Advancing Internet Freedom Together

About the Author: Emily Buss serves in the Office of Public Affairs at the U.S. Mission to the European Union.

“When a teenage tin toymaker in Togo is connecting to the global marketplace through mobile broadband networks, the world is not changing, the world has changed.” Thus, Alec Ross, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton’s Senior Advisor for Innovation, began a discussion on digital diplomacy and 21st Century Statecraft at the European Policy Centre in Brussels on June 26, 2012. Ross was telling a story about his friend, who after visiting the country of Togo many times and always purchasing toys from the same stand, was instead encouraged by that vendor to e-mail ahead to place an order.

Ross was joined by Daniel Korski, Special Advisor on Communication to EU High Representative Catherine Ashton, in addressing about 100 European Union (EU) public diplomacy professionals.… more »

(Source: blogs.state.gov)