Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton urges restraint in Bahrain. Egyptian Americans are hopeful about the future of their homeland. This March, the Kennedy Center will host Maximum India. The United States and China are growing relations through a new garden. American hip-hop dancers bring the beat to Tajikistan. And finally, what is civil society? This photo gallery has some answers.
U.S. Urges Restraint in Bahrain
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Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton telephoned Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Khaled bin Ahmad al-Khalifa to express U.S. concerns over violence by Bahraini security forces against anti-government protesters. Clinton says she had telephoned the foreign minister earlier in the day and “emphasized how important it was” that the Friday prayers and the funerals of the victims that will be held February 18 “not be marred by violence.”
Egyptians Americans are Hopeful
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Egyptian Americans, proud of the victory of pro-democracy protesters in Egypt, are looking to the future of their homeland with a mix of optimism, hope and a dash of realism.
Maximum India
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This March, the Kennedy Center in Washington will host the Maximum India festival, which will include performances, events and exhibitions by 500 artists in cooperation with the Indian Council for Cultural Resources. Maximum India marks the culmination of the Kennedy Center’s five-year exploration of the arts and cultures of the peoples along the legendary Silk Road, including Japan, China and the Middle East.
U.S., China Grow as Partners
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The United States and China have committed to construction of a classical Chinese garden at the U.S. National Arboretum in Washington. “Today’s signing ceremony illustrates the commitment our two countries have to horticulture, science and the arts,” says Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack during a ceremony with China’s ambassador to the United States, Zhang Yesui.
Hip-Hop in Tajikistan
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In 2010, the U.S. Embassy in Dushanbe and the private cultural-exchange group American Voices arranged a series of dance workshops in Tajikistan led by two U.S. hip-hop dancers. The workshops highlighted the upbeat hip-hop sound that has had unexpectedly universal appeal worldwide, with a fast-growing fan base in Tajikistan.
Photo Gallery: Civil Society
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Civil society “is the conscience of our communities,” President Obama has said. Human progress, he said, has been shaped by individuals who can freely join forces and by nongovernmental organizations. But what is civil society, exactly? Why is it important? And what does it need to flourish? Explore this photo gallery about civil society around the world. In Poland, Lech Walesa, right, a shipyard electrician, was able to establish Solidarity, the Soviet bloc’s first independent trade union. At its height, the union had some 10 million members and was instrumental in the downfall of communism in the country.
