US embassy cable - 05ROME2194

UNCLAS  ROME 002194 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME 
FOR THE AMBASSADOR FROM AMB TONY HALL 
STATE FOR A/S DINA POWELL, IO DAS LAGON, A/S PRM DEWEY, 
IO/EDA, IO/PPC, R, IIP, PA 
NSC FOR MELINE 
USDA FOR U/S BOST, FAS - MCHAMBLISS AND LREICH 
USAID FOR DAA/DCHA WGARVELINK, FFP LANDIS, DCHA/OFDA, LPA 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: OIIP, KPAO, OPRC, EAGR, AORC, PHUM, EAID, PREF, PREL, FAO, WFP 
SUBJECT: "HUNGER BANQUETS" AND PUBLIC DIPLOMACY  A 
PROPOSAL 
 
REF:(A) Rome 4673 
 
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Summary 
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1. (U) I would like to bring to your attention a big public 
diplomacy success story in hopes that our experience might 
work as well for your mission as it did for us.  It has the 
potential to bring broad media attention to the story of 
U.S. generosity -- a story that needs to be told. 
 
2. (U) Last Fall, USUN Rome focused world media attention 
on the United States as a humanitarian leader in the fight 
against hunger through a "hunger banquet" that I hosted at 
my residence. The event colorfully brought the plight of 
the hungry to invited guests by dividing them in the same 
access-to-food proportions found generally in the world. 
The press loved it. From India to Wales to Australia, 
articles praised the initiative.  Letters from teachers, 
kids, and community groups applauded the effort to 
highlight the realities of poverty. 
 
3.  The "hunger banquet" (we called it a "Special 
Thanksgiving Reception") demonstrated the worldwide market 
for stories on humanitarian themes and offered a platform 
to spotlight America's tradition of generosity.  This 
initiative carries significant public diplomacy potential 
and could be mobilized in many countries to support the 
U.S. and its response to world humanitarian crises.  Such 
themes have particular resonance among Muslim populations, 
as recently shown in a study by the Council of Foreign 
Relations (see para 7).  We propose expanding the "hunger 
banquet" format world wide for use alongside Embassy 
efforts to highlight and celebrate our own Thanksgiving 
holiday in November.   End Summary. 
 
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Rice for "Cookie-Pushers" 
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4. (U) During our 2004 Thanksgiving celebration, we hosted 
at the Ambassador's residence a reception that borrowed 
from a "hunger banquet" format used by a well-known 
humanitarian NGO.  The purpose was to vividly introduce 
guests to the world's wide disparity in the availability of 
food.  Upon arrival, guests chose a color-coded card that 
separated them into three categories: 60 percent were 
served rice under a tent outside and represented the 60 
percent of the world's population that lives without 
sufficient food security; about 25 percent ate rice and 
beans in the residence foyer, just barely inside the door, 
as do about 25 percent of today's people; and just a 
handful was served a posh meal, complete with crystal, 
china, and wine.  After about 30 minutes, everyone was 
gathered inside to talk about the event, and we then opened 
a traditional buffet.  The numerous Ambassadors present 
loved the format, and we received afterwards complaints 
from others who would have wanted to be invited.  [Note: We 
used the NGO's user-friendly format that has been 
duplicated all over the U.S., including on Capitol Hill, 
and by universities and grass roots organizations.  A 
banquet planning kit gives easy-to-follow tips for the host 
organization, including background materials that we used 
for an information sheet faxed to guests in advance. End 
Note.] 
 
5. (U) In addition to our normal Mission contacts, we also 
invited a small group of journalists, one of whom posted a 
piece that caught international media attention.  Articles 
on the event ran on page three in the "International Herald 
Tribune", the front page of "The Daily Telegraph", and in 
the "Indian Express", the "Sydney Morning Herald", and the 
"The Sunday Times" of London.  The Ambassador spoke with 
several local and national BBC radio stations.  He was 
interviewed by Radio Europe and the Canadian Broadcasting 
Corporation. The Mission received notes of thanks from all 
over the world for having the courage to demonstrate the 
realities of poverty to a group of international diplomats. 
Even months later, the buzz over our "hunger banquet" 
continued among UN Rome-based permreps. 
 
 
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Proposal: With a Little Help for Our Friends 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
6. (U) Our "hunger banquet's" broad media response came at 
a time when there was an urgent need to engage world 
audiences with positive images of the United States.  Our 
success suggests that there may be an important public 
diplomacy opportunity to spotlight our humanitarian 
initiatives in Africa, Southeast Asia and among Muslim 
populations.  A worldwide hunger banquet hosted by U.S. 
diplomatic missions would most certainly punctuate the 
United States as a leader in the Millennium Development 
Goal effort to cut the number of hungry people in half by 
2015. 
 
7. (U) An "international hunger banquet" might also help 
soften the USG image in light of the rise in anti- 
Americanism worldwide.  It would present an opportunity to 
discuss U.S. humanitarian assistance with embassy contacts, 
many or most of whom are not aware of the important role 
the United States plays in humanitarian assistance.  We 
note, for example, the Council on Foreign Relations recent 
report that shows humanitarian assistance is the one 
subject on which the USG can effectively engage Muslim 
audiences, change opinions about its policies, and reduce 
widespread anti-Americanism.  It noted that Muslim focus 
groups, when learning via media reports of U.S. tsunami 
relief efforts in Indonesia or our support for women's 
rights in Morocco, significantly improved their attitudes 
toward the United States.  "It makes a real difference to 
Muslims' views of America when they learn of U.S. aid in 
areas that matter to them," the report concluded. 
 
Hall 
 
 
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	2005ROME02194 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED