Colleen Graffy, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy with the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs will travel to Wake Forest joining in the BFTF Sunday and Monday activities. Ms. Graffy holds a special regard for the BFTF program as the original architect of the program. She has met with BFTF fellows at the State Department on several occasions and traveled widely meeting many alumni fellows in their home countries. Read More
Special Guest to Visit BFTF
July 26, 2008 – 9:22 am
“Home is . . . ” - Home Stay Photos
July 26, 2008 – 8:21 am
The Diplomats compete their homestay on Sunday having experienced more of the Triad than many who live here. The Founders have all returned safely to their native homes. Both groups enjoyed wonderful times with their hosts. A growing photo record of Founders and Diplomats are available via a simple click of the mouse.
“A person travels the world over in search of what he needs and returns home to find it.” George Moore
Loudenia Elects First Woman Speaker
July 25, 2008 – 8:32 pm
Ms. Alexandrea Datii, the diplomat fellow from Moldova was today elected Speaker of Parliament of the Republic of Loudenia. The victory makes Ms. Datii the first woman to occupy such an esteemed office in the history of the Ben Franklin Institute. Ms. Datii cruised to victory after beating Ms. Uche Esonu at a run-off election. The voting was preceded by a lively campaign and debate among all five competing candidates. Ms. Datii’s message of “a new beginning” and her promise to work across the aisle played well with an electorate who seemed tired of the decades-long bickering and fighting among the six major parties of Loudenia. Some pundits are suggesting that Datii’s victory will pave the way for talks leading to the return of Loudenia’s exiled founding father Dr. Allan Louden. The feminists’ coalition of Loudenia, in a Read More
Multi-Media Political Debate — Outstanding
July 25, 2008 – 7:53 pm
The Ben Franklin Diplomats continued their week of political simulation today with a public debate designed to educate voters in advance of the important vote to determine Loudenia’s Leader of Parliament. Five candidates, each representing one of Loudenia’s major political parties gave speeches and answered questions during the debate, hosted by Loudenia Crier Editor-in-chief Flandra Syla.
The debate provided a fascinating exercise in multimedia “convergence,” with real-time polling, live blogging, and YouTube video questions submitted by Loudenian citizens prior to the event. The rich media environment yielded several intriguing twists. For example, the final straw poll showed LFTP candidate Uche Esonu leading the field with 43% of the vote, but in a result that illustrated the fickle nature of political polls, Ms. Esonu was ultimately bested in a second-ballot runoff by LFD candidate Alexandrea Datii. Ms. Datii will Read More
Women Candidates Dominate Prime Minister Election
July 25, 2008 – 7:40 pm
From The Loudenia Crier - by Fidan Medhiyeva
In a special parliamentary session, the deputies of the Parliament of Loudenia elected today as their leader, Ms.
Alexandra Datii from the party “Loudenians for Freedom and Democracy”.
Ms. Datii was selected as the number one of the parliament after a tight competition with Ms. Uche Esonu from the Loudenian Free Trade Party in runoff voting after the initial five candidate round. In her first statement since the election, Ms. Datii thanked all the citizens who voted for her and promised full commitment in her new job as the leader of the parliament.
Our congratulations also go out to Ms. Uche Esonu, Mr. Connor Caudill, Mr. Ethan Gentes and Mr. Adrien Rorive for their fine campaigns and thoughful positions. May the new parliament bring them all together for the good of our nation.
Pictured Alexandra Datii (Moldova) (L) & Uche Esonu (Seattle, USA) (R)
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Check the Diplomat’s Political Party Blogs!
July 24, 2008 – 11:23 am
The Diplomats have been working has members of political parties in the fictional country of Loudenia for their week 3 project. For updates on elections, legislative proposals and other political gossip, check out the Loudenian Crier, Loudenia’s #1 media outlet, at http://lcmedia.blogs.bftf.org. Pictrured, some of the Loudenian Crier staff.
For news about party platforms, party elections and press releases, check out the blogs of the individual parties:
Loudenian Economic Development Union (LEDU): Energy Policy
Loudenian East Asian Relations Party (LEAR): China Policy
Help Middle East Party (Help ME): Middle East Policy
Vert Veritas: Environmental Policy
Loudenian Free Trade Party (LFTP): Trade Policy
Loudenians for Freedom & Democracy (LFD): Russia Policy
An Ending/A Beginning
July 22, 2008 – 8:45 pm
Ninty 2008 Fellows gathered for the last on the Wake Forest campus Tuesday morning. The day marked the ending of the US portion of the BFTF for the Founders and the last week for the Diplomats. Thus ends phase one but the future for BFTF Fellows is just beginning with years of contact and success in sight.
AMERICA.GOV - Telling America’s Story
July 22, 2008 – 4:49 pm
The U.S. Department of State’s webpage (www.America.gov) has a pull down link under Democracy to Press Freedom. If you follow that link you will find a story dealing with BFTF. This story went out worldwide and was (is) read by millions. So check it out.
Continuing the Traditions of Ben Franklin
July 22, 2008 – 11:55 am
For many, it is almost time to return back to their homes. For others, that time is fast approaching. Before departing from Winston-Salem, North Carolina and returning to their families, the BFTF Fellows are asked to develop a follow-up project to carry on the work of the BFTF in the communities. Examples of these projects will be posted on individual blogs in the near future, but for now, this post will focus on an idea presented by Massinissa Bendar.
Massinissa is one of the 2008 BFTF Diplomats and has dedicated much of his personal time to developing a strategy for continued Transatlantic relations after departing from Winston-Salem. Prior to even being prompted for strategies to encourage diplomacy, Massinissa took the initative by emailing the following letter to all Diplomats:
Founders Celebrate BFTF
July 20, 2008 – 11:52 pm
The time is short, but spirits were high in celebration of the Founder’s community at the Ben Franklin. Excellent food, good company, and top-notch MCs Sean Ridley and Rohit Nath highlighted the end of the session banquet. Host families were honored for their substantial contributions, enjoying an evening of performances by some very very talented Fellows. Pictures and commentary can be found on the Founders blog pages.