Download Getting Uncle Sam`s Attention: Public Diplomacy

Getting Uncle Sam’s Attention:
Public Diplomacy in the Context of
US-Finnish Relations
Molly Bettie
Institute of Communications Studies
University of Leeds
US-Finnish Friendship
“I, Ronald Reagan, President of the United States
of America, do hereby proclaim 1988 as
National Year of Friendship with Finland. I call
upon all Americans to observe the year with
appropriate ceremonies and activities.”
Why Finland?
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Neutrality
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Long-standing friendship
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Educational and Cultural Affairs, a means of
engagement between neutral Finland and the US
Roots of Friendship
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First World War Debt
Finland makes payments during the Great
Depression
American press praises Finland in over 3,000
articles
Roots of Friendship
Impact of Goodwill
ASLA-Fulbright Program
• Fulbright Act, 1946
• Finnish Educational
Exchange Act , 1949
• ASLA-Fulbright
agreement, 1952
President Kekkonen and
Senator Fulbright
Cultural Diplomacy: Performing Arts
• National Ballet tour, 1959:
63 performances around the U.S.
• Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra
makes US debut at New York’s
Carnegie Hall, 1968
Program from the Orchestra’s performance at the
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Design as Culture
• Design Research International introduces
Finnish design to USA
• ‘To Finland With Love’ Exhibitions include
Alvar Aalto furniture and Marimekko
fashions
Marimekko

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Founded 1951
D/R brings to US in 1959
Jackie Kennedy wears
Marimekko
1966 Crate & Barrel
collaboration
1967 ‘To Finland With Love’
exhbition
Conclusions
• Relational public diplomacy activities in
education and culture facilitated Finland’s
engagement with the United States during
the Cold War.
Further Research Directions


The role of heritage organisations in public
diplomacy (Sons of Norway, Vasa, Finlandia, etc.)
Home design as culture—applying Ben Thompson’s
concept of design to public diplomacy