Driven Diplomacy International

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Driven Diplomacy International

Driven Diplomacy International's mission is to educate and inspire individuals and communities to pr Ms. Department of State’s U.S.

Jennifer Jo Cobb, the Executive Director of Driven Diplomacy International, is a professional NASCAR racecar driver, NASCAR team owner, public speaker, entrepreneur, and a corporate spokesperson. She holds several competition records in NASCAR’s Gander Outdoors Truck Series. Cobb is also a published writer and motivational speaker. Cobb got the idea of creating Driven Diplomacy International while

being an invited U.S. Subject Matter Expert to the Republic of Georgia as part of the U.S. Speaker Program and a one-week campaign called “Women Can Do Anything.” Her success as a U.S. Subject Matter Expert in Georgia was followed by several invitations to Russia as the U.S. Speaker Program’s guest-speaker. Cobb’s transformative experience in these very different countries and her rewarding encounters with their people and traditions made her aware of the existing need to bridge cross-cultural gaps and of her unique position and ability to create such opportunities for impactful people-to-people dialogues through her expertise in cultural diplomacy.

03/06/2022

As many of you know, some of the highlights of my life and career were when I have traveled overseas as a racecar driver and a motivational speaker.

In 2019 I spent 30+ days, over three different trips, speaking to approximately 12 cities throughout Russia.

I remember being on the phone with my Dad as I was checking into the airport. A little teary, a little bit of fear of the unknown and some visions of a destitute and gray Russia. Boy was I ever wrong.

I was delighted to find a vibrant, sparkling city full of really modern, fun people - who had interests, dreams and attitudes just like me! I met great friends for life. Mingled with foreign dignitaries, participated in diplomatic programs and enjoyed the food and the culture.

This disconnect between what I thought I might encounter and the reality of who Russian people are and what the country is like is part of what made me so interested in helping to found Driven Diplomacy International (DDI).

OUR MISSION FROM THE VERY BEGINNING HAS BEEN THIS: NOT ALL PEOPLE ARE DEFINED BY THEIR GOVERNMENTS. Sometimes rulers act as dictators and make decisions that affect an entire country and what is happening between Russia and Ukraine is a prime example of this. For me, diplomacy is understanding people on a level beyond government policies and propaganda perpetuated by the media and getting to know actual citizens. We fear what we don’t know or understand and we can benefit greatly from getting to know people who are different from us (because you’ll likely find, they’re not that different at all)!

I fell in love with this region of the world and had really hoped to visit Ukraine someday. Our prayers are fully with this country and its people. Many, many Americans are watching the Ukrainian strength and determination with admiration.

Please also understand how heartbreaking it must be for the Russians, who are enthralled in a war they did not choose. The Russians will also suffer greatly, both from the sanctions and the attitudes toward them from the rest of the world who don’t realize they are also victims of a circumstance they did nothing to create.

Please pray for Ukraine and Russia and our own leaders as they navigate how to bring an end to this senseless war.

- Jen

07/16/2021

That is exactly what Jen did during the quarantine last year. She did exercise, read the Bible and learned Spanish – and she still tries to carry over those habits.
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The best way to do it is to choose a new habit in different areas of life so that you could equally contribute to enhancing each of them.
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If you started today, what would you put on the list?

06/15/2021

U.S. cultural diplomacy differs from cultural diplomacy in other countries. How?
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Swipe left to see what makes American style of cultural diplomacy unique!

05/13/2021

Anyone who understands art knows that American music and American jazz are the calling cards of the USA. This is true, but it’s not as simple as that.
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Americans themselves did not consider jazz to be the type of music that should be performed for a wide audience, especially overseas. They felt that jazz could give a distorted image of the United States and that it was not, in fact, art.
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It was not until December 1955 that the world first heard, on Voice of America radio, Duke Ellington and his most famous composition, “Take the A-Train,” one of the biggest hits of all time, all over the world. The effect was staggering: new music, strange to most of the world, became the most popular content of the American radio station.
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Why did this music genre, criticized by so many Americans, suddenly have such great appeal to people from other countries?
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As it turns out, jazz united “one-storied America” with people in other small towns all over the world. Jazz musicians were not the bearers of an elite musical tradition. They showed the America of simple people.

05/01/2021

Women Can Do Anything.
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Indeed, this is true. Also, this is the name of the campaign that encouraged Jennifer Cobb to set up Driven Diplomacy International.
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In 2018, Jen was invited to become a Subject Matter Expert to Georgia in the course of the U.S. Speaker Program and the one-week Women Can Do Anything campaign. Without hesitation, she said yes to being an agent of change and set off to inspire Georgian women through talks, workshops and media interviews.
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Jen’s success in Georgia was followed by several invitations to Russia – also as a U.S. guest-speaker. That transformative experience became her “aha-moment”: she realized she could use her unique position to build cross-cultural bridges and create opportunities.
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Hence, here we are – ready to educate, connect and inspire.

04/26/2021

Today, we will talk about how cultural diplomacy emerged and why it was needed.
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While the term “cultural diplomacy” itself is relatively new, evidence of its practice has existed for hundreds of years. Explorers and travelers, teachers and artists – they can be all considered living examples of early “cultural diplomats.”
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If we take a look at the world’s history, we can also find deliberate efforts of cultural and communication exchange. A great example is regular trade routes, which made it possible to exchange information and cultural gifts.
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The first countries to use cultural diplomacy as a tool on a larger scale were France and Germany. They created French and German schools and invited foreign citizens to study in their universities. They also established the first departments for cultural exchange in their foreign ministries.
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In the US, began to grow noticeably at the beginning of the 20th century. It was further developed thanks to the policy of such leaders as, for example, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Ronald Reagan and John F. Kennedy.
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In the long run, the so-called American-style cultural diplomacy has emerged, but it is indeed a separate topic for discussion.
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Stay tuned!

04/21/2021

Have you ever, at least once, interacted with other cultures? If yes, congratulations – you might consider yourself a cultural diplomat.
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The thing is that any interaction with different cultures facilitates cultural exchange, whether we talk about art, music, literature, business, sports, science or other fields.
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is part of what is called “soft power” or public diplomacy. Its tools include educational programs, international exhibitions, exchanges, creative works, broadcast, gifts to nations, and even volunteering.
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According to Mary N. Maack, in essence, "cultural diplomacy reveals the soul of a nation.” It makes one’s culture easier to comprehend, enhances mutual understanding and eventually builds cultural bridges, which is the ultimate goal.
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What historical examples of cultural diplomacy can you think of? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

04/12/2021

Meet Jennifer Jo Cobb.

Not only is she the Executive Director of Driven Diplomacy International, but she is also a professional NASCAR racecar driver, NASCAR team owner, public speaker, entrepreneur, published writer, and a corporate spokesperson.

Ms. Cobb believes that while public diplomacy has been an essential element of American foreign policy for decades, people-to-people diplomacy is now more important than ever. Our world needs enhanced mutual understanding and dialogue between individuals, communities and nations – and this idea is the backbone of DDI.

Let’s build a better world together. Shall we?

03/10/2021

Every Trick in the Book: How Literature Was Used in Diplomacy

Books give food for thought. Books seize imagination. Books tell a story.

So, it is not surprising that another part of arts diplomacy is the translation and distribution of American literature.

The first book that was actively used in diplomacy was a work by future president John F. Kennedy, Profiles in Courage, which received the Pulitzer Prize. It was translated into many languages of Asia and Africa, and the director of the U.S. Information Agency wrote to Kennedy that his book “has proved to be one of the best vehicles we have found in our efforts to bring basic concepts of American history to foreign peoples.”

The U.S. has adopted many approaches in using works of literature for foreign policy. In Greece, for example, which was in the epicenter of the conflict between communism and democracy, the U.S. developed a project to publish comics and “pocket-books.” In order to attract the mass reader, small-format books were published in English and Greek. The books would contain classic American poetry, like the verses of Walt Whitman, along with Mickey Mouse comics. This approach was successful: the books introduced both American pop culture and high art to Greece, which created the conditions for Greece to turn towards America.

This means books also connect people – even those who are miles apart.

02/25/2021

Music in America: Classic Is the Key

We have already told you about the role of jazz, but the music campaign would not have been so successful without classical music. The truth is that... not everyone loved jazz.

The Americans understood that in Europe concepts of art differed greatly. The division of art into “high culture” and “mass culture” was predominant in Europe then, as it is today.

Many Europeans preferred Irving Berlin, an American musician and composer who was born in Russia and who wrote the words to “God Bless America,” known all over the world as the unofficial anthem of the U.S. Also, there was a great violinist, Isaac Stern, an American born in Poland, who is remembered in Europe as one of the most distinguished musicians the U.S. has ever produced. These people were the embodiment of high music culture, they were accepted by refined audiences, while remaining the personification of America.

So, the U.S. thought up mobile music exhibitions, some of which were specially created for a specific country, like the “Salute to France.” The so-called “musical seasons,” in turn, included exhibitions and concerts by American musicians in one country. In a single year, the U.S. sponsored 61 concerts in France by American and French classical musicians.

This approach lowered the level of anti-Americanism in mass culture and led to a new level of relations between the countries. Today, we see a similar idea embodied by international concerts in which both American and local musicians play.

Once again, it proves that music is universal. The only thing needed is to find the right tune.

01/29/2021

Jazz Diplomacy: How American Music Conquered the Hearts of Foreign People

Any reader who understands art knows that American music and American jazz are the calling cards of the U.S.A. This is true, but it’s not as simple as that.

“Jazz diplomacy” was not able to be integrated into U.S. cultural diplomacy for quite a while, despite the popularity of such performers as Dizzy Gillespie, Benny Goodman, Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, and Dave Brubeck. Americans themselves did not consider jazz to be the type of music that should be performed for a wide audience and did not support sending jazz artists on foreign tours. They felt that jazz could give a distorted image of the United States and that it was not, in fact, art.

It was not until December 1955 that the world first heard, on Voice of America radio, Duke Ellington and his most famous composition, “Take the A-Train,” one of the biggest hits of all time, all over the world. After that came the voice of the legendary commentator and music expert Willis Conover. The effect was staggering: it wasn’t news and it wasn’t judgments about communism and liberalism; it was music! New music, strange to most of the world, became the most popular content of the American radio station. VOA was getting up to 1,000 letters a month from fans all over the world, asking them to broaden their music programming. This led to the creation of the program Jazz Hour, which turned out to be the hottest product that U.S. music diplomacy had had in many years. Music brought down the Iron Curtain, and many historians insist that it helped end the Cold War.

Why did this music genre, criticized by so many Americans, suddenly have such great appeal to people from other countries? As it turns out, jazz united “one-storied America” with people in other small towns all over the world. Jazz musicians were not the bearers of an elite musical tradition. They showed the America of simple people. The main thing they accomplished was to engender a sense of empathy with America in people all over the world, people who had never been to the United States.

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