Rules and Terms

Why a University Event?

Newsroom

Question of Sanctioning Body?

Comments: Part One

Comments: Part Two

Web Conference Call

International University Event
 
Professor Roger Fisher, Harvard Negotiating Project “I support (these) recommendations that the Senate Foreign Relations Committee hold hearings on “Public Talks.”
original letter

Mr. Chris Bronk, PhD, James A Baker Institute for Public Policy, Rice University “I sincerely hope the Senate Foreign Relations Committee will hear your concept, as well as others, as it collaborates with the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Institute for Peace and other agencies of the foreign affairs community . . . “ original letter


Huffington Post: "A Truly Original Foreign Policy Idea: Public Talks"
original article


Gordon Feller, Urban Age Institute “Public Talks is an approach to conflict resolution that is entirely different and far more expansive than anything else in the field.”
original letter

Professor Patrick Hatcher, UC Berkeley, Political Science “ . . . It is unique in that (the Institute) suggests using the media to make public a set of terms before, and while, they are negotiating, hence reaching a larger audience who can use public opinion for peace.”
original letter

David Smock, Vice-President of the Center for Mediation and Conflict Resolution, United States Institute of Peace, a non-partisan institution established by Congress: “The notion of Public Talks is a very interesting idea and worthy of further exploration.”
original letter

Professor Mirta Mulhare, State University of New York “The strategy you suggest would represent an evolutionary summit, bringing out negotiations into the open and introducing the people into the process. The possibilities for use are endless.”
original letter

  


Comments: Part Two


The following letters were drafted at a much earlier time when this project was first being developed. There has obviously been a long gap between efforts now and then, but the careful observer will see, even starting with the first letter from Mr. Holden in 1987, the idea for the process of Public Talks has remained entirely the same.

Professor Hatcher, UC Berkeley, March 13, 1991

Professor Hintzen, UC Berkeley, October 28, 1988

Professor Trujillo, UC Berkeley, October 14, 1988

Arun Gandhi, University of Mississippi, July 5, 1988

Editorial from the New York Review, May 5, 1988

Professor Mulhare, State University of New York/College at Old Westbury, May 3, 1988

Professor Rubenstein, Hofstra University, April 28, 1988

Lynn Holden, Boston University, January 15, 1987
Why Students?

Participating Universities

Africa:

Egypt

South Africa

Asia:

India

China

Europe:

North America:

United States

The Institute expects that once Public Talks is introduced, its parameters will benefit from ideas presented by governments and the world community. Mr. Connolly of the Institute will propose a symposium on Public Talks at each of the first 20 universities that participate in this event.


Mr. Doug Turner. Republican gubernatorial candidate for New Mexico and formerly an International Affairs Fellow for the Council on Foreign Affairs: “I am intrigued and excited about the new concept for public diplomacy that your organization has outlined in its proposal for ‘Public Talks.’ . . .”
original letter

Congresswoman Woolsey, Democratic member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs: “Public Talks is an interesting proposal that should be looked at closely and discussed as an alternative to conflict. . . . Innovative thinking, like that of the Institute, is essential to moving towards a stable and secure future for all the world’s people.”
original letter

Professor E. Phillip Morgan, Monterey Institute for International Studies “ . . . your proposal to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for a new form of dialogue (“Public Talks”) represents a serious, innovative departure from past practice by which political conflicts are represented, defined and treated (or not) in the public arenas of the US and multilateral organizations.”
original letter

Joel Hefley, Republican member of the House from Colorado (1987- 2007) Chair of the House Ethics Committee: " I know how frustrating it can be to have the normal diplomatic process break down with no place else to go . . . I feel that it (Public Talks) should be fully explored. I would therefore encourage the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee to hold hearings to explore the viability of Public Talks."
original letter