US embassy cable - 05ASUNCION785

UNCLAS ASUNCION 000785 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR ECA/PE/C/CU - SROUSE, WHA P/D - LAURA GOULD 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO OEXC SCUL 
SUBJECT: 2005 AMERICAN MUSIC ABROAD PROGRAM REQUEST - 
PARAGUAY 
REF:  STATE 102369 
 
1.   Per reftel, Post requests inclusion in the January - 
March 2006 American Music Abroad tour.  Post requests three 
program days to include one concert in the capital city of 
Asuncion and two performances in the interior of the 
country. 
 
2.   Post's top MPP priorities all require support from 
authorities and populations in the interior of the country. 
Therefore, Post has mounted a coordinated effort to expand 
our diplomatic presence and generate positive attitudes 
towards the US in more remote parts of Paraguay.  The 
campaign has included book donations, VIP visits, English 
language workshops, Fulbright recruiting presentations and 
art workshops in many cities and towns throughout Paraguay. 
The proposed musical performances would complement and 
reinforce our multifaceted outreach campaign. 
 
3.   Performances in conjunction with the American Music 
Abroad program would also meet Post's MPP goal of promoting 
mutual understanding between Americans and Paraguayans -- 
also an ECA priority.  Experiencing one of the premier forms 
of American music would be novel and exhilarating for 
Paraguayans, as they have historically had little 
opportunity to come into contact with American cultural 
traditions as a result both of geographic isolation and a 35- 
year isolationist military dictatorship (1954 - 1989). 
 
4.    The priority audience that Post would be seeking to 
reach with this program would be young Paraguayans outside 
of the capital city.  Following an opening night performance 
in Asuncion, performances would be held in the university 
town of Villarrica and in Ciudad del Este, Paraguay's second 
largest city. 
 
5.   An additional target audience would be the significant 
Arab population in Paraguay.  The majority of these 
individuals (an estimated 40,000 primarily Lebanese and 
Syrians) reside in the tri-border region, an area of 
particular concern to the USG as it is the focus of much 
illegal activity.  To reach out to this population the group 
would perform in Ciudad del Este, the largest city in the 
region. 
 
6.   The anticipated results of the program would be a 
reinforcement of Post's on-going efforts to expand US 
diplomatic presence in the interior of Paraguay with the 
long-term effect of furthering MPP objectives. 
WILLIAMS