LAHORE, June 1: Newly-appointed US Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Tara Sonenshine spent Friday in Lahore as she met civil society representatives and visited various historical places.

This was her first visit to Pakistan since she assumed the charge, says a press release.

Ms Sonenshine’s goal was to better understand how the public diplomacy could bolster US-Pakistan relations and build a sustainable future for the generations to come. The delegation comprises US Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Diplomacy South and Central Asia Jim Moore, US Consul General Lahore Nina M. Fite and US Mission Pakistan Director of Strategic Communication Tom Miller.

Speaking to the students from various universities at Kinnaird College, the under secretary highlighted the role of public diplomacy in Pakistan in building bridges between the people of both countries. She said: “As citizens of the globe, we all face a combination of shared challenges and opportunities.”

She also discussed how the US public diplomacy empowered, engaged and supported citizens around the world. Using Pakistan as a specific example of the US public diplomacy efforts, she noted programmes like the Fulbright scholarship in Pakistan were the largest such initiatives in the world.

She also mentioned other US-funded programmes including English language courses for underprivileged students, university linkages, and cultural exchanges such as visits by jazz musicians to Lahore.

Ms Sonenshine’s also interacted with the students during a lively Q&A session.

She visited the Sunehri Mosque in the Old (walled) City of Lahore, which is being restored under the US Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation with $67,500. She also visited Minar-i-Pakistan and recorded her impressions in the visitor’s log. — Staff Reporter