Drawing on 30 years of experience in foreign policy, technology, and media including appointments by three U.S. Presidents, Ambassador Diana Dougan spoke with heart-felt dedication about the challenges of "waging peace." The event, sponsored by San Diego World Affairs Council, a non-profit and non-partisan organization seeking to promote educational programs and activities in international relations, economics, politics, and culture, included a catered luncheon at the Handlery Hotel and Resort on Wednesday June 23^rd. Ambassador

 Dougan began her speech by emphasizing that in order to have a positive long-term impact in Iraq, as well as in international relations efforts with the circa 50 countries that are Muslim majority, we must make a greater effort to "understand who we are dealing with."

Lady Dougan’s list of credentials is long: Senior Advisor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), and Chair of its International Communications Studies Program, Co-chair of the Governing Board of the Center for Information Infrastructure and Economic Development (CIIED) under the auspices of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), Chair of Cyber Century Forum, Director at Qualcomm, Inc., previous experience as Assistant Secretary of State, and 8 years as the Director of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to name a few. Her most recent publication, Arab and Muslim Countries: Profiles in Contrast, which offers a quick resource for better understanding, was selling like hot-cakes following the event.

According to Ambassador Dougan, improving understanding includes repairing the tattered image of the American soldier abroad, knowing the demographic characteristics and technological capabilities of Muslim and Arab audiences, grasping the important association between women’s education and economic advancement, and promoting democracy through grass-roots movements, sustainable development, and an expanding middle class. In a speech peppered with polished turns of phrase, Ambassador Dougan utilized vivid anecdotes to convey her message. For example, she described how an American soldier, passing through the village of Ramandi, noted that Iraqi women were in need of sewing machines as a means to further micro-businesses and economic development. Through the organization, Spirit of America, launched under the auspices of Cyber Century Forum, she has facilitated donations which will be delivered through American soldiers in Iraq. Grass roots movements such as these meet multiple goals simultaneously. They promote economic development, empower Iraqi women, provide American with a means to make direct contributions, harness the power of the internet as a means of communication, and help repair the devastation done to the image of the American soldier.

Despite the technological power and popularity of American media, Ambassador Dougan pointed out myriad ways in which we have failed to capitalize on this strength. The Arab and Muslim world is young and endowed with a thirst for information and technology. Over half the population of the Arab and Muslim world is 17 or younger, with some of the highest population growth rates in the world. She noted that internet access is growing. For example, Egypt has launched plans to establish 500 internet "cafés" or community access centers by the end of this year. Even in remote areas, villages may hire a local teenager to ride an ox-cart into town and bring back news gleaned from the internet. If internet censorship appeared to be a concern, Ambassador Dougan told an amusing story about a bell-boy in Dubai who took all of fifteen minutes to bypass censorship security. She suggests promoting the good sides of America through technology. For example, information written in Arabic regarding children’s diseases could be added to the website for the Center for Disease Control, good deeds of American soldiers could be publicized and online magazines targeting Arab and Muslim youth could help encourage mutual understanding.

Another important theme woven throughout the speech highlighted the role of women in promoting economic development. Women’s education is positively correlated with the Gross Domestic Product and inversely related to the number of children borne. While women in some Arab and Muslim countries have still not won the right to vote or even drive, the Arab and Muslim world has produced a number of female political luminaries, such as the President of Indonesia and Prime Minister of Bangladesh. In sum, she encourages us that believing in positive change is a necessity, not merely "wishful thinking."

Spirit of America http://www.spiritofamerica.net

Cyber Century Forum http://www.cybercenturyforum.org/info/about.html

Global Information http://www.giic.org/press/pr950221.asp