Washington, July 18: India-born American columnist Fareed Zakaria has been named to a new US Advisory Group on Public Diplomacy for the Arab and Muslim world. The US Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy named the group at the request of the Congress to study the efficacy of the Department of State's public diplomacy efforts in the Arab and Muslim world and recommend policy initiatives.

The Commission has invited 13 members, including 38-year-old Zakaria, Newsweek International Editor, to join the group, to be headed by Edward Djerejian, Director, James A Baker III Institute of Public Policy. Secretary of State Colin Powell and Patricia S Harrison, Assistant Secretary of State for Educational Affairs and acting Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, in consultation with the Advisory Commission, chose Djerejian for the post.
The advisory group will report its findings and recommendations to the Congress and the Secretary of State. Bureau Report