In honor of International Women’s Day Amnesty International, the Gender and Development Network, and Christian Aid hosted the United Kingdom’s Secretary of State for International Development, Justine Greening. Secretary Greening stated that she wants to provide women and girls with “choice, voice and control.” Additionally, Greening stated that she plans to help to ensure the rights of women within Afghanistan making it a priority for the Department of International Development.

On March 5, Dean Ernest J. Wilson III announced that Associate Professor Jay Wang will become the new director in August of the USC Center on Public Diplomacy.

While the United States has always been a strong proponent of sending American musicians abroad, a new Center Stage Initiative from the U.S. Department of State will bring international artists to the U.S. Noori, a rock band from Pakistan played with great success for over a thousand people at the Kennedy Center. The Center Stage Initiative will bring 10 different musical groups from Pakistan, Haiti and Indonesia to 60 American cities across 22 states.

The New America Foundation celebrated Social Media Week with an event about the State Department’s use of digital engagement. The panel included Richard Buangan, the Director of Digital Engagement from the Bureau of Public Affairs, Hilary Brandt, the Director of the Office of Innovative Engagement from the Bureau of International Information Program, and Suzanne Philion from the Bureau of Educational & Cultural Affairs who is the Senior Advisor for Innovation. Each of these panelists discussed their current practices and the future use of digital technologies for the U.S.