AFRICA

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA
has shown an interest in the program and
its curriculum. In October 2015, the EDF
Executive Director and the class of 2015
fellows met with the Minister of Foreign
Affairs, Dr. Tedros Adhanom; his Chief of
Staff, Ambassador Mulie; and Mr. Demeke
Atnafu Ambulo, the Minister Counselor
of Diaspora Affairs. The meeting was an
opportunity for EDF fellows to share their
experience as young diaspora members, as
well as their experience with the program.
Though the government has multiple
initiatives focused on supporting and
encouraging the diaspora, young millennial
professionals have often been left out of
the conversation. As EDF continues to
grow, a strategic relationship with the
Ethiopian government can help reach the
diaspora globally and provide a program
and curriculum that supports service to the
country, as well as a better understanding of
the diaspora’s collective identity.
FOOTNOTES
1 Trent, Deborah Lee. American Diaspora Diplomacy:
U.S. Foreign Policy and Lebanese Americans. Rep.
125th ed. The Hague: Cligendael: Netherlands
Institute of International Relations, 2012. Web.
Discussion Paper In Diplomacy.
2 Fiske de Gouveia, Philip. ‘The Future of Public
Diplomacy”. Madrid Conference on Public
Diplomacy. The Present and Future of Public
Diplomacy: A European Perspective. 2006.
3 Trent, Deborah Lee. American Diaspora Diplomacy:
U.S. Foreign Policy and Lebanese Americans. Rep.
125th ed. The Hague: Cligendael: Netherlands
Institute of International Relations, 2012. Web.
Discussion Paper In Diplomacy.
4 RAD Diaspora Profile: The Ethiopian Diaspora in
the United States. Rep. Washington DC: Migration
Policy Institute, 2014. Print.
5 Vertovec, Steven. "The Political Importance of
Diasporas." Migration Policy Institute [Washington
DC] 1 June 2005. Web.
6 United Nations, Department of Economic and
Social Affairs, Population Division (2015). World
Population Prospects: The 2015 Revision, Key
Findings and Advance Tables. Working Paper No.
ESA/P/WP.241.
7 Veselenovic, Milena. "A Grand Dam with the
Power to Light up Africa - CNN.com." CNN. Cable
News Network, 20 Oct. 2015. Web.
8 Kushkush, Isma'il. "Ethiopia, Long Mired in
Poverty, Rides an Economic Boom." The New York
Times. The New York Times, 03 Mar. 2015. Web.
9 Ibid.
10 International Monetary Fund. Report on
Selected Countries and Subjects. IMF. April 2015.
Web.
11 “Ethiopia’s Economy Registers Growth.” 2014.
AllAfrica, 2014. Web.
12 Lyons, Terrence. "Conflict-generated Diasporas
and Transnational Politics in Ethiopia." Conflict,
Security & Development 7.4 (2007): 529-49. Web.
13 Terrazas, Aaron Matteo. "Beyond Regional
Circularity: The Emergence of an Ethiopian
Diaspora." Migration Policy Institute [Washington
DC] 1 June 2007. Web.
14 "ETHIOPIA: IOM and Government Wooing Skills
and Funds from Diaspora." IRINnews. IRIN News, 5
Apr. 2004. Web.
15 RAD Diaspora Profile: The Ethiopian Diaspora in
the United States. Rep. Washington DC: Migration
Policy Institute, 2014. Print.
16 Lyons, Terrence. "Conflict-generated Diasporas
and Transnational Politics in Ethiopia." Conflict,
Security & Development 7.4 (2007): 529-49. Web.
17 RAD Diaspora Profile: The Ethiopian Diaspora in
the United States. Rep. Washington DC: Migration
Policy Institute, 2014. Print.
18 Ibid.
19 Ethiopian Diaspora Fellowship Survey.
Ethiopian Diaspora Fellowship, 2014. Web.
20 Kiyama, Judy Marquez. "College Aspirations
Limitations The Role of Educational Ideologies
and Funds of Knowledge in Mexican American
Families." American Educational Research Journal
47.2 (2010): 330-356.
21 Ibid.
Rediate Tekeste
Founder
Executive Director
Rediate@ethiopiandiasporafellowship.org
Rediate is a first generation Ethiopian-
American and founder of Ethiopian Diaspora
Fellowship. She started EDF as
a medium to build bridges between the
young educated diaspora and Ethiopia.
Rediate has worked for social action organizations
including the Clinton Initiative,
America Reads Program leading
education efforts through community
partnerships in low-income areas. She
spent time in Ethiopia working as a
journalist for World Vision Ethiopia, and
then building a communication department
at Selam Children’s Village. Rediate
discovered her passion for storytelling
while working as an international
Field Producer/Production Coordinator
for Girl Rising, and completing an internship
in Uganda and Ethiopia with
the renowned Population Media Center.
She currently combines her interest for
communication and culture as a Communication
Consultant for Integrate
Africa. She received her B.A in Interpersonal
and Intercultural Communications
at Arizona State University and her Master
of Communication Management degree
at University of Southern California.
Meseret Hailu
Program Director
Meseret@ethiopiandiasporafellowship.org
Meseret is originally from Addis Ababa,
Ethiopia and the program director
of the Ethiopian Diaspora Fellowship
program. After receiving her BS and BA
from the University of Denver, Meseret
attended Regis University, where she
received her MS in Biomedical Sciences.
She then went on to work as an affiliate
faculty member at two institutions:
Regis University and Red Rocks Community
College. As a faculty member,
she discovered her love of teaching and
mentoring students. Currently,Meseret
is a Ph.D student in the Morgridge College
of Education at the University of
Denver, where she is researching access
to education for marginalized women
in Ethiopia. After graduation, Meseret
is interested in working as a professor
and researcher. Through EDF, Meseret
hopes to equip Ethiopians in the Diaspora
with the skills and opportunity
to serve their country of origin in
a meaningful way. She is particularly
excited to see how Fellows and organizations
dedicated to women’s advocacy
will mutually benefit from one another.
CULTURE PUBLIC-PRIVATE GOVERNMENT
13 WINTER 2016 | @PD_Mag
WINTER 2016 | @PD_Mag 14