6: International Understanding

Promote international understanding.

Other Information:

Our values as a nation and as a people are the foundation of our international engagement. The President underscored this fact when he stated, “America will lead by defending liberty and justice because they are right and true and unchanging for all people everywhere…America will always stand firm for the nonnegotiable demands of human dignity.” Public perceptions of the United States directly affect our ability to achieve our foreign policy and development assistance objectives. The Department and USAID will lead the effort to inform these perceptions of the United States by relating this public face to our values and our history. We will vigorously communicate this intersection of values, interests, and policy. Through engagement, assistance, and dialogue, the Department and USAID will foster a two-way flow of people, ideas, and information—a process defined by mutual learning and respect and designed to create peaceful and productive relationships between the United States and other countries.

Stakeholder(s):

• Broadcasting Board of Governors: BBG, consistent with its legislative charter and standards of professional journalism, disseminates information abroad on America and American policies.


• Department of Defense: Defense provides global support for public diplomacy and assistance activities and is a principal player in the interagency process.


• Department of Homeland Security: Homeland Security coordinates intelligence and law enforcement activities and programs that help protect the United States from terrorist and other threats, and leads on issues relating to visa policy and border control procedures.

Objective(s):

6.1: Vision

6.2: Extremism

6.3: Interests and Values

Content