April 16th, 2018: Canadian University Dubai welcomed Mr. Nathan Tek, a regional spokesperson for the US State Department, who facilitated a conversation on "Strategic Communications."
Organized by Dr. Mohammed Abuhannoud, Assistant Professor, Department of Communication, the event gave students and faculty the opportunity to hear Mr. Tek speak about his professional experience in the field of communications.
Mr. Tek outlined his role as an authorized Regional Spokesman for the United States government in the UAE. His function is to represent United States government foreign policy. Referencing recent developments in the Middle East, he explained how he spends a considerable amount of time addressing public opinion here and explaining various issues concerning the role of the US in the Middle East and further afield. He stressed the importance of building bridges between Middle Eastern countries and the United States. He also spends time in other countries in the Middle East training US diplomatic personnel in communication strategies and social media.
Mr. Tek received his Bachelor's Degree in Political Science and International Studies from Yale University in 2009. He studied Arabic at the American University in Cairo under the Center for Arabic Studies Abroad Fellowship Program. He joined the US Foreign Service in 2010 and has served at the US Embassies in Libya and Qatar. Mr. Tek has worked in the diplomatic community for nine years.
He is an accredited Civil Servant appointed by President Barack Obama and serves his country regardless of which political party is in power in the US. He emphasized the need to maintain impartiality while representing his country’s position in world affairs.
At the end of the presentation, Mr. Tek took questions from his audience, further explained the skills and capacities needed for this career path, and described the challenges that arise with the rapid developments in the world of information and communication. He thanked CUD for its kind invitation and hopes he will return in the near future.
Dr. Mohammed thanked him for taking time out of his busy schedule and expressed the hope that this event would be one in a series focusing on communication skills.
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