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Mehrdad Kiaei *
Introduction
Today, state communication with publics of other countries, called public diplomacy, has a significant role in international relations and the strength of an actor’s public diplomacy rests upon the strength of its foreign policy. In this regard, this article examines how the Organization of the Islamic Countries, as the only Islamic organization, comprised of fifty-seven nations, in the absence of a unified foreign policy, can develop its own public diplomacy? From the author’s viewpoint, the common challenges facing the Islamic countries can provide them with a unified public diplomacy. Indeed, some of the complex global challenges of the Islamic world such as; defamation of Islam, globalization and cultural aggression in the form of public diplomacy, combating against the Zionist regime's threats, the access to nuclear energy, opposing terrorism and etc. can provide a unified approach to public diplomacy for Islamic countries
Technological advances in recent years, has affected global interaction and today’s international arena is witnessing a revolution in communication with people all around the world. Deploying different ways of communication, governments broaden their direct relations with people from other countries to increase influence, create a positive image and upgrade their credibility. Different countries, organizations and even individuals try to expand their relations and use social network tools to promote their charisma and play a more active role in world politics. The new globalised information environment is a particularly difficult one for governments and international organizations to adapt to, while the old-style formal and state-to-state relations are no longer the only recipe for successful policy-making,r governments and international organizations, communicating national policies, convincingly to their audiences abroad has become more essential than ever before. Here, Islamic countries have lagged behind in the discussion about public diplomacy and in some of them, the term 'public diplomacy' is not even part of the political vocabulary. As a result, the Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC) lacks the capabilities, in public diplomacy, to meet the Islamic world's challenges and to influence people around the world. Meanwhile we are witnessing a wave of false allegations against Islam through different means as well as a thorough, soft aggression against Islamic countries, as Muslims are absent in many ongoing debates and discussions.
However, changing public views towards international security issues has obliged many Islamic governments to start reconsidering public diplomacy. The OIC, as the only Islamic organization, in its turn needs to take a more serious approach towards public diplomacy because of Islamic countries not trying to define Islam and their policies; adversaries will do it. Moreover, the organization has the essential requirements for establishing a public diplomacy strategy and the smart utilization of this power will enable us to overcome challenges of new world order.
Indeed, this article demonstrates that common challenges facing the Islamic countries can provide them with a unified strategy of public diplomacy. In order to examine this assumption, public diplomacy will be briefly introduced, followed by reviews on some of the challenges facing the Islamic countries. Examples of public diplomacy activities in Afghanistan and Iraq show that an aggressive strategy has been adopted against the Islamic World, which calls for a wise counter-policy. Subsequently, some emerging new actors will be introduced to demonstrate the development of Public Diplomacy by different players and in order to have a better idea of the Islamic World's power in this field, Iran's public diplomacy will be examined. It further endeavors to explore the power and role of the OIC, the challenges it faces and practical steps towards establishing a public diplomacy strategy to manage its internal and external communications. Suggestions for the future conduct of the OIC’s public diplomacies are offered as initial steps in hopes of preparing the ground for a higher level of cooperation. However, public diplomacy requires political will, strategy and resources--needless to say that this is easier said than done. For the OIC’s communication efforts to succeed and become sustainable, member countries need to vigorously pursue the modernization of their national and organizational communication policies, tools and techniques. Further research is needed to closely examine elements of the OIC’s public diplomacy strategy.
Public Diplomacy
Older definitions of Public diplomacy were less aggressive and merely aimed at creating a common understanding. It was described as: "…a government's process of communication with foreign publics in an attempt to bring about understanding for its nation's ideas and ideals, its institutions and culture, as well as its national goals and current policies"[1] According to this definition, public diplomacy shapes the communicating environment in which a country’s foreign policies are explained to foreign countries. However, some contemporary definitions consider indoctrinating of people to an ideology as the main goal of public diplomacy.
New approaches to public diplomacy go well beyond an exchange of ideas, now namely; gaining support for policies, ideological battle, information war and the war of ideas reflect new at toward public diplomacy. Some think tanks take even a more aggressive position and instead of creating a joint understanding, give advice as to drawing a separating line in other societies. The Washington Institute for Near East Policies believes that public diplomacy should support the US friends, isolate its critics and punish the adversaries. If not, public diplomacy will remain part of America’s oversea problems.[2]
The U.S.’s National Strategy for Public Diplomacy perceives presenting and promoting American values as a strategic objective of public diplomacy. Moreover, to materialize this goal, it suggests special programs linked to those values. The programs include sponsored scholarships for girls, development and disaster assistance, report on human rights, sponsored workshops on workers’ rights, greater freedom of expression including political participation in the Middle East, collaboration with scientists worldwide and etc.[3] According to this document, American values should spread all over the world and special groups of each society are chosen for more communication to materialize this goal.
In addition, some media activists describe public diplomacy as an instrument to engage in the 'War of Ideas'. According to a former director of Radio Liberty, "after 9/11, it became painfully evident that America needed a strong public diplomacy capable of two things: first, to influence key foreign audiences in ways that disposed them to support our view of the world and our policies; second, to engage in a 'War of Ideas'- the traditional mission of our strategic communications instruments like the Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty."[4] These new approaches to public diplomacy shows that in dealing with this issue, the Islamic world should avoid simple-minded perceptions and think of a practical strategy to defend its values and tenets. Different players of world politics are increasingly aware of this necessity and have adopted an active policy in their communication strategy.
New Actors
The growing role of public opinion, the emergence of global and interactive media, high transparency as a result of advanced communications, globalization as well as citizens being able to access, use and disseminate this information has led to the emergence of new actors. International communication with the public has become a complex challenge for all actors and globalization and media revolution have not only have made states more aware of their reputation, but all actors of international politics are now increasingly becoming active in image shaping operations. International organizations like NATO and EU, non-governmental organizations and even individuals as new actors are ever increasingly playing a role in public diplomacy.
NATO, as an international organization, puts a lot of effort into cultivating networks and supporting discussions among security and foreign policy experts. Its Public Diplomacy Division has only been created in 2003 and aims chiefly at member countries and secondly at partner countries. As Stefanie Babst, the NATO Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Public Diplomacy Strategy says, "Globalization affects the way we communicate with each other, and presents a challenge for every political leadership … NATO should be more courageous in using digital tools to directly interact with the public."[(5]
Citizens too, play a crucial role in public diplomacy, complimenting that of non-governmental and international organizations. As the scope of public engagement broadened, the gap between domestic diplomacy and foreign diplomacy has closed; citizens became new actors of foreign policy and foreign policy makers paid more attention to the public’s role. Now, what governments do and say abroad is rapidly becoming a public debate at home. Convergence of internal and foreign affairs is making public diplomacy and public affairs central elements of statecraft and Foreign ministers are no longer able to improve the national interests of their countries on their own. Hence, 'domestication of foreign policy' through an exchange of official positions with public opinion is considered as a complementary policy and the citizen diplomacy has become a fundamental component of different countries' public diplomacy.[6] The OIC, as the most important Islamic international organization, may use different experiences and seriously consider establishing a public diplomacy to succeed in advancing its image in today’s world. It must move beyond traditional relations and find new ways to influence and inform people everywhere.
Iran's Public Diplomacy and the OIC
As a founding member of the UN, NAM, OIC and OPEC , Iran plays a consolidating role in uniting Muslim countries throughout the world. Today, it is considered as an important player in the Middle East and an increasingly big power in world affairs. Since the 1979 Islamic revolution, Iranian foreign policy has exercised elements of public diplomacy in one way or another despite the absence of a unified public diplomacy structure, various elements of the Iranian government have been engaged in initiative public diplomacy throughout the world in an effort to materialize its foreign policy goals and improve both the image of the country and that of Islam. Iran’s geo-strategic importance, powerful economy and industry its spiritual influence on Muslims around the world as well as its independent and counter-hegemonic policies are the main sources of the soft power which supports the public diplomacy of this country.
Iran's long term activities in this field have provided it with a great potential to help the OIC to meet the challenges facing the Islamic world. Even as it is under growing pressure for its pursuit of nuclear activities and its ongoing support for axis of resistance in the region, Iran has successfully deployed its soft power instruments; media, trade and investment, local assistance and cultural ties are just few elements of the country’s public diplomacy.
Public diplomacy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, in the past few years, has managed to breach a number of significant sanctions and barriers and win over the hearts and minds of people in different parts of the world; ranging from Latin America to the Far East. In recent years, Iran has made a substantial effort to extend its public diplomacy, from the launching of the 24-hour English-language satellite channel, Press Press TV, to the Arabic-language satellite channels Al Alam and Al Kawthar, to a number of radio stations in Hebrew, Dari, Pashto, Kurdish, Uzbek, Turkish, English, Turkmen, and Azeri.
Iran’s technological and industrial products exporting to countries in the region are means of extending its regional influence. By participating in international exhibitions, Iran tries to expose its economic power, drawing the world’s attention to its developments and progress. The Islamic Republic is earning popular respect in the Middle East as well as in many Third World countries due to its traditional support of the Palestinian independence movement which has cultivated substantial goodwill towards Iran both within Palestine and abroad. Furthermore, the Islamic Republic’s condemnation of the Zionist regime has gained the respect of Arab publics for it.
Iran's public diplomacy campaign towards East Asia, Africa and Latin America is another success. As a result of this policy, ties with China and various countries in the South-East; especially Malaysia and Indonesia have been strengthened. In recent years, Iran has stepped up reach out to Africa, stating as a main goal of its foreign policy the support of “oppressed and deprived nations.” Their economic and technological support to Africa keeps in line with the previously stated mission. The successful background of Iran's public diplomacy and its experiences are considered one of the most valuable assets of the OIC and can be used in the best way possible to strengthen the Islamic World's strategic communication and engagement.
Role and Power of the OIC
The OIC as an organization has great potential for addressing the issues facing Muslims and embarking on a new and more effective phase in its communication with the international community, particularly with that of the western world. Comprised of fifty-seven nations spread over four continents, the forty-year-old Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) is the second largest international body after the UN, and is aimed at protecting the Muslim’s interests, worldwide.
Islamic territories posses the key building elements for a new nation and contains huge reserves of oil and gas--more than the rest of the world combined. Alongside this some of the world’s key strategic waterways are in the hands of the Muslims. Around 20% of the world’s oil passes through the Strait of Hormuz waterway that straddles between the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf.[7] This fact alone makes it the most important waterway in the world. The Suez Canal that passes through Egypt is considered one of the world’s most important waterways. The Muslim lands also contain some of the world’s largest resources.
Over and beyond this reality, Islam has a tremendous reserve of soft power and charisma which calls for innovative ways of using to its advantage. It is the source of justice, moderation, tolerance, peace, and development. It puts emphasize on the importance of knowledge, and innovation. Our religion is the source of kindness, good-will, and compassion. However, today we are introduced by many as just the opposite.
At the same time, Muslims should play this game according to their own rules. The assumption of Joseph Nye is that soft powers of the twenty-first century will be those who abide by a normative set of ideas; close to prevailing global norms such as liberalism, pluralism and autonomy. [8] On the contrary, basic Islamic rules and ideas are permanent and don’t need to follow dominant norms. Islamic societies should have the chance to improve their own experience of statecraft based on their values. Our only and most important duty is to comprehend the genuine message of Islam, and convey it in the best way possible to interested people. A strong Islamic identity together with a good public diplomacy strategy is a forceful source of power, and will leave our adversaries speechless. Moreover, while the main principles of Islam are manipulated and a fake image is replaced, gaining support for our ideas and interests cannot bea primary goal. The suffering reality is that Islamic genuine identity is not in any significant way present in the daily discourse and discussions that are going on in western countries.
As noted earlier, public diplomacy and public affairs are central elements of diplomacy; in today’s world we cannot confine our public diplomacy to foreign publics alone. Therefore the communication strategy of the OIC may embrace both external and domestic publics. As some public diplomacy experts believe: in modern policy, a shared commitment of a cohesive and insistent presentation of the nation both internally and externally are of great concern and have replaced commitments of public affairs and public diplomacy.[9]
Hence, the organization should be able to counter adversaries' propaganda inside Islamic countries and address internal weaknesses, while simultaneously confronting the existing aggression against Islam worldwide. For this to happen, the OIC may constitute a commission of eminent persons to develop a strategy and a plan of action with special attention to public diplomacy. The strategy should enable Islamic nations to meet the challenges of globalization and cultural invasion.
Common Challenges and Unified Strategy
While formulating public diplomacy by an international organization like the OIC is a new experience, recent endeavors of organizations like NATO and the UN provide primary ideas. The strength of an actor's public diplomacy rests upon the strength of its foreign policy, which the OIC lacks. However common problems facing the Islamic countries can provide them with a united approach to this phenomenon. Some of the complex global challenges of the Islamic world include: defamation of Islam, globalization and cultural aggression in the form of public diplomacy, combating against the Zionist regime's threats, accessing nuclear energy, reaching out to the western and non-Muslim communities, fighting radical nationalism in western societies and their double standard policy of human rights, freedom of expression, anti-religion attitude of western propaganda, standing against terrorism and etc. which require complex, multi-dimensional public engagement strategies.
In fact the 9/11 attacks prepared the ground for a new wave of public diplomacy in the Islamic World. Invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq was accompanied by increasing the interest in public diplomacy. Following military aggression concurrent with the so-called 'war on terror', public diplomacy was revived and a campaign to win the battle for the 'hearts and minds' of the Muslim world was launched, intended to introduce a kinder and gentler image of the US. The 2002 US National Strategy, ranked "the war of Idea" second only to the military offense, where the Arab and Islamic World was the target. The massage was American values, and democracy and freedom were to stop the spread of terrorism[10].
In 2002 Radio Sawa was launched, with the intention of communicating directly in Arabic with the people of the Middle East, to change the Arabs perceptions of the US. The station featured non-stop American and Arab pop songs, combined with short news bulletins. This radio was considered as an innovative approach towards gaining market-share and there were even recommendations of duplicating Sawa's model elsewhere in the region.[11]
Next step was a monthly Arabic language magazine, 'Hi International,' and its related website which were launched in 2003. In 2004, a satellite TV station 'al Hurrah' was introduced to promote an American framing of news in the Middle East. However three years later, following the broadcast of anti-American and anti-Israeli viewpoints, al Hurra faced a challenge in the US Congress which revealed the main goals of US public diplomacy. The question was: whether al Hurra's mission was to provide objective news or to promote US Policy in the region. Members of congress blasted it for failing to live up to its mission of promoting an American framing. For example, Congressman Gary Ackerman argued that; "you are part of the government. You have something to sell, and you have good product to sell; that is America, and that is the truth" adding," al Hurra was not created just so that we could present both sides of the issue. We are the other side of the issue."[12] Accordingly, mistakes were acknowledged and corrective measures taken and as a result, the US Senate and House of Representative appropriated $112 million to fund al Hurra operations for 2010, making it cost, to date, over $650 million.[13] However, poor performance of al Hurra and its weakness in changing Muslim's attitudes towards the US, led some even to argue that the money spent funding this station would have been better spent trying to influence the popular Arab news stations of Al Jazeera and Al Arabia to a more positive perception of the invasion of Iraq and its aftermath.[14]
The public diplomacy strategy for Afghanistan was different from the one in Iraq. Instead of a massive construction of state-run media, more work has been done to create small local media operations. Spending on media and communication in Afghanistan has followed the funding pattern of Iraq, with annual budgets of hundreds of millions of dollars. According to one report, the director of communications of the US forces in Afghanistan operates with an annual budget of about 100 million dollars for informational operations. One chart accompanying the DoD's 2011 budget shows CENTCOM, which is running the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, spending 375 million dollars in 2010 on information operations.[15]
Along with this, Islam bashing has risen in western media and provocative articles, cartoons, videos and other terms of propaganda are prepared in order to destroy the image of Islam. Subsequently, we are witnessing a new wave of intolerance, extremism, and terrorism, which have affected the Islamic world seriously. False allegations against Islam are raised through different instruments while Muslims are absent in many ongoing debates and discussions. Here is an example of biased information spreading among academics: recently a western scholar claimed that, 'in Islamic thought a genuine grievance against a member of the Umma requires seven generation to avenge. A historian defines a generation as 25 years. So there you have it. If the West is to start wining today, making no more mistakes, it needs a Grand Strategy for the next 175 years.'[16]
It is clear that the Islamic world is facing an unprecedented and complex threat, while no specific country has announced war against it and this in turn has negatively impacted the Islamic nation. Although tremendous efforts have been made in the West to shift public diplomacy and diplomacy in general, away from ‘realpolitik’ and towards ‘nonpolitik’ to undermine the consequences of soft power exercised within Muslim world, but as a Western academic recognized, "… in the information war being waged in the Islamic world, the U.S. and the West have become 'the enemy' … And when one has become the enemy there is a need to engage in deep contemplations--not just on how others see 'us' but what kind of people 'we' really are, or have become.'[17] Likewise, others believe that 'the heart of the American problem was not the presentation of its policy but the policy itself.'[18]
Message and Information Collecting
To confront this wave, a "coherent public diplomacy strategy" should be designed; also the OIC should formulate united messages. Focusing on a few, well-designed messages are better than different and sometimes conflicting ones. Although diversity is an essential element of life, creating an umbrella under which many different ideas could be expressed, is necessary. Organized and verified messages would reduce the risk of ambiguity and contribute to an image of Islam that is both representative as well as being sufficiently eye-catching. Since image creation is one of the central elements and messages of public diplomacy, a comprehensive introduction of Islam would be the main message which is able to build a brand; a real image of Islam must reach some requirements, being genuine, trustworthy and internally agreed upon among the Islamic countries to be striking. Based on this, the Islamic Republic of Iran has considered its central message as: "spreading Justice for all". This message comes directly from the Holy Quran and is introduced as the main goal of sending prophets; "Certainly we sent our messengers with clear signs and sent down with them the Book and the Balance so that men may conduct themselves with justice (57:25)." Other messages may address different challenges of the Islamic nation.
Based on challenges and threats, applicable messages would be formulated, where information collecting is the best way to recognize problems. Even some believe information collecting is the fundamental element of public diplomacy. Engaging a foreign public and collecting its opinions would enable us to analyze that information and lead to the formation and explanation of our ideas and policies.
The OIC should track few courses in this field, including; opposite sentiments around the world, elements of public diplomacy strategies designed for Islamic nations and the main characters of target societies. Negative opinions should be dealt with enlightening information. Confronting the aggression against Islamic communities requires the broad and wise engagement of all Islamic resources, while analyzing other societies is necessary for communication.
Chief actors of public diplomacy try to study different orientations and interests of target societies in order to establish appropriate public diplomacy strategies for them. For example; a US research agency describes Islamic societies as follows: the overwhelming majority of the world's Muslims are not Islamists. However Islamists are often highly motivated and well funded. In contrast, non-Islamist Muslims range from radical atheists to secular Muslims or pious ones as well as traditional orthodox believers. They have no common program, no way even to know who in the society shares their views. An important step towards minimizing recruits to Islamists is to identify the potential allies among these non-Islamist Muslims, build networks of common purpose among them, and show them that the United States supports them in the currency that matters in local society- that is, visibility and money.[19] Such a description of Muslims all around the world means a thorough study of Islamic societies and an action plan to deal with them.
New information technology can provide us with effective new tools to collect information. With these advanced knowledge management technologies, we could collect specific information needed, translate it into messaging strategies for Muslim and non-Muslim audiences and offer the media, worldwide, the obtained messages. As communication professionals stress, speed, accuracy, and completeness are vital in making a case. In the next step, to minimize the risk of misunderstanding and disinformation, we should be able to directly present our policy and information.
Policy Presentation
The importance of the channel, as well as the message, for the transmission of soft power is obvious. With growing access to the internet and an ever increasing improvement in communication technology, people expect to be provided with information. The nation that fails to use these opportunities will be left behind by those that use the latest methods in order to reach the target audiences. The OIC needs to have a policy framework in place, so that people could receive the news they call for in a coherent, comprehensive, accurate and speedy manner. It should be noticed that, alternative and often misleading sources of information exist, that may hamper the interest of one actor. For instance, throughout the Iraq conflict the US Defense Department had developed a series of initiatives, to further its desire for information dominance. In October 2001 the Office of Strategic Influence (OSI) was created to conduct covert misinformation and deception operations, including planting false news items with disguised origins in the media abroad. When it was revealed that it was the intended for the American media to pick up the fabricated news reports and to distribute them in the USA so as to bolster the domestic support for the US actions overseas, the OSI was shut down, but its operation was transferred to another unit; the Information Operations Task Force (IOTF).[20]
Media is the key to shaping public opinion, and is the most influential tool for drawing attention to a subject. Newer instruments like that of the Social networks are very effective for engagement with oversea audiences--especially in countries with a high rate of PC and internet access. To grasp this opportunity, the OIC may consider developing special spaces on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and or launching a Website.
However, while social media provides many opportunities, it contains risks. Applying new technologies in the communication world, should strictly avoid a superficial sense of modernization and happiness. Social media is like a knife; its handle is not in our hand. Only well trained people may use it wisely. According to experts following social media data collecting, internet users must always be cautious about what they write on their networking sites and blogs. This fact must not be overlooked that everything is written online is scrutinized and used by companies looking forward to get in touch with people for various reasons--since law enforcement agencies or data collecting companies use social networking sites to gather information for investigations.
Furthermore, social media administrators – the handle of the knife- enjoy an even broader capability and are able to control, guide and analyze huge amounts of valuable information available on these networks. They may delete unpleasant users or materials--as the atrocities of the Zionist regime was deleted from YouTube; they have unlimited access to personal information of users and even blocked areas, they can send whatever information deemed necessary to any user, sort and follow specific desired issues and subjects, introduce any kind of rules and regulation, stop its activities at any time, and many other unknown possibilities. Efforts to expand the US control on social media is an example. Recently there has been calls for US officials to intervene in the rewriting of the rules for private software companies such as Google so as to guarantee soft power potentials over the internet for the United States. [21]
What has been brought into focus recently, has confirmed the previous warnings. Julian Assange, WikiLeaks founder, in a recent interview with Russia Today slammed the social media "Facebook in particular is the most appalling spying machine that has ever been invented. Here we have the world’s most comprehensive database about people, their relationships, their names, their addresses, their locations and the communications with each other, their relatives, all sitting within the United States, all accessible to US intelligence. Facebook, Google, Yahoo – all these major US organizations have built-in interfaces for US intelligence. It’s not a matter of serving a subpoena--they have an interface that they have developed for US intelligence to use. Now, is it the case that Facebook is actually run by US intelligence? No, it’s not like that. It’s simply that US intelligence is able to bring to bear legal and political pressure to them. And it’s costly for them to hand out records one by one, so they have automated the process. Everyone should understand that when they add their friends to Facebook, they are doing free work for the United States’ intelligence agencies in building this database for them."[22]
Social networks provide opportunities for any kind of easy, covert and unlimited communication, which in turn may have unexpected side effects as well as replacing traditional ways of communication. Modernization shouldn’t cause ignorance of our powerful religious and exclusive ways of gathering. As a western observer describes; for the post-Iraq (post – 2003) generations especially, internet chat rooms are now supplementing and replacing mosques and community centers as venues for recruitment.[23] Naturally, civilized nations with deep rooted culture, that wish to maintain their intellectual properties try to prepare a special awareness program in order to introduce the advantages and disadvantages of mass social media. Meanwhile, countering poisoned propaganda aimed at Islamic societies requires special attention. This can be considered in the framework of communication between the OIC and population of Islamic countries. The OIC may provide educational courses through media to increase the awareness of adversaries' activities and to reinforce basic knowledge of vulnerable audiences.
Creating a website is another opportunity for expanding communication with internal and external audiences through helping the Muslims around the world to shape their perceptions of Islam. The website may provide information on current events, guidelines for Muslims traveling abroad, Muslims spectacular achievements in different fields, facts and figures about the Islamic nation and countries and etc. as well as providing training courses on Islam. However, one should not take a limited view of Public Diplomacy and confine it to the media and internet; any strategy should in fact try to widen this definition of Public Diplomacy and also include elements like culture, art, literature, foreign aid, bilateral cooperation and etc. Newer concepts such as engagement of Diaspora and global citizen diplomacy can also be helpful.
Conclusion
The influence of public opinion on decision-making is growing around the world. Naturally, where the influence of public opinion is growing there should be a strengthening of public diplomacy. Structural changes in international systems have also increased the value of public diplomacy as a tool of foreign policy. Despite the fact that countries around the world are practicing public diplomacy in one form or another, the OIC, due to a lack of foreign policy, seems far from being capable of designing a public diplomacy. However, in the absence of a unified foreign relation, common challenges may provide an appropriate basis for a common strategy.
Clearly it is important for the OIC members to communicate with each other in order to generate decision-making, but it is equally important to communicate with the rest of the world too, with the public in member countries, partners, other international organizations and with what is often called “the global audience”. In order to advance our goals and change our image, we need to engage, listen, discuss, persuade and ultimately influence others. Public diplomacy is the main instrument to engage directly with the global audiences.
Moreover, in a world where diplomacy is increasingly dependent on soft power and the power of attraction generates from culture, the Islamic world stands in a very strong position. The Islamic world as a unique historical unit and a significant player in the world affairs is capable of establishing a sustainable communication program. Islam's genuine culture and values combined with wise public diplomacy could lead to regaining its well-deserved position in the world, bringing solidarity among its followers. Simultaneously, Islamic nations are suffering from a complicated aggression which calls for a unified position to confront all these threats. The lack of such a policy has provided enemies with plenty of opportunities to invade Islamic territories, undermining an Islamic image and misrepresenting the Muslim nation.
Afghanistan, Iraq, Sudan and etc. are live examples of western soft and hard intervention in the Islamic lands. Following the ten years of war against Islamic nations, two Muslim countries are occupied, some are divided, thousands of troops are deployed to other parts of the Islamic territories, hundreds of thousands of Muslims are killed, displaced, injured and imprisoned without legal basis, scientific and technological improvements not to mention the achievements of Muslim scholars being hampered,[24] Islamic scientists are assassinated [25] and Western norms and values are imposed on Muslim societies. These problems may not be fixed by traditional diplomacy alone. Muslims should establish a structure for direct access to other societies and provide first hand information and analyses to foreign publics. If the latest communication tools are used to undermine the Islamic thought, Muslim nations should feel responsible to take all necessary measures to counterattack and defend their identity.
The OIC as the main and only platform of the Islamic Countries may provide appropriate mechanisms for this to happen. The OIC Group in Geneva which is established to 'increase the effectiveness of the work of the OIC Missions, aimed at promoting efficient cooperation and coordination among Member States on issues concerning the Muslim Ummah', which can take on more responsibility and play a more active role. The Islamic nation may develop a shared understanding to invest more in national and international communication efforts and capabilities. A joint vision of modern public diplomacy and related approaches could help improve the ability to speak with one voice. Moreover, deploying the latest communication tools is an essential part of any strategy.
Finally, our task in public diplomacy is to transfer the realities of our policies, values, ideals and even sufferings. We should address the lies, misinterpretations and biased information about us that so often circulates around the globe. Meanwhile, we need to recognize the limits of public diplomacy and remember that our internal and external policies are often at the focus around the globe and Public diplomacy cannot change the policies it presents. We should keep in mind that nations will only improve their image by what they do rather than what they say. Germany and Japan are the best examples of overcoming negative images after World War II.
Notes:
*Mehrdad Kiaei is a Research Fellow at the Institute for Political and International Studies (IPIS)
1. Hans Tuch, communicating with the world: US Public Diplomacy Overseas, Washington, DC: Institute for the Study of Diplomacy, Georgetown University,1990, p. 3.
2. Robert Satloff, the Battle of Ideas in the War on Terror, the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, 2004, p. 53.
3. 'U.S. National Strategy for Public Diplomacy and Strategic Communication,' Strategic Communication and Public Diplomacy, Policy Coordinating Committee (PCC) (June 2007, pp.11,13, 14 &33.
4. S. Enders Wimbush, "Fixing Public Diplomacy and Strategic Communications," Washington: Hudson Institute, 2009, p. 2.
5. Public Diplomacy – The Art Of Engaging And Influencing, Speech by Dr. Stefanie Babst, NATO Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Public Diplomacy Strategy, at the NATO PfP Symposium on 22 January 2009, available at: http://www.atlantic- community.org/app/webroot/files/articlepdf/Babst_Public_Diplomacy.pdf
6. Sherry Mueller, “The Nexus of U.S. Public Diplomacy and citizen Diplomacy,” in: Nancy Snowand Philip M. Taylor (eds)' Routledge Handbook of Public Diplomacy', New York and London: Routledge, 2009, pp.102-106.
7. IEA, World Energy Outlook 2008, p. 107.
8. Joseph S. Nye, soft power: The means to success in World Politics, New York: Public Affairs, 2004.pp. 31-32.
9. Ken S. Heler and Liza M. Persson, “the Distinction between Public Affairs and Public Diplomacy,” in: Nancy Snow and Philip M. Taylor, (eds.), Routledge Handbook of Public Diplomacy, New York and London: Routledge, 2009, pp. 225-226.
10. ‘The National Security Strategy of the United States of America,” September 2002, the white House, Washington
11. Satloff, op. cit., p .22.
12. Shawn Powers and Ahmed El Gody, “The Lessons of Al Hurra Television,” in: Philip Seib (ed.) Toward a New Public Diplomacy, Redirecting US Foreign Policy, New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2009, p. 53.
13. James Zogby, 'Al Hurra, Still "A Bad Idea"', December 28, 2009, available at:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/james-zogby/al-hurra-still-a-bad-idea_b_404852.html
14. Angus Taverner, “The Military Use of Soft Power Information Campaigns,” in: Inderjeet Parmar and Michael Cox (eds.) Soft Power and US Foreign Policy, New York: Routledge, 2010), p. 150.
15. Peter Cary, ' A Report to the Center for International Media Assistance', The Pentagon, Information Operations and Media Development ,October 19, 2010, pp. 21-23.
16. Philip M. Taylor, “Public Diplomacy and The Information war on Terror,” in: Inderjeet Parmar and Michael Cox (eds.), Soft Power and US Foreign Policy, New York: Routledge, 2010, p. 162.
17 Taylor, op. cit., pp. 163-164.
18. Nicholas J. Cull, 'How We Got Here', in: Philip Seib, ed.,' Toward a New Public Diplomacy, Redirecting US Foreign Policy', New York , Palgrave Macmillan,2009, p. 42.
19. Robert Satloff, pp. 61-62.
20. Giles Scott-Smith, “Soft Power in an era of US decline,” in: Inderjeet Parmar and Michael Cox (eds.), Soft Power and US Foreign Policy New York: Routledge, 2010, pp. 169-170.
21 Neal M. Rosendorf, 'A Cultural Public Diplomacy Strategy’, in: Philip Seib (ed.), Toward a New Public Diplomacy, Redirecting US Foreign Policy', (New York , Palgrave Macmillan, 2009) pp.187-188.
22. http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tech/social-media/Facebook-is-most-appalling-spying-machine-Assange/articleshow/8155091.cms.
23. Taylor, op. cit., p. 156.
24. The Financial Times in its editorial 'Talking to Tehran' on January 25, 2011 wrote: Iran's nuclear program has suffered disruption from mysterious acts of sabotage such as the Stuxnet worm and the killings of Iranian scientists, available at: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/5dbe53de-28c0-11e0-aa18-00144feab49a.html.
25. Jennifer Rubin, Stuart Levey, The Washington Post in an article departs’ by January 25, 2011, wrote: A computer virus and some well-timed car accidents slowed the progress of Iran's nuclear program. Available at: http://www.voices.washingtonpost.com/right-turn/2011/01/stuart_levey_departs.html.
Source: Discourse: An Iranian Quarterly, Issue Winter-Spring 2012
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