world’s most prestigious hotels, The Peninsula, hosted October’s Diplomat Appreciation Reception. The hotel’s recently renovated Avenues Ballroom served as the event venue with 1920s-inspired décor accompanied by dramatic views of Water Tower Park and Michigan Avenue, with its upscale stores, restaurants and historical buildings. While the views outside certainly attracted approving nods and comments, the interior attractions bedazzled guests and kept them focused on the business at hand — to share ideas about living in the United States with other diplomats and network with business representatives whose services would be of benefit to the diplomatic community. Upon entering the ballroom’s prefunction area, attendees were promptly greeted with champagne or wine and a variety of appetizers that included miso cones of tuna tartare and Napoleonsized bites of beef Wellington. A sweets table laden with sabayon cheesecakes, assorted Parisian macaroons and tiny chocolate pots de crème could be sampled either before or after entering the ballroom where additional food fare — from grilled vegetables to assorted charcuterie and artisanal cheeses — complemented a slew of breads, dips and vinaigrettes. 78

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International Diplomat Appreciation Reception™

Of course, food and drink were simply backdrops to tables laden with product samples, promotional items and information on the services of businesses eager to introduce their commodities to the diplomatic community. International dignitaries could amble among representatives from private schools, hotels, upscale shops, car dealerships, property and furniture rental facilities or simply network with their counterparts from other consular offices. With 10 hotels worldwide, three of them being in the United States, The Peninsula is one of the finest international hotel chains. Diplomatic Connections is proud to have held International Diplomat Appreciation Receptions™ in all three of The Peninsula’s U.S. locations: New York, Beverly Hills and now, Chicago. Diplomatic Connections wishes to thank the following sponsors: The Peninsula Chicago Chicago Apartment Finders Cort Furniture Jewelmer and Hartmann Jewelers Admiral Vehicle Leasing Lehmann-Peterson The James Macy’s Rosetta Stone Trinity-Pawling School Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago

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Washington, DC: On September 17, His Excellency, the Italian Ambassador Claudio Bisogniero, and the beautiful Embassy of Italy hosted a special International Gala celebrating the NOFAS 25th Anniversary, with tributes to those committed to preventing Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). You would think everyone knows that you don’t drink alcohol while you’re pregnant, right? You might or might not have heard of FASD, but if you thought that every woman and man knows there is potential risk to babies from maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy, and that expectant mothers and fathers always make healthy lifestyle changes for themselves and the children they’ll be raising, you’d be wrong. Here’s why. According to the U. S. Government’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): One in 13 women drink while pregnant. Of these, one in four, or 25 percent, reportedly indulged in binge drinking. 14 percent of women between the ages of 35 – 44, the oldest age group, reported the highest incidence of drinking while pregnant. In the U.S. alone, the government estimates that as many as 40,000 babies are born each year with FASD — the single 84

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leading cause of preventable birth defects, developmental delays, intellectual and learning disabilities (more common than new diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder, Down syndrome and other birth defects). Recent studies suggest that cases of FASD among live births in the U.S., previously thought to be about 9 per 1,000 could, in reality, be closer to 40 per 1,000. The lifetime cost of healthcare per individual with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (the most severe form of FASD) is as much as $2 million. The estimated annual federal healthcare costs total $6 billion. The non-monetary costs can be devastating. It’s all true. Yet, eight out of 10 people will still look blank when you say “FASD”. That all 10 won’t is because of the passionately committed FASD community, spearheaded by the National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (NOFAS), a Washington, D.C.-based not-for-profit, formed 25 years ago with a three-fold mission: to identify and try to help children born with FASD; educate their families, caregivers, and young women who might be pregnant and think one drink or two won’t matter or pose health risks to their unborn child; and advocate for individuals with FASD and their families. The NOFAS Gala also heralded International FASD Awareness Day, which countries and organizations around

Left: Kate Boyce (NOFAS Board Chair), Ambassador of Italy Claudio Bisogniero, and Laura Denise Bisogniero Below: The Honorable Tom Daschle, Anne Smith, Dr. William Kennedy Smith and Kathy Mitchell (NOFAS Vice President)

the world recognize every year on September 9 — the ninth day of the ninth month — advocating nine months of alcohol-free pregnancies. This year, NOFAS and the 42 organizations in its Affiliate Network partnered with The European FASD Alliance on an international social media campaign created by Fabrica, the communications research centre of Benetton Group. Fabrica’s CEO, Carlo Tunioli, flew from Italy just to join NOFAS supporters for a splendid and memorable evening hosted by Ambassador Bisogniero at the beautiful Italian Embassy. “Italy is strongly committed to raising awareness of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. In October, the Third European Conference on FASD will be held in Rome. And naturally, Italy and the U.S. are allies in this field, too, thanks to the Memorandum of Understanding between the

Italian Ministry of Health and the U.S. Health and Human Services Department, and thanks also to a previous 2011 agreement in place between the Anti-drug Department of the Italian Prime Minister’s Office and the U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse,” Ambassador Bisogniero remarked.

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Left: Senator Lisa Murkowski and Rob Wybrecht (living with FAS) Below: Drs. George Koob (NIAAA Director), Ken Warren (NIAAA Deputy Director), Peggy Murray, Samir Zakhari (Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S.)

Among those in attendance were the Honorable Dale Kildee, Tom Rabaut of The Carlyle Group and his wife Sheila, Master of Ceremonies Joce Sterman from ABC7 and Dr. William Kennedy Smith of MedRed. The Gala raised over $250,000 to educate and advocate for individuals with FASD. Making this evening memorable were the testimonials and recognition of the 25th Anniversary Gala’s special honorees, including: Ambassador Bisogniero — for his support of NOFAS and its partner organizations and his advocacy of individuals living with FASD; the Canadian Ambassador, His Excellency Gary Doer — for doubling the investment in FASD and establishing the full-spectrum Manitoba FASD Center when he served as Premier of the region; Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski — for being the original sponsor of multiple FASD related bills and resolutions in Congress; Iowa

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Senator Tom Harkin — for leading the effort to fund FASD education and practitioner training and keep FASD funded at the CDC; NOFAS’s Founding Chairman Terry Lierman, who also founded the Children’s Research Institute at the Children’s Hospital National Medical Center; and the Honorable Tom and Linda Daschle, founding members of NOFAS and indefatigable advocates for FASD prevention. There is no doubt that, despite the efforts of everyone involved, lots more work needs to be done, within and beyond the United States. While NOFAS works with colleagues

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and partner organizations in the U.S. and overseas, many countries don’t even collect data on children with FASD. It is an unacknowledged problem, buried under the stigma that comes with women drinking during pregnancy. “We are grateful to the international community in D.C., especially Ambassador Bisogniero, for generously supporting NOFAS’ 25th Anniversary Gala and our Smart Moms, Healthy Babies initiative to spread the universal messages that early prenatal care, appropriate exercise, proper nutrition and

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remaining alcohol and tobacco-free are all part of a healthy pregnancy,” thanked Kate Boyce, Chair of NOFAS’ Board and the Gala. NOFAS President Tom Donaldson summed up the evening with thanks to all for joining the cause. “It takes all of us to prevent FASD. Together, we have to battle misconceptions such as “one glass of wine can’t hurt” and peer pressure. Both men and women bear responsibilities for their children’s health. Let’s not stigmatize nor ostracize. Let’s educate, support and help people help themselves. NOFAS can’t do it alone and it can’t be done from a distance. So get involved and make our cause, yours.” n

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British actress and U.N. Women Goodwill Ambassador Emma Watson co-hosts a special event organized by the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (U.N. Women) in support of their HeForShe campaign.

Miguel Rojo/AFP/Getty Images

“Who is this Harry Potter girl, and what is she doing speaking at the U.N.?” This Harry Potter girl was British movie actress Emma Watson, 24, aka Hermione Granger, universally adored heroine of the Harry Potter series. It was Watson herself asking the question. But whatever it was she was doing, it was right. The world body has made her a U.N. Women’s Global Ambassador, and from Watson’s first speech at the launch of a campaign called HeforShe in September, it was British actress and U.N. Women Goodwill Ambassador Emma Watson speaks next to Uruguay’s Vice President Danilo Astori (L) and the Director of the U.N. Women Programme Division Gulden Turkoz-Cosslett (R) during the presentation of the UN Women’s HeForShe campaign to non-governmental organizations at Uruguay’s Parliament in Montevideo on September 17, 2014. The U.N. project intends to mobilize one billion men and boys as advocates and agents of change in ending the persisting inequalities faced by women and girls globally. The premise is that inequality is a human rights issue, the resolution of which will benefit everyone socially, politically and economically. D I P L O M A T I C C O N N E C T I O N S B U S I N E S S edition | N o v embe r - D ecembe r 2 0 1 4

plain that the U.N. had made a good choice. The U.N. defines HeforShe as “aimed to put men at the center of activism and dialogue to end persistent inequalities faced by women and girls around the world.” As the whole world now knows because her powerful speech went phenomenally viral, Watson said men should be mobilized to become participants in the struggle for gender equality. They should be part of the solution to the gender issue, and not the problem. Women’s rights, Watson said, are “all too often synonymous with man-hating. If there is one thing that I know for certain it is that this has to stop.” Feminism, she said, “is the theory of the political, economical and social equality of the sexes.” Yet insufficient effort is made to engage the male half of the global population in addressing the situation. In addition to the eight films of the Harry Potter franchise, Watson has appeared in several non-Potter movies, including “The Bling Ring” and “Noah.” But it’s her Hermione Granger character that makes her an iconic figure for the male and female millennials who are the main target of the new campaign. The U.N. Under-Secretary General and Executive Director of U.N. Women, the gender equality wing of the organization, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka of South Africa, called Watson “a strong voice for young people worldwide,” and said Watson’s commitment “multiplies our ability to reach and engage young people who are the key to advancing gender equality.” All of which may be true, but Emma Watson is not a young woman in the ordinary sense. She has been a high-profile professional since the age of nine, when she made her film debut in the first Harry Potter movie. She is scandal free (for contrast, think of the notorious Lindsey Lohan, 28, who started her screen career at age 10), has the poise to address the United Nations and sit in the front row of the Paris fashion shows in the same week, impeccably dressed for either occasion. She is popular on the late night talk shows because what she says is usually levelheaded, amusing and delivered in her upper middle-class English accent which dazzles Americans. She spaced her movie-making to attend classes at Brown University, and graduated earlier this year. When Watson tweeted her new U.N. appointment to her 13.6 million followers, the flood of replies forced the United Nations official website to crash briefly — to the private delight of the organization — but normal service was quickly resumed. 92

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Group photo of the speakers from left to right: Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director of U.N. Women; Sam Kahamba Kutesa, President of the 69th Session of the General Assembly; British actress and U.N. Women Goodwill Ambassador Emma Watson; Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon; Yoo Soon-taek, Mr. Ban’s wife; and BritishCanadian actor, producer and director Kiefer Sutherland.

UN Photo/Mark Garten

D I P L O M A T I C C O N N E C T I O N S B U S I N E S S edition | N o v embe r - D ecembe r 2 0 1 4

UN Photo/Mark Garten

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon thanks British actress and U.N. Women Goodwill Ambassador Emma Watson for co-hosting the special event organized by the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (U.N. Women) in support of their HeForShe campaign. Also pictured, from left: Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director of U.N. Women; Yoo Soon-taek, Mr. Ban’s wife; and Sam Kahamba Kutesa (far right), President of the 69th Session of the General Assembly.

Even before her U.N. appointment, she had shown interest in youth advocacy, traveling to Bangladesh on a mission to draw attention to the importance of girls’ education. Among her pet British causes is the Royal Marsden Charity, which supports specialist cancer treatment at a London hospital. Earlier in 2014 she attended a reception in aid of the charity given by Prince William, the Duchess of Cambridge’s husband, at Windsor Castle, Queen Elizabeth’s weekend retreat. The U.N. sent her to Uruguay to address a regional conference of women’s rights activists and politicians, where she stressed the importance of women’s participation in politics. “Women must have a say in matters that affect their countries, communities and families,” Watson said. “After all, they are half of the population, so women’s equal participation in decision making is a question of justice and democracy.” The U.N. has a long tradition of recruiting movie stars to draw public attention to its important issues. Audrey Hepburn 94

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was a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF, the U.N.’s children’s fund promoting children’s rights. Angelina Jolie is a very highprofile activist with the global body’s refugee organization. But in taking on the cause of women’s rights, Watson has stepped into the crossfire of a global issue that is a lot more complex and ambivalent than the plight of children, or the predicament of refugees. In fact her 12-minute U.N. speech was lauded by some commentators as game-changing, and faulted by others as an attempt to re-dimension what has been an emotional debate against a background of violence to something more suitable over tea, scones and cucumber sandwiches. But Watson does not profess to be an expert in the intricacies of women’s rights — at least not yet. “All I know is that I care about the problem, and want to make it better,” said Watson of her new role. “I feel it is my responsibility to say and do something.” n

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