In association with Kri Foundation, the United States Educational Foundation in India (USEFI) organised the 28th Fulbright Lecture Series on ‘American Foreign Policy in 21st Century’ titled Vidvatva, on 21 February 2007 at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi. Fulright fellow Ms. Frances O’Neal was the keynote speaker at the event. Many scholars, researchers, and other professionals from different institutes and organisations attended the two-hour-long lecture programme. Mr. Jon P Dorschner, First Secretary and Mr. Anan Siddiqi, Counsellor for Cultural Affairs, both from the US Embassy, New Delhi, were the other speakers on the panel.

Taking a broad and cross-disciplinary approach to addressing mutual relations between the United States and other countries in the world, Ms. O’Neal rendered a long lecture on topics including international peace programmes, bilateral policies, and cultural relations between the US and other counties in the world. “Mutual relationship between two countries depends on specific factors, such as democratic governance, economic interdependence, and international collaborations”, she said. Giving an example on gradual development of the US-China relationship, she mentioned different aspects where the two countries have developed their bilateral cooperation. “China’s permanent membership for the UN Security Council, the US-China WTO Agreement, and academic exchange programmes enhance the bilateral cooperation between the two countries”, said Ms. O’Neal. She further asserted that sometime in the 1960s, the Chinese policy was declined as the US officials were locked into a rigid Cold War ideology. “But today, regional ties between the US and China have been developed in the fields of academic exchange programmes, trade and economic cooperation, and people to people relations”, she added.

Founded by Mr. James William Fulbright, an Arkansas senator who is remembered for his effort to establish an international exchange programme of teachers and students between US and other countries, the Fulbright Fellowships are sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the US Department of State. Fulbright fellowships are made to the US citizens and nationals of other countries for a variety of educational activities, primarily university lecturing, advanced research, graduate study, and teaching in elementary and secondary schools. Since the inception of the fellowship programme in the US, more than 273,500 participants – chosen for their leadership potential – have had the opportunity to observe the political, economic, and cultural activities around the world. Of these participants, 45,400 have been overseas academicians and professionals who have conducted research or taught in the US universities as Fulbright visiting scholars, and more than 43,600 faculty and professionals from the US have engaged in similar activities abroad. Ms. O’Neal, a Fulbright fellow, basically from the University of Alabama, has been in India for her mission at different universities and institutes.

In 1945, after the US Government’s flagship programme in international educational exchange was proposed to the US Congress, its founder Mr. James William Fulbright viewed the proposed programme as a much-needed vehicle for promoting ‘mutual understanding between the people of the United States and people of other countries in the world.’ His vision was approved by the congress and the programme signed into law by President Harry Truman in 1946. In this concern, Ms. O’Neal, during her lecture, narrated that the US has developed various goodwill strategies for development of mutual relationship with other international communities. But, she said, “The country’s opposition to the International Criminal Court was misguided by many”. In her explanation to the issue, Ms Frances O’Neal stated that in every great democracy the establishment of new international courts with binding authority has always been contentious.

After giving a long narration about regional bilateral relations and global environmental issues, Ms O’Neal finally switched her topic to ‘international terrorism.’ Concerning the gradual increase of terrorist activities all over the world, she mentioned that terrorism is generated by the people who are educated but unemployed, as well as regional disparities in a country or region. Talking about how international communities would team up to combat international terrorism, the Fulbright fellow said that the US has taken up various policy programmes to combat terrorism in a joint effort with other countries in the world. She further mentioned that a democratic government has a great role in combating terrorism. “After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, Russia resolved a new democratic government which can be implemented in combating international terrorism”, Ms. O’Neal asserted.

Stuck between few arguments countered by some participants and allies, Ms. O’Neal managed to elaborate what policies the US has taken up to build up bilateral relations with Middle East countries. As one of the participants raised a question regarding the US planning a tactical nuclear strike on Iran’s underground nuclear sites, Ms O’Neal denied the notion and said that the US has no such intention at all. During the question and answer section of the lecture series, Mr. Jon P Dorschner, who has served in several Muslim countries in Middle East and South East Asia, expressed his gratitude towards the development of benevolent relations between the US and the Muslim countries in the world.

The lecture session ended with amicable interactions between the speakers and participants. While interacting with academicians and other professionals from universities and institutes, Ms. O’Neal expressed that there is possibility of her lecture series at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in the nearest future. In the recent past, Ms. Frances O’Neal conducted her Fulbright Lecture Series at the University of Delhi.