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New Orleans Citizen Diplomacy Council
NOCDC Newsletter
Winter
January 2012 
Letter from NOCDC's President
Letter from the President

When does a delightful dinner conversation with a new acquaintance have the side benefit of profoundly positively affecting our world?Our simple acts of citizen diplomacy, both in New Orleans and wherever we travel, are just as important in 2012 as ever.

 

Credible stories can capture people's imaginations and profoundly affect political, military and economic events. In the last couple of years we have witnessed social media's decentralized and extra-governmental messages make dramatic positive impacts on civil society, even toppling entrenched governments.  Thus part of any country's diplomatic mission is competing with other governments, media, celebrities, corporations, and NGOs, among others, to tell credible stories about its people and its government.  But while a state department can control the message it puts forward, it cannot always anticipate or control what people will actually hear, particularly where cultural norms and perceptions of history affect how people understand that message. And too much government control can undercut any message's credibility. 

 

If we want to develop national policies that both preserve American security and earn friendship in the world, American citizens must freely engage citizens in other countries in meaningful, lasting dialogs. Although social media enables extra-governmental citizen communication, direct human-to-human interaction remains diplomacy's most powerful tool.  A Pakistani can easily read and learn from an online American newspaper or NGO website, but in an age where every phone is a camera and every computer can publish a blog, an obscure Florida pastor can also wreak havoc by threatening to burn a Koran. Citizen diplomacy forces us away from one-way messaging to meaningful two-way conversations. 

 

This year my husband and I had the chance to host dinner for two quiet Yemeni imams studying interfaith dialog.  They were keenly interested in learning how our house was constructed and how termites are such a problem in New Orleans, and explained to us how their stone houses are built.  These men are currently struggling to promote democracy in their country and their region.  Both they and their wives have internet access and are well educated, yet they reiterated how much they had been transformed by the ordinary American people they had met during their brief trip to the U.S.  We so easily underestimate how meaningful a fun, simple dinner conversation can be. I hope that this year every NOCDC member has the chance to make a difference over dinner!

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New members may join and old members may renew NOCDC membership by clicking here! (For descriptions of member levels, click on and view the individual or corporate membership forms.)

To join/renew, click on the Donate button. On the on-line form, enter your membership level (donation) amount;  click on Update Totals; and choose the U.S. as your country. We encourage you to join/renew now to be included in upcoming events for members only. 

Upcoming Projects

 

Emergency Management in Public Health 

A Project for Southeast Asia
January 25-29

8 Visitors

 

Promoting Leadership & Management in Basic Education

A Project for South Africa

January 25-28

6 Visitors

   

Chamber of Commerce: Capacity Building

A Project for Tunisia

February 1-5
 9 Visitors

  

To Protect & Serve: Law Enforcement & the Community

A Regional Project for Latin America
 February 1-5
16 visitors

 

 

After School Violence & Drug Prevention Programs

Individuals Traveling Together, Brazil 

February 7-11 

3 Visitors 

 

Promoting Transparency & Good Governance

A Regional Project for Africa

February 8-14

12 Visitors

 

Education Reform in the U.S.

A Project for Brazil

February 8-11

4 Visitors

 

The Fight Against HIV/AIDS & Infectious Disease in the U.S.

A Project for Mozambique

February 8-11

8 Visitors 

 

Energy Security

A Multi-Regional Project

February 9-14

6 Visitors


 Provincial Papers in the 21st Century
 A Project for Russia

February 11-15

6 Visitors  

 

Grassroots Democracy

A Regional Project for Latin America

February 15-18

20 Visitors 

 

Crisis & Disaster Management

A Project for Saudi Arabia

February 25-29

10 Visitors

 

U.S. Labor Unions

A Project for Australia

February 29-March 6

1 Visitor

 

Global Challenges and Cooperation

Individuals Traveling Together, South Korea

March 8-14

3 Visitors

 

Arts & Culture

A Project for Ms. Cornelia Gehrels

March 10-14 

 

Interfaith Dialogue

A Project for Syria

March 13-17

8 Visitors 

 

Countering Trafficking in Persons

A Project for the Philippines

March 14-18

5 Visitors

 

Minority Participation in the Political Process

A Multi-Regional Project

March 22-27

7 Visitors 

Seeking Professional Resources 

The New Orleans Citizen Diplomacy Council is looking for resources on after school violence prevention and drug prevention programs.  If you have experience with these topics and are willing to meet with international visitors to share your best practices, please contact NOCDC at (504) 529-1509 or office@nocdc.com.

February 3rd Event Reminder

Artfully AWAREBecoming Artfully AWARE:

Linking Local and International Communities through the Arts 

Friday, February 3, 2012 from 5:00 - 10:00 p.m.
New Orleans Museum of Art  

 

NOCDC is partnering with Artfully AWARE and other organizations to bring you a unique evening filled with rich local and world culture.

 

The evening begins with a performance by the Mardi Gras Indian tribe, the Guardians of the Flame. Michael Watson, the musical director of Irvin Mayfield's Jazz Playhouse, will play with a four-piece band, and the New Orleans Dance Collective will perform an inspiring dance piece based on unity. Short films will explore the vital role of the arts in society. One Million Bones, a hands-on art initiative that raises genocide awareness, will exhibit an installation that contains thousands of handmade bones.

 

Join us for a special evening of cultural exchange and understanding through art.

 

For questions, please click here or contact NOCDC at (504) 529.1509 or office@nocdc.com.  

 

Event Info

Friday, February 3, 2012

5:00 pm-10:00 pm

New Orleans Museum of Art

One Collins C. Diboll Circle

City Park

New Orleans, Louisiana 70119

(504) 658.4100

Tickets: Participants & Students are free
* Regular rates apply to members of the public: $10 adults | $8 seniors, active military

Display Equipment Needed For February 3rd Event

The NOCDC is looking to borrow large floor easels for the February 3 event at NOMA.   

 

Please contact the NOCDC at info@nocdc.com or (504) 529-1509 if you can lend out any of the items listed.

 

  Kyrgyz Delegates Learn about  

Youth Programs in New Orleans  


From December 20-23 NOCDC hosted four visitors from Kyrgyzstan whose program focused on engaging underserved youth.  While in New Orleans, the group met with representatives of the Youth Empowerment Project, Communities in Schools, Café Hope, Ya/Ya Inc., and Crescent City Lights Youth Theater to discuss how each of these serves the needs of the city's youth.  The group also toured Covenant House to learn more about youth shelters in the U.S. The visitors remarked that the Louisiana visit provided them with valuable ideas that will help them provide better services for young people they work with in Kyrgyzstan.

Thank You to Our Professional Resources

Thank you to our professional resources, who met with our international guests in November & December, 2011.

Beth Israel- Rabbi Uri Topolosky

 

Bridge House Warehouse- Mr. Michael Ferrera, Volunteer Guide

  

Café Hope of Catholic Charities- Mr. Luis Arocha, Chairman of Café Hope


Café Reconcile - Mr. David Emond, Director of Development

  

Communities in Schools of New Orleans- Ms. Sarah Massey, Executive Director 

    

Covenant House New Orleans- Mr. Wyatt Hines, Program Director; Mr. Michael G. Honore, Director of Education and Vocational Programs  

 

Ebbert and Associates- Mr. Terry Ebbert, COL USMC (Ret) former Director, Office of Homeland Security

 

Episcopal Community Services- Ms. Nell Bolton, Executive Director

 

Guerrilla Garden- Ms. Jenga Mwendo, Founder & Director, Backyard Gardeners Network

 

Institute of Women & Ethnic Studies (IWES) - Ms. Jennifer Glick, Program Director

 

Interfaith Works- Ms. Nancy Murray, Partner

 

Jewish Community Relations Council- Dr. Brenda Brasher, Associate Faculty, Department of Sociology, Tulane University

 

Louisiana Interfaith Disaster Recovery Network- Ms. Jessica Vermilyea, Chair, Lutheran Social Services Disaster Response; Ms. Jane Aslam, Director, Disaster Response Services, ICNA Relief, USA; Rev. Darryl Tate, Conference Director of Disaster Preparedness and Response, LA Conference of The United Methodist Church Disaster Response

 

Loyola University- Dr. Daniella Zsupan-Jerome, Assistant Professor of Liturgy, Catechesis and Evangelization; Dr. Mari Rethelyi, Visiting Assistant Professor of Jewish Studies; Dr. Aaron Spevack, Assistant Professor of Islamic Studies; Dr. David Zemmels, Assistant Professor of Digital Communication

 

Mayor's Office of Health Policy & AIDS Funding- Ms. Fran Lawless, Director

 

New Orleans Healing Center- Ms. Sallie Ann Glassman, Co-Creator

 

NO/AIDS Task Force- Mr. Enrique Moresco, Director of Operations

 

St. Joseph Rebuild Center- Mr. Don Thompson, Director, Harry Tompson Center

 

The Micah Project- Mr. Daniel Schwartz, Executive Director; Ms. Ilana Robbins Gross, Communications and Operations Coordinator

 

Young Aspirations/Young Artists, Inc. (YA/YA)- Ms. Jana Napoli, Founder  

 

Youth Empowerment Project (YEP)- Ms. Melissa Sawyer, Co-Founder and Executive Director; Ms. Eliza Brinkmeyer, Development and Communications Director 

 

Thank You to Our Hosts

Thank you to all who welcomed visitors
with home hospitality in November & December, 2011.

Mr. Dale and Mrs. Jeannie Biggers hosted Thanksgiving dinner for a multi-regional group of eight visitors studying HIV/AIDs Education and Prevention. 

   

Ms. Susannah Coolidge & Mr. Frederic Diegel hosted four visitors from Kyrgysztan studying Engaging Underserved Youth in their home for a reception.

 

Ms. Barbara Edin hosted two visitors from Yemen studying Interfaith Dialogue in her home for dinner.

 

Mr. Keith Hall & Ms. Machelle Lee Hall hosted two visitors from Yemen studying Interfaith Dialogue in their home for lunch.

 
In This Issue
Letter from NOCDC's President
Join/Renew NOCDC Membership Online!
Upcoming Projects
Seeking Professional Resources
February 3rd Event Reminder
Display Equipment Needed for February 3rd Event
Kyrgyz Delegates Learn About Youth Programs in New Orleans
Quick Links

"Thanks for your
assistance over the weekend as well as setting up a terrific program, despite the challenges
of a holiday weekend.
New Orleans was the perfect choice for this theme... because of the concerted efforts of the people we met."


Norman Skougstad,
English Language Officer, HIV/AIDS Education & Prevention


Thank You to Our 

Corporate Sponsors

 

  The following corporations support NOCDC and its efforts:   

 
 
 
 
 

 

 

Board Members

 

Machelle Lee Hall, President

John Hopper, Treasurer

Nathalie Bastin

Bruno Jubelin

John Lambert

Alexandra Mora  

Lillian Thompson

Walter F. Wolf, III, Immediate Past President 

 

Advisory Board Members

 

Hon. Jay Dardenne

Patricia Denechaud

Patricia Gay

Edward T. Hayes 

Dr. E. Ralph Lupin

Maestro Robert Lyall

Hon. Kristin Palmer

Jeffrey Stacey

Sean Wilson   

 

Staff  

 

Susannah Coolidge, Executive Director

Ines Sigel, Program Coordinator

Emily Ramírez, Program Officer

William Moodie, Program Intern


The mission of NOCDC is to promote citizen diplomacy- the notion that the individual citizen can help shape U.S. foreign relations "one handshake
at a time."
(504) 529.1509
office@nocdc.com