"…truth is the best propaganda and lies
are the worst. To be persuasive we must be believable; to be believable
we must be credible; to be credible we must be truthful. It is
as simple as that."
Edward R. Murrow
EDWARD MURROW
Focus group objective
As the recent conflict in Bosnian has come to an end, global attention
has been steadily declining on the subject of Bosnian State. Therefore,
the Academy of Bosnia and Herzegovina has initiaed a Civic Diplomacy
Focus Group to voice opinion on burning issues of Bosnian Statehood.
The purpose the group is to develop and propose action steps to
protect and advance interests of Bosnian State and its constructive
relations with the United States.
The group will keep abreast of relevant domestic and international
developments, create networks and alliances, and proactively work
to reduce the degree to which misperceptions and misunderstandings
complicate relations between the United States and Bosnia and
Herzegovina. Furthermore, the group will work to eliminate differences
on a range of issues through educating, informing, and influencing
respective constituencies and civic institutions.
Over time, the Academy seeks to attain a level of credibility
to be able to actively influence public opinion, key opinion makers
and organizations, and serve as a facilitator for a dialogue between
respective governments and civil society.
Ultimately, the group is determined to further develop and make
available its regional and thematic expertise in order to advise
community leaders on improving their exiting initiatives and creating
programs that improve the status of the B-H community in the diaspora.
Short term goals
· Raise awareness of the importance of civic diplomacy
· Attract opinion leaders, regional and topical experts
to build a credible knowledge base for our future initiatives
· Publishe a newsletter and directory and encourage members
to write op-ed pieces and letters to editors and legislators on
issues relevant to the Academy’s mission
Long term goals
· Influencing the way groups and peoples in the
United States and in Bosnia and Herzegovina think about each other,
react to and affect the policies of their respective governments
· Advise leaders in formulation and development of both
domestic and foreign policies and help relevant constituencies
understand, inform and influence these polices
· Attract new and activate existing members of the Academy
and other organizations within the Bosnian-Herzegovinian communities
in the United States to assume leadership roles so as to safeguard
the welfare of all people stemming from Bosnia and Herzegovina
living and working in the United States and in Bosnia and Herzegovina
· Strengthen the basic principles of pluralism among Bosnian-Herzegovinian
communities in the United States and within Bosnia and Herzegovina,
as the best defense against discrimination, racial and ethnic
intolerance, and other forms of bigotry.
If you are interested in joining our group and taking part in
some of the proposed activities, or would like to propose other
activities or programs that interest you relating to our mission,
please contact us at
civicdiplomacy@academybh.org
Focus Group Coordinators: Haris Hromic
