Interview with Don Cordell – US Embassy Press Attaché

16 Oct 2024

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On Friday, October 11th, 2024, our students had a chance to meet Don Cordell – U.S. Embassy Press Attaché. The Press Attaché, as the official Embassy spokesperson, handles inquiries from the media on U.S. policy positions. The meeting was organized in the form of a brief introduction of his work and followed up with a debate with students.

Interviewed by Kateryna Omelchenko, October 2024

1. Thank you for your presentation, where we began with our vision of America. Now, could you share your vision? What does America mean to you?

For me, America is home. Whenever I'm travelling or posted in another country, I love experiencing new places, and diving into the local culture, food, and music. But I always think of home, and one hobby I've developed is American barbecue. I love doing my own smoked meats, and that brings a sense of comfort and connection to home. On a bigger scale, I believe America is a country founded on ideas—freedom, liberty, and the first true modern democracy that managed to sustain itself. Despite the cynicism in the world, the idea that a country can be based on ideals and live by a constitution is still important to me. That's part of why I enjoy my work as a diplomat—representing and promoting those ideals.

2. How can public diplomacy help strengthen the relationship between the Czech Republic and the United States of America?

I think our public diplomacy work is extremely important. I divide diplomacy into two categories: traditional diplomacy, which is governments talking to each other, and public diplomacy, which focuses on the people. While it is important for governments to have those frank discussions and negotiate, people matter just as much.Here in the Czech Republic, it is significant how the Czech people view the United States, because you elect your leaders and shape the ideas they move forward with. Our cultural and public diplomacy programs are designed to build connections and foster people-to-people ties. We do this through sports programs, education initiatives, and some of our most impactful work—people-to-people exchanges. These exchanges offer opportunities for Americans and Czechs to engage, have meaningful conversations, and simply get to know each other better.

3. As you know, there are many exchange programs, such as educational exchanges or sports mobilities. Are you aware of any current programs? Are there any major ongoing campaigns for students?

I think one of the best things about exchanges, in general, is that they don't always have to be through the U.S. government. In fact, some of the best ones are run by organizations, universities, or just through personal connections—faculty exchanges or student exchanges can be just as effective as any programs we put on. Everyone knows about the Fulbright Program, which is for upper-level students, like PhD candidates, to do research and studies in the U.S. That's probably our biggest program. We also have programs for high school students to spend a semester or year in the U.S.

One other program I'd like to mention is the Summer Work and Travel Program. It's a bit different because it's run by private organizations, but it allows university students to go to the U.S., work for a few months, and then have time to travel around. The work is usually seasonal, often in holiday destinations, and while it's paid, the program also has a cultural component. It's designed not just for work but to give students a chance to experience America. Any university student can apply, though there's a small upfront cost. The State Department oversees it to ensure good working conditions. There's an information session about this on November 6, so I encourage everyone to check our website for more details about the Summer Work and Travel Program.

4. As digital technologies and AI tools become more and more popular, how has your work been impacted by AI technologies, or is it planning to change?

I mean, the digital world has just gotten so big—more than any of us can fathom on an individual level. AI enables us to collate and bring together narratives and understand what people are talking about. When we talk about AI, we typically refer to natural language tools like ChatGPT. It has created a dynamic where, instead of just people in labs using these AI tools, more and more people can access them. So, we are trying to incorporate AI into our communications, diplomatic, and press work to get a better understanding. I would say it's an important tool, but for us as diplomats, nothing can really replace personal connection. Just like we discuss in these exchange programs, our diplomatic work requires us to be present. We want to use these digital tools to enhance our ability and understanding, but still have direct conversations and communicate personally. I don’t think anything has been developed yet to replace that.

5. Have there been any significant changes in your work since the establishment of AI?

Well, I wouldn’t say there’s been a huge change, but we’re trying to incorporate more AI tools. We are using them to get a better picture of the media narratives here in the Czech Republic and to analyze what conversations are happening online in the public space. Instead of just looking at one article, we’re interested in what multiple articles are saying and identifying common narratives across them. So, we’re using these tools to get a better picture of what we see in the public space.

6. As we near the end of our interview, would you recommend American students come to the Czech Republic to study at our faculty?

Absolutely. I'm happy to be welcomed here and would love to see more American students come to the Czech Republic, especially at Masaryk University. As I've mentioned several times in this interview, nothing can replace those direct people-to-people connections. Masaryk University has a strong reputation, and it would be a great opportunity for American students to come here and learn more.


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