Smith-Mundt Symposium: Agenda and Panelists

The Symposium was a frank and open discussion on the foundation of America's international engagement. The focus is the structure of America's international engagement rather than analyzing specifics, although past, present, and future programs will certainly be discussed.

In addition to the two keynotes by senior officials from the State Department and (formerly) the Defense Department, there are four discussion panels. This Symposium will not be a Brookings, Defense Sciences Board, or other report in four acts. The format of each is moderated question and answer. There will be no opening statements or presentations. The make-up of the panels is designed to foster debate and discussion on the topics. For example, the two middle panels, #2 and #3, has a person from Public Diplomacy (State's "R" or BBG), one from the Defense Community, a member of the media, and an "Other" (on #2 it's USAID and #3 it's a scholar who writes on propaganda and public diplomacy).

It was difficult to finalize the panels because of the tremendous experience and interest to speak on the subject of the structure of America's international engagement and the Smith-Mundt Act in particular. The audience will be filled with stakeholders, policy makers, and front-line public diplomats from many communities. Because of this, the Q&A format should elicit some interesting and insightful discourse.

Each panel will have four presenters and one moderator. The presentations should be 10-12 minutes with a 15 minute maximum (moderators will have firm instructions not to let panelists go beyond 15min) to leave time for questions and answers.

The panels are arranged essentially in a time progression, but neither the moderators nor the panelists are asked or required to stay within specific temporal boundaries. The first panel explores the purpose and history of the Smith-Mundt Act and the second explores the impact the Act has on our international engagement today. The third panel raises issues about the future. While the first three panels are a mixture of academics, practitioners from State and Defense, media, and watchdogs, the fourth is Congressional and focuses on the what to do and how.

Biographies of the moderators and discussants can be found here or click on individual names below. The full agenda can be found here. All are confirmed unless otherwise indicated.

Agenda

7:00 - 8:00 Continental Breakfast / Sign-in

8:00 - 8:15 Welcome and Opening Remarks

8:15 - 9:00 Keynote by Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs James K. Glassman

Panels:

9:00 - 10:30 First Panel: History of the Smith-Mundt Act

Len Baldyga, moderator
Richard Arndt
Barry Zorthian
Mike Schneider
Matt Armstrong

10:30 - 12:00 Second Panel: America's Bifurcated engagement (the impact of the firewall today)

Marc Lynch, moderator
David Jackson
Karen DeYoung
Jeff Grieco
RADM Greg Smith

12:15 - 1:45 Lunchtime Keynote by Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Michael Doran

2:00 - 3:30 Third Panel: Rebuilding the Arsenal of Persuasion (future impact of the Act)

Kristin Lord, moderator
Ted Tzavellas
Nancy Snow
Colleen Graffy
Bill Kiehl

3:45 - 5:15 Fourth Panel: The View from the Hill (Congressional view)

Doug Wilson, moderator
Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.) (Confirmed)
Rep. Paul Hodes (D-NH) (Confirmed)
Lynne Weil