This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

221306Z Dec 05

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 007519 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR ECA - ASSISTANT SECRETARY DINA POWELL 
 
E.O 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO OEXC SCUL TU
SUBJECT: REINVIGORATING PUBLIC DIPLOMACY CULTURAL AND SPORTS 
PROGRAMS 
 
REF:  SECSTATE 222516 
 
¶1. CULTURAL AND SPORTS PROGRAMS HAVE A SPECIAL PLACE IN 
PUBLIC DIPLOMACY OUTREACH. IN ADDITION TO THEIR INTRINSIC 
VALUE, THEY GENERATE MANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR POST TO PARTNER 
WITH A VARIETY OF ORGANIZATIONS AND ENGAGE BROAD AND NON- 
TRADITIONAL AUDIENCES. SUCH PROGRAMMING ADDRESSES POST'S MPP 
OBJECTIVES BY OPENING COMMUNICATION AND EXCHANGE ACROSS A 
BROAD SPECTRUM OF TURKISH SOCIETY. CULTURAL AND SPORTS 
PROGRAMS MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR AUDIENCES TO INTERACT WITH 
AMERICANS IN NEUTRAL SETTINGS WHERE THE FOCUS IS ON PEOPLE- 
TO-PEOPLE CONTACT.  THEY PUT A FACE ON AMERICA AND BUILD 
TRUST ON A PERSONAL BASIS.  POST WELCOMES THE PROSPECT OF 
REINVIGORATED PROGRAMMING IN THESE AREAS. 
 
¶2.  RESPONSES TO QUESTIONS: 
 
¶A. ALL MISSION OBJECTIVES CAN DERIVE BENEFIT FROM CULTURAL 
AND SPORTS PROGRAMMING.  FOR EXAMPLE, DESPITE NEGATIVE 
TURKISH PUBLIC OPINION OF U.S. POLICIES IN IRAQ AND THE 
REGION IN SUMMER OF 2004, TWO ECA CULTURE CONNECT BASKETBALL 
ENVOYS CREATED A SENSATION IN SOUTHEASTERN AND CENTRAL 
ANATOLIA WITH A PROGRAM THAT RAN THE GAMUT IN ENGAGING THE 
ENTIRE COMMUNITY. THE GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY BASKETBALL 
PLAYERS' PROGRAM IN GAZIANTEP AND KAYSERI WAS ORGANIZED 
THROUGH THE TURKISH SPORTS DIRECTORATE'S NATIONAL "TWELVE 
GIANT MEN" SUMMER BASKETBALL CAMP PROGRAM WITH THE SUPPORT 
OF LOCAL CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY AND 
MUNICIPALITIES.  NOT ONLY DID THE ENVOYS WORK WITH HUNDREDS 
OF CHILDREN AND SCORES OF COACHES AND COACHES-IN-TRAINING, 
NOTABLES IN BOTH CITIES WERE EAGER TO BE IN THE PICTURE, 
LITERALLY. THE ENVOYS WERE HOSTED BY MAYORS, GOVERNORS, 
LOCAL COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND BUSINESS LEADERS AND LIONIZED BY 
THE LOCAL PRESS, WHICH FOLLOWED THEM EVERYWHERE AND GAVE 
THEM EXTENSIVE AND EXUBERANTLY POSITIVE COVERAGE IN ALL 
MEDIA.  THEIR MESSAGE, "BASKETBALL IS AN INTERNATIONAL 
LANGUAGE," PROVED TO BE ENTIRELY ACCURATE.  FOR POST, THE 
PROGRAM PROVIDED ACCESS AT ALL LEVELS IN THESE IMPORTANT 
COMMERCIAL CITIES THROUGH THE EXTENSION OF A WELCOMING HAND 
BY KEY PLAYERS IN POLITICAL, ECONOMIC, COMMERCIAL, AND 
ACADEMIC CIRCLES THAT HELPED BUILD A FOUNDATION FOR LONG- 
TERM FUTURE CONTACT. 
 
¶B.  POST HAS ORGANIZED A VARIETY OF CULTURAL PROGRAMS -- IN 
FILM AND VIDEO, VISUAL ARTS (PAINTING AND PHOTO EXHIBITIONS 
AND INSTALLATIONS), AND PERFORMING ARTS (MUSIC, DANCE). WE 
HAVE FOUND THAT THE EFFICACY AND APPEAL OF A PROGRAM IN ANY 
MEDIUM IS TIED TO ITS QUALITY, EFFECTIVENESS OF LOCAL CO- 
SPONSORS, TIMING OF THE EVENT, AND THE EXTENT TO WHICH 
AUDIENCES ARE ALSO PARTICIPANTS.  A RECENT CULTURAL EVENT 
THAT STILL RESONATES WITH AUDIENCES IN ANKARA WAS THE 
APPEARANCE OF THE BOYS CHOIR OF HARLEM IN THE ANNUAL ANKARA 
INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL IN APRIL 2005.  THIS PROGRAM 
HAD APPEAL ON EVERY LEVEL:  THE EXCEPTIONAL QUALITY OF THE 
MUSIC, THE INSPIRING PERSONAL STORIES OF THE CHOIR MEMBERS, 
AND THE FAMILY-ORIENTED CHARACTER OF THE EVENT, WHICH IS A 
STRONG DRAW IN TURKEY.  FOR TURKISH AUDIENCES IT WAS A 
HEARTWARMING OCCASION, EVIDENT IN THE HUGE OUTPOURING FROM 
THE PRESS THAT DESCRIBED THE PERFORMANCES IN SUPERLATIVES. 
 
CULTURAL PROGRAMMING CAN AND SHOULD BE PARTICIPATORY 
WHENEVER POSSIBLE.  THE ISTANBUL CONSULATE SPONSORED A U.S. 
GLASS ARTIST WHO WORKED WITH LOCAL FOUNDATIONS IN ISTANBUL 
THAT PROMOTE ART FOR CHILDREN TO CREATE A LARGE MURAL AT A 
BUSY ISTANBUL METRO EXIT WITH THE ACTIVE PARTICIPATION OF A 
GROUP OF UNDERPRIVILEGED SCHOOLCHILDREN. ECA SUPPORT TO THE 
NINTH ISTANBUL BIENNIAL IN SEPTEMBER 2005 SPECIFICALLY 
INCLUDED PUBLIC EDUCATION AND OUTREACH ACTIVITIES FOR YOUNG 
PEOPLE IN THE EASTERN ANATOLIAN CITY OF DIYARBAKIR.  MASTER 
CLASSES AND CLINICS FOR STUDENTS ARE AN ESSENTIAL PART OF 
ANY PERFORMING ARTS PROGRAM.  THE 2004 JAZZ AMBASSADORS, 
INVITED BACK TO TURKEY FOR THE 2005 ANKARA INTERNATIONAL 
JAZZ FESTIVAL IN NOVEMBER, GAVE MASTERCLASSES FOR 
ENTHUSIASTIC STUDENTS IN CLASSICAL CONSERVATORIES IN THREE 
CITIES, AS WELL AS ONSTAGE CLINICS FOR YOUNG MUSICIANS. 
THESE WERE LIFE-CHANGING SESSIONS.  ONE YOUNG DRUMMER EVEN 
BROUGHT HIS FATHER TO THE MASTER CLASS. 
 
POST HAS HOSTED EXHIBITIONS AS DIFFERENT AS "CITY: 
PHOTOGRAPHS FROM CHICAGO" TO ONE ON RELIGIOUS DIVERSITY IN 
TURKEY. A POPULAR POST-DEVELOPED PHOTO EXHIBITION ON TURKISH- 
AMERICAN FRIENDSHIP HAS BEEN TOURING THE COUNTRY SINCE APRIL 
¶2005.  MORE THAN 5,000 VIEWED IT IN BEYPAZARI, A MARKET TOWN 
NEAR ANKARA WHOSE MAYOR WAS A PARTICIPANT IN THE 
INTERNATIONAL VISITOR LEADERSHIP PROGRAM.  A LARGE PART OF 
ITS APPEAL IS THE WELL-KNOWN PEOPLE AND EVENTS SHOWN IN THE 
PHOTOGRAPHS.  FILM AND VIDEO HAVE BEEN EFFECTIVELY 
PROGRAMMED IN ANNUAL FILM FESTIVALS AND ALSO IN SCREENINGS 
AT THE RESIDENCE. 
 
¶C.  IN TURKEY, TIMING IS ALWAYS AN IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION 
IN SUCCESSFUL CULTURAL AND SPORTS PROGRAMMING.  SENSITIVITY 
TO THE CYCLES OF TURKISH SOCIETY IS CRITICAL, AS PROGRAMMING 
OPPORTUNITIES CAN BE LIMITED DURING NATIONAL, SCHOOL AND 
RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS WHEN TARGETED AUDIENCES MAY NOT BE 
AVAILABLE. LOCAL SPONSORSHIP IS ANOTHER IMPORTANT ELEMENT 
BECAUSE IT FOSTERS RELATIONSHIPS AND PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN 
U.S. ARTISTS AND TURKISH ENTITIES, SUCH AS UNIVERSITIES AND 
CONSERVATORIES OR NOT-FOR-PROFIT FOUNDATIONS OR CULTURAL 
ORGANIZATIONS.  THE ANKARA JAZZ SOCIETY, FOR EXAMPLE, 
DONATED THE PROCEEDS OF THE 2005 ANKARA JAZZ FESTIVAL U.S. 
JAZZ AMBASSADORS CONCERT TO THE PRESERVATION HALL NEW 
ORLEANS MUSICIANS HURRICANE RELIEF FUND BECAUSE THEY FELT A 
STRONG BOND WITH AMERICAN JAZZ MUSICIANS AND WANTED TO HELP 
DURING A TIME OF CRISIS. 
 
TURKISH AUDIENCES ARE GENERALLY RESPONSIVE TO ALL FORMS OF 
AMERICAN CULTURAL PROGRAMMING.  THEY ARE USUALLY CULTURALLY 
SOPHISTICATED, EVEN IN NON-URBAN AREAS, SO QUALITY IS OF THE 
UTMOST IMPORTANCE.  MUSIC, INCLUDING JAZZ, IS POPULAR ACROSS 
THE AGE RANGE. SPORTS ARE ENJOYED BY ALL SEGMENTS OF 
SOCIETY.  AMERICAN BASKETBALL AND FOOTBALL ARE SO POPULAR 
THAT NBA AND NFL TV PROGRAMMING IS AVAILABLE VIA CABLE. 
THERE IS A TURKISH NATIONAL BASKETBALL LEAGUE (MEN'S AND 
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL) AND A NATIONAL NETWORK OF SECONDARY 
SCHOOLS AND UNIVERSITY BASKETBALL TEAMS.  MANY UNIVERSITIES 
FIELD AMERICAN FOOTBALL TEAMS.  THE PRE-OLYMPIC UNIVERSITY 
WORLD GAMES SPORTS COMPETITIONS WERE HELD IN IZMIR IN AUGUST 
2005, AND TURKEY PARTICIPATES AVIDLY IN WORLDWIDE SPORTS 
EVENTS. 
 
FUNDING CAN BE A CONSTRAINT.  FOR EXAMPLE, THE TOTAL COST OF 
THE HARLEM BOYS CHOIR TWO-CONCERT APPEARANCE IN TURKEY 
EXCEEDED $100,000.  EVEN WHEN PERFORMANCE FEES ARE 
REASONABLE AND NEGOTIABLE, THEY ARE A MAJOR CONSIDERATION. 
INTERNAL STAFFING CAN ALSO BE A CONSTRAINT.  THE BOYS CHOIR 
COMPRISED FIFTY YOUNG PERFORMERS AND REQUIRED MONTHS OF 
PREPARATION. 
 
¶D.  POST TRIES TO OVERCOME FUNDING AND STAFFING CONSTRAINTS 
BY SEEKING TO PLACE LARGE-SCALE U.S. PERFORMING ARTS GROUPS 
IN FESTIVALS, WHICH TAKE CARE OF VENUE, PUBLICITY, TECHNICAL 
REQUIREMENTS AND MANY OF THE LOGISTICAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR A 
PERFORMANCE. FESTIVALS PERMIT COST-SHARING AND COMBINATIONS 
OF RESOURCES FROM DIFFERENT SOURCES.  FUNDING FOR THE HARLEM 
BOYS CHOIR, FOR EXAMPLE, CAME FROM POST FUNDS, BOEING, 
TURKISH AIRLINES, AND THE SEVDA/CENAP AND MUSIC FOUNDATION. 
POST ANTICIPATES A SIMILAR ARRANGEMENT FOR THE NATIVE 
AMERICAN MUSIC AND DANCE ENSEMBLE THAT WILL PARTICIPATE IN 
THE 2006 ANKARA INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL IN APRIL.  WE 
HAVE FOUND THAT FESTIVALS AS WELL AS LOCAL CO-SPONSORS SUCH 
AS MUNICIPALITIES, CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE AND UNIVERSITIES 
WELCOME AND EVEN SEEK CO-SPONSORSHIP OF CULTURAL PROGRAMS 
WITH THE EMBASSY.  POST HAS FOUR AMERICAN CORNERS, THREE IN 
CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE/INDUSTRY AND ONE IN A UNIVERSITY, THAT 
HELP MAXIMIZE LOCAL CO-SPONSORSHIP IN THEIR RESPECTIVE 
CITIES.  ONE CONCERT IN THE 2006 AMERICAN MUSIC ABROAD TOUR 
WILL BE CO-SPONSORED BY THE NEW IZMIR AMERICAN CORNER. 
 
WE ALSO STRETCH OUR CULTURAL PROGRAMMING BUDGET BY BECOMING 
A CO-SPONSOR FOR INDEPENDENT PROGRAMS ARRANGED THROUGH A 
UNIVERSITY OR AN NGO THAT FEATURE AN AMERICAN ARTIST OR AN 
AMERICAN COMPONENT.  FOR EXAMPLE, POST PROVIDES ASSISTANCE 
OR FUNDING FOR AN ANNUAL WOMEN'S FILM FESTIVAL ORGANIZED BY 
A WOMEN'S NGO UMBRELLA GROUP IN ANKARA.  IN 2004, POST 
HELPED LOCATE AND BRING THREE CLASSIC KATHARINE HEPBURN 
FILMS FOR THE FESTIVAL TO COMMEMORATE HER RECENT PASSING. 
THIS YEAR'S FESTIVAL WILL HONOR ANNE BANCROFT WITH A 
SCREENING OF "THE GRADUATE." 
 
¶3.  CULTURAL AND SPORTS PROGRAMS SUSTAIN CONNECTIONS AND 
COMMUNICATIONS OVER THE LONG-TERM.  THEY OPEN A WINDOW ON 
AMERICAN SOCIETY AND VALUES AND, MOST IMPORTANTLY, SHOW THE 
WORLD WHO AMERICANS ARE AND WHAT WE CARE ABOUT. WE LOOK 
FORWARD TO WORKING WITH ECA IN EXTENDING OUR CULTURAL 
DIPLOMACY PROGRAMMING. 
WILSON