The 2009 Smith-Mundt Symposium brought together public diplomacy and strategic communication practitioners from the State Department, the Defense Department, the Agency for International Development, and other governmental and non-governmental groups, including academia, media, and Congress for a first of its kind discussion. The goal to have a frank and open discussion on the foundation and structure America’s global engagement was achieved.
Held on January 13, 2009, just one week before the Obama Administration came into office and just short of the Smith-Mundt Act’s sixty‐first anniversary, this one‐day event fueled an emerging discourse inside and outside of Government on the purpose and structure of public diplomacy. The symposium was convened and chaired by Matt Armstrong.
Filling the largest room of the Reserve Officers Association on Capitol Hill, the symposium was a frank, on the record discussion among a diverse group of stakeholders, practitioners, and observers from the Congress, the Departments of State, Defense, and Homeland Security, and outside of government to discuss public diplomacy, strategic communication, or whatever their particular "tribe" calls communication and engagement. Many of the attendees never had a reason to be in the same room before, let alone share tables to discuss surprisingly common interests.
Recorded and almost televised (C-SPAN had planned to broadcast the event but the sudden scheduling of several confirmation hearings, including Hilary Clinton’s, took precedence), transcripts and audio are available on this website (see below).
A summary report on the symposium was published and is available here (434kb PDF).
Biographies of the keynote speakers and all of the panelists who spoke at the symposium are on the Panels & Bios page.
The day’s agenda, with links to the transcripts and audio, are below. Choose from the menu bar at the top of this page for an electronic library sent to the attendees prior to the event, press packet, and other links.
Morning Keynote by then-Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs James Glassman. Amb. Glassman’s remarks are preceded by opening comments by event chair Matt Armstrong.
- Transcript (65kb PDF). Glassman’s comments begin at the bottom of page 5, after Armstrong.
- Audio (54min, 13mb). Glassman’s comments begin at the 13:45 mark after Armstrong.
Panel 1: History of Smith-Mundt (transcript, 106kb PDF)
Panel 2: America’s Bifurcated Engagement (transcript, 120kb PDF)
Lunchtime Keynote by former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Support to Public Diplomacy Mike Doran
- Transcript (72kb PDF)
- Audio (63min, 15mb)
Panel 3: Rebuilding the Arsenal of Persuasion (transcript, 104kb PDF)
Kristin Lord, moderator - Ted Tzavellas
- Nancy Snow
- Colleen Graffy
- Bill Kiehl
Panel 4: The View from the Hill (transcript, 140kb PDF)
- Doug Wilson, moderator
- Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.)
- Rep. Paul Hodes (D-NH)
- Lynne Weil
Closing Comments by Matt Armstrong (transcript included above)
On January 6, 2010, a pre-event media roundtable was hosted by the AOC (transcript, 83k PDF). Speaking at the roundtable were:
- Rear Admiral Greg Smith
- David Firestein
- George Clack
- Matt Armstrong
Matt Armstrong convened and chaired the symposium. Financial support came from Mr. Armstrong’s firm, Armstrong Strategic Insights Group, LLC, and promotional support was through Mr. Armstrong’s blog, www.MountainRunner.us. Additional financial support came from the Center on Commun
ication Leadership.
Questions or comments should be directed to Matt Armstrong at blog@mountainrunner.us or (202) 596-9435.
See also:
Craig Hayden says:
One of my students at American University, a Bosch Fellow named Rebecca currently in Germany, posted this to my facebook wall:
“So I found myself trying to explain the Smith-Mundt act in my political German class the other day. In German. My teacher was very confused although he understood what I was saying, he still couldn’t understand the concept. A fruitless effort indeed.”
Too true.
-Craig Hayden