Global Diaspora Strategies Toolkit · G l o b a l D i a s p o r a S t r a t e g i e s T o o l k i t...

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Kingsley AikinsNicola White

Diasporamatters

Global DiasporaStrategies Toolkit

Harnessingthe power of globaldiasporas

Diasporamatters

‘Around the world, even as we pursue anew era of engagement with other nations,we’re embracing a broader engagement –new partnerships between societies andcitizens, community organizations,business, faith based groups.’

President Barack Obama

Diasp

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King

sley Aikins

Nico

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the global Irish

making a difference

together

Global Diaspora Strategies ToolkitSponsored by

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E info.diasporamatters.comW www.diasporamatters.com

Diaspora Matters, Gateway House,133 Capel Street, Dublin 1, Ireland

Valuable support was received from

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Mike and Lou Ann Corboy, Dallas

Joseph Corcoran, Boston

Kevin M. Curley, Dallas

Patty Disney, Los Angeles

Stan Gold, Los Angeles

Ken Gorman, New York

Michael and Pepper Jackson, San Francisco

Deirdre and Thomas Lynch, Dublin

Charles P. Reagan, Connecticut

John and Helen Sharkey, New York

Luanne Tierney, Dallas

Additional Tools

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Diasporamatters

‘Around the world, even as we pursue anew era of engagement with other nations,we’re embracing a broader engagement –new partnerships between societies andcitizens, community organizations,business, faith based groups.’

President Barack Obama

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Global DiasporaStrategies Toolkit

Diasporamatters

Diaspora Toolkit Dividers_Philanthropy Toolkit Dividers 29/04/2011 11:42 Page 1

Contents

Foreword i

Introduction iii

Acknowledgements vii

The Authors xi

First published 2011

Diaspora MattersGateway House, 133 Capel Street, Dublin 1, Irelandwww.diasporamatters.com

© 2011 Kingsley Aikins and Nicola White

Design by Identikit Design Consultants, DublinPrinted by Impress Printing Works, Dublin

All rights reserved. No part of this publicationmay be reproduced or transmitted in any form orby any means electronic or mechanical includingphotocopying, scanning, recording or in anyother form of storage or retrieval system withoutthe prior written permission of the publishers.


Ironically, with more and more people livingand working further and further from theirplace of birth the world is growing smallerand the sense of need for connecting andattaching to their native homelands increases.These bonds of ethnicity represent greatplatforms for increasing the influence ofcountries abroad and for developing supportfrom their successful expatriates. The potentialfor these flows of influence, information andincome are staggering. With 215 millionpeople living away from their home country,they represent very significant concentrationsof resources and advocacy.

This has been the experience of TheWorldwide Ireland Funds. Over three

decades and across 12 countries, we haveraised over $350 million for projectssupporting peace and reconciliation, artsand culture, education and communitydevelopment. However we have realized,almost by default, that we are not just afundraising body. We are a movementwhose members are committed to improvingIreland and its communities through philan-thropy, access and advocacy.

Of course, we are far from alone andhave learned a great deal from others.Indeed the purpose of this Toolkit is tocollate, analyze and learn from theexperience of diaspora organizationsaround the world. We hope that this

Foreword i

Foreword

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Toolkit will help inform and promotediscussion on a fascinating topic which willshape politics and policies across the worldin remarkable ways.

We salute the United States Secretaryof State, Hillary Clinton, for the focusand attention she is giving to this topicand for organizing the most extensiveForum on Global Diaspora Strategies inMay 2011. We are most grateful to all

who contributed and shaped this Toolkitand helped us learn through their insightsand experiences.

The mobilization of diasporiccommunities can be an immense force for good in terms of delivering material and moral support to their homes andincreasing mutual understanding. We hopethis Toolkit will inform people’sunderstanding of that potential.

Global Diaspora Strategies Toolkitii

Kieran McLoughlinPresident and CEO, The Worldwide Ireland Funds

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Welcome to the Global Diaspora StrategiesToolkit which was produced to coincidewith the Hillary Clinton Global DiasporaForum in Washington. Firstly, congratu-lations to the Secretary and the StateDepartment for bringing focus, interest andattention to an area that continues to havea profound effect on the world and willonly increase in the future.

I have had the privilege of working forone of the world’s premier diasporaorganizations, The Ireland Funds, fortwenty one years until recently. Duringthat time I could see the power of philan-thropy and how it can be harnessed to getpeople engaged in their countries of origin,

heritage or interest. From a philanthropicinvolvement many other relationships candevelop in the areas of trade andinvestment, education, culture, sport,tourism to name a few. In my career I alsoworked overseas for the Irish Trade Boardand IDA Ireland and could see howdiaspora relationships can be used to driveexports and inward investment.

In all of these activities the fundamentalkey to success is developing networks. Indiaspora issues networks really do matter.The US State Department’s Professor Anne-Marie Slaughter put it succinctly inher essay ‘America’s Edge-Power in theNetworked Century’:

Introduction iii

Introduction

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‘We live in a networked world. War isnetworked ... diplomacy is networked ...business is networked ... media arenetworked ... society is networked ... evenreligion is networked. In this world themeasure of power is connectedness. Thetwentieth century world was, at least interms of geopolitics, a billiard ball worlddescribed by the political scientist ArnoldWolfers as a system of self contained statescolliding with one another. The results ofthese collisions were determined bymilitary and economic power ... now theworld is driven by networked clusters ofthe world’s most creative people. In anetworked world power flows from theability to make the maximum number ofvaluable connections. The issue is nolonger relative power but centrality in adense global web. Where you are frommeans where you can, and do, go back andwhom you trust and network with.’

The object of this Toolkit is to puttogether in one publication and website areview and audit of what is happening in theworld of global diaspora strategies both bycategory and country. It is by no meansexhaustive or prescriptive and aims to covera wide range of initiatives. There is no ‘onesize fits all’. Every country does it differently,some better than others and some not at all.Also, it’s not easy and many initiatives fail.The last decade has seen a veritableexplosion of activity with individuals, organi-zations, companies and governments tryingto figure out what action to take and whoshould take it, who should fund it and whatmodel to follow. Often the debate is over therole of government - should they be facili-tators or implementers? What is certain isthat we can learn much from each other and

this Forum will be an excellent opportunityfor dialogue, debate and discussion.

There are now over 215 million peopleliving in a country other than the one inwhich they were born and that is a numberthat has doubled in the last 25 years. Itrepresents 3 per cent of the world’spopulation. One person in thirty three is aninternational migrant and every year 3million people migrate. Annual rates ofimmigration to the US have increased fromjust over 320,000 annually in the 1960s toclose to a million today. In 2000 the numberof foreign born legal immigrants residing inthe US was 31 million, representing 12 percent of the US population. This is projectedto rise to 48 million by 2025 and to 60million by 2050. Now because of technology,transport and communications, and, possiblyfor the first time in history, geography doesnot dictate identity. People can be both ‘hereand there’, fully committed to the countrythey live in but also closely connected totheir country of origin, heritage or interest.This ‘hyphenated’ existence can be mutuallyvery beneficial. More and more nationalgovernments are introducing diasporastrategies and recognizing the role that keymembers of the diaspora can play indeveloping their home economies withouthaving to return home permanently. Braindrain can become brain gain and brainexchange. Technology and, in particularsocial media, means that connections can bemade on a one to one individual basis andpeople who never engaged with diasporaorganizations can be connected with theirhome country and with each other inpowerful and creative and innovative ways.

Patterns of migration have changed inways that will strengthen the potential for

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enhanced diaspora engagement. Overall,migration is far less permanent than it was inprevious decades. Both temporary migrationand ‘circular’ migration (individuals whoperiodically move back and forth from theirhome country to the host country, often forseasonal work) are increasing. In additionthere is a growth in the number of truly‘transnational citizens’ those who havepermanent residences in both host countriesand their countries of origin. As a result,enduring notions of ‘community’ are beingredefined. Networks are being built andenhanced based on interest rather thanlocation – the tyranny of distance andgeography is finally being broken.

This Toolkit has erred on the side ofincluding more rather than less. Inevitably,

however, given the explosion of activity inthis area in the last few years, significantinitiatives will have been missed for whichI apologize and it would be repetitive to gointo too much detail on many programsthat are similar. Many countries have verysignificant diasporas and the potentialexists to engage with these groups tobenefit the home and host countries. Alsothis Toolkit is more interested in theprograms rather than the countries withthe focus being on global best practice andwhat countries can learn from each other.In short, for the first time ever in history,through diaspora engagement and activity,the world can be brought to homecountries and home countries can bebrought to the world.

Introduction v

Kingsley AikinsDiaspora Matters

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The authors would like to thank all those who assisted in the publication of this Toolkit,especially those who agreed to be interviewed and those who contributed their own work to the Toolkit:

n Dr Delphine Ancien, NUI Maynooth, Irelandn Senay Ataselim Yilmaz, COO, Turkish Philanthropy Fundsn Kris Balderston, US State Departmentn Elmira Bayrasli, Peace Dividend Trustn Brigitte Britten-Kelly, Managing Executive, Homecoming Revolutionn Mrs. Geneive Brown Metzger, Consul General of Jamaica, NYn Rebecca Caspi, Jewish Federations of North American John Concannon, Tourism Irelandn Thomas DeBass, US State Departmentn Dr Keith Dinnie, Founder of Brand Horizonsn Eugene Downes, CEO, Culture Irelandn Jerry Edwin, Executive Director of the Grenada Diaspora Organization

Acknowledgements vii

Acknowledgements

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n Matthew R. Elkin, Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLPn Dr Jacob Eisenberg, University College Dublinn Özlenen Eser Kalav, President and CEO, Turkish Philanthropy Fundsn Gibril Faal, Chairman of African Foundation for Development (AFFORD-UK) Londonn Tim Finch, Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), UKn Caitriona Fottrell, Vice President and Director Ireland, The Ireland Fundsn Leona Forman, Brazil Foundationn Viki Forrest, Anzan Michelle Hakata, Development Foundation for Zimbabwen Anjum R Haque, Executive Director, Pakistan Centre for Philanthropyn John Hartnett, President, Irish Technology Leadership Group, Silicon Valleyn Prof Daniel Isenberg, Professor of Management Practice at Babson Global and founding

Executive Director of the Babson Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Projectn Wangui Iregi, Brand Kenyan Christos Karaolis, President of NEPOMAKn Doron Karni, Taglit-Birthright Israeln Pradeep Kashyap, American Indian Foundationn Teresa Keating, The Landsdowne Club, Sydneyn Prof Liam Kennedy, Director, University College Dublin, Clinton Instituten Prof William Kerr, Associate Professor, Harvard Business Schooln Stas Khirman, Founder, TECglobaln Prof Rob Kitchin NUI Maynooth, Irelandn Yevgeny Kutnetsov, Senior Economist, The World Bankn Patricia Lobaccaro, Brazil Foundationn Mark Loughran, Identikit Designn Marina Maciver, Senior Manager, GlobalScotn Anne M. McCarthy, Westmeath Communicationsn John McColgan, Gateway Irelandn Caitlin McCormack, New York Regional Director, The American Ireland Fundn Kieran McLoughlin, President and CEO, The Worldwide Ireland Fundsn Serafina Maiorano, CEO, Advance Australian Gene Murphy, Founder, Seminar Cloud n Kathleen Newland, Director, Migration Policy Instituten Prof Padraig O’Malley, John Joseph Moakley Distinguished Professor of Peace and

Reconciliation, University of Massachusetts Bostonn Barry O’Brien, Consulate General of Ireland, San Franciscon Naomi Orensten, Jewish Federations of North American Pekka Parnanen, FinPron Molly Pollack, Director, ChileGlobaln Melek Pulatkonak, Founder, Turkish Women’s International Networkn Rashedur Rahman, The Bangladesh Enterprise Institute

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n Martin Russell, IRCHSS Postgraduate Scholar, The Clinton Institute for American Studies,University College Dublin

n Prof AnnaLee Saxenian, Dean and Professor at the School of Information and Professor inthe Department of City and Regional Planning at the University of California, Berkeley

n Neil Sands, Consultant, Silicon Valleyn Saher Sidhom, Global Planning Director, Great Works, Stockholm and Londonn David Smith, Enterprise Ireland, Silicon Valleyn Barbara Span, VP, Public Affairs, Western Unionn Dr David J. Thompson, Vice President, Hariri Foundation-USAn John Toth, Financial Timesn Dr Ian Walsh, Professor of Leadership Boston University/University College Dublinn Dr James J. Zogby, President and Founder, Arab American Institute

Acknowledgements ix

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Kingsley AikinsKingsley Aikins was born in Dublin and is aneconomics and politics graduate of TrinityCollege Dublin. He previously representedthe Irish Trade Board and IDA Ireland inAustralia and founded the Lansdowne Clubthere. He worked for The Ireland Funds, for21 years and was President and CEO of The Worldwide Ireland Funds (now active in13 countries) until 2009. He now runs aconsultancy company based in Dublin and isco-founder of Networking Matters(www.networking-matters.com). He writesand speaks extensively on philanthropy,diaspora issues and networking. He can becontacted at [email protected]

Nicola WhiteNicola White LL.B, LL.M (Dub), Attorney(NY) is an independent consultant ondiaspora strategies. She has worked with The Ireland Funds for a number of years.Nicola is also a leading expert on conflictresolution and she has published two reportswith the Law Reform Commission of Irelandon this area. She was awarded the WeinsteinInternational Fellowship in DisputeResolution by the JAMS in 2011 and was avisiting researcher at the Gould Center forMediation at Stanford University Law School.She writes and speaks extensively on conflictresolution and diaspora strategies. She can becontacted at [email protected]

The Authors xi

The Authors

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The authors wish to sincerely thank the following individuals for their invaluable

contributions in assisting with the production of this Toolkit.

Martin Russell, Senior Research AssociateMartin Russell is an Irish Research Council for the Humanities and Social Sciences

Postgraduate Scholar at the UCD Clinton Institute for American Studies. He is currently

completing his PhD project on The Politics of Diaspora Memory and Identity: Irish-America,

Northern Ireland and US Foreign Policy. His main fields of research are diaspora strategies,

US foreign policy, and conflict resolution.

ResearchersLaura Farrington and Karissa Kary, Trinity College Dublin.

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Section 1

Introduction toGlobal Diasporas

1

Introductio

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Contents

Introduction 1

Appreciate changing migration patterns 5

Define the diaspora 8

Segment the diaspora 11

Understand the ‘mile wide – inch deep’ versus ‘inch wide – mile deep’ conundrum 14

Build a mutually beneficial relationship with the diaspora 20

Endnotes 26


Today the world is more globalized,interconnected and interdependent thanever before. The recent economic crisis thathas been besieging the world shows us thatis it no longer possible for any nation stateto consider itself an ‘island’, nor is itpossible to be immune to the ebbs andflows of global economics.

In order to be able to fully leverage thisglobality, it is essential that countries designand implement comprehensive diasporastrategies for engaging with their globalcitizens and friends. The size of a country’spopulace can no longer be calculated withinthe contours of its borders, rather it must beviewed through the global lens of migration

Section 1 · Introduction to Global Diasporas 1

Introduction toGlobal Diasporas

Section 1

What made China the world’s factory? What made India the world’stechnology hub? What made Israel a leading innovation centre?

Connecting with their diasporas in the United States.

Introduction

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and encompass those who are defined as ‘thediaspora.’ As noted by Dolman ‘The past fewdecades have seen rapid growth in themovement of goods and factors ofproduction. The volume of internationaltrade grew twice as fast as world outputduring the 1990s and the volume of foreigndirect investment (FDI) grew twice as fast astrade. Economies are rapidly integrating andbecoming more closely dependent upon eachother. The international movement of peopleis an important feature of this integratedglobal economy.’1

Considering the diaspora as a nationalasset is certainly not a new phenomenon.Diaspora strategies that extend across arange of social, cultural, political,educational and financial dimensions arenow being implemented by both developingcountries and developed countries, includingNew Zealand, Scotland, South Africa,Canada, Australia, Singapore, Israel, Irelandand India, to name but a few.

Boyle and Kitchin define a diasporastrategy as ‘an explicit and systematic policyinitiative or series of policy initiatives aimedat developing and managing relationshipsbetween homelands and diasporicpopulations. These policy initiatives varyfrom highly formalized and structuredprograms to projects that are quite light inconception and application. A diasporastrategy is perhaps best thought of then asan overarching framework for providing alevel of coherence to the range of diasporapolicies devised and implemented by avariety of agencies.’2

Although there can be many facets to acountry’s diaspora strategy, it can be said

that, by and large, countries tend to pursuesimilar initiatives, with much in common interms of philosophy and approach but thereis no ‘one size fits all’ diaspora strategy.Obviously countries differ greatly in termsof their macroeconomic circumstances, thehistory of their diaspora, their size,geography and general resources tosuccessfully pursue a diaspora strategy. Also, as many of these initiatives have beenenacted recently it is too soon to assessthem fully. Moreover, it has been purportedthat ‘many diaspora programs are ‘livingdead’ – they are not failures and theygenerate enough interest to maintain theirfunding, yet their development impact isvery limited.’3 However, the fundamentaldifference between those countries that willultimately succeed and those that will fallshort of expectations lies in one thing only– excellence in execution.

Successfully engaging the diaspora is along-term ‘hearts and minds’ business thatrequires perseverance and patience and thereremains a wide gap between the promiseand delivery of diaspora contributions. As noted by the Migration Policy Institute,‘Although some initiatives are quiteinnovative and many show promise, a closerlook at these efforts suggests that translatingdiasporas’ promise into reality is more easilysaid than done. While many governmentsacknowledge the importance of diasporaengagement, many still lack the capacity todesign and implement effective policies on ameaningful scale. This explains the gapbetween essentially ‘paper schemes’ andtruly effective policies and programs thatactually make a difference.’4

Global Diaspora Strategies Toolkit2


Learn the key lessonsA country’s diaspora constitutes an immensesource of ‘soft power’. By implementing acomprehensive diaspora strategy this can beharnessed and converted into ‘hard impacts.’The key to success is developing a series ofwell-researched initiatives and, as previouslynoted, ensuring excellence in execution.Some of the other key issues to consider inrelation to designing, implementing andexecuting global diaspora strategies include:

n For the first time ever, technology allowscountries to connect with their diaspora ata mass level. The opportunity exists tocreate global electronic portals to includeall diaspora members and diaspora-relatedorganizations. Such a portal would enableindividuals and groups to connect withtheir home country and with each other.

n The key to success is identifyingexceptional people and organizationsin the diaspora and connecting themwith exceptional people and organi-zations in the home country. A smallnumber can make a huge differenceand one-to-one relationships are key.Strong home institutions are needed tosupport initiatives.

n The challenge is to identify and engagethose with ‘affluence and influence’ whoare in a position to connect with the homecountry. Early identification with leadersand keeping in contact on an ongoingbasis for a long period of time is essential.

n The four step process of Research,Cultivation, Solicitation and Stewardshipfrom the donor development world ofphilanthropy is equally applicable and


n Who?: Governments around the world should begin to think about their diasporas innew ways and seek to build mutually beneficial relationships and partnerships withthem. Rather than viewing them as being ‘lost’ to the homeland, they can re-engagewith the homeland through stregetic diaspora initatives such as formal mentoringprograms, investment and trade programs, and cultural initatives. They do not needto return in order to make a difference.

n Why?: Global diasporas constitute an obvious collective of people through whomnetworks can be created and individuals mobilized for mutual benefit of bothdiasporas and the home country.

n How?: Global diasporas serve as an important conduit, facilitating the two-wayflow of capital. That capital presents itself in every form be it human, social,intellectual, cultural or financial. Looking at capital flows alone, the transfer offunds in the form of remittances, bonds, philanthropy or business investment ismassive by any scale, and growing.

Understanding the basics


effective in developing relationships andbuilding networks with the diaspora.Technology is not a substitute for face-to-face introductions – diaspora networkingis a contact sport. The key is to movefrom transactions to relationships.

n To be effective there must be ‘asks andtasks’ of the key leaders in the diaspora.They need to be engaged in small groupswith specific projects over a limited timeframe. If not, initial enthusiasm will fadequickly. Recognize that diaspora membersdo not have to return home to play asignificant role in the economy. Braindrain can lead to brain gain and brainexchange in a productive cycle. Circularityis now a feature of migration.

n Regular and relevant meetings in thehome and host countries are essential tokeep diaspora members informed,engaged and active. They need to feelthat they are being listened to andinvolved in decision-making processes inorder to maintain interest andmomentum. Structures should be set upto ensure ongoing participation.

n Cultivation and engagement of the nextgeneration is important. Countries needto put in place a series of initiatives thatwill attract the next generation of thediaspora. In this regard they have muchto learn from Taglit-Birthright Israel andMASA programs.

n Countries also need to developprograms that engage baby boomers,the huge and growing cohort of ourpopulations aged over 60.

n The role of Government is to act asfacilitator rather than implementer ofprograms. It has a pivotal role in giving its‘imprimatur’ and support, making clear todiasporeans that they are regarded asimportant and involving them as partic-ipants in meetings, fora and policy making.Government, by being accessible, has anenormous role to play.

n The diaspora can contribute to definingtheir home country’s value propositionand nation brand. Moreover, the diasporahas the potential to play a crucial role inFDI and in nurturing the venture capitalindustry. Countries should learn from theexperience of Israel and India in thisregard and examine how these countriesengaged their diasporas in both these areas.

n Culture is the underlying glue that canbridge diaspora strategies and is all aboutcreativity, innovation and personality.Other countries’ agencies such as theBritish Council, Alliance Francaise, theGoethe Institute and the ConfuciusInstitute recognize this and invest consid-erable resources in the promotion of theirculture overseas. Many countries are notyet competitive in this area – but have avast reservoir of potential.



Understanding the reality of the ‘Globalcitizen’ in the 21st century is a prerequisiteto designing a diaspora strategy becausepatterns of migration have changed inways that strengthen the potential fordiaspora engagement. The unprecedentedmovements of diaspora in large scale andhigher percentage and frequency have set aglobal demographic trend that marked the20th and 21st centuries.5 And it looks asthough this trend will inevitably continueas processes of urbanization and global-ization continue their advance, and the fullimpact of climate and population changestake effect.6

What were once globally dispersedcommunities are now more interconnectedand interdependent than ever. Indeed, thereis a continual growth in the number of truly‘transnational citizens’, those who havepermanent residences and often businessassociations in both host countries and theircountries of origin. As a result, enduringnotions of ‘community’ are being redefined.

If migration continues to grow at thesame pace as over the past 20 years, someanalysts predict there could be 405 millioninternational migrants by 2050, up fromtoday’s estimated 215 million.7 Looking atthese figures it can be estimated that 1 out ofevery 33 persons in the world today is amigrant. It is reported that economicmigrants currently account for over 85% oftotal migrants with the remaining 15% beingrefugees.8 Female migrants represent asignificant portion of total migrants with49% of total in 2010.9 Globally, there aresome 48 million international migrants under25 years of age, representing nearly 23% ofthe total migrant population.10 The lattertwo statistics are important to note asemerging diaspora networks are increasinglygender and next-generation focused.Examples include the Filipina Women’sNetwork, the Turkish Women’s InternationalNetwork, The Ireland Funds Global YoungLeaders Program and the Young BarbadianProfessionals Society, to name but a few.


Appreciate changing migration patterns

Taglit-Birthright Israel is one of the most successful diaspora programs in the worldand was launched out of a concern about the continuation of Jewish culture andheritage. In the US census of 1990 it was discovered that 51 per cent of Jews aremarried to non-Jews, with only 16 per cent of children from mixed marriages broughtup as Jews. About 100,000 Jews are born every year and 75 per cent of the world’sJewish population lives in the US. Taglit-Birthright Israel brings Jewish young peopleaged 18–26 to spend 10 days in Israel. Research has shown that 10 days in Israel ismore effective in instilling Jewish pride and heritage than 5 years in a Jewish school.

Global best practice in engaging the next generation: Taglit-Birthright Israel


Most migrants live in Europe, Asia andNorth America, with growth rates in NorthAmerica and Europe standing at about10% and 8% respectively during the period2005–2010.11 According to the World Bank,the top migrant destination countries arethe United States, the Russian Federation,Germany, Saudi Arabia, and Canada.12

There is also a global trend that the migrantpopulation is moving ‘from south to north,and from east to west’ towards seven of theworld’s wealthiest countries – with less than16% of the total world population, yet33% of the world’s migrant population is

found in those seven countries.13 Accordingto the World Bank, the Mexico-UnitedStates corridor is the largest migrationcorridor in the world, accounting for 11.6 million migrants in 2010. Also, it isinteresting to note that only 37% ofmigration in the world is from developingto developed countries. The majority ofmigration occurs within countries in thesame category of development: approxi-mately 60% of migrants move eitherbetween developing or between developedcountries (the remaining 3% move fromdeveloped to developing countries).14


Over 260,000 individuals from 52 different countries have participated since thetrips began in 2000. Funded in 2000 by Charles Bronfman and Michael Steinhardt incooperation with the Israeli government, private philanthropists, the Jewish Agency forIsrael and Jewish communities around the world, the Birthright Israel program hasinvested over $400 million on educational trips to Israel. Top educators, historians andtourism professionals were recruited to plan the program for which demand is veryhigh. Registration is conducted online and each round is massively oversubscribed. It brings in considerable revenue to the Israeli tourism industry.

Taglit-Birthright Israel has set the goal of sending 51,000 young Jewish adults toIsrael annually by 2013, which means that one in every two Jewish young adultsworldwide would participate in a Birthright Israel trip. In January 2011, theGovernment of Israel announced it would contribute $100 million in funding over thenext three years to assist Birthright Israel achieve that goal. According to a recentstudy by Brandeis University’s Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies entitled ‘TheImpact of Taglit-Birthright Israel: 2010 Update’ participants in the 10-day Israel tripsare more confident advocates for Israel, are more likely to feel very connected to Israel,and are 51% more likely to marry a Jewish person than their peers who applied forbut did not go on a Birthright trip.


Dustmann defines transient migration as asituation where the migrant moves betweendifferent host countries without necessarilyreturning home; contract migration as atemporary migration where the migrant livesin the host country for a limited number ofyears, which is regulated by a contract; andreturn migration describes a situation wheremigrants return to their country of origin bytheir own choice, often after a significant

period abroad.15 As illustrated from thediagram above, migration is far lesspermanent than it was in previous decadeswith increasing categories of temporarymigration emerging.16 A 2007 paperpublished by the Migration Policy Institutedescribed circular migration as ‘a continuing,long-term and fluid movement of peopleamong countries that occupy what isincreasingly recognized as a single economic


Source: The Migration and Remittances Factbook 2011, World Bank.

Top emigration countries in 2010

Migration Permanentmigration

Politicalmigration

Temporarymigration

Returnmigration

Contractmigration

Transcientmigration

Circulatory migration

Figure taken from Dustmann ‘Temporary Migration and Economic Assimilation’IZA Discussion Paper No. 186, August 2000

There are a number of categories of migrants as illustrated by Dustmann below.

n Mexico 11.9 millionn India 11.4 millionn Russian Federation 11.1 millionn China 8.3 millionn Ukraine 6.6 million

n Bangladesh 5.4 millionn Pakistan 4.7 millionn United Kingdom 4.7 millionn Philippines 4.3 millionn Turkey 4.3 million


space.’17 In other words, circular migrationencompasses individuals who move backand forth from their home country to thehost country and ‘circulatory migration isusually induced by a seasonal excessdemand for labour in the immigrationcountry, which cannot be supplied by thenative work force at adequate prices.’18

It is interesting to note that temporarymigrants in developed countries outnumberpermanent migrants three to one, andbetween 20%–50% of migrants leave theirhost country within 3–5 years.19 Dustmannand Weiss have suggested that in the UK thepercentage of migrants who return to theircountry of origin within 10 years is between30% and 50%, and after 20 years, a further15–30%.20 Mayr and Peri provide detail onthe extent of return migration of foreign-born in the USA and their findings suggestreturn rates of 20–30% after 20 years.21

‘They may return bringing with themexperience and entrepreneurship ... Theycome and go several times following adynamic process of brain circulation.’22

Diaspora strategies that promote braincirculation are extremely important

particularly for smaller countries which tendto have higher rates of skilled emigration.23

This trend is heightened during arecessionary period where skilled citizens areforced to emigrate in search of employment.The current economic emigrant wave inIreland is an example of this – with, onaverage, 1,000 young people leaving everyweek in search of greater career prospectsabroad. This brain drain has been describedas ‘the human capital flight’ and it is aninevitable consequence of emigration.Therefore, it is critical for countries tointroduce diaspora strategies which canconvert the brain drain into brain gain andbrain circulation.24

What these statistics fundamentallyillustrate is that most countries are experi-encing increasing migration flows. Inward,outward, temporary, permanent, circular –people are constantly moving and ourdefinitions pertaining to the homelandcommunity must also reflect this. Moreover,increased migration signifies an increasedpotential for engaging with the diaspora.As emigration increases, so too does thesize of the diaspora.


Define the diaspora

In designing a diaspora strategy the first question that must be answered is ‘what ismeant by diaspora’? Put simply, diaspora is‘that part of a people, dispersed in one or morecountries other than its homeland, that main-tains a feeling of transnational communityamong a people and its homeland.’25

The word diaspora comes from theGreek dia meaning ‘through’ or ‘over’ and

speiro meaning ‘dispersal’ or ‘to sow.’Diaspora traditionally referred to a veryspecific situation: the exile of the Jews fromthe Holy Land and their dispersalthroughout the globe. In recent years, ‘thenotion of diaspora has moved from religious,migration and cultural studies to the policyrealm as well. Diasporas have come to beseen as central in relation to a range of


issues, from struggles for politicalrecognition of nation states over identitypolitics to transnational mobilization ofdevelopment and reconstruction projects.Migrants’ contributions to development interms of remittances, investment anddemocratization are also receiving growingattention.’26 As noted by Ionescu, ‘countrieshave adopted different ways of referring totheir diasporas and the profusion of existingterms is the sign of the policy interest inthese populations: nationals abroad,permanent immigrants, citizen of (X) origin

living abroad, non-resident of (X) origin,persons of (X) origin, expatriates, transna-tional citizens.’27 These terms are used tocover multiple realities that differ fromcountry to country: ‘people settled in a hostcountry on a permanent basis, labourmigrants based abroad for a period of time,dual citizens, ethnic diasporas, citizens of thehost country or second-genera tion groups.’28

There is no doubt that the traditionalnarrow definition of diaspora has given wayto a looser use of the term and its adoptionby many other countries.


n Time: When does a ‘migrant’ cease to be one and become part of the ‘diaspora’?Given the increase in circular migration it is difficult to limit today the notion ofdiasporas to those who are settled ‘forever’ in a country other from where they wereborn. The modern notion of ‘diasporas’ has lost its dimension of irreversibility and ofexile. Migrants go to work abroad, sometimes under specific government schemes,decide to stay longer, to return and to leave again. It appears that countries supportingtemporary labour migration are also concerned with diaspora contributions, such asthe Philippines, Bangladesh, Ukraine, Kenya, Ethiopia or Uganda.

n Place of birth: Second and third-generation migrants born to immigrant parentsabroad can have a stronger feeling of belonging to the diasporas than first generationsand retain some form of commitment to, and/or interest in, the country of origin oftheir parents. Thus place of birth does not itself define belonging to a diaspora.

n Citizenship: Many nationals acquired the citizenship of their host country. Theircontributions therefore would not be included in ‘migrant workers’’ remittance flows,for instance, whereas they may well be interested in investing in different ways in theirhome country. Thus, we do not qualify diasporas according to their citizenship.

Elements relative to defining diaspora



n Identity and belonging: Butler’s definition of diasporas draws attention to theintangible dimension of the term. Being part of a diaspora implies a sense ofidentification with a group, or the feeling of belonging to a certain identity.Families play a role in supporting or rejecting this identification, as do legal norms(citizenship for second generations), educational programs and the possibility totravel. Min istries for expatriates, as well as consulates and embassies are beginningto pay more attention to the ‘feeling of belonging’ and to the non-materialdimension of engaging with diasporas. However, if symbolic inclusion matters, itneeds to be translated into actual inclusion (legislative and institutional realities).

Taken from Ionescu, D. (2006) Engaging Diasporas as Development Partners for Home and

Destination Countries: Challenges for Policymakers (IOM Migration Research Series Paper

No. 26) (International Organization for Migration, 2006)

1 they, or their ancestors, have been dispersedfrom a specific original ‘center’ to two ormore ‘peripheral’, or foreign, regions;

2 they retain a collective memory, vision,or myth about their original homeland –its physical location, history, andachievements;

3 they believe that they are not – andperhaps cannot be – fully accepted bytheir host society and therefore feel partlyalienated and insulated from it;

4 they regard their ancestral homeland astheir true, ideal home and as the place towhich they or their descendants would(or should) eventually return – whenconditions are appropriate;

5 they believe that they should, collectively,be committed to the maintenance orrestoration of their original homeland andto its safety and prosperity; and

6 they continue to relate, personally orvicariously, to that homeland in one wayor another, and their ethnocommunalconsciousness and solidarity areimportantly defined by the existence ofsuch a relationship.31

The International Organization forMigration provides a broad definition ofdiasporas as ‘members of ethnic andnational communities, who have left, butmaintain links with, their homelands.The term ‘diasporas’ conveys the idea oftransnational populations, living in oneplace, while still maintaining relationswith their homelands, being both ‘here’and ‘there.’’29 Cho expands upon thisdefinition by noting that ‘diaspora bringstogether communities which are not quitenation, not quite race, not quite religion,not quite homesickness, yet they stillhave something to do with nation, race,religion, longings for homes which maynot exist. There are collectivities andcommunities which extend acrossgeographical spaces and historicalexperiences. There are vast numbers ofpeople who exist in one place and yetfeel intimately related to another.’30

Safran purports that the definingcharacteristics of diaspora are that:


Cohen has also formulated five differentcategories of diasporas: victim, labour, trade,imperial (which may be considered a form oftrade diaspora), and cultural (not indigenousto the area from which they dispersed, i.e.,Caribbean) diasporas.32 Sheffer suggests that

‘modern Diasporas are ethnic minority groupsof migrant origins residing and acting in hostcountries but maintaining strong links withtheir countries of origin – their homelands.’33

Docker defines diaspora as ‘a sense ofbelonging to more than one history, to morethan one time and place, to more than onepast and future.’34

It is evident from the above discussionthat no clear consensus exists on thedefinition and conceptualization of the termdiaspora. Providing a definitive definition

for the modern concept of diaspora isbeyond the scope of this toolkit because asnoted by Palmer ‘If all movements ofpeople do not result in diasporas, what,then, distinguishes diasporas from othermovements of people?’35 However, ‘almosteveryone seems to agree that diaspora, inits most basic sense, refers to a scattering ofpeoples who are nonetheless connected by asense of a homeland, imaginary orotherwise.’36 While it is important to definewhat it is meant by diaspora, it is equallyimportant not to get caught up inunnecessary semantics when designing adiaspora strategy. Perhaps the best way todefine a diaspora for the purposes ofdesigning diaspora strategies is to segmentthe diaspora.


While it would no doubt be potentiallybeneficial to a country to increase thenumbers who may be officially part of thediaspora, it is important to recognize eachdisapora is a diffuse group. As noted byWickramasekara ‘diaspora communities arequite diverse: initial migration motives, skills,ethnic profiles, duration of stay (old and newdiasporas), migratory status, destinations(South–North and South–South diaspora).’37

Indeed, a fundamental difference existsbetween diaspora members who were born

and educated in the homeland and liveoverseas and those who are second and thirdgeneration diaspora members. It is thusimportant to recognize the heterogeneousnature of diasporas and reflect this indiaspora strategies.

Segmentation of the diaspora can becategorized in the following way:

n Lived diaspora – individuals born in thehome country who now live permanentlyor temporally in a host country

‘Diversity in the world is a basic characteristic of human society, and also thekey condition for a lively and dynamic world as we see today.’

Jinato Hu

Segment the diaspora


n Ancestral diaspora – individuals withancestral links to the home country (forexample second and third generationdiaspora members). The experience ofThe Ireland Funds is that sometimes latergenerations become even more committedto the land of their ancestry than theirparents or grandparents.

n Next generation diaspora – these areyounger members of the diaspora,typically under the age of 35, who arefundamental to engage in order toensure the sustainability of currentdiaspora strategies.

n Returning diaspora – diaspora memberswho have lived in a host country and whohave come back to the home country.

n Affinity diaspora – nationals of othercountries who work or study or who onceworked or studied in the home countrybut have since re-migrated.38

The last category, namely affinity diaspora, isan important group within the diasporawhich should be engaged through a specificand distinct diaspora policy. ‘An affinitydiaspora is a collection of people, usuallyformer immigrants and tourists or businesstravelers, who have a different national orethnic identity to a nation state but who feelsome special affinity or affection for thatnation state and who act on its behalf, whilstresident in the state, after they return home,or from a third country.’39

In the UK, the Institute for Public PolicyResearch published a paper which examinedthe increasing trend of immigrantssubsequently ‘re-migrating’ to anothercountry and it proposed that governmentsmay want to find ways of encouraging thesemigrants to return some time in the future or

maintain contact with them in their countriesof onward or return migration .40 It isimportant to note that the retention of highlyskilled migrants is as significant as attractingthem in the first place. While such immigrantsmay not formally be a part of the diaspora,they will hold an affinity to the country andshould be engaged in diaspora strategies.

An example of an interesting initiativeengaging affinity diaspora members is theState Alumni program. The State Alumniwebsite is an online community of alumni ofUS government-sponsored exchangeprograms. The Bureau of Educational andCultural Affairs at the Department of Statelaunched State Alumni in April 2001 as apilot program for alumni in Eastern Europeand the former Soviet Union. The staff of thesite continuously solicits feedback fromalumni. New features such as ‘AlumniResumes’ and the alumni listserv werecreated at the request of alumni. InDecember 2003, the State Alumni websiteexpanded to include alumni from the EastAsia/Pacific region. In June 2004, the websiteopened to the South Asia region and openedto alumni in Western Europe and theWestern Hemisphere in fall 2004. In June2005, African alumni were eligible toparticipate in the website, and in November2005, with the addition of alumni from theNear East region, State Alumni opened to allalumni around the world.

A further example of the importance ofthe affinity diaspora members can be found inDr. Stanley Quek. Originally from Singapore,Stanley Quek was educated at Trinity CollegeDublin and despite returning to Singapore hehas maintained strong close ties with the IrishUniversities and Medical Schools Consortium,organizing and recruiting appropriately



qualified Singapore applicants for all the Irishmedical schools since the 1980s. He was alsothe Republic of Ireland’s Honorary ConsulGeneral in Singapore serving the Irishcommunities in Singapore, Brunei andIndonesia in the 1990s before the IrishEmbassy was established in May 2000 as a

result of significant increases in Irish consularand trade activities. He now serves as theChairman of Board of The Singapore IrelandFund. Had he not been educated in Irelandand developed an affinity to the country hisengagement with the country would probablynever have materialized.


n Recent IPPR research suggests that there may be as many as 5.6 million Britishnationals living overseas, making the British diaspora one of the biggest in theworld. (Global Brit: Making the most of the British diaspora, June 2010). TheseBritons maintain an attachment to the UK through family and friends, throughthe BBC and – not least – through following British football clubs on satellitetelevision. They often form British societies and business groups. But the conceptof diaspora is largely alien to them. Unlike many other national groups abroadthere is little understanding of the notion that they are a form of ‘soft power’ forthe home state.

n Interestingly, if anything, we found a keener sense of the potential for this roleamong former immigrants to the UK, who had returned to their home country.(Shall We Stay or Shall We Go? Re-migration trends among Britain’s immigrants,August 2009) Returning migrants we interviewed for a 2009 report spoke of theircontinuing affection for and interest in the UK and suggested they would bewilling to play an informal ambassadorial role for the UK in their home countriesif the UK government would find that useful. At present, like British nationalsabroad, the attachment to the UK by returning migrants is largely through familyor through the media. Around one in five of those we surveyed were members ofalumni associations – the British universities are particularly assiduous in thisregard. But contact with other British associations, the British Council or Britishembassies or high commissions were minimal.

n We suggested that these returnees could be viewed by the UK government as a‘secondary diaspora’ of ‘honorary Brits abroad’ and could be developed as amajor asset for the UK. We know from other research that returning migrantsoften bring new ways of thinking with them – so-called ‘cultural remittances’ –on, for example, gender equality or attitudes to human rights. In our remigrationreport we spoke to people in Pakistan who said they would be willing to foster

Honorary Brits Abroad: Developing the notion of a‘secondary diaspora’Tim Finch, Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), UK


Members of diasporas have differentbackgrounds, motivations andconnections to the home country and theyrequire individualized strategies ofengagement. There is no ‘one size fits all’policy, rather a plethora of tailored,highly researched and strongly executedpolicies must be introduced to ensure thateach diverse segment of the diasporarecognizes the fundamental role and

potential it possesses in shaping thehomeland’s future – economically,culturally and socially.

Active segmentation would result in amore focused and strategic approach inengaging the right people of the diasporawith the right purpose. In effect then eachcountry has hundreds of diasporas ratherthan one single homogenous diaspora. This is both a strength and a weakness.


closer understanding between that country and the UK based on their time living in thelatter – surely a useful initiative given the growing tensions between the two.(‘Development on the Move: Measuring and Optimising Migration’s Economic andSocial Impacts’, May 2010). Nigerians who had formerly lived and worked in the UKwere keen to help encourage business links. These days it is much more difficult forcountries like the UK to project power and influence through military might,dominance of world trade or post-colonial relationships, so alternatives will need to befound if these countries want to continue to play a role in global affairs. Forgingstronger and more formal links with the ‘secondary diaspora’ of returning migrantsmight well be a good way forward.

Countries sometimes try to engage as manymembers of the diaspora as they can andoften through online portals. However, it isevident that although a lot of people may fallinto the catchment of the diaspora, not all ofthem resonate or relate to being a member ofthe diaspora. Just because individuals are,statistically, a member of a diaspora does notmean they have a sense of belonging.

Many diaspora initiatives have failedbecause they did not identify the highly

motivated individuals who were willing tostick with the initiatives for a long time,battling against the odds and lendingcreditability to it. This is the ‘mile wide –inch deep’ versus ‘inch wide – mile deep’conundrum. They are not mutually exclusivebut countries have to decide where to put theemphasis. As noted by Larner, there is a needfor diaspora strategies to ‘distinguishbetween ‘alumni models’ that involve massmobilization and the ‘overachievers model’

Understand the ‘mile wide – inch deep’ versus‘inch wide – mile deep’ conundrum


that focus on elite actors and target thosewho can influence corporate investment anddecision-making processes. The former areessential and serve an important purpose inincreasing overall awareness of a country, aninterest in culture, a support for tourism, etc.whereas the latter are a more effective meansof generating economic engagement amongthe relevant members of the diaspora for theexpress intent of improving trade, investment,innovation and industrial development.’41

Casting the net – extended citizenshipThe difficulty in defining a diaspora issomething that governments also face whendeciding who is entitled to citizenship – forexample, with which generation should theright of citizenship and nationality end?42

Most countries cast the net widely to includeas many people as possible. To achieve thisobjective a number of countries haveextended their notion of citizenship in orderto attain a greater level of engagement fromtheir diaspora. For example:

IndiaIndia is a major country of origin with anestimated 25 million Indians overseas, spreadacross 189 countries. To engage with asmany of its diaspora as possible, India hasintroduced a number of different categoriesof overseas Indians: Non-Resident Indians(NRIs); People of Indian Origin (PIOs) andOverseas Citizenship of India (OCIs). Thelatter scheme was introduced in 2005.Although not ‘dual citizenship’, OCI offers aseries of benefits such as multiple entries andmultipurpose lifelong visas to visit India.OCI holders do not receive an Indianpassport (although they receive a document

that is similar in appearance) and have novoting rights. The scheme has proven to bevery popular with 168,000 OCI visas issuedin 2008 and over 575,000 since inception.

According to Thomas Abraham,chairman of the Global Organization ofPeople of Indian Origin ‘The OCI status ismore about emotions than economics. Thereis sentimental value, especially for peoplewith children who want their children to stayconnected with their country of origin.’ Thisis a way of enlarging the pool of engagedmembers of the Indian diaspora, recognisingtheir contribution and making them feel partof the global ‘Team India.’ It is clear thatIndia’s relationship with its diaspora ismutually beneficial, not one-dimensional.

PolandPoland has introduced the ‘Poles Card’ (KartaPolska). It is given to people with documentedproof of Polish roots, or ‘a connection withPolish culture’, who also display at least a

‘passive understanding’ of the Polish language.Applications for the document will beapproved and issued by Polish consuls in theirrespective countries. A holder of the KartaPolska has the right to: exemption from theobligation to have a work permit forforeigners; set up a company on the samebasis as citizens of Poland; study, undertake adoctorate and participate in other forms ofeducation, as well as participate in researchand development work. The holder retains theright to: apply for scholarships and otherforms of aid for foreigners; partake inpreschool, primary and secondary educationin Poland; use healthcare services in anemergency; enjoy a 37% discount on publictransport omnibus, flier and express rail travel,and free admission to state museums.43



PakistanPakistan, like India, has also introduced aform of extended citizenship for its diasporamembers. The Pakistan Overseas Card(POC) is issued by the National Databaseand Registration Authority to eligibleoverseas Pakistanis. Benefits to POC holdersinclude: visa-free entry into Pakistan;indefinite stay in Pakistan; exemption fromforeigner registration requirements;permission to purchase and sell property;right to open and operate bank accounts;and substitute for the ComputerizedNational Identity Card (CNIC) where proofof identity is required.

The National Identity Card for OverseasPakistanis (NICOP) is issued to Pakistaniworkers, emigrants, citizens, or Pakistanisholding dual nationality and holder to visa-free entry to Pakistan. It is mandatory for allnon-resident Pakistani nationals to get aNICOP who have lived abroad for over sixmonths. Holders of NICOP are entitled to:visa free entry in to Pakistan; protection ofthe Government of Pakistan in any foreigncountry or state; and entitlement tomembership of the Overseas PakistanisFoundation (OPF).

Other countries such as Lebanon haveconsidered introducing similar cards for itsdiaspora members.44 Ethiopia has created anintermediate status for members of theirdiaspora, in addition to or instead of creatinga right to dual nationality. According to agovernment proclamation issued in 2002,‘foreign nationals of Ethiopian origin’ are tobe issued special identity cards that entitlethe holder to various benefits. A foreignnational of Ethiopian origin is defined asfollows: a foreign national, other than aperson who forfeited Ethiopian nationality

and acquired Eritrean nationality, who hadbeen an Ethiopian national before acquiringa foreign nationality; or at least one of whoseparents, grandparents or great-grandparentswas an Ethiopian national.45 Holders of suchcards enjoy rights and privileges that otherforeigners do not, including visa-free entry,residence, and employment, the right to ownimmovable property in Ethiopia, and theright to access public services.46

In 2010, the Irish government announcedplans to introduce a certificate of Irishheritage for up to 70 million people of Irishdescent around the world who do not qualifyfor citizenship. Full details of how the newCertificate of Irish Heritage will beadministered have yet to emerge. Thecertificates may allow discounts on manyservices in Ireland including air fares, hotelaccommodation and a range of other tourist-related activities. The certificates will beissued by a third-party business working withthe Irish government.

While the above diaspora strategiesenhance data registration, they alsocontribute to shaping the national definitionof diasporas (citizens or nationals abroad,second and first generations, non-residentnationals, etc.).47 Such strategies alsostrengthen the diaspora’s sense of truly‘belonging’ to the homeland and this may, inturn, result in greater economic, cultural andsocial engagement.

Reel in the ‘key influencers’It is important to remember that quite oftenit is a small fraction of the overall number ofthe diaspora that are the ones who are goingto make the difference. As noted byKuznetsov ‘Migrants are usually concernedwith getting ahead individually and are not



concerned with collective diaspora identity,and those personal ambitions drive thenature of the projects they sponsor at home,which is often limited to unpublicizedsporadic and individual efforts.’48 Countriesneed to know how to identify, cultivate, andengage that fraction. In order to increase thelikelihood of success in terms of diasporaengagement, countries should attempt toidentify and engage the following memberswithin the diaspora:

Tipping agentsIndividuals make things happen, but inspiredand passionate individuals make great thingshappen. As the old saying goes ‘who eversaw a monument to a committee.’ If youaccept this then it is important to identify,research, cultivate and ask diaspora members

who are going to be in positions of influenceyears before they actually get into thatposition to become strategically engaged.These people are called ‘tipping agents’ –people who can ‘nudge’ a deal in a certaindirection, act as brand ambassadors for theirhome country, who can be the ‘eyes and ears’on the ground and can watch out for futureopportunities for their home country. It canbe especially important for inwardinvestment decisions particularly, where dealsmay be 50/50 and small factors could sway adecision in one direction or another. The keyto having effective ‘tipping agents’ is to keepin constant contact, to inform them ofdevelopments in the home country and makethem feel part of the national team. Thoughessentially business related there often can bemany other spinoffs.


‘A number of Indian expatriates who had immigrated to the United States in the 70sand 80s had become CEOs and senior executives at American technology companies.These executives played a critical role in giving their companies the confidence tooutsource work to India. They were also patient sponsors as Indian firms graduallylearned how to meet US quality and delivery requirements. They saw that Indiapresents an opportunity in terms of R&D and knowledge process outsourcing but, aseveryone else, they knew that India is not an easy place to do business because of redtape, infrastructure bottlenecks, and other problems with investment climate. Theyhad to develop a viable project of R&D outsourcing which took into account theconstraint, convinced the top management that the project was indeed viable and oncethe project was approved, they delivered on it. For example, Alok Aggarwal, thenDirector of Emerging Research of IBM not only developed plans for an R&Doutsourcing center; he had to relocate to India to make it work. The project did workso betting one’s reputation and credibility on a risky venture was apparently worth it.’

Taken from Kuznetsov ‘Mobilizing intellectual capital of diasporas: from first moversto a virtuous cycle’ (2008) 9 Journal of Intellectual Capital 2 p. 269

Tipping agents in action


First moversFirst movers can be described as ‘investorswho could come first to an emerging marketof the home country, and by doing this couldchange market expectations and advance aninflow of more conventional FDI.’49 Similarly,they have been defined as ‘economic agentswho are ready to take additional risks and,when successful, are seen by their peers asrole models for replication and follow-up.

And by being the first movers, diasporarepresentatives have a chance of becomingleaders, mentors, partners and godfathers ofthe local private sector.’50 In Section 3 of thetoolkit the potential for diaspora members toattract foreign direct investment is exploredin more detail. For the purposes of thissection it is important to be aware thatengagement with ‘first movers’ should forman important part of any diaspora strategy.


Over 160 years ago, Henry Ford’s grandfather, John, and father, William, left theirIrish homeland in search of prosperity in the ‘New World.’ Never in their wildestdreams could they have imagined that William’s eldest son would grow up toestablish one of the greatest business empires in the world. Henry Ford’s inventionsand production methods were to change the lives of millions and the effects of hisgenius would be felt all over the world – not least in the land of his ancestors, Ireland.In the summer of 1912, Henry Ford made an important trip to reconnect with hisIrish roots. Escorted most of the time by European Ford officials, Henry and histravelling party also visited France and England. On another trip to Ireland in 1917,Henry Ford established Henry Ford & Son Ltd. It began as a private venture andlater became a division of Ford Motor Company. As Ford historian Bob Kreipkeexplains ‘Henry Ford’s family roots drew him to Ireland. He knew what he was ableto do socially and economically in the United States, and he figured he could applythat model to the depressed area of Cork.’ Of course the most important piece ofhistory for those in Ireland is the fact that Cork’s Marina was the choice made byHenry Ford when he established the first Ford manufacturing facility outside the USin 1917. In 1926 he had declared that: ‘My ancestors came from near Cork, and thatcity, with its wonderful harbour, has an abundance of fine industrial sites. We choseIreland for a plant because we wanted to start Ireland along the road to industry.There was, it is true, some personal sentiment in it.’ Henry Ford serves as an exampleof a ‘first mover’ who, due to his ancestral connections with the homeland, chose itas the country to expand his company.

Taken from Grimes, T. (2008) Starting Ireland on the Road to Industry: Henry Ford in Cork.

PhD thesis, National University of Ireland, Maynooth.

First mover, Detroit to Cork: Henry Ford


Change agentsChange agents can be described as membersof the diaspora who bring new ideas and newways of investing into their countries of originand thereby contribute to its development.One of the main types of change agentsinclude diaspora philanthropists whose philan-thropic endeavors result in societal change forthe homeland. There are countless case studiesof diaspora philanthropists as change agents.For example, Do Nguyen, a VietnameseAmerican co-founded The DOVE Fund in2000 (The Development of VietnamEndeavors). The Fund undertakesdevelopment projects such as the building ofschools and wells. Monetary and volunteersupport comes from businesses andindividuals, many of whom are Vietnam warveterans, as well as from events such asdinners, auctions, and golf outings.

The DOVE Fund began working withcommunities in Do’s home province ofQuang Tri, an area in central Vietnam badlyimpacted by the war, and has since expandedto other areas. As a South Vietnamesescholarship student who was never able toreturn home after the Saigon government’sfall to the communists, Do feels that he isnow able to contribute to the building of hishomeland through his personal contributions,as well as through his ability to act as abridge to American volunteers andsupporters who wish to work in Vietnam butwould otherwise lack the cultural andlinguistic knowledge necessary to workeffectively in the country.51 Change agentswithin the diaspora often play critical roles in the re-building of communities in theirhome country after a natural disaster or post-conflict.


Dr. Mohamed ‘Mo’ Ibrahim is a Sudanese-British mobile communications entrepreneur.Born in the Sudan, Ibrahim earned a Bachelor of Science from the University ofAlexandria. In 1974, he started working in England and earned a master’s degree fromthe University of Bradford in electrical engineering, and a PhD from the University ofBirmingham in mobile communications before joining British Telecom.

He worked for several other telecommunications companies before foundingCeltel which he sold for €2 billion and is one of Africa’s most successfulbusinessmen. After selling Celtel, he set up the Mo Ibrahim Foundation in 2006.The stated aims of the Foundation are to: stimulate debate on good governanceacross sub-Saharan Africa and the world; provide objective criteria by whichcitizens can hold their Governments to account; and recognize achievement inAfrican leadership and provide a practical way in which African leaders can buildpositive legacies on the continent when they have left office.

Change agent: Dr. Mohamed ‘Mo’ Ibrahim


According to Kuznetsov ‘Many diasporainitiatives failed because they did not identifysuch champions and make sure they stayinvolved for a sufficiently long time. In theabsence of individuals with high personalcredibility, there is very little that can lendcredibility to an incipient Diasporaprocess.’52 Furthermore, it is important tonote that diasporas do not need to be largeto have an impact once tipping agents, firstmovers or change agents are involved. Takefor example Ramón L Garcías, the ChileanCEO of InterLink Biotechnologies based inNew Jersey and his engagement withFundación Chile. After jointly reviewing theirportfolios of initiatives, Fundación andInterlink founded a new, co-owned companyto undertake long-term research anddevelopment projects. These projects wereneeded to transfer key technologies to Chile

to sustain the competitiveness of its rapidlygrowing agribusiness sector. Without thecombination of García’s deep knowledge ofChile and his advanced US education andexposure to US managerial practice andexperience as an entrepreneur, the newcompany would have been inconceivable.53

As noted by Kuznetsov ‘García’s collabo-ration with Fundación Chile suggests thatdiasporas do not need to be large andvoluminous to produce an impact: 10 casesof ‘Ramón Garcia’ could transform entiresectors of the economy in relatively smallcountries like Chile. Moreover, García’scollaboration with Fundación Chile suggeststhat even sparsely populated, informaldiaspora networks linking small homecountries with their talent abroad have someinstitutional resources, and may provecapable of developing more.’54


Build a mutually beneficial relationshipwith the diaspora

If a diaspora strategy is to be sustainable, itmust result in creating mutually beneficialrelationships and partnerships between thehomeland and the diaspora. The importanceof harnessing a ‘mutually beneficialrelationship’ was acknowledged by

Ambassador J C Sharma of India who statedthat ‘The destinies of India and the diasporaare intertwined. It is in the interest of both todevelop a mutually beneficial relationship. Itis an important tool for India’s soft powerdiplomacy. Diaspora is an important

‘We have been putting into practice partnerships based on shared values,mutual respect, and mutual responsibility. These partnerships are not only withgovernments but they are with citizens like all of you who can help us generatelocal, regional and global progress.’

Secretary of State, Hillary ClintonPresidential Summit on Entrepreneurship, 23 April 2010


resource in India’s aspirations to be adeveloped country and a knowledgesuperpower by 2020.’55 All too often wetend to ask, ‘What can the diaspora do forus?’ In engaging the diaspora, this questionmust also be extended to include ‘what canwe do for the diaspora?’ Both of thesequestions are explored below.

What the diaspora can do for thehome countryAlthough the network of a diaspora isundoubtedly a strategic and valuable asset intoday’s globalised world, it is generallyrecognized that engaging the diaspora is byno means a silver bullet solution, nor is there,as previously noted, a ‘one size fits all’approach that is likely to be appealing to oreffective in interacting with this geograph-ically, socially and economically diverse bodyof people. However, it is essential tocomprehend that they represent a market, asales force, a constituency and an ambassa-dorial corps through which they can bring‘the world to the homeland’ and ‘thehomeland to the world’. Put simply,‘diasporas may improve access to capital,knowledge and new technology, and play animportant role for social development,growth opportunities, and connectionbetween markets and countries.’56

Ionescu suggests that although studiescan quantify the level of remittances andinvestments, it is more difficult to accuratelyevaluate the cultural and human impact ofdiasporas on their home and host countries:

‘changing role models, influencing genderroles, altering demographic and familialbehaviors and perceptions of what asuccessful life should be.’57 Orozcosummarizes the economic involvement ofdiasporas under the ‘Five Ts’: tourism,transportation, telecommunications, trade,and transmission of monetary remittances.58

It is now undisputed that diasporamembers can play a fundamental role in theirhome country. Some of the ways in whichthe diaspora can benefit the home countryinclude, but are certainly not limited to:

n Helping to redefine a homeland’s valueproposition and providing assistance inincreasing the brand value of thehomeland.

n Converting brain drain into brain gainand brain circulation.

n Acting as global ‘search networks’ fordeveloping local industry and assist inthe creation of global knowledgenetworks to support the growth ofindigenous companies. For example, keymembers of the Taiwanese governmentand leading overseas engineers in SiliconValley played such a role in theestablishment of a successful venturecapital industry in Taiwan.59

n Contributing to the expansion of globaltrade with their knowledge of homecountry markets, as the case of Chinese,Mexican and Indian diasporas do. A morerecent linked trend has been reverseoutward investment by major Indian and


‘Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.’

John F. Kennedy


Chinese companies to Europe and theUnited States arising from a combinationof business opportunity, trade relationsand diaspora networks.60

n Contributing to the development ofthe homeland and assisting in reliefand aid efforts.

n Acting as ‘talent accelerators’ for thehomeland’s next generation throughmentoring, internships, and other trainingand educational opportunities that willoffer opportunities to ‘internationalize’ thenext generation of leaders.

n Contributing to the economic progress ofthe homeland through financialinstruments such as remittances anddiaspora bonds.

n Increasing the home country’s impact onthe international stage if members of itsdiaspora hold prominent or influentialpositions in international organizations.This has diplomatic and reputationbenefits for the home country.61

What the home country can dofor the diaspora

Rewards and recognitionOver the past several years, many countriesin developing their diaspora strategies haveincluded a mechanism for formalrecognition. While it may be consideredunnecessary, an act of recognition orexpression of appreciation is likely to ignitea positive reaction from particularsegments of the diaspora and would helphighlight many of the efforts made on thepart of particular individuals or organi-zations, which can otherwise gounrecognized. Having a mechanismthrough which to thank diaspora memberswill potentially increase engagement, raiseawareness and generate substantial goodwill. In short, there is much more upsidethan downside. Possible systems for rewardand recognition include:


‘Tangible benefits that can accrue to a home country from its diaspora;expats can prompt bilateral trade, promote FDI, act as business middle men.And when they return home, as they usually do, they bring with them newskills and experiences and networks.’

Michael Fullilove, Program DirectorGlobal Issues, The Lowy Institute

‘In the arena of human life the honors and rewards fall to those who showtheir good qualities in action.’

Aristotle


n The creation of a formal civic honorssystem, such as the Order of Canada,Legion d’Honneur in France, the Order ofAustralia, the British Honors List;

n Universities acknowledging successfulmembers of the diaspora either in the formof honorary degrees or throughappointments as visiting fellows, adjunctfaculty members, etc.;

n Recognition could come through thenetwork of the home country’s embassiesand consulates around the world;

n An invitation to a small gathering hostedby a visiting member of the home country’sGovernment is a form of recognition inand of itself. Diaspora members like to feelthat if they are giving of their time andexpertise to advise on particular matters afitting form of acknowledgement is accessto Government at senior levels;

n Sponsoring trips home to meet domesticcompanies whom diaspora members couldpotentially assist is also seen as a form ofacknowledgement; or

n Membership in some recognized body ofadvisors, with a working title. Such anappointment suggests that the person is ina privileged position to help homelandcompanies, agencies, organizations orGovernment and is an acknowledgementof his/her global expertise.

Examples of recognition systems

n Pravasi Bharatiya Samman AwardsThe Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards arean expression of honor by the Governmentof India to members of the Indian diaspora.The award ceremony has been constituted toacclaim those overseas Indians who havedone exceptional work in their chosen

field/profession. It has been organized by theMinistry of Overseas Indian Affairs everyyear since 2003. Pravasi Bharatiya Sammanawards are reserved exclusively for non-resident Indians and persons of Indian origin.The awards are conferred on those overseasIndians who have made an outstandingcontribution towards fostering betterunderstanding abroad of India and itscivilization; for persons who have extendedtheir support to India’s causes and concerns;and for those who made her proud bybrilliant performance in their field of merit.62

n World-class New Zealand AwardsNow in their eighth year, the World ClassNew Zealand Awards are one of thecountry’s most important accolades foroutstanding individuals who have mademajor contributions to New Zealand’ssuccess on the world stage. The annualred-carpet, black tie awards hosted by thePrime Minister are attended by 500 NewZealand business leaders.63

n Zimbabwe Achievers AwardsThe Zimbabwe Achievers Awards aim torecognize the commitment to excellence,creativity, innovation and dedication ofZimbabweans in the United Kingdom whohave continued to expand on their talentsand skill-set whilst celebrating their heritage.Categories for awards include: businesswoman of the year, business man of the year,sports personality of the year, event of theyear, and outstanding contribution.

n Governor-General’s Achievement Award Scheme (Jamaica)

In 1991 the Governor-General’s AchievementAward Scheme was established to



acknowledge and award the meaningfulcontribution of individuals at the communitylevel. This Awards Scheme celebrates thesuccess of these volunteers and highlights theimpact of the award recipients on communityand national life. There are three categoriesof awards under the Governor-General’sAchievement Award Scheme, one of which isthe Governor-General’s Jamaican DiasporaAward for Excellence. This award waspresented for the first time in 2008 and isgiven to three individuals who demonstrateexceptional service to Jamaica andcommunities in their countries of residence –United Kingdom, Canada and the UnitedStates of America. These awards arepresented biennially to three individuals.64

Remember forgotten diaspora membersIt must be remembered that while there are agreat number of high level influencers withinthe diaspora, there may also be vulnerableand forgotten members of the diaspora,

particularly older persons living in isolation,poverty and deprivation without the supportof family and friends. Any diaspora policymust also provide for these members of the‘Forgotten Diaspora’ – most of whom wouldhave made provision for their homelandthroughout their lives through substantialremittances or other means.

An example of a diaspora initiativereflecting this need is The Ireland Fundsphilanthropic campaign entitled ‘TheForgotten Irish’ which is principally directedat those Irish migrants who went to Britainin the second half of the twentieth century.The majority left to find work, and sentbillions of pounds home to their families. At the end of their working lives, many hadthe means to go home, however, many arestill in Britain, often living in isolation,poverty and deprivation – without thesupport of friends or family. It has beenestimated that there are in the region of100,000 ‘forgotten Irish’ living in Britain


‘If cherishing the diaspora is to be more than a sentimental regard for those wholeave our shores, we should not only listen to their voice and their viewpoint.We have a responsibility to respond warmly to their expressed desire forappropriate fora for dialogue and interaction with us by examining in an openand generous way the possible linkages. We should accept that such a challengeis an education in diversity which can only benefit our society.’

Former President of Ireland, Mary Robinson, February 1995

‘A test of a people is how it behaves toward the old … the affection and care forthe old, the incurable, the helpless are the true gold mines of a culture.’

Abraham Heschel


with varying levels of need, ranging fromhomelessness and deprivation to socialexclusion, or simply crippling loneliness.Furthermore, The Forgotten Irish Award was

created by the Funds to recognize the effortsmade by a group or individual towardhelping the vulnerable and elderly Irishcommunity in the UK.


1 A diaspora strategy should becentralized enough to ensure that acommon identity, sense of purpose,collective consciousness, economiesof scale, and strategic priorities canbe achieved, but loose enough to leta thousand flowers bloom.Coordinated anarchy is not entirelyindispensable.

2 A diaspora strategy cannot privilegeeconomic ties over social and culturalnetworks and still be sustainable.

3 A diaspora strategy needs to bemutually beneficial for both homecountries and diasporic populations.

4 Countries that know theirdiasporas well will be better placedto engage them.

5 Diaspora strategies should define‘diaspora’ as broadly as possible toavoid racialising national social,cultural, economic, and politicalpolicies – and should include affinitydiasporas policies where appropriate.

6 The diaspora needs to be consultedbefore any diaspora strategy is rolledout; diaspora strategies must becoauthored if they are to work.

7 Diaspora strategies need to betransparent and need to be held

accountable, but given the specificityand the many intangible benefits ofpolicy interventions, distinctive andunique policy impact analysis toolsand evaluative frameworks and metricsneed to be developed.

8 There is no ideal institutionalframework for coordinating diasporastrategies; each country needs to deviseforms of engagement which reflecttheir own institutional histories, social,cultural, economic, and political needs,and the histories, structures andorganization of their diaspora.

9 Diaspora strategies need to bebrought into the growinginternational conversation about bestpractice and should pro-activelyaffiliate themselves with networksinvolved in policy dissemination.

10 Diaspora strategies need to beunderpinned by a philosophicallygrounded rationale which resonateswith the country’s deepest social,economic, cultural, and political needsat any point in time. Shallow slogansmight lead to short-term gains butwill fail over the long term; ameaningful overarching identity willgalvanise and energize.

The NIRSA Diaspora Strategy Wheel and Ten Principles of Good PracticeProf. Mark Boyle, Prof. Rob Kitchin, and Dr. Delphine Ancien, NUI Maynooth, Ireland65


1 Dolman, B. Patterns of migration, trade and foreign direct investment across OECD countries

(Paper presented at the 12th Dynamics, Economic Growth and International Trade Conference

University of Melbourne, Australia, June 29–30, 2007). Available at:

http://www.degit.ifw-kiel.de/papers/degit_12/C012_030.pdf.2 Boyle, M. Kitchin, R. and Ancien, D. The NIRSA Diaspora Strategy Wheel & Ten Principles of

Good Practice (NUI Maynooth, 2009).3 Kuznetsov, Y. Why is Diaspora Potential so Elusive? Towards a New Generation of Initiatives to

Leverage Countries’ Talent Abroad (The World Bank, September 2008).4 Agunias, D. The Future of Diaspora Policy (International Organization for Migration,

Background Paper WMR 2010).5 Wan, Enoch Dr. (2010) Global People and Diaspora Missiology. Online article available:

www.tokyo2010.org.6 Contribution of migrants to development: trade, investment and development linkages. Note

prepared by the UNCTAD secretariat for the ‘Ad-hoc expert meeting on Contribution of migrants

to development: trade, investment and development linkages’Geneva, 29 July 2009.7 ‘Migrants can help economies recover faster.’ Interview with William Lacey Swing, Director

General, International Organization for Migration. Available at: http://www.global-briefing.org/

2011/01/globalisations-third-wave. See also The World Migration Report 2003 Managing

Migration: challenges and responses for people on the move (International Organization for

Migration, 2003).8 Fact-Sheet on Contribution of Migrants to Development: Trade, Investment and Development

Linkages (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, May 2010).9 Mashayekhi, M. Maximizing the Development Impact of Remittances (Paper presented at the

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development Single Year Expert Meeting on Maximizing

the Development Impact of Remittances, Geneva, 14–15 February 2011). Available at:

http://www.unctad.org/sections/wcmu/docs/ciem4_S1_Mashayekhi_en.pdf 10 Ibid.11 Migration and Remittances Factbook 2011 (The World Bank, November 2011). Available:

http://publications.worldbank.org/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=23876;12 Ibid.13 Wan, Enoch Dr. (2010) Global People and Diaspora Missiology. Online article available:

www.tokyo2010.org. 14 People in motion: who moves where, when and why? In ‘Overcoming barriers: Human mobility

and development’ (Human Development Report, 2009). Available at:

http://hdr.undp.org/en/media/HDR_2009_EN_Chapter2.pdf15 Dustmann, C. Temporary Migration and Economic Assimilation (Institute for the Study of Labor,

Discussion Paper No.186, August 2000).


Endnotes


16 Constant, A. and Zimmermann, K. F. (2003) Circular Movements and Time Away from the Host

Country (Institute for the Study of Labor, Discussion Paper No. 960, December 2003).17 Agunias D. and Newland K. Circular Migration and Development: Trends, Policy Routes, and

Ways Forward (Migration Policy Institute, April 2007).18 Dustmann, C. Temporary Migration and Economic Assimilation (Institute for the Study of Labor,

Discussion Paper No.186, August 2000).19 Fact-Sheet on Contribution of Migrants to Development: Trade, Investment and Development

Linkages (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, May 2010).20 Dustmann, C. and Weiss, Y. (2007) ‘Return Migration: Theory and Empirical Evidence from the

UK’ 45 British Journal of Industrial Relations 2 at 236–256.21 Mayr K. and Peri G. Return migration as channel of brain gain (NBER Working Paper No. 14039,

2008) quoted in Federici, D. and Giannetti, M. Temporary Migration and Foreign Direct

Investment (CIDEI Working paper No. 72, December 2006).22 Farrant, M., MacDonald, A. and Sriskandarajah, D. Migration and Development: Opportunities and

Challenges for Policymakers (International Organization for Migration Research Series No. 22, 2006).23 ‘For example, almost all physicians trained in Grenada and Dominica have emigrated abroad.

St. Lucia, Cape Verde, Fiji, São Tomé and Principe, and Liberia are also among the countries

with the highest emigration rates of physicians.’ Migration and Remittances Factbook 2011

(The World Bank, November 2011).24 Expression used for the first time in UK during 1960’, when a great number of engineers and scientist

aimed to emigrate to the US, because higher salaries and more favorable conditions attracted them.25 Chander, A. (2001) ‘Diaspora Bonds’ New York University Law Review Vol. 7.26 Klesit, N.‚‘Agents of Development and Change’ in ‘Africa’s Finances: The Contribution of

Remittances’ eds. by Bardouille, R., Ndulo, M. and Grieco, M. (Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2008).

Available at: http://www.qrmafrica.org/uploads/articles/Kleist1.pdf27 Ionescu, D. (2006) Engaging Diasporas as Development Partners for Home and Destination

Countries: Challenges for Policymakers (IOM Migration Research Series Paper No. 26)

(International Organization for Migration, 2006).28 Ibid.29 Ibid.30 Cho, L. (Spring 2007) ‘The Turn to Diaspora’ Canadian Journal of Cultural Studies, TOPIA,

Number 17: Diasporic Pasts and Futures: Transnational Cultural Studies in Canada.31 Safran W. (1991) ‘Diasporas in Modern Societies: Myths of Homeland and Return’ 1 Diaspora:

A Journal of Transnational Studies 1 at 83–84.32 Cohen, R. Global Diasporas: An Introduction (UCL Press and Seattle: University of Washington

Press, 1997).



33 Sheffer, G. ‘A New Field of Study: Modern Diasporas in International Politics’ in Sheffer, G. ed.

Modern Diasporas in International Politics (London: Croom Helm, 1986). 34 Docker, J. 1492 The Poetics of Diaspora: Literature Culture And Identity (London Continuum, 2001).35 Palmer, C., (2000) Defining and Studying the Modern African Diaspora 85 The Journal of

Negro History 1.36 Cho, L. (Spring 2007) ‘The Turn to Diaspora’ Canadian Journal of Cultural Studies, TOPIA,

Number 17, Diasporic Pasts and Futures: Transnational Cultural Studies in Canada.37 Wickramasekara, P. Role of Diaspora in Development: International Experiences (Paper presented

at International Workshop on the Economic and Social Impact of Migration, Remittances, and

Diaspora, Yerevan, Armenia, June 24–25, 2010). Available at: http://siteresources.worldbank.org/

INTECA/Resources/Wickramasekara_Eng.pdf38 Based on categories set out in Rutherford, A., (October 2009) Engaging the Scottish Diaspora:

Rationale, Benefits & Challenges (Scottish Government Social Research, 2009).39 Ancien, D., Boyle, M. and Kitchin, R. Exploring Diaspora Strategies: An International Comparison

(Workshop report presented at NUI Maynooth, June 2009). Available at: http://www.nuim.ie/nirsa/

diaspora/PDFs/Exploring%20Diaspora%20Strategies%20International%20Comparison.pdf; 40 Finch, T. Latorre, M. Pollard, N. and Rutter, J. (2009) Shall We Stay or Shall We Go? Re-migration

trends among Britain’s immigrants (Institute for Public Policy Research, August 2009).41 Larner,W. (2007) ‘Expatriate experts and globalising governmentalities: the New Zealand diaspora

strategy’ 32 Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers (3) 331–345. 42 Minto, I. (2009) Diasporas and Development: An Assesment of the Irish experience for the

Caribbean 7 Centre for International Governance Innovation Caribbean Papers (1) 1–28. 43 Poles living in the East can apply for Polish Charter (The Chancellery of the Prime Minister,

March 2008). Available at: http://www.kprm.gov.pl/english/s.php?id=1939.44 ‘In 2004, the Council of Ministers decided to establish a committee to draft a law that would

create what is being termed the “Migrant Identification Card.” The committee proposed that such

a card be given to those who are of or descendents of Lebanese origin, hence originating from the

land of greater Lebanon and have found themselves living outside Lebanon on 30 August 1924 and

have failed to choose the Lebanese nationality either during the indicated period in Article 34 of the

Treaty of Lausanne or in the course of the succeeding periods made available to extend the right to

choose. The draft law stipulates that it is also the right of a Lebanese who has lawfully, for reasons

such as the non-recognition of dual citizenship by the host country, relinquished his Lebanese

citizenship. The Bill has not yet been enacted.’ Hourani, G. Lebanese Diaspora and Homeland

Relations (Paper presented at The Forced Migration & Refugee Studies Program, The American

University in Cairo, Egypt October 23–25, 2007) Available at: http://www.aucegypt.edu/GAPP/

cmrs/Documents/Guitahourani.pdf.



45 ‘Proclamation No. 270/2002: Providing Ethiopians resident abroad with certain rights to be exercised

in their country of origin’ as quoted in Manby, B. Citizenship Law in Africa: A comparative Study.

(Africa Governance Monitoring and Advocacy Project, Open Society Institute, October 2010).46 Manby, B. Citizenship Law in Africa: A comparative Study. (Africa Governance Monitoring and

Advocacy Project, Open Society Institute, October 2010). Available at: www.afrimap.org.47 ‘Results of the Survey: Engaging Diasporas as Agents of Development’ (International Organisation

for Migration Policy-Oriented Research, 2005). Available at: www.iom.int.48 Kuznetsov, Y (2006) Diaspora Networks and the International Migration of Skills: How Countries

Can Draw on Their Talent Abroad (The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development:

World Bank Publications, 2006).49 Freinkman, L. (2000) ‘Role of the Diasporas in Transition Economies: Lessons from Armenia’

Munich Personal RePEc Archive Paper No. 10013.50 Ibid.51 Summary taken from Chuyen, T. Small, I. Vuong, D. (May 2008) ‘Diaspora Giving: An Agent of

Change in Asia Specific Countries – Vietnam’ Asia Pacific Philanthropy Consortium. Available at:

www.asiapacificphilanthropy.org.52 Kuznetsov, Y. and Sabel, C. ‘Global Mobility of Talent from a Perspective of New Industrial

Policy: Open Migration Chains and Diaspora Networks’ in Kuznetsov, Y ed. Diaspora Networks

and the International Migration of Skills: How Countries Can Draw on Their Talent Abroad

(The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development: World Bank Publications, 2006).53 Kuznetsov, Y. (2010) ‘Talent Abroad Promoting Growth and Institutional Development at Home:

Skilled Diaspora as part of the Country’ 44 World Bank – Economic Premise 1.54 Ibid.55 Engaging the Diaspora Indian Experience Presentation by Ambassador J C Sharma, Former

Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India and Member Secretary, High Level

Committee on the Indian Diaspora. Available at: http://www.cdu.edu.au/whatson/conferences/

eiid/J%20C%20Sharma.pdf56 Federici, D. and Giannetti, M. Temporary Migration and Foreign Direct Investment

(Dipartimento di Scienze Economiche Università di Cassino, Working Paper January 2008)

Available at: http://dipse.unicas.it/files/wp200803.pdf.57 Ionescu, D. (2006) Engaging Diasporas as Development Partners for Home and Destination


(International Organization for Migration, 2006).58 Orozco, M. Remittances to Latin America and the Caribbean: Issues and perspectives on

development (Report Commissioned by the Organization of American States, September 2004).59 Leipziger, D. (September 2008) Brain Drain and the Global Mobility of High Skilled Talent

(PREMnote, The World Bank).



60 Contribution of migrants to development: trade, investment and development linkages. Note

prepared by the UNCTAD secretariat for the ‘Ad-hoc expert meeting on Contribution of migrants

to development: trade, investment and development linkages’ Geneva, 29 July 2009.61 Rutherford, A., (October 2009) Engaging the Scottish Diaspora: Rationale, Benefits & Challenges

(Scottish Government Social Research, 2009).62 See www.moia.gov.in. 63 See www.keanewzealand.com. 64 See www.governorgeneralsawardsjamaica.com. 65 Boyle, M. Kitchin, R. and Ancien, D. The NIRSA Diaspora Strategy Wheel & Ten Principles of

Good Practice (NUI Maynooth, 2009).



Section 2

DiasporaMatters

2

Diasp

ora

Matters


Contents

Build a brand 31

Nation branding 31

Branding for diaspora organizations 44

Networking matters 47

Appreciate the diversity of diaspora networks 48

Learn the 4-step process to networking the diaspora 55

Explore the role of government 59

Facilitator rather than implementer: why? 60

The importance of institutions 61

Tap into technology 66

Run an effective diaspora organization 71

Set your organization’s compass 71

Implement a workable strategic plan 72

Build big hairy audacious goals (BHAGs)! 73

Listen to your diaspora 73

Develop the ‘elevator speech’ 73

Learn the fundraising facts of life for 74

non-profit diaspora organization

Endnotes 76


Nation branding: ‘The strategic self-presen-tation of a country with the aim of creatingreputational capital through economic,political and social interest promotion athome and abroad.’1

The term ‘nation branding’ was firstcoined by Simon Anholt in the 1990s. It refers to the application of corporate

marketing strategies to individual countries.According to Jeremy Hildreth, Head of PlaceBranding at Saffron Brand Consultants:

n Brand = substance + feelingn Brand = reality + storyn Brand = truth + imaginationn Brand = fact + impression2

Section 2 · Diaspora Matters 31

Section 2

‘Brand value is very much like an onion. It has layers and a core. The coreis the user who will stick with you until the very end.’ Edwin Artzt

Build a brand

DiasporaMatters

Nation branding


The aim of nation branding is to create andpromote a distinct self-image and interna-tional reputation that will most effectivelyserve a nation’s interests.3 When we speakof ‘the brand’ of a country, it generallymeans the common images, perceptions andassociations people have with that country.Every country has a brand, whether it likesit or not. So, it should be strategicallymanaged to challenge the unfavourablestereotypes and close the gap betweenperception and reality.4

A country’s brand can affect everyinteraction with the outside world. That’smost obvious in trade, investment andtourism, but it also affects how the country’scitizens are treated when they go abroad tostudy, work or conduct business.5 As a resultthe competitiveness of nations and thebranding of countries has become animmutable law of global capitalism.6 While itis always subjective, a strong brand can be acountry’s greatest asset and the diaspora canplay a fundamental role in shaping andselling the brand abroad. It is important tonote, however, that ‘Country brandingrequires persistence because it seeps ever soslowly into the minds and hearts of the targetaudiences. It requires a very solid foundationbecause, like the cathedrals of the past, it is awork that will continue and even outliveseveral generations.’7

Unsurprisingly, therefore, nation brandingas a concept and practice has captured theattention – and financial resources – ofnational governments. As noted by Aronczyk,countries such as Poland, New Zealand andTaiwan have recently jumped on the

‘brandwagon’, engaging the profit-basedmarketing techniques of private enterprise tocreate and communicate a particular version

of national identity.8 Indeed, countries allover the world are shaping and re-shapingtheir national identities as they compete fortourism and inward investment. Examples ofcountry branding programs include: SouthAfrica – Alive with possibility; Thailand –Amazing Thailand, and Puerto Rico –Tropical Paradise.

Historically, nation brands have tendedto develop spontaneously without anyintervention from State or other sources,based on the ebb and flow of news andevents and on their external transactions.One needs only look at India, perceptions ofwhich have changed considerably over thepast five years from what they were ten orfifteen years ago. Where once it wasassociated with spirituality and poverty, nowit is associated with software and highlyeducated people. None of this is managed;it’s all spontaneous.9 However, inrecognition of its increasingly strong brand,India is taking a more strategic approach to‘Brand India.’ For example, India BrandEquity Foundation (IBEF) is a trustestablished by the Ministry of Commercewith the Confederation of Indian Industryand its primary objective is to promote andcreate international awareness of the ‘Madein India’ label in markets overseas and tofacilitate the dissemination of knowledge ofIndian products and services. Towards thisobjective IBEF works closely withstakeholders across government and industry.

The Nation Brands Index, managed bySimon Anholt and the international pollingfirm Global Market Insite (GMI), iscurrently the only major source of compre-hensive, numerical data on the relativestrengths of national brands. The aim is tocreate a comprehensive and empirically



sound measurement of a nation’s interna-tional reputation on which to base futurebranding efforts. The overall results ofNation Brands Index 201010 were:

1 United States2 Germany3 France4 United Kingdom5 Japan6 Canada7 Italy8 Switzerland9 Australia

10 Sweden

Speak with one voiceWith a nation brand program, every act ofpromotion, exchange or representation bygovernment, civil society, business, andnational sports becomes an opportunity tobuild the country’s reputation and promoteother products. This means that allstakeholders should be united by the nation’sbrand vision and shared values to worktogether and align their behaviour to acommon national strategy.11

One of the most important factors inbranding is getting the message clear. In alot of countries different agencies deliverdifferent messages overseas and often workin isolation from each other. As suggestedby Anholt, ‘You have the tourism boardsaying how wonderful the country looksand how welcoming the people are. Youhave the investment-promotion agencysaying almost the opposite, that it’s supermodern and full of cars and roads and

railways. And you have the culturalinstitute telling everybody how wonderfulthe film industry is. And you have thegovernment occasionally doing publicdiplomacy, and perhaps occasionallyattacking its neighbors. They’re all givingoff completely different messages about the country.’12

There is a need for greater coordi-nation and collaboration in selling acountry overseas and indeed engaging thediaspora in that task. All involved in thisendeavour should be aware of eachelement of the country’s brand mix – be itinvestment, trade, tourism, culture,entertainment, sport, philanthropy – andunderstand how they all interact. As notedby Simonin, ‘lack of integration on thesevarious fronts leads to fragmentation andcan be seriously counter productive. Howdo simultaneous campaigns and brandedmessages such as “Visit Britain”, “VisitEngland”, or “West Midlands, the Heartof England” fit with one another? Are theysynergistic or do they compete forresources and attention?’13 To overcomeany confusion in relation to a country’sbrand, Mathias Akotia, CEO of BrandGhana, proposes that ‘Country brandingtakes an integrative and concerted effort byall concerned stakeholders. Success requirescollaboration of many of the senior-mostfigures in the country – both in governmentand the private sector.’14 This is because‘the international “audience” is only likelyto form a coherent and positive opinion ofthe country if the majority of the messagesthey receive from it are broadly aligned.’15




Engagement with diasporas is assuming ever greater importance in today’snetworked world. Beyond the significant economic contribution that diasporascan make to their origin countries, diasporas can also play a key role incountries’ nation-branding strategy. Nation branding is often misperceived asbeing nothing more than the crass application to nations of slogans, logos andadvertising. However, such a view misses the holistic approach that charac-terises good nation branding, in which stakeholder collaboration plays a role asimportant – if not more important – than the visual trappings of the nationbrand. In this perspective, diasporas represent one of the nation brand’s mostinfluential and important stakeholder groups.

Diaspora mobilisation and engagement should represent a key element of acountry’s nation-brand strategy. The diaspora may be viewed as a pre-existingnetwork of potential nation-brand ambassadors awaiting activation. Althoughthe terminology of nation branding is not used by the World Bank Institute inits groundbreaking book Diaspora Networks and the International Migration ofSkills: How Countries Can Draw on Their Talent Abroad (Kuznetsov, 2006),many of the issues addressed in that text are relevant to the objectives of anation-branding strategy. For example, Leautier states that the people indiaspora networks ‘can be crucial bridges between state-of-the-art in policy,technological, and managerial expertise and local conditions in theirhomeland’,16 a view that is shared by Kuznetsov and Sabel (2006) who identifypolicy expertise and managerial and marketing knowledge as the mostsignificant resources of diaspora networks.17 However, this intangible benefit ofdiaspora networks is complemented by the more tangible financial benefitoffered by diaspora networks through the provision of FDI and individualremittances. China, for instance, has benefited hugely from its diaspora in termsof FDI – the Chinese diaspora has provided an estimated 70 per cent of recentforeign investment.18 For other countries, remittances play an equally crucialrole in the home country’s economy. Haiti and Jordan, for example, bothreceive the equivalent of about 20 per cent of GDP from remittances.19

However, little research has been conducted with regard to the mostappropriate structures and processes that can facilitate the effective contributionof a country’s diaspora to the country’s nation-branding strategy. Somecountries have been more energetic than others in attempting to engage with

The role of diasporas in nation branding

Dr Keith Dinnie, Founder of Brand Horizons and author of Nation Branding:Concepts, Issues, Practice (Butterworth Heinemann, 2008)



their diaspora. South Korea, for instance, has established the Overseas KoreansFoundation which encourages education exchanges, cultural and businessnetworking, and research into overseas Koreans’ agendas. During a ceremonymarking the fourth anniversary of Korean Day, the important role of theKorean diaspora was acknowledged by Prime Minister Kim Hwang-sik whostated that ‘the growth of overseas Korean communities is a symbol of theRepublic of Korea reaching out to the world’. It could be argued that this formof ‘reaching out to the world’ through the diaspora is far more effective thanmere marketing communications, the route that has unfortunately been chosenby many countries in their nation branding.

Diasporas can make both tangible and intangible contributions to theirorigin country. Tangible contributions include remittances and investment,whilst intangible contributions include professional expertise, internationalnetworks, and cultural ambassadors. Diasporan investors are unlike otherinvestors in that they are often motivated by more than just economic gain. For many diasporan investors, a sense of patriotism drives their desire to helptheir homeland’s economy to prosper. Some countries have set up organizationsand initiatives to harness this diasporan investor goodwill. India, for instance,has established The Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA), whose missionit is to connect the Indian diaspora community with its motherland. MOIAattempts to achieve this mission by providing information, partnerships andfacilitations for all matters related to overseas Indians. Another country that hasactively and strategically sought to engage with its diaspora is Scotland, throughthe GlobalScot program. GlobalScot is targeted specifically at highly skilledprofessionals. Criteria for membership of GlobalScot include a requirement formembers to be influential and active in one of Scotland’s key economic sectors;have a strong affinity with Scotland; be based in a target country location; andbe motivated and able to participate.

As has been illustrated with the examples above, some countries have beenproactive and strategic in engaging with their diasporas as an indispensableelement of their nation-branding strategy. However, other nations have beenmuch slower off the mark. For most countries, there remains much unrealisedpotential in the domain of diaspora mobilisation and nation-branding strategy.



The image that any given country projects to the rest of the world is a majordetermining factor of the country’s potential success in the global economic ratrace. Countries with good reputations are admired all over the world. A countrywith a reputation for peace, security, political fairness and stability will attractinvestors like a magnet, as the world inches more and more towards therealisation of near-total globalisation. Similarly, a country with a reputation fornatural beauty, hospitality and vibrant cultures will have tourists pouring in fromall corners of the world. Foreign investors and tourists top the list of foreignrevenue earners for many countries, followed closely by export products.However, unlike before when countries depended on traditional advertising toattract these foreign market interests, the last decade has seen the emergence ofcountry branding as a creative and self-sufficient way for countries to build uptheir nations and present them to the rest of the world, competitively.

Role of diaspora in country brandingThe Brand Kenya Board is Kenya’s nation-branding corporation. The boardwas founded in late 2008, when Kenya was in most need of an image andperception overhaul in the wake of the widely publicised post-election crisis.The organization’s mandate revolves around building a favourable image forKenya abroad, as well as cultivating a sense of deep-rooted patriotism amongits citizens; with the Kenyan diaspora included. Brand Kenya has been makingmajor progress in diaspora engagement by pursuing innovative ways to utilisethe diaspora for the good of the country brand. Diaspora engagement is one ofthe most rewarding country branding strategies as it presents an avenue for thediaspora to market Kenya to foreign audiences at a personal level, thus makingthe country brand more trustworthy to potential visitors.

Brand Kenya is encouraging members of the diaspora to do this by beinggood brand ambassadors, which entails representing Kenya in a good lightthrough their words and actions while they engage in everyday interaction withthe native citizens of their host countries. We often hear statements such as ‘ittook Oprah to invest in a girl’s school in South Africa’! Many have argued thatthere aren’t similar initiatives coming from Africa’s own icons. Or is it a case ofAfrica not recognising its own? Where are Kenya’s Oprahs? Do they exist yetnobody knows about them? Brand Kenya Board has embarked on initiatives tosensitise their diaspora to their roles as brand marketers and ambassadors.

Branding Kenya through diaspora engagementWangui Iregi, Brand Kenya



They aim to highlight the Kenyans in the diaspora who are doing a lot morethan we hear or read about. The board recently attended the UK DiasporaProperty and Investment Expo during which the UK-Achiever awards were held. This presented an opportunity to start identifying future brand ambassadors.After the Expo the team went to Bedford and Scotland to meet the Kenyans inthe diaspora to educate them on their roles as Kenya’s brand ambassadors.Kenyans in the diaspora are best placed to be the greatest country and brandambassadors and have the power to correct any misconceptions that theexternal world has of Kenya. They can be great ambassadors of economicchange if they are sensitised and presented with the relevant information. Kenyahas a wide base of strategically positioned diaspora all over the world, especiallyin countries like the US, UK, Dubai and South Africa.

The remittances flowing to Africa and specifically to Kenya represent asignificant share of the GDP, stimulating the economy by increasing currency flowand purchasing power; in 2010, the remittances from the diaspora added up toKsh152 billion. For most people, the significance of the diaspora to the economyis in the form of remittances, which though important, are only a tip of theiceberg in the extensive potential of diaspora contribution in nation building.Brand Kenya is facilitating a shift in focus from remittances to the creation of aplatform for the development of ideas on how best to encourage the diaspora topromote the country brand and enhance national development.

So, how else can the diaspora contribute directly to Kenya’s growingeconomy? A common way to get the diaspora directly involved in the socio-economic development of their ancestral country is through facilitating channelsfor them to invest in the country. Poverty levels in Africa will not be reduced byremittances but, rather, by empowering communities to access production skills,tools and assets that will assist in the generation of wealth.

The establishment of the Kenya Overseas Business Alliance (KOBA) in 2010represented a major leap forward for members of the diaspora who wished toinvest in their home country. KOBA was created to smooth over the challengesthat plagued both foreign investors and members of the diaspora seeking to investin the country. Some of the ways in which KOBA is effectively doing this is byconducting research on factors affecting and influencing different types ofbusinesses in Kenya, thereby providing foreign investors with relevantinformation to assist them in their business endeavours within the country.KOBA also partnered with Brand Kenya in 2010, a move that started bearingfruit within a month of the Investment Expo and road show which were held inthe UK and brought positive exposure to the country brand.



Another way in which the diaspora can give back to their country of originis through philanthropy. Many members of the diaspora are willing to offer helpto their countrymen wherever it’s needed, as in the case of the food shortagecrisis currently facing the nation. Since the drought started biting, donationshave been pouring in from diaspora members all over the world, through theRed Cross Society of Kenya. The donations offered by diaspora members canalso be channelled into other crucial avenues such as healthcare and education.Some of most active philanthropists from the diaspora include Susan Mboyawho set up the Zawadi Africa program which helps gifted girls from poorfamilies to pursue higher education in the US. Others include brothers, Fred andMilton Ochieng, US-based students who set up a healthcare facility in theirnative rural village in Lwala.

The diaspora is also expected to play a huge role in marketing Kenyanproducts abroad. This will be further facilitated by the implementation of the‘mark of identity’, a stamp of identity identifying the country’s exports asproducts of Kenya. The use of the mark of identity is part of Brand Kenya’slong-term strategy to brand the nation through product exports. The diasporais also expected to play a crucial role in promoting other Kenyan products suchas music and film. Kenya’s entertainment industry is growing fast, withenormous talents to match. When the movie The First Grader premiered inLondon, Brand Kenya rallied an impressive number of diaspora members togenerate publicity for the movie, as well as broadcast the news about themovie’s premier. The First Grader went on to win four awards in variousinternational events in 2010 as well as being hand-picked by NationalGeographic for distribution to audiences in the US.

How the government is facilitating diaspora engagementThe diaspora presents a great source of foreign skills, innovative ideas andexpertise that is needed in the Kenyan economy. The Kenyan diaspora, which isprecious to the nations in which they live, is underutilised in Kenya. Yet thediaspora represents an incredible human resource of expertise, knowledge,experience, entrepreneurship and enthusiasm that can be influential in the growthof the economy. As a nation, what are we doing to harness and effectively utilisethese skills in mentorship, skills transfer, benchmarking, external resource mobili-sation and lobbying in the West and East? The government has been supportiveenough of efforts to engage the diaspora by corporations like Brand Kenya. Butthe most significant progress made by the Kenyan government is the promulgationof the new constitution, which allows provision for dual citizenship. This has



come as great news for many members of the diaspora as it will allow them andtheir families to get closer to their motherland without ultimately having tosacrifice their ties to their host nation. The provision of dual citizenship will allowdiaspora members to invest and interact freely within Kenya, therefore opening upan avenue for the exchange of ideas and the introduction of technologicaladvanc ements which the diaspora are exposed to in their host countries, but areotherwise new in Kenya. The government has also set up policies to increase theattractiveness of Kenya’s job market so as to encourage the return of the diaspora,as well as to reduce the occurrence of ‘brain drain’. One such policy has been tocall for the re-hiring of qualified and skilled human resources from the diaspora.Thi s is important as it will enable Kenya to acquire experts in fields of modernscience as Kenya takes baby steps towards making its mark in scientificachievements in the region. Some of the recent scientific achievements that Kenyahas seen in the last year include the production of a pneumonia vaccine and thecommencement of titanium mining amid talks of the establishment of a nuclearplant, which, if we ll managed, is bound to earn the country a lot of money.

The Kenyan government has also put a lot of resources into the growth ofICT in the country. Kenya’s most major technological breakthrough can beattested to by the formation of M-pesa, the world’s only operational ‘moneythrough phone’ transfer service. The simplicity and significance of M-pesa hascaught the admiration of many, including Bill Gates, who hailed it as ground-breaking. Gates offered the service a major donation to be channelled intoimproving the working quality of the money transfer service. The effort that thegovernment is putting into technology is to ensure that Vision 2030 is achievedand also, that by the year 2030, Kenya will have achieved enough technologicalsophistication to create job opportunities for diaspora members working in high-end technological careers.

Kenyans in diaspora can do a lot more if offered the right initiatives andincentives. It has been argued that the Irish, Jews and Indians in the diaspora arethe ambassadors of their nation’s brands, and yet some argue that Africans in thediaspora have collectively failed to take ownership of their nation’s brands.Kenya seems to have woken up to the fact that its diaspora can significantlycontribute to the development that is needed in the country. However, diasporamembers need to be made aware that while they are a nation’s best brand builder,they can equally be the biggest brand destroyers. They need to take a step backand understand that any negative and non-factual information they provideshapes their nation’s brand. They should therefore seek to understand and locatetheir own actions in the value chain of the country’s nation-building exercise.


The best brands understand that word ofmouth is more powerful than advertising,and a brand needs good ambassadors.20 Inpromoting a country’s brand, its diaspora arethe most powerful brand ambassadors it has.Many countries have been slow to capitaliseon the willingness of their diaspora to help intheir nation-branding strategy. As is pointedout in the 2009–10 Trinidad and TobagoBusiness Guide, ‘Trinidad and Tobago’s largeglobal diaspora, much of it centred in themajor metropolitan capitals, provides aready-made network and an interestinginvestment proposition.’ In order to mobilizeits diaspora, the home country needs todevelop a structure and process to ensurethat diaspora members who wish to help inthe country’s nation branding can do so.Remember that diaspora members embodythe essence of the nation’s brand and canbring the brand to life. Nothing sells aproduct better than a personal connection ora recommendation from a friend. Affinitydiaspora members can also play afundamental role in promoting a country’sbrand; as they have either worked or studiedin the country, they have a fundamentalunderstanding of the core strengths andvalues of the country, which they canpromote abroad.

The Presidential Council on NationBranding (PCNB) was established on 22January 2009 to enhance Korea’s nationalstatus and prestige in the internationalcommunity by implementing systematic andcomprehensive strategies. It held a seminarentitled ‘The Role of the Diaspora in NationBranding’ at which 50 experts from homeand abroad looked at success stories andproposed ways in which Koreans livingoverseas could effectively contribute toshaping a positive image of their homecountry. The proposals made at the seminarare currently being reviewed by the councilfor further development. Copenhagen is alsoturning to its diaspora members to promotethe city abroad. The Copenhagen GoodwillAmbassador Corps is part of CopenhagenCapacity’s and Wonderful Copenhagen’smarketing strategy for the region. Thepurpose of the corps is to market the capitalregion abroad via personal relationships. Thetarget group is decision makers in interna-tional companies (tipping agents) and theidea of the corps is that Danish diasporamembers are the best people to sellCopenhagen. The position of goodwillambassador is honorary and the appointmentis exclusive and subject to subject approval.21


Engage brand ambassadors – your diaspora

‘Overseas Indians worldwide who are our brand ambassadors produce aneconomic output of about $400 billion ... the fact that every tenth Indian-American is a millionaire and every fifth start-up company in the Silicon Valleyis owned by an Indian, has doubtless, enhanced the image of India.’

Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi, 2007


Host Nation DaysCountries around the world have begun tohost ‘Nation Days’. This is an innovativeand fun way to promote the country’sbrand and, in doing so, engage with globaldiaspora members.

For example, every year the OverseasSingaporean Unit hosts ‘Singapore Day’ in adifferent city. In 2007, 6,000 Singaporeanscelebrated the day in New York. In 2008,11,000 Singaporeans gathered inMelbourne for Singapore Day. In 2009,12,000 Singaporeans attended SingaporeDay 2009 in London. This year, SingaporeDay will be celebrated in Shanghai. Duringthe day diaspora members can enjoy ashowcase depicting how Singapore isdeveloping into a global city with apromising future for all Singaporeans.

G’Day USA is an annual programdesigned to showcase Australian businesscapabilities in the US – Australia’s largesttrading and investment partner. Over the lastseven years, G’Day USA has broughttogether industry leaders and key people ingovernment, business, tourism, academia andthe arts to successfully cultivate and enhancethe long-term and deep Australia–USrelationship. The result is one of the mosteffective, far-reaching and comprehensive

annual national promotions across manyareas important to both Americans andAustralians. The 2011 G’Day USA 14-dayprogram brings new business, art, educationand tourism events to eight cities (LosAngeles, San Diego, San Francisco,Sacramento, Denver, Houston, Boston andNew York), with the goal of strengtheningbilateral collaboration and realising newbusiness opportunities. Over 30 events willreach targeted audiences in the eight citiesthrough conferences and forums, networking,product sampling and promotions.

Africa Day is an annual commemorationof the establishment of the Organization ofAfrican Unity (OAU) on 25 May 1963. On that day 32 independent African statessigned the founding charter in Addis Ababa,Ethiopia. In 2002, the OAU became theAfrican Union. Africa Day is celebratedaround the world.

Other countries use global cultural eventsto promote their nation brand and engagewith diaspora members. Ireland sees nearlyevery country in the world celebrate its cultureon St Patrick’s Day, 17 March. This dayprovides for the global promotion of ‘BrandIreland’ over a number of days. For example,on 14 March 2011, New York StockExchange and the Irish American Business


‘Branding the Philippines begins inside the heart of every Filipino and Filipina,whether he or she lives at home or abroad. They, more than any expensiveadvertising campaign, have the power to become the country brand’sambassadors if we can just ignite in them a deep sense of pride in theircountry and the confidence to carry this out successfully. All they need is arallying point, and this is precisely what a country brand is about.’

Junie S. Del Mundo22


Association, in partnership with Business &Finance, hosted ‘Ireland Day’. More than 350Fortune 500 company executives, UScorporations, venture capitalists, marketmakers, as well as some of the leading interna-tional Irish business leaders and executivesdescended on Wall Street for the event. Theaim of the event was to showcase Ireland as aplace to do business, focus positive interna-tional media on the country and create adebate on the key issues for the country andits role in the global economy.

Regional diaspora networks also organisenation days. Brazil Day in New Yorkoriginally celebrated Brazil’s IndependenceDay. Since 1984, that small celebration hasgrown, up to the point of attracting over 1.5million people in 2009; it is now consideredthe world’s biggest Brazilian event outsideBrazil and one of the Big Apple’s greatestethnic events. Brazilian Day Festival is notsimply a party celebration; it has become anopportunity for the Brazilian community toreach out in the United States. On that day,Brazilians join each other from differentparts of the world (many coming from Braziljust to attend the festival) to show their pride,advertise their culture and experience thenostalgic and anonymous feeling of being animmigrant away from home.

During a ‘Marketing Norway’ seminar inSan Rafael on 19 September 1992, the RoyalNorwegian Consul General asked the leadersof several Norwegian/American organi-

zations what they thought of having afestival to celebrate the 150th anniversary ofEdvard Grieg’s birthday. This idea was metwith enthusiastic approval, and that is howNorway Day Festival came into being. Thefirst festival was held on 9 May 1993 in SanFrancisco’s Fort Mason Center. Now, morethan 5,000 people attend each year. Themain purposes of the festival are to promoteand maintain a mutually satisfactoryrelationship between Norway and the US; tohelp descendants of Norwegian immigrantsto appreciate and retain contact with theirheritage; and to promote ‘Modern Norway’by drawing attention to all the good thingsthat have been accomplished by ‘NorwayToday,’ especially in the areas of technology,ecology, and world diplomacy.

Remember, culture mattersThe power of culture should not be underes-timated when developing strategies forengagement by the diaspora and branding anation. It plays an essential role in theprocess of enriching a country’s brand image.The value of culture in national branding isthat, like geography, it is a truly uniquefeature of the country. A key benefit ofbasing the branding process on culture is thatit helps countries to identify their mostauthentic competitive advantages.23

Respected brands build trust, add meaning totheir offerings and say what they stand forand why people should support them.


‘Culture is the whole complex of distinctive spiritual, material, intellectual andemotional features that characterises a society or a group. It includes creativeexpressions, community practices and material or built forms.’

The UN World Commission on Culture and Development Report


Culture is also one of the main catalystsin attracting members into the diaspora andis the fundamental premise upon which everydimension of diaspora engagement develops.Although it cannot always be seen, it isalways felt. ‘Representing and promotingculture is an essential component ofenriching the nation brand, and … over time,it alone has the power to turn simple clichésinto something more fair, somethingbelievable, something rooted in truth andhistory.’24 Few countries have as powerful acultural brand as Ireland. It is the door to theheart of the country and its people and is allabout history, heritage and identity.

Other countries are also using culture asthe bridge between the homeland anddisapora. The British Council is the leader inthis field. Founded in 1934, its remit is ‘tobuild mutually beneficial cultural andeducational relationships between the UnitedKingdom and other countries, and increaseappreciation of the United Kingdom’screative ideas and achievements.’ It has abudget of over £560 million. Its overseasnetwork extends to 233 locations in 107countries and territories, employing over7,000 people. There are 70 British CouncilTeaching Centres in 53 countries.

The Alliance Française is an organi-zation whose mission is to promote Frenchlanguage and culture outside France. Thereare 1,135 associations in 138 countries andthe Alliance is the largest cultural organi-zation in the world.25

The Confucius Institute is a Chinesenon-profit organization promoting Chineselanguage and culture around the world.The first Confucius Institute was openedin 2004 and there are now 328 institutesin 82 countries. The Chinese Governmentaims to establish 1,000 ConfuciusInstitutes by 2020.26

The Goethe-Institut has 50 years’experience teaching German as a foreignlanguage, teacher training and developingcurricula, examinations and coursematerials. It is a non-profit Germancultural institution operational worldwide,promoting the study of the Germanlanguage abroad and encouraging interna-tional cultural exchange and relations.Partners of the Institut and its centres arepublic and private cultural institutions, thefederal states, local authorities and theworld of commerce. In 2005, along withthe Alliance Française, the Società DanteAlighieri, the British Council, the InstitutoCervantes and the Instituto Camões, theGoethe-Institut was awarded the Prince ofAsturias Award for outstandingachievements in communications and the humanities.

For more information on the role ofculture in nation branding, see the insertentitled ‘How do you build a countrybrand?’ by Saher Sidhom, GlobalPlanning Director, Great Works,Stockholm and London, located at theback of the toolkit.



Just like with consumer products, a diasporaorganization should not be regarded as ageneric entity. When this happens an organi-zation can lose its personality and character.This is especially relevant when there are anumber of diaspora organizations trying toconnect with the same diaspora members. A decade ago branding was a foreign termto most diaspora organizations. More andmore, organizations are discovering that astrong brand is not a luxury but a necessity.It is an organization’s DNA. Once regardedas only relevant to laptops, soup and cars, a strong brand is perhaps even more critical to the success and sustainability ofdiaspora organizations.

For diaspora organizations, it is aboutbuilding deep, meaningful and long-termrelationships with diaspora members which,in essence, is all about emotions. Humanbeings are powered by emotion not reason.The neurologist Donald Calne put itsuccinctly: ‘The essential difference betweenemotion and reason is that emotion leads toaction and reason leads to conclusions.’Speaking about the GlobalScot network,Kuznetsov suggests that ‘People will only getinvolved in a network like this if they wantto, not because someone tells them to.’27

Branding is the process of creating a clear,consistent message about your organization.A strong brand can give diaspora organi-zations what might be called reputationinsurance. Diaspora organizations must buildbrands that connect with diaspora members’core values; preserve and value the traditions

of the diaspora; and unite them under acommon sense of identity and integrity. Trustis the key, and trust is not an event; it is notdeserved but has to be earned.

A brand is a set of promises andexpectations that exists in the hearts andminds of your diaspora members. Becausethe brand resides in your members’ mindsnot yours, you must understand the needs ofyour supporters. As noted by the President ofNEPOMAK, a diaspora organization foryoung Cypriots around the world: ‘As anorganization, NEPOMAK exists to meet theneeds of its members. Therefore, byproviding members with multiple touchpoints for NEPOMAK (primarily driven bylocal member organizations), NEPOMAK isable to gauge what members want andthrough structured planning, NEPOMAK isable to deliver these activities.’

To help with branding, get your organizationto consider the following questions:

n What’s the one thing you do better than anybody else?

n Does everybody know where theorganization is going?

n Do you have a memorable tag line or slogan?

n Why should someone become a member?n Is it easy for diaspora members to

connect with you?n Does your organization have a

personality?n Do you ‘live the brand’ every day?


Branding for diaspora organizations


Tell stories

Storytelling is a key foundational elementof a strong diaspora organization brand.Everyone in the diaspora world has greatstories to tell, and they probably don’t tellthem often enough and to enough people.Yet these stories can impact hundreds, ifnot thousands, of people. Diasporaorganizations should focus on one storyand tell it convincingly.

In a world built on the rigor of scientificthinking there is still a need for creativestorytelling. Well-told stories take people ona journey out of the here and now and theircurrent environment, moving them into thevirtual world of the story. Stories can givediaspora members a sense of connectedness,allowing them to remap their own livesaccordingly. The listener is invited to live thestory and think actively about theimplications. Stories turn people intoemotional participants.

Connect the head with the heartIt is always important to remember thatdiaspora engagement is an emotionalprocess and sometimes what diaspora

members feel is more important than whatthey think. The cause must catch the eye,warm the heart and stir the mind. Nations,companies, committees and individuals arenot motivated by statistics, graphs andstrategies but rather by ideas, philosophiesand hopes, which bring a tear to the eyeand a lump to the throat when presentedwith passion and conviction. At specialevents, look for ways to create magicmoments – include memorable elementsthat make the experience really special. The best way to create a magic moment isto show the impact of your work. Youwant to move events from ‘ho-hum’ to‘wow’ with carefully planned moments ofemotional spontaneity.

One of the most powerful ways ofconnecting the head and the heart ofdiaspora members is through visits to thehomeland. Countries around the world arenow inviting their diasporas to conferencesback in the homeland, promotingstructured visits home for the nextgeneration and increasingly attractingdiaspora tourism.


‘Stories live in your blood and bones, follow the seasons and light candles onthe darkest night; every storyteller knows she or he is also a teacher.’

Patti Davis


Build pridePride is a very powerful emotion. Much ofwhat you do for your organization is todevelop a sense of pride amongst diasporamembers which will encourage word-of-

mouth endorsement – the most powerfulselling device you have. You want to makeyour board members so proud that they willbecome zealots and insist that their friendsand peer groups support you.


Formerly known as the Internship Program for Diaspora Youth, ‘Know India’ is a three-week internship program for diaspora youth conducted by the Ministry of OverseasIndian Affairs with a view to promoting awareness of India, its socio-cultural diversity, itsall-round development, its emergence as an economic powerhouse, India as a centre ofhigher education and the ongoing developments in various fields, including infrastructure,information technology, etc. The participants from countries with large populations ofPeople of Indian Origin (PIO) are selected based on recommendations made by Indianmissions/posts abroad. They are provided with full hospitality and are reimbursed 90 percent of the international airfare cost. Feedback below from recent participants in theprogram demonstrates how effectively it connects the head and heart of diaspora members.

‘Goa was amazing in all aspects. It was truly an amazing, humbling, exciting,educational, fun and beneficial experience. The village visits were the highlight and Iwould love the opportunity to come back.’

Poonam Harry, South Africa

‘I just want to thank everyone involved in making this program possible because this,by far, was one of the most exciting, eye-opening, and unique programs I have evertaken part in. I was able to network with PIOs from all over the world and gain amuch better understanding of the complex history, culture and politics that defineIndia. Thank you once again for selecting me to be a participant, taking care of all theaccommodation, and giving us this selective and once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.’

Nupur Agrawal, US

‘Know India’ program: connecting the head with the heart

‘Those of you who decide not to stay in Israel but to go back have a veryimportant mission. We expect you to be proud ambassadors of our country.’

Natan Sharansky, Chairman, Jewish Agency


Over the past decade there has been agrowing public fascination with the complex‘connectedness’ of global society. At the heartof this fascination is the idea of a network (apattern of interconnections among a set ofthings), which comes up in discussion andcommentary on an enormous range of topics,including its role in diaspora engagement.28

A network can be described as a group ofactors that either know about or can learnabout each other’s characteristics.29 Networkmembers must reap certain benefits from theirparticipation in the network,30 and networkscan influence larger social processes byaccessing human, social, natural, physical andfinancial capital, as well as the informationand knowledge content of these.31

At the heart of many diaspora strategieslies the creation of networks. Diasporanetworks aim to establish and fostercommunication and exchanges betweenmembers living abroad and to link them totheir counterparts in their country of origin.32

The educational, social, cultural and profes-sional advancement of their members is alsohigh on the priority list of the different

networks;33 this is because ‘diasporanetworks speed the flow of information, thelifeblood of science and commerce.’34

Diaspora networks are crucial in assistingin the economic, political and socialdevelopment of their home countries. Indeed,one of the powerful roles that networks play isto bridge the gap between home and hostcountries. ‘This is especially true of theoverseas Chinese (including those in HongKong and Taiwan), who handle some 70% offoreign direct investment into China. Theyhave three advantages: they speak the language,they understand the culture and they haveguanxi (connections).’35 As was stated in TheEconomist article ‘Tribes Still Matter’, ‘Brainyglobetrotters are rarely rootless. Even the mostcosmopolitan usually feel an affinity withothers who share the same language, cultureor heritage. That is why diaspora networks areso powerful, and why some of the world’smost influential people rely on them soheavily.’36 Indeed, ‘diaspora networks mesh sowell with the architecture of the modernknowledge society that they are coming to beseen as one of its natural building blocks.’37


‘The way of the world is meeting people through other people.’ Robert Kerrigan

Networking matters

‘Networking is the backbone of international business, underpinning everysuccessful company no matter where in the world it operates. Effectivenetworking opens new doors of opportunity in business, allowing companies toidentify new markets, obtain fresh leads and extend their operations intounfamiliar areas. By sharing information, contacts and resources, businesses canachieve far more than they ever could in isolation.’ GlobalScots


As with the diaspora itself, there is greatdiversity when it comes to the types ofdiaspora networks that have developed. It isimportant to know the different models ofnetworks in order to determine which modelmay work best to engage a particulardiaspora. According to Kuznetsov, ‘Thedefining characteristic of networks ofexpatriate professionals (diaspora networks)is that they pertain to talent, be it technical,managerial, or creative. Talent is an elusivecategory, but a powerful one.’38

Global diaspora networksSome diasporas are vast and global. Forexample, there are an estimated 70 million inthe Irish diaspora, 25 million non-residentIndians and 60 million overseas Chinese,including significant numbers in nearly allcountries. They create a web of cross-borderconnections.39 Some countries have cast thenet wide in terms of engaging diasporamembers and have developed global diasporanetworks. The global networks may be justcountry-specific or they may be specializedglobal networks for particular professions inthe diaspora. As noted by Ancien, Boyle andKitchin, ‘Global knowledge networks are

transnational networks linking global regionswith the homeland, including trade missions,business forums, philanthropy, mentoring,advice and access to decision makers.’40

Kutznetsov has set out several importantpoints to consider when establishing globaldiaspora networks:

n It is essential that there is a formalframework in place to maintainrelationships and make sure that ideasare followed through.

n However, if you formalise a network toomuch, you can kill it off. That has alsobeen a common mistake of manydeveloping countries – they try to puttogether a program that is very formal andit kills all the spirit of entrepreneurship andintrinsic motivation. People will only getinvolved in a network like this if they wantto, not because someone tells them to.

n Organizations should avoid launching anetwork in a blaze of publicity with abig conference before it has been triedand produced some successes. Rather, aconference should be a way ofcelebrating credibility throughshowcasing proven successes.41


‘Architecture is the art and science of designing structures that serve ourcommon purposes, built to last and to withstand stress. And that is what weseek to build; a network of alliances and partnerships, regional organizationsand global institutions that is durable and dynamic enough to help us meettoday’s challenges.’

US Secretary of State Hillary ClintonAddress to the Council on Foreign Relations, 8 September 2010

Appreciate the diversity of diaspora networks


Furthermore, he suggests that successfuldiaspora networks combine the followingthree main features:

n Networks bring together people withstrong intrinsic motivation.

n Members play both direct roles(implementing projects in the homecountry) and indirect roles (serving asbridges and antennae for the developmentof projects in the home country).

n Successful initiatives move fromdiscussions on how to get involved withthe home country to transactions(tangible outcomes).42

Examples of leading global networks includeAdvance Australia, GlobalScots, ChileGlobal,The Ireland Funds and KEA New Zealand.For further information on these networksplease see the section entitled ‘Learn fromothers: Diaspora organizations share theirstories.’ Other examples of global diasporanetworks include: NLBorrels which is aglobal network of Dutch expatriate profes-sionals and entrepreneurs, dedicated to facili-tating social interaction, career advancementand exchange of information of interest to theDutch community living abroad. It currentlyhas 5,500 members in the US and anadditional 6,500 members in 81 countriesworldwide;43 International Council ofRussian Compatriots (ICRC) was founded atthe end of 2002 and its main aim is toconsolidate the Russian diaspora and toattract the intellectual, economic and financialresources of Russian compatriots who areliving abroad;44 Organization of the SwissAbroad (OSA) represents Swiss expatriates’interests in Switzerland and is supported by750 Swiss expatriate associations and Swiss

institutions all over the world. Every year,several hundred Swiss living all over theworld meet at the OSA’s Congress of theSwiss Abroad;45 and Nigerians in theDiaspora Organisation (NIDO) which is anon-profit organization with its current focusis on professional networking, socialadvocacy, education, healthcare, techno-logical and economic empowerment, as wellas skills and cultural exchange projects inCanada and Nigeria. NIDO is recognized bythe Nigerian government as the umbrellaorganizati on for all Nigerians around theworld and as the vanguard of Nigeria in theinternational community, promoting thecountry’s image abroad. NIDO also assists inpromoting Nigeria as an investmentdestination in Africa.46

Regional diaspora networksGiven the amount of resources and timeneeded to establish a successful globaldiaspora network, some organizations havedecided to focus on connecting with diasporamembers in particular regions. The benefit ofregional diaspora networks is that they allowfor a more personalized and focusedengagement with diaspora members within asmaller geographical framework. Regionaldiaspora networks can also act as a catalystto creating global diaspora networks bybuilding on the success of the regionalnetwork. The ‘Ireland Reaching Out Project’(www.irelandxo.org) is an example of howlocal areas can develop their own targeteddiaspora initiatives and is based on a simpleidea - instead of waiting for people of Irishdescent to come to Ireland to trace theirroots, local Irish regions go the other way. At town land, village and parish level, localIrish communities identify who left their



neighborhoods and trace them and theirdescendants worldwide and engage with themand invite them to become part of anextended ‘virtual community’ with their placeof ancestral origin. Part of this program is anannual ‘Week of Welcomes’ which is held ineach parish or community in which thesenewly identified people are invited to return.Over time the objective of this program,which was founded by retur ned Irishemigrant, Mike Feerick in 2011, is to system-atically identify and unify members of thediaspora, based on their ancestral origins andengage them in terms of them being advisors,investors and promoters of Irish products.Other examples of regional diasporanetworks include: BayBrazil which fosterscommunication and entrepreneurship amongprofessionals in the San Francisco Bay areawho work with or wish to developconnections with Brazil; The LansdowneClub in Sydney, Australia which has over2,000 members made up of business profes-sionals who are Irish and living in Australiaand Australians who have business interestsin Ireland. It is now a vibrant and activebusiness network which has spread to othercities in Australia and New Zealand and runsa series of events annually with their St.Patric k’s Day lunch now the largest of itskind in the world and is attended by thePrime Minister of Australia and other leadingpolitical and business leaders; UhollanziKenya Association which is the onlyregistered Kenyan diaspora association in theNetherlands. Its goals are to support andpromote the welfare of Kenyans in theNetherlands in collaboration with localauthorities and partners as well as to enh anceKenyan migrants’ capacity to meaningfullygive back to their country of origin; and

United Haitians in the United Kingdomnetwork is made up of a group of Haitians,Haitian descendants, and friends of Haiti,living in the United Kingdom. Its main goal isto make a positive contribution in thedevelopment of Haiti and to keep the Haitianculture alive in the United Kingdom. Theyfinancially support worth while non-govern-mental and sustainable educational projectsthroughout Haiti with an emphasis onchildren’s school fees, uniforms and supplies.

City diaspora networksA number of organizations around the worldare now focusing on connecting with theirdiaspora members and, moreover, affinitydiaspora members by launching city diasporanetworks. Indeed, the affinity diaspora is animportant segment of the diaspora to engagein building such networks, as so many peoplemove to cities to work or study for certainperiods or take repeated city breaks. Takethe United States, for example, while manypeople have an affinity to the country as aresult of spending time there, typically, it iswith a particular city that people identity astheir place of affinity.

New Orleans is a great example of thisand the power of the affinity diasporanetwork in connecting with the city. These‘affinity diaspora’ are people, for whom, asthe song goes ‘know what it means to missNew Orleans’ and return to the city for oneseason, reason or another and ‘let the goodtimes roll.’ The other New Orleans diasporarefers to the population evacuated or forcedto flee from New Orleans, Louisiana, by theeffects of Hurricane Katrina in the latesummer of 2005. Drawing from these twodifferent diasporas (a displaced one within itsown country and a large affinity diaspora)



New Orleans is an interesting case study onattracting and engaging diaspora populations.Famous playwright, Tennessee Williamshimself could be considered an affinitydiaspora member of New Orleans,(Mississippi born, Missouri raised and laterlifetime traveler) he considered New Orleanshis ‘spiritual home’ and was a resident of thecity many times throughout his life. It is herethat he is honored by an annual literaryfestival which brings Williams and literaryfans from around the country and world tocelebrate. These same ‘friends’ of the city andfestival were much of the affinity diasporawho have contributed to a continued festivaland its subsequent successes (particularlyafter 2005). The cultural branding of NewOrleans has been responsible in no small partfor the success of its rebuilding. Programsgeared at drawing the affinity diaspora intothe city (whether in support for events or toinvest) have been invaluable during the fiveyears of rebuilding and reshaping the city.The New Orleans Football team (The Saints)also provide a diaspora meeting point andespecially at games in Atlanta and Houston(where many New Orleaneans resettled) havebecome a time of both cheering the team butalso the city itself. Specific festivals such asEssence, Decadence, VooDoo, FrenchQuarter and the New Orleans Jazz andHeritage Festivals (to name a few) allannually re-engage the affinity diasporas’interest and economy.

Furthermore, people are often extremelyproud of the particular area that they arefrom within a country, and city diasporanetworks allow them to connect directly withthat area. An example of such a network isthe ‘Friends of Belfast City’ network. This isan initiative, started in 1998, which promotes

partnerships between Belfast and NorthAmerica, primarily in the areas of businessand investment. With almost 600 membersfrom the areas of business, law, academia andgovernment, including individuals fromorganizations such as Liberty MutualInsurance, Lehman Brothers, McKinsey &Company, Harvard Uni versity and ColumbiaUniversity, the Friends of Belfast networkoffers a range of contacts for Belfast organi-zations working in the US and Canada.

Women and diaspora networksFemale migrants represent a significantportion of total migration, making up 49per cent of the total in 2010.47 As a result,women’s diaspora networks are increasinglybeing created as a way of uniting womenfrom the homeland with other women fromthe diaspora. ‘All over the world there is animportant and wide-spread presence ofmigrant women’s networks … Thesenetworks are very active in supportingwomen, in promoting their needs, theirrights, and in simply bringing womentogether. These are more formal and institu-tionalised types of networks.’48

An example of a women’s diasporanetwork is the Turkish Women’sInternational Network which is a globalnetworking platform for women with family,cultural or professional ties to Turkey. Thevision of the network is to build a globalcommunity of professional Turkish womento cross-pollinate ideas, inspiration andconnections; start a mentorship program tomentor younger Turkish women in universityprograms across the globe; and launch theTurkish WIN ‘Angels and Advisors’ programto connect entrepreneurs to a capital andadvice network. The founder of TurkishWIN,



Melek Pulatkonak, states that the motivationfor establishing the network was because, ‘Asa professional Turkish woman living abroad,I feel the need to connect to a platformwhere I can network, celebrate the successesof trailblazers, learn from experts in theirfields and tap into the power of a large trustnetwork within my community. I knowmany strong, successful and amazing Turkishwomen. I am confident there are hundreds orthousands whom I do not know. As anentrepreneur, I decided to do somethingabout it and launched TurkishWIN.’Examples of women’s diaspora networksinclude Swedish Women’s EducationalAssociation, Indus Women Leaders, DiasporaAfrican Women’s Network (DAWN) and theFilipina Women’s Network (FWN).

Next generation diaspora networksCountries and diaspora organizations areincreasingly realising how important it is toattract the next generation of disaporaleadership. Furthermore, younger membersof the diaspora are leveraging networkswith their diasporic peers as a way ofbuilding professional contacts. As a result,

next generation diaspora networks aregaining increasing prominence. Examples ofnext generation diaspora networks includeNEPOMAK (World Organization forYoung Overseas Cypriots), The IrelandFunds Global Young Leaders Program andthe Young Barbadian Professionals Society(YBPS). Members of the Young BarbadianProfessionals Society were either born inBarbados or have Barbadian ancestry.YBPS is comprised of a group ofindividuals with diverse professional andsocial interests. Its identity is not onlybased on the professions and education ofits members but is deeply rooted in theirrespect and love for the Barbadian andCaribbean heritage. The YBPS mission is togarner the intellectual capital of itsmembers to further advance positivetransformations in the global Barbadianand Caribbean communities, through thesociety’s economic development, education,and philanthropic programs. The YBPS Mentoring Committee sponsorsan e-mentoring program that partnersmembers of the society with undergraduatestudents of Barbadian heritage in the US.


The American Ireland Fund Young Leaders began in Boston in 1991 as an idea not onlyto bring youth into the organization, but also to ensure longevity. They were to be thenext generation of leadership for Irish-America and, indeed, for the American IrelandFund. After hosting a few smaller gatherings and St Patrick’s celebrations in Boston, itwasn’t long before they started another chapter in New York.

Over the following decade the Young Leaders had established a presence within theFund, but were not yet able to contribute hugely in their fundraising. In 2005, the Fund

The Worldwide Ireland Funds Young LeadersCaitlin McCormack, Regional Director, The American Ireland Fund, New York



invested significant time in the Young Leaders, particularly in the New York chapter.During that year the Young Leaders program was rejuvenated. Having raised only$10,000 in 2004, they increased that number ten-fold, raising $100,000 in 2005.

This dramatic change to the group as a fundraising entity brought the YoungLeaders to where they are today as a global force. Over the following five years, from2004–2009 the Young Leaders surpassed their lofty goal to raise $1million dollars.Reaching that $1 million goal a year early was a benchmark for the Young Leaders,encouraging them to establish chapters in Washington DC, Chicago and Philadelphia.

The Young Leaders have now expanded across the country into Dallas, SanDiego and San Francisco, and also have chapters internationally, in Dublin andSydney, Australia. It was only in 2010, in fact, that the Dublin Young Leadersemerged in response to the economic crisis in Ireland. The US chapters are nownot only giving to Ireland but with Ireland, and have graduated into a trulyremarkable network. Many of them have made it to the top of the ladder in theirfields and are in a real position to give back to Ireland.

The success of the Young Leaders program can be attributed to the calibre oftheir events, the strength of their network and their membership program. TheYoung Leader’s fundraising events have become staples on the social calendars ofthe cities in which the Fund has established chapters. They have honoured suchcelebrity guests as Denis Leary, Conan O’Brien and Jimmy Fallon, along with manyprofessional athletes and renowned, late author, Frank McCourt. They wererecently featured in a segment on the Good Day New York morning show andhave been written about in magazines and newspapers globally.

The quality of the Young Leaders’ events has attracted a very strong networkof bright and successful people. Being a part of the network is attractive to manyof our members because of the connections people make, not just for business,but also socially within a group of people who are passionate about their successand passionate about the work of the Fund.

Finally, signing up as a member of the Young Leaders allows entrance to theseevents and this network, as well as access to the senior leadership of the Fund,particularly through the benefit of the mentorship program offered at the top levelof membership. Most importantly, the Young Leaders are dedicated to the IrelandFunds and its basis of philanthropy and giving back to the hundreds of worthy andwonderful causes it supports.

The Young Leaders have gained incredible momentum in recent years and arelooking forward to their second Annual Young Leaders International Summit inLimerick this June at the Worldwide Ireland Funds Conference. They will continueto strengthen their new chapters as well as using their impressive network to its fullpotential. Already a hugely successful initiative, the Fund is excited by what is tocome for the Young Leaders. Where will they pop up next?


Alumni diaspora networksThe business of international education, orexport education as it is referred to intechnical economic parlance, represents amajor opportunity for countries to develop anetwork of affinity scholarly/alumninetworks. Demand for education beyondboundaries has increased by 40 per cent overthe past decade and is forecast to reach 6million by 2020.49 In 1995, 90,000 USstudents went to college overseas; in 2007,250,000 US students went to collegeoverseas.50 In 2008, there were 300,000international students in UK universities,paying more than £3.6 billion in fees. Britainattracts more students from abroad than anycountry outside the US.51 The US StateAlumni is an example of a diaspora networkseeking to engage international students whopursued studies in the US. Furthermore,scholarly networks are being established bydiaspora members from the same homecountry who are studying abroad.

These are important networks forcountries to consider developing, asincreasing numbers of graduates areemigrating. Through these networksgraduates can still engage with the universityand indeed the home country. Take forexample, the alumni of the Indian Institute ofTechnology which is a group of 15autonomous engineering and technology-oriented institutes of higher education,established and declared as Institutes ofNational Importance by the Parliament ofIndia. According to a recent study, thealumni of the seven Indian Institutes ofTechnology (IITs), now in senior positions inindustry and government across the world,have a total budgetary responsibility of $885billion.52 Furthermore, one in 100 IIT alumni

has started his own company with over 40per cent of them being serial entrepreneurs.53

It is of little surprise that global alumni IITnetworks are emerging. The IIT alumni eitherhelp their alma mater in the form ofdonations, or by preferential job opportu-nities extended to students from the IITs.Other examples of such networks include theIndia Manchester Graduate Network, theAssociation of Norwegian Students Abroad,the Moroccan Association of Researchersand Scholars, and ASciNA, which is anetwork of Austrian scientists and scholars inthe US and Canada.

Professional and specialistknowledge diaspora networksMany countries now talk about becomingknowledge-based smart economies. There isincreasing acceptance that talent and skillsare the most precious assets of the worldeconomy. At the heart of many of diasporastrategies lies the creation of networks, andincreasingly ‘knowledge networks’, ofhighly skilled professionals who whenbetter connected to each other and to thehome country can greatly assist in thesuccess of the smart economy. As noted byAncien, Boyle and Kitchin, ‘Specialistknowledge networks are sector specific (forinstance biotechnology, ICT, law) andgenerate dense and specific ties to thehomeland to aid the expansion of respectivesectors, for instance through providingknowledge, mentoring, expertise andfinance (venture capital).’54 Members ofsuch networks are highly skilled and highlyqualified and contribute to the developmentof their place of origin, through their skillsinput.55 The focus of such networks is

‘upon dual social and business networking



and the exchange of contacts, skills, adviceand ideas’.56 Such networks are ofteninitially formed by a small number oftipping agents, first movers or changeagents within the diaspora. Examples ofsuch networks include the Irish TechnologyLeadership Group, the Association of ThaiProfessionals in America and Canada

(ATPAC), the Global Network of KoreanScientists & Engineers (KOSEN), SiliconValley Indian Professionals (SIPA), TheIndus Entrepreneurs (TiE), the ChineseAmerican Engineers and ScientistsAssociation of Southern California(CESASC), The African Network (TAN)and the Korea IT Network (KIN).


Learn the 4-step process to networking the diaspora

Networking is not a social event, rather it isa process in which you ‘contact, connect,involve and evolve’ a relationship over time.It can be broken down into four steps:‘research, cultivation, solicitation andstewardship’, which are powerful ways ofengaging key diaspora members whensetting up networks.

Underpinning this networking processare a number of concepts to consider suchas Dunbar’s rule, the value of weakconnections, social capital, the need tomove from a ‘transactional’ to ‘relationship’mindset and the importance of managingyour online and offline networking.

n Dunbar’s 150: Robin Dunbar is aProfessor of Evolutionary Anthropology atthe University of Oxford. His researchconcludes that there is a ‘cognitive’ limitto the number of ‘inter-personal’relationships we can manage in ournetworks – somewhere around 150.

n The value of weak connections: whilewe are limited in the number of inter-personal relationships we can managein our networks, there is no limit to thenumber of contacts we can maintainthrough email and social media. Thishighlights the importance of managingboth online and offline networking.

n The funnel of serendipity: as you busyyourself responding to individuals inyour network you may be pleasantlysurprised by what comes back from thenetwork as a whole.

n Social capital as a measure of trust andreciprocity in our network: quite simply,those with more social capital havebroader and deeper networks and tend tobe more effective in what they do.

n Echo chambers: emphasise theimportance of meeting people outside ofour usual networks.


Step 1: Research

As previously noted, it is important toremember that quite often it is a smallfraction of the overall number of the diasporawho make a difference, and it is important toresearch who exactly these members are. Assuggested by Kutznetsov, ‘One cannot overes-timate the role of individuals in mobilisingthe diaspora … Individual champions makeconnections, allay scepticism and proposeproj ect ideas … many diaspora initiativeswere unsuccessful because they failed toidentify such champions.’57

Good prospect research helps you todetermine, evaluate and qualify theindividuals who will become leaders within adiaspora network. Prospect research isideally about getting as much information aspossible to decide the right time, project,setting and person to ask to become anambassador within the diaspora. Theobjective is to generate an active prospect list.

You do this by ‘rating and screening’ eachcontact for his/her capacity and propensity toengage in a diaspora initiative.

Take, for example, the importance ofresearch in the GlobalScot network.Membership of the network is by invitationonly, as it insists on the highest standards inorder to maintain its reputation as a world-class resource for Scottish businesses.Nominees are then assessed by theInternational Networks Team in ScottishEnterprise according to their personalachievements, standing in their industry, andability to contribute to the industry sectorsthat have been identified as important toScotland’s future growth. Followingsuccessful evaluation, an application willthen be forwarded to the First Minister ofScotland, who, upon approval, will writepersonally to the individual, officially invitinghim/her to join the GlobalScot network.


‘Research is creating new knowledge.’ Neil Armstrong

‘Though the land be good, you cannot have an abundant crop without cultivation.’ Plato

Cultivation is the process of moving peoplefrom a state of unawareness to informedunderstanding, sympathetic interest,engagement, commitment and, finally,passionate advocacy. The engagement ofdiaspora members evolves over time –initially impulsive, it gradually becomes

habitual, thoughtful, strategic and, ultimately,inspirational. The task of cultivation is tomove people along this continuum towardscommitment. Much of cultivation is abouthaving conversations and getting to knowleading diaspora members at a number ofdifferent levels. Through this process you

Step 2: Cultivation


learn about diaspora members’ current levelof engagement with the homeland, theirhopes for the future of the homeland, whatgoals and objectives they have in their lifeand perhaps what legacy they want to leave.It is about consciously bringing key diasporamembers on a relationship journey – buildingtheir awareness, increasing their knowledge,and generating their interest in, involvementwith, and, finally, commitment to, you, your organization and the network.

One way in which countries arecultivating key diaspora members is throughthe organization of conferences in thehomeland for key diaspora members. Aninvitation from a government or head ofstate seems to carry more clout than thatfrom a regular disapora organization. Nocountry organizes more visits home for itsdiaspora than Israel. Often called missions,they are an integral part of the relationshipwith the diaspora and are regarded as a vitalway of keeping people informed and up todate. All the various agencies and federationsmake this a part of their annual programsand a way of seeing how their contributions

are used. They also host numerous meetingsand conferences overseas.

In 2009, the Irish Government hosted theFarmleigh Global Irish Economic Forum. Itbrought together, for the first time, the mostinfluential members of the global Irishcommunity with a record of high achievementin business and culture, as well as a number ofindividuals with a strong business connectionto Ireland. Over the course of the Forum,attendees explored how the Irish, at home andabroad, and those with a strong interest inIreland, could work together to contribute toeconomic renewal and to build newconnections between Ireland and its globalcommunity. As a result of this cultivation theGlobal Irish Network was formed by the IrishGovernment in 2010. The Global IrishNetwork currently has over 300 membersbased in 37 countries. This direct access tokey private sector decision makers across theglobe has the potential to deliver real, tangibleeconomic benefits for the Irish at home andabroad. Regional meetings of the Global IrishNetwork have taken place in Britain, France,Germany, Australia, the US and China.


‘You create your opportunities by asking for them.’ Shakti Gawain

Step 3: Solicitation

For diaspora engagement to be effective theremust be ‘asks and tasks.’ Key diasporamembers need to be engaged in small groupswith specific projects over a limited time frame.If not, initial enthusiasm will quickly fade.Indeed, ‘the most common mistake in tryingto harness a diaspora is to be carried away by discussions without turning them into

tangible outcomes. People like to see tangibleoutcomes … These tangible activities can bereferred to as transactions or projects.’58

Therefore, it is critical to solicit diasporamembers for specific projects. A diasporanetwork should not just be a network inwhich to network, it should be a networkwhich strategically engages its members.


Step 4: Stewardship

The Merriam Webster Collegiate Dictionarytells us that the word ‘stewardship’ firstappeared in the 15th century and is definedas ‘the conducting, supervising, or managingof something; especially: the careful andresponsible management of somethingentrusted to one’s care.’ For the purposes ofdiaspora engagement, stewardship meansthanking and recognising the contributionsmade by diaspora members to the homeland.In the world of email, voicemail, iPods,blogging, twittering and podcasting, a one-time thank you letter is not enough.Retention of key diaspora members’engagement is of utmost importance, andstewardship is a critical part of the 4-stepnetworking process. As in all business,

satisfied customers are your best sales people.In Section 1, ways of recognising andawarding diaspora members were explored,and they are pivotal in terms of stewardship.

Measurement of outputs is alsoanother important form of stewardship fordiaspora networks. It is important toassess the successes and failures ofnetworks and to provide members of thenetwork with evaluative feedback onprogress. As noted by Kuznetsov, ‘aserious limitation [is]: the inability to trackthe outcome of exchanges and communi-cations between network members … andthose who operate it cannot learn from thesuccesses and failures of the transactionsthey help generate.’59


‘Indifference is the essence of inhumanity.’ George Bernard Shaw


The above statement captures thesimultaneous simplicities and complexitiesassociated with pursuing diaspora strategies.With these in mind, the precise role agovernment should play in a diasporacontext can be highly contested. Given theplurality of approaches adopted by differentcountries, it is difficult to prescribe anysingle coherent policy program that agovernment might adopt in shaping itsdiaspora strategy. However, there is broadconsensus that the role is usually locatedsomewhere between two approaches. Onthe one hand, a government can adopt animplementer role. This locates thegovernment as a central force in creating

and accomplishing the strategy. On theother hand, a government can also adopt afacilitator role, encouraging and developingmulti-layered networks with diasporamembers and groups. Looking at thevarious countries, ‘government involvementtends to vary along a continuum fromminimal involvement to heavy involvement.Most commentators feel that government’srole should be as facilitator rather thanimplementer and that government has animportant role in giving its blessing,support and, in some cases, finance todiaspora initiatives.’61 The most obviousissue here is establishing why this remainsthe dominant perspective.


‘Successive Irish Governments have built a multi-layered relationship with theglobal Irish community, one that has marked us out as a role model for manyother countries. The Government and the global Irish community have in thepast worked closely together on issues such as the peace process in NorthernIreland and the rewards of such cooperation have been considerable. Now isthe time to shape a more strategic relationship which will bring benefits bothto Ireland and to our global community and which has a more developedeconomic focus. Our global Irish community constitutes one of the mostpowerful and far-reaching resources at our disposal and, using our worldwidenetwork of Embassies and Consulates, we have identified some of the mostsuccessful individuals from that global community.’

Former Minister for Foreign Affairs, Micheál Martin TDApril 2009, following his convening of the Global Irish Economic Forum inSeptember 200960

Explore the role of governmentMartin Russell, IRCHSS Postgraduate Scholar, The Clinton Institute for AmericanStudies, University College Dublin


1 Diaspora engagementDiaspora strategies, like most other forms ofengagement, are fundamentally based onnetworks. Given the volume of diasporanetworks co-existing in terms of engagementwith the home country, the optimumsituation is for governments to createconditions conducive to the existence of avariety of organizations, facilitate collabo-ration and cooperation between the networksand home situations, provide access to thediaspora for dialogue with governmentrepresentatives, and fast track promisingideas and/or work in partnership with privatesector initiatives. Governments need to beaware that successful diaspora engagement isheavily reliant on dynamic and innovativeindividuals and organizations at home andabroad.62 It may be more difficult for agovernment to merge these objectivesthrough an implementer role. If agovernment decides to adopt an implementerrole then the engagement emphasis is shiftedto the government in creating and sustainingsuitable networks or policies. Meanwhile, afacilitator role is in itself a form of network.The government is drawn into a moreconsistent, coherent and communicableengagement with the diaspora. As such, thediaspora is given much more ‘face time’ withthe government within the strategy.Therefore, the strategy obtains a largercapacity-building mechanism that works

favourably in terms of the realisations andaims indicated above. This, if correctlyutilised, can contribute to a growth ofmutual trust and understanding betweengovernment and diaspora.

Such strategies, in a practical sense, ‘donot need to be over-determined and can bequite light in conception and application, andare best thought of as an overarchingframework for providing a level of coherenceto the range of concrete diaspora policiesdevised and implemented by a variety ofpublic, private, and voluntary agencies.’63

2 Agency and sustainabilityOne of the most obvious benefits agovernment can draw from a facilitator role isthat of increased agency within the diasporastrategy. This approach encourages morerelationships and engagements, which in turncan be used to provide a greater sustainabilityfor the strategy. In this context, the public,private, and voluntary sectors are moresystematically engaged, multiplying the centralinterlocutors in the strategy. Meanwhile, animplementer role reduces such agency and thiscan be problematic. In essence, a facilitatingrole places a larger emphasis on sustainabilitythan an implementer role by diversifyingagency and producing greater transparency.This can help to encourage and develop amutual trust and understanding betweengovernment and diaspora.


Facilitator rather than implementer: why?


3 StakeAn integral aspect of a successful andsustainable diaspora strategy is that all theparticipants in the strategy have a stake. Thecentrality prescribed to a government in animplementer role may create an imbalance inthe stakes held by the participants.Furthermore, it can upset the wider diasporarelationship, as, depending on the strategyimplemented, certain sections of the diasporamay feel excluded. In terms of a facilitatingrole, the government is quite often an equalamong its diaspora partners, reducing anyconcerns regarding possible exclusion ofsections of the diaspora. In addition, this roletends to promote more strategic relationshipsand partnerships. This can have a significantimpact in terms of engagement and sustain-ability, as already discussed.

It is important to acknowledge at thispoint that while there is an emergingconsensus that governments should adopt a

facilitator role rather than an implementerone, they can co-exist. The most obviousissue in this regard is striking a workablebalance that will develop the strategic aimsoutlined above. A prime example of wherethe two approaches coincide is India. India’ssuccess has largely resulted because thegovernment made the development of adiaspora strategy a key national priority.This development has been in collaborationwith prominent national bodies such as theConfederation of Indian Industry and TheIndus Entrepreneurs (TiE). This examplesuggests that, depending on the demandsplaced upon a diaspora strategy, elements ofeach approach may need to be incorporatedinto the decision-making process.Consequently, this exposes another strongthematic influence in terms of the role agovernment adopts in a diaspora strategy –the institutionalisation of the strategy.


The importance of institutions

Institutions, at home and abroad, will helpto direct the circulation of a diasporastrategy. It appears that the key in relationto the role a government plays in diasporastrategy is strong institutions at home andabroad and the government working inpartnerships.64 Clearly, as we have seenabove, a facilitator role for a governmentoffers a preferable platform for such

partnership between institutions. Theinteresting aspect here, however, is that thecreation of such institutions may offergovernments who have already adopted animplementer role a chance to dilute theirengagement and move towards a facilitatorrole. Such innovation is an important toolfor governments in deciding what role toplay in diaspora strategies.


Institutions play many key roles indeciding the role a government will take in adiaspora strategy. Initially, they can becomethe core of an implementer model ofengagement. The large number of diasporaministries emerging illustrates awareness bygovernments that diaspora strategies need tobe institutionalised. Paradoxically, thisshould not be misconstrued as a strongimplementer model as most ministries aresupplemented by many subdivisions thatconcern themselves with a more facilitatingprogram. The importance of partnershipleans towards a facilitating role rather thanan implementing one as it creates betteropportunities for the transfer of many of thekey ingredients of a successful diasporastrategy. For example, a facilitating roleproduces more networked sources offunding, ideas and innovation for a diasporastrategy. The interconnectivity ofpartnership also offers the opportunity forthe development of mutual understanding,

trust and benefits among the individualelements of the diaspora strategy. Among itscentral benefits is the diversification of cost,which is arguably becoming one of the mostinfluential themes in deciding agovernment’s role in a diaspora strategy dueto the continuously challenging economicclimates that governments and diasporasnow work in. Of emerging importance hereis the partnership between the three relativecomponents of a diaspora strategy, the homecountry, host country and the diasporathemselves. It is of great importance that aworkable balance is struck between thesecomponents, and partnership offers the bestvehicle for this. The institutions involved inthe process reflect this.

Institutions abroadEmbassies and consulates remain among themost important institutions in terms ofdiaspora engagement.


‘India’s engagement with its diaspora is symbiotic, the strands of both sides ofthe relationship are equally important to create a resilient and robust bond. Toengage with the diaspora in a sustainable and mutually rewarding manneracross the economic, social and cultural space is at the heart of the policy ofthe Ministry. To create conditions, partnerships and institutions that will bestenable India to connect with its diaspora comprehensively is central to all ourprograms and activities. As a new India seeks to become a global player ofsignificance, the time has come for a strong and sustained engagementbetween India and overseas Indians. The time has also come for overseasIndians to benefit from the exciting opportunities that India provides.’

Government of India, Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, Annual Report2009–2010


This institutionalisation of the strategyis essential as it offers a strong point ofengagement, or contact, between centralelements of the strategy. Additionally, thistype of engagement conveys the plurality ofdiaspora needs and engagement whichoccur across a wide spectrum of social,political, and cultural realms.

Other innovative institutions servicethese demands. For example, diasporacouncils can ‘also be an excellent source offunding and technical know-how. Councilstypically advise the government on diaspora-related matters, with minimal cost to thegovernment.’66 The Institute for MexicansAbroad includes a Consultative Council(CCIME). This is an advisory and consul-tative board which provides a direct link fordiasporas with their homeland, therebyextending their stake in the relationship.Diaspora councils are particularly significant

since they bring resources to the table interms of ‘contacts, funding and ideas forimplementing programs.’67 They are also an

‘excellent source of feedback from, andrelevant information about, the diaspora –information that diaspora institutions canuse to justify requests for larger funding,among other things.’68 Other governmentshave created welfare funds and diasporafoundations to engage their diaspora.Examples of these welfare funds can befound in Bangladesh, the Philippines and SriLanka.69 All such institutions play key rolesin servicing the diaspora strategy.

An underlying foundation to all of theseinstitutions remains the importance of therelationship between the home and hostcountry. The institutions described here canplay an influential role in establishingcoherent relationships between these parties.They are a progressive vehicle and provide


‘Consulates are in a unique position to gauge diaspora needs and partner withother actors in the private and public realm. They can play a key role forcountries with well established diaspora policies, where consulates are givenspecial recognition and resources, as well as for those with frail policies, whereconsulates often appear to be the sole link to diaspora populations. More thanever, governments are instructing their consulates to interact with migrantsmore systematically. A review of embassy and consulate websites of 30 origincountries with active diaspora policies suggests an extensive consular presencein the top destinations of their respective diasporas. The services offered atconsulates varied, ranging from language instruction and the provision ofnotary services, to issuing identity cards and organising discounted tourpackages to the homeland – for business and leisure. Many consulates provideinformation on developments at home – particularly those relating to businessand other opportunities – as well as implementing programs on culture,education and economic development.65

An International Organization of Migration paper argues that:


beneficial common ground between homeand host country. For example, manydestination countries ‘support their owndiasporas abroad (such as Australia’sfellowship initiatives for its expatriates,funded by the National Health and MedicalResearch Council), whilst also incorporatingprograms supporting diaspora communitieswithin its borders. For example, in March2008, the United Kingdom’s developmentagency – the Department for InternationalDevelopment (DFID) – initiated a GBP3million (USD 4.7 million) program withVoluntary Service Overseas (VSO – a UK-based international development charity) tosupport and help people from diasporacommunities to work as volunteers in theircountries of origin (VSO, 2008).’70

It is important to remember that thediaspora may be constructed as a represen-tation of their home country in their hostcountry. This comes with significantopportunity and responsibility. Thetriangular relationship between home, host,and diaspora is enhanced by the relationshipbetween institutions abroad and at home. Inorder for these types of institutions to havethe greatest impact they depend on stronginstitutions at home. Institutions abroad canservice the demands of the diaspora but theyalso need to be serviced at home.

Institutions at homeWhile it may be argued that institutionsabroad service a diaspora strategy, it can beargued that institutions at home sustain it.The two are relative and interdependent, butwithout the formation of strong home insti-tutions the institutions abroad may struggleto survive. As noted by Kutnetsov, ‘Whileindividuals are crucial to initiate the process,

home country organizations are what sustainit. The quality of home country organizationsappears to be the single most importantdeterminant of diaspora initiatives.’71

Theoretically at least, this suggests thatone of the perceived benefits of a facilitatinggovernment role is that it produces a largerbase of home institutions that in turn worktowards sustaining the strategy. Forexample, GlobalScot relies on all thestrengths of Scottish Enterprise (its homeorganization – a highly capable localeconomic development organization) tosustain it. Interestingly, the governmentalrole in Scotland’s diaspora strategy iswidely accepted as a centralisedimplementer role. Evidently, the importanceof partnership is not lost in this framework.Furthermore, this example illustrates thatthe distinction between the local and globalis complex within diaspora strategies. Interms of a government’s role in a diasporastrategy, the local and global can andarguably should be partners in terms ofknowledge exchange, capacity and networkbuilding. This can not only be conducted byindividuals but also by associations andorganizations, organic or otherwise.

As we have seen, a facilitating rolereduces governmental involvement to aposition of partner. In addition to this, theimportance of institutionalising thepartnership is that the diaspora achieves oneof its fundamental aims in pursingengagement. The diaspora is engaged withthe home country and subsequently can beviewed as a stakeholder in the current andfuture development of the home country.The importance of home country institutionsto the sustainability of a diaspora strategyalso holds another basic lesson in terms of



diaspora strategies. The coordination ofcapital, programs and efforts is paramountin a successful diaspora strategy. Much likethe needs of the diaspora, a facilitating roleoffers the government a wider stake in thiscoordinating effort. Whilst the institutions athome may be established by government, theimportance of governmental support tothese institutions gives the government aparallel stake. Simply put, totality(implementer role) very rarely works interms of diaspora strategy but plurality(facilitator role) often does.

Concluding remarksThe above arguments must be contextualisedwithin a wider discussion on the evolvingnature of diasporas. These policy contentionswill not remain set in time and will change.Also, different governments will have toengage with diasporas that are at differingstages of development. Indeed, governmentsthemselves will be at differing stages ofdevelopment. This may well create certainroles for a government in a diaspora strategyand indeed design the strategy itself. What isimportant is that governments and diasporasare proactive and engage with the past bydrawing comparable lessons from the ideas,capacities and frameworks introduced byearlier diaspora strategies. Obviously, giventhe case-specific nature of diasporaengagement, it is undesirable to transfer fullmodels of engagement from one country tothe next. However, this does not underminethe fact that certain elements of methodologyand content of one country’s policy may holdlessons for another.

In relation to this, a government’s rolein a diaspora strategy needs to be calculable

and measurable. Creating, facilitating orimplementing ‘… diaspora programs ofteninvolves significant investment by states andother organizations with respect to staffingand infrastructure, program contentdevelopment and delivery, and on-goingevaluation and expansion. As a result,agencies running programs seek to measuretheir success with respect to investment.Measures of success can focus on bothtangible and intangible outcomes, and inthe case of business-related venturesinevitably concern an economic assessmentof the return on investment.’72

This, of course, is relative to agovernment’s capacity and to the expectedoutcomes of the strategy. Concurrently,governments and diasporas have to berealistic. It is clear that a facilitating role fora government in a diaspora strategy offersgreater opportunity in terms of engaging itsdiaspora. In even the most basic interpre-tation, it is a much more inclusive andtransparent paradigm than an implementerframework. It appears that it will remainthe preferred choice of governments as itenables them to adopt a ‘reductionist’approach, particularly in terms of cost,whilst multiplying their presence within thestrategy. The approach also acknowledgesthat ‘governments alone cannot drivediaspora engagement, which is, bydefinition, a partnership between thediaspora and some actor in the country oforigin or destination.’73 More importantly,it refrains from reverting to a traditionalinterpretation of diaspora as an untappedpool of resources, and advances moreprogressive frameworks of equality,stakeholding and partnership.



For the first time ever technology allowscountries to connect with their diasporas at amass level. The opportunity exists to create aglobal electronic portal to include vastnumbers of diaspora members and diaspora-related organizations. Such a portal wouldenable individuals and groups to connectwith the homeland and with each other.Ding describes how this new connectivityafforded by a digital diaspora is having amajor impact on national image building andeconomic development in China.74 However,it is important to note that technology doesnot substitute for face-to-face introductions –diaspora networking is a contact sport.

Web 2.0 technologies, such as blogs,wikis and social networking platforms, areplaying an increasingly important role inenabling the emergent digital diaspora incountries around the world.75 For example,in 2010, Tourism Ireland launched acampaign with a difference to connect withthe diaspora throughout Britain. UsingTwitter, the campaign – which is called ‘MyIrish 140’ – encourages people with Irishancestry, and those who feel a connectionwith Ireland, to explore that connection andtalk about it in their Twitter stream.Linkedin is home to a number of large onlinediaspora groups such as the: the Chinese-Speaking & China-Experienced Business

Executives, IIT Alumni Linkedin Group (over17,000 members), and the Brazilians AbroadNetwork Group.

Furthermore, a number of countries arenow creating online portals to connect withtheir diaspora communities. For example:the Overseas Singaporean Portal aims toengage Overseas Singaporeans, of whichthere are over 140,000, to connect themback to Singapore and with each other;76

OneVietnam Network is the first onlineglobal network for the worldwideVietnamese community;77 Global INK is asecure portal providing a framework ofmoderated online communities to harnessknowledge catering to different focus areasof the Indian diaspora;78 andRendezVous353 is an Irish focused socialnetworking website geared towards helpingusers find common interests and connect;79

Jamaica DiasporaConnect has beendeveloped to connect members of theJamaican diaspora with each other and withJamaica, and it is funded under theEuropean Commission-United Nations JointMigration and Development Initiative(JMDI);80 and Yabiladi (‘My Country’ inArabic) is one of the most popular internetportals established by a group of Moroccandiaspora members to foster connectionsamong the Moroccan community.81


Tap into technology



‘The age of globalisation and the onset of the internet have redefined allboundaries of time and distance – reshaping not just economies but fundamentalhuman relationships and the development of our society. Its forces are powerful,at times beyond our wildest imagination. We will do well to harness this to ouradvantage – to use this tool to bring us closer together, to stay together as onepeople, overcoming the constraints of physical distance.’

Mr Wong Kan Seng, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home AffairsSpeaking at the launch of the Overseas Singaporean Portal, 26 August 2006

Technology is also a fundamental way to connect with the ‘next/net generation’of diaspora members. Probably the defining and distinguishing characteristic ofthe ‘net generation’, i.e. these born between 1977 and 1997, more oftendescribed as generation Y, is the much more varied media diet they havecompared to their parents. The ‘netgeners’ don’t pensively watch one form ofmedia but actively engage using many – computers, cellphones, iPads,blackberries, televisions, etc. They use these media simultaneously and don’t justobserve but participate. For diaspora organizations to access this cohort, theyneed the technology and personnel and they need to engage in two-wayrelationships and realise that their information is going to be moved aroundthrough clicking, cutting, pasting and linking to other material. Social networkingsites allow people to ‘bounce’ information rapidly and extensively. As noted byGrossman, the Overseas Chinese Network (OCN) website (www.overseaschine-senetwork.com), for example, includes sections for blogs, discussion forums,listings of events and job opportunities. OCN also maintains a presence on suchsocial networking platforms as Facebook, LinkedIn, Xing and Plaxo.82

The ‘net’ generation of the diaspora



Imagine if ... the Irish came together from all the disparate corners of theworld, with their stories, their wisdom and inventions, their hopes and dreams,their music and songs. What would we do? What could be achieved? Ourstorytellers, from fireside to Facebook, a gathering. What might it look like?

Today around the world, it is evident that the power and potential ofthe internet and social networking to communicate on an unprecedentedscale is influencing and effecting change in ways which would have untilrecently been unimaginable.

In a recent speech, following on events in the Middle East, the USSecretary of State, Hillary Clinton says:

Online everyone has a voice ... We shape and are shaped by what happensthere ... Two billion people are now online, nearly a third of humankind.We hail from every corner of the world, live under every form ofgovernment, and subscribe to every system of beliefs. And increasingly,we are turning to the internet to conduct important aspects of our lives.

Hillary Clinton, US Secretary of State, 15th February 2011

It was at the Global Irish Economic Forum held at Farmleigh in 2009, thatJohn McColgan (Producer/Director, Riverdance) first proposed thedevelopment of a national website initiative, its mission to connect Ireland tothe world and the world to Ireland.

The opportunity now exists to connect the Irish diaspora in wayspreviously unimaginable. We are now creating a global economic portalwhich will impact on the economy and culture of Ireland reinforcing BrandIreland in countries where Ireland has an established presence andpenetrating new markets from China and Russia to Brazil, India, SouthAfrica and South America.

During the feasibility period scores of meetings were held with keyorganisations, agencies and individuals. These parties were invited to theGateway Ireland Seminar – Connecting the Dots, held at Dublin Castle inMay 2010. The support and enthusiasm clearly evident on that day, andsince has given confidence in the fact that the vision for Gateway Ireland isshared by the likes of the IDA, Tourism Ireland, RTÉ and by leaders in bothbusiness and arts communities.

Gateway Ireland



We are now in a new and exciting phase of the project, the purpose ofwhich is to listen to and actively engage with the diaspora.

Gateway Ireland’s first online application focuses on providing individualsin Ireland and around the world with a platform to express their affinity withIrishness. This approach goes beyond the traditional separation between thediaspora and people on the island of Ireland to acknowledge that Irishness canbe at home wherever it finds itself. The initiative also recognises the diversevalues and openness needed when leveraging national or cultural identity tomake connections that reach beyond existing, or traditional, constituencies.

The platform is quietly building as we speak. It is currently being stress-tested by the technology, stakeholder and Irish communities around the world.We will launch an online presence with a new brand and a specific applicationin May this year.

While we step up our engagement with the wider community, JohnMcColgan’s original vision remains the same. As we listen to what thecommunity is telling us, this will inform and define the direction we take inthe journey ahead. This is the exciting challenge for Gateway Ireland – it willalways be a work in progress built by an ever-expanding communityconnected by a common sense of Irishness.

In a world context, we believe that Gateway Ireland is a thought leaderat the forefront of a ‘win the future’ vision. The power and influence canonly be imagined ... we are imagining. (www.gateway-ireland.com)

‘The Internet is becoming the town square for the global village of tomorrow.’

Bill Gates



ezetop is an example of a company who are using mobile technology to facilitatecommunciation between diasporas and their homeland. It enables diasporas toinstantly send airtime minutes to cell phones of friends and family back home.With this airtime they support their family, send gifts to loved ones andcommunicate with their friends at home.

For example, a Haitian worker in New York can go to www.ezetop.com, orvisit a local store, and instantly transfer $10 to the cell phone of his wife backhome in Port au Prince. Since ezetop was established in 2007, diaspora have usedezetop’s service over 10 million times to transfer airtime to the cell phones oftheir loved ones back home. Families have instantly benefitted from this airtime,without having to travel to a bank to collect it.

Today ezetop partners with more than 150 emerging market mobile operatorsincluding Airtel, Claro, Digicel, Etisalat, MTN and Orange Group. In July 2010,Quentin Hardy of Forbes magazine described ezetop as having the potential totransform peoples’ lives through the use of its technology. In just over four yearsof operation, ezetop has transferred more than $150m of airtime and nowreaches more than 1.1 billion customers instantly.

The power of mobile technology – ezetop

‘There are 4 billion cell phones in use today. Many of them are in the hands ofmarket vendors, rickshaw drivers, and others who’ve historically lacked accessto education and opportunity. Information networks have become a greatleveler, and we should use them together to help lift people out of povertyand give them a freedom from want.’

US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton


Every diaspora organization needs acompass to steer it through the good and thebad times when building diaspora initiativesto engage with the diaspora. A combinationof core values and a mission statement is themost important compass your organizationcan have. For every decision, action andinteraction it will determine the right way torun your organization. Quite simply, unlessan organization has a clear idea of itsstrategy and direction, it will never reach its full potential.

Core values define and lead to the visionand, ultimately, the mission of an organi-zation. In the visioning process, the corevalues are defined first – then the vision. The organization’s values are supposed tocapture the overall culture of the organi-zation and should reflect the core values ofthe diaspora. Values are the shared beliefsthat lead to long-term investment. Peopleonly give to, ask for, join or source organi-zations whose values they share. Values arethe basis of issues and issues drivemembership. Shared values are the basis ofmember loyalty and retention.

Every diaspora organization needs tohave a vision – how and where would youlike to see your organization in one, five, tenyears’ time? Soon after the completion ofDisney World someone said, ‘Isn’t it too badthat Walt Disney didn’t live to see this!’ Mike Vance, Creative Director of DisneyStudios replied, ‘He did see it – that’s why it’shere.’ Indeed, the very essence of greatleadership is to have a vision. If the vision isthe dream, the mission statement is the gameplan. Essentially, your mission is the goal –the reason for being. Try answerin g thequestion, ‘Why was this organizationestablished?’ The answer will be your firstattempt at writing your mission statement orindeed remembering it. Now is a good timeto examine the mission of your diasporaorganization and see if it is still relevant tothe needs of the diaspora or if it needs to betweaked or fundamentally changed. Amission statement does not have to be acomplex in-depth piece. It should besomething that can easily be remembered bythe diaspora members. A great missionstatement is also an organization’s best public


Run an effective diasporaorganization

‘What comes first, the compass or the clock? Before one can truly ‘manage time’(the clock), it is important to know where you are going, what your priorities andgoals are, in which direction you are headed (the compass). Where you areheaded is more important than how fast you are going.’ Unknown

Set your organization’s compass


relations tool. Write it. Know it. Spread it. Toecho the sentiments of George Barna, ‘Visionhas no force, power, or impact unless itspreads from the visionary to the visionless.’

Examples of diaspora organization’smission statements include:

n Diaspora African Women’s Network: ‘Themission of the Diaspora African Women’sNetwork is to develop and supporttalented women and girls of the Africandiaspora focused on African affairs.’

n The Ireland Funds: ‘The mission of TheIreland Funds is to be the largestworldwide network of people of Irishancestry and friends of Ireland dedicated

to raising funds to support programs ofpeace and reconciliation, arts and culture,education and community developmentthroughout the island of Ireland.’

n The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE): ‘Themission of TiE is to promote entrepre-neurship through mentoring, networkingand education. The vision of TiE is to berecognized as the global organizationfostering entrepreneurship.’

n ChileGlobal: ‘Our mission is to supportthe development of innovation, highlyqualified human capital, and businesscreation at home. Network membersoffer their time, experience, contacts,knowledge and skills for this purpose.’


A strategic plan provides vision for yourdiaspora organization. Embarking on astrategic planning process takes time andcommitment. Pursued wisely, it is also aneffective tool for engaging the diaspora andgives them a comprehensive understandingof the workings, constraints and opportu-nities of the organization. Strategic planningis also a useful tool for changing the way offunctioning from reactive to active. Thestrategic plan should be custom-designed tothe specific needs and strengths of the

organization’s structure, current situationand diaspora. The bedrock of any successfulstrategic plan is a warts-and-all consid-eration of capabilities and strengths,weaknesses and limitations and it shouldarticulate specific goals and describe theactions and resources needed to accomplishthem. It does not need to be a long andcomplex document. ‘The best business plansare straightforward documents that spellout the “who, what, where, why, and howmuch”.’ (Paula Nelson)

‘Strategic planning is worthless unless there is first a strategic vision.’

John Naisbitt

Implement a workable strategic plan


All diaspora organizations need BHAGsbecause diaspora members are motivated bylofty goals. BHAGs can be qualitative orquantitative. They are easy to understand

and people get them right away. BHAGsrefer to the future and how you translateyour mission into a great tomorrow.Architect Daniel Burnham summed it up:


‘The tragedy of life does not lie in not reaching your goal. It is in having nogoal to reach. It is not a calamity to die with dreams unfulfilled but it is acalamity not to dream.’ Benjamin Mayes

Build big hairy audacious goals (BHAGs)!

‘Make no little plans. They have no magic to stir men’s blood and probablythemselves will not be realised. Make big plans; aim high in hope and work,remembering that a noble, logical diagram once recorded, will never die, but longafter we are gone will be a living thing, asserting itself with ever-growing insistency.Remember that our sons and grandsons are going to do things that would staggerus. Let your watchword be order and your beacon beauty. Think big.

For too long it was thought that the only wayto increase influence was to increase talking.However, the loyalty and engagement shownby people who feel heard and understood isso much greater than that exhibited by people

who feel bombarded with messages. Thereality is that listening is a most effective andpersuasive strategy in diaspora engagement.Nothing builds trust, loyalty, commitment,enthusiasm and action like feeling heard.

Listen to your diaspora

Develop the ‘elevator speech’

In a fast-moving world drowned in messages,your organization needs to have the ‘ElevatorSpeech’ that everybody associated with you,including your staff and board, can deliver.What this means is that you need to be ableto answer the following questions before theelevator gets to the tenth floor:

n Why does your organization exist?n What does it do?n How does it do it?n Where is it going?n Why is it deserving of support?


Many diaspora organizations are run as non-profit organizations or have a philanthropicarm to their work. Therefore, it is importantto recognize that as the world moves into anew era of philanthropy, which is marked bya change of vocabulary, new ways of givingand new types of donors will evolve. It is allabout dealing with change. The strategiesthat brought diaspora organizations to wherethey are today will not necessarily get themto where they want to go tomorrow. Successin the past is no guarantee of success in thefuture. To quote Charles Darwin, ‘It is notthe strongest of the species that survives, northe most intelligent that survives. It is the onethat is the most adaptable to change.’

The task now is to position our diasporaorganizations to prosper in this era of the‘new normal’, where the old relationshipsbetween government, business and non-profits have changed. It is a time of greatchallenge but also great opportunity. There will be winners and losers.

It is critical that everyone involved infundraising understands the following:

1 Money is not given – it has to be raised.2 It does not come in – it has to be

gone after.3 It is not offered – it has to be asked for.4 Money is the oxygen of your

organization.5 Money is not raised at your desks.6 Asking is your greatest fundraising tool.7 Money is attracted by strength,

not weakness.8 People like to support winners.9 People need to be inspired by a vision.

10 If you’re not asking your donors formoney, somebody else is!

11 You are not entitled to support, but onlyentitled to earn it.

12 It’s not only about generating money;it’s about generating friends too. Peoplewho don’t like you won’t give to you.

13 It’s about selling not begging. So, beready, willing and able to ‘sell’ yourorganization and its mission and vision.

14 You don’t decide today to raise moneyand then ask for it tomorrow; it takestime, patience and planning to raisemoney. It’s a marathon, not a sprint.

15 Recessionary times don’t affect all non-profits equally.


Learn the fundraising facts of life fornon-profit diaspora organizations


One of the main challenges currently facingthe non-profit sector is to encourage givers tobe more strategic, more focused andintentional rather than simply responding toad hoc requests. To do that a number ofthings need to happen:

1 The philanthropic infrastructure has todevelop and that includes consultants,brokers, media, advisory sources, etc.

2 The government needs to createconditions conducive to giving, use tax asan incentive, and reform outdated trustlegislation that affects wealth transfer.

3 The media needs to spread the message,and we need ‘poster children’ to comeforward to encourage others.

4 There is a need to build capacity in thesector through training and connectingpeople and organizations withexcellence overseas, and we need toteach people to listen and to ask.

5 Diaspora organizations should make iteasy for talented volunteers to get more

involved and to attract experiencedpeople who are retiring from thecorporate world.

6 There is a need to increase the numberof fundraisers and attract talentedpeople to the sector who see it as along-term career.

7 Diaspora organizations should attractdonors who will make ‘transforma-tional’ gifts that can be invested indeveloping the sector and bringing itto the next level.

8 Diaspora organizations need toencourage and promote the growth oftax-efficient donation vehicles.

9 Diaspora organizations should highlightthe powerful role philanthropy hasplayed and continues to play around theworld and the joy it brings to people’slives as donors and recipients.

10 Diaspora organizations shouldencourage a ‘give while you live’attitude and show that ‘the more yougive the more you get.’


It is important for diaspora non-profitorganizations to remember that mostphilanthropic investors are looking for:

n a compelling mission that engages themin issues

n a clear vision that brings about changen a solid track recordn a high return on their investmentn professional staff with energy, empathy

and enthusiasmn potential for leverage/matching fundingn timely and open response to enquiries

n access to different people in yourorganization

n regular information and feedbackn the chance to be part of decision makingn thanks and recognitionn an opportunity to have fun in a

collegial environment with people theylike and who share their values

n emotional involvementn a way to give back and do something

significantn the chance to ensure that others have

what they did or didn’t have

Remember what donors are looking for


1 Szondi, G. ‘Public Diplomacy and Nation Branding: Conceptual Similarities and Differences’ inDiscussion Papers in Diplomacy (Copenhagen: Netherlands Institute of International Relations,2008) at 5.

2 Hildreth, J. The Saffron European City Barometer. Revealing which cities get the brands they deserve

(Saffron Consultants, 2010) at 5. Available at: www.saffron-consultants.com. For more on nationbranding see: Dinnie, K. Nation Branding: Concepts, Issues, Practice (Butterworth-Heinemann,2007); and Anholt, S., Places: Identity, Image and Reputation (Palgrave Macmillan, 2009).

3 Geberemedhin, B. (2010) Nation branding towards overall development (The Ethiopian Reporter,May 2010). Available at: www.ethiopianreporter.com.

4 See Franzen, G., and Moriarty, S. The Science and Art of Branding (M.E. Sharpe, 2008). See also:Moilanen, T. and Rainisto, S. How to Brand Nations, Cities and Destinations – a Planning Book

for Place Branding (Cromwell Press Ltd, 2009).5 Cranston, S. (2010) Challenger Brand Strategy Could Be Best Way to Market Indonesia to World

Abroad. Online article available at: www.thejakartaglobe.com.6 Anholt, S. Brand New Justice: The Upside of Global Branding (Butterworth-Heinemann, 2003) at 145.7 Del Mundo, J. Branding the Philippines (in an Increasingly) Flat World (ECCP Business, December

2007). See also: Papadopoulos, N. and Heslop, L. (2002) ‘Country Equity and Country Branding:Problems and Prospects’ Journal of Brand Management 9(4/5): 294–314.

8 Aronczyk, M. (2008) ‘Living the Brand: Nationality, Globality and the Identity Strategies of NationBranding Consultants’ 2 International Journal of Communication 41–65.

9 Frost, R. ‘Mapping a Country’s Future’ (April 2004). Online article available at:http://www.brandchannel.com/features_effect.asp?pf_id=206.

10 Anholt-GfK Roper Nation Brands Index 2010. Available at: http://www.gfkamerica.com/practice_areas/roper_pam/placebranding/cbi/index.en.html

11 Akotia, M. (2010) Nation Branding and Nation Image. Online article available at:www.ghanaweb.com.

12 Teslik, L. Anholt: Countries Must Earn Better Images through Smart Policy (Council on ForeignRelations, November 2007). Interview with Simon Anholt available at: www.cfr.org. See also: Parekh,B., Singh, G. and Vertovec, S. Culture and Economy in the Indian Diaspora (Routledge, 2003).

13 Simonin, B. (2008) ‘Nation Branding and Public Diplomacy: Challenges and Diplomacy’ 32 The Fletcher Forum of World Affairs 3.

14 Akotia, M. (2009) Country Branding: Promoting Investment, Tourism and Exports through

Country Communication Management and Social Engineering. Available at: www.brandafrica.net.15 Anholt, S., (2005) Three interlinking concepts: Intellectual Property, Nation Branding and

Economic Development. Paper presented at WIPO International Seminar on Intellectual Propertyand Development, Geneva, May 2–3, 2005.

16 Leautier, F.A. (2006), Foreword Diaspora Networks and the International Migration of Skills: How

Countries Can Draw on Their Talent Abroad, edited by Kuznetsov, Y., ed. Diaspora Networks and

the International Migration of Skills: How Countries Can Draw on Their Talent Abroad (TheInternational Bank for Reconstruction and Development: World Bank Publications, 2006) at v.


Endnotes


17 Kuznetsov, Y. and Sabel, C., (2006) ‘Global Mobility of Talent from a Perspective of NewIndustrial Policy: Open Migration Chains and Diaspora Networks’ in Kuznetsov, Y ed.Diaspora Networks and the International Migration of Skills: How Countries Can Draw on

Their Talent Abroad (The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development: WorldBank Publications, 2006) at 3–19.

18 Devane, R. (2006) ‘The Dynamics of Diaspora Networks: Lessons of Experience’, pp 59–67, inKuznetsov, Y ed. Diaspora Networks and the International Migration of Skills: How Countries

Can Draw on Their Talent Abroad (The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development:World Bank Publications, 2006) at 59–67.

19 Torres, F. and Kuznetsov, Y. (2006), ‘Mexico: Leveraging Migrants’ Capital to DevelopHometown Communities’ in Kuznetsov, Y ed. Diaspora Networks and the International

Migration of Skills: How Countries Can Draw on Their Talent Abroad (The International Bankfor Reconstruction and Development: World Bank Publications, 2006) at 99–128.

20 Cranston, S. (2010) ‘Challenger Brand Strategy Could Be Best Way to Market Indonesia to

World Abroad’. Online article available at: www.thejakartaglobe.com.21 See www.ambassadornet.dk and www.copcap.com.22 Del Mundo, J. Branding the Philippines (in an Increasingly) Flat World (ECCP Business,

December 2007).23 Ibid. See also Bradley, F. and Kennelly, J.J. Capitalising on Culture, Competing on Difference

(Blackhall Publishing, 2008); and Gupta, S. and Omoniyi, T. The Cultures of Economic Migration

(Studies in Migration and Diaspora) (Ashgate, 2007)24 Anholt, S. Brand New Justice: The Upside of Global Branding (Butterworth-Heinemann, London,

2003) at 145 and Anholt, S. (2002) Foreword to The Journal of Brand Management, vol. 9, No. 4–5, April 2002. See also: Roth, M. S. (1995) ‘The Effects of Culture and Socioeconomics onthe Performance of Global Brand Image Strategies’ Journal of Marketing Research, 32(5): 163–75.

25 See www.alliancefr.org.26 See www.chinese.cn.27 The Global Role Model – GlobalScot’s Interview with Yevgeny Kuznetsov (August 2007).

Available at: www.worldbank.org28 Easley, D. and Kleinberg, J. Networks, Crowds, and Markets: Reasoning about a Highly

Connected World (Cambridge Press, 2010).29 Granovetter, M. (1973) ‘The Strength of Weak Ties’ American Journal of Sociology 78 (6): 1360–80.30 Brown, M. (2002) ‘Intellectual Diaspora Networks: their Viability as a Response to Highly Skilled

Emigration’ 22 Autrepart 167–178.31 Serrat, O. (February 2009) ‘Social Network Analysis’ Asian Development Bank Knowledge

Solutions. Available at: www.adb.org.32 Brown, M. (2002) ‘Intellectual Diaspora Networks: their Viability as a Response to Highly Skilled

Emigration’ 22 Autrepart 167–178.33 Ibid.34 Ibid.



35 ‘Tribes Still Matter: How global leaders tap into diaspora networks’ (The Economist, January2011). Available at: www.economist.com.

36 Ibid.37 Kuznetsov, Y ed. Diaspora Networks and the International Migration of Skills: How Countries

Can Draw on Their Talent Abroad (The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development:World Bank Publications, 2006) at 9.

38 Ibid. at viii.39 Tribes Still Matter: How global leaders tap into diaspora networks’ (The Economist, January 2011).

Available at: www.economist.com. See also: Meyer, J-B. and Qattiaux, J-P. (2006) ‘DiasporaKnowledge Networks: Vanishing Doubts and Increasing Evidence’ International Journal on

Multicultural Societies, Vol. 8 No. 1.40 Ancien, D., Boyle, M. and Kitchin, R. (2009) The Scottish Diaspora and Diaspora Strategy:

Insights and Lessons from Ireland (Scottish Government, May 2009):http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/05/28141101/0

41 The Global Role Model – GlobalScot’s Interview with Yevgeny Kuznetsov (August 2007).Available at: www.worldbank.org

42 Kuznetsov, Y ed. Diaspora Networks and the International Migration of Skills: How Countries


43 See www.nlborrels.com.44 See www.moskvaimir.mos.ru.45 See www.aso.ch.46 See www.nidoamericas.org.47 Mashayekhi, M. Maximizing the Development Impact of Remittances (Paper presented at the

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development Single Year Expert Meeting on Maximizingthe Development Impact of Remittances, Geneva, 14–15 February 2011). Available at:http://www.unctad.org/sections/wcmu/docs/ciem4_S1_Mashayekhi_en.pdf.

48 De Tona, C., (May 2006) Narrative Networks: Italian Women in Dublin (IIIS Discussion PaperNo. 152, The Institute for International Integration Studies, Department of Sociology, TrinityCollege, Dublin.)

49 Kelly, M. (November 2008) Ireland as an International Centre of Education. Paper presented at theMarketing English in Ireland Conference, Malahide, Dublin.

50 Lewin, T., ‘Lawsuit Takes Aim at College’s Billing Practices for Study Abroad’ New York Times 9March 2008. See also the Institute for International Education www.iie.org.

51 ‘A wealth of opportunity’ In Focus (British Council, March 2006). Available at: http://www.britishcouncil.org/eumd-in-focus-issue-3-news.htm.

52 ‘IIT Graduates Control Nearly 1 Trillian Dollars Worldwide; Created 20 Million New Jobs.’Online article available at: http://angsuman.taragana.net/archive/iit-graduates-control-nearly-1-trillian-dollars-worldwide-created-20-million-new-jobs/. See also: Pandey, A., Aggarwal, A., Devane,R. and Kuznetsov, Y. India’s Transformation to Knowledge-Based Economy – Evolving Role of the

Indian Diaspora (Evalueserve, July 2004).



53 Ibid.54 Ancien, D., Boyle, M. and Kitchin, R. (2009) Exploring Diaspora Strategies: An International

Comparison (NUI Maynooth, June 2009)55 Brown, M. (2002) ‘Intellectual Diaspora Networks: their Viability as a Response to Highly

Skilled Emigration’ 22 Autrepart 167–178. See also Kuznetsov, Y ed. Diaspora Networks and the

International Migration of Skills: How Countries Can Draw on Their Talent Abroad

(The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development: World Bank Publications, 2006).56 Ancien, D., Boyle, M. and Kitchin, R. (2009) The Scottish Diaspora and Diaspora Strategy:


57 Kuznetsov, Y ed. Diaspora Networks and the International Migration of Skills: How Countries


58 Ibid. at 227.59 Kuznetsov, Y. and Sabel, C., (2006) ‘Global Mobility of Talent from a Perspective of New

Industrial Policy: Open Migration Chains and Diaspora Networks’ in Kuznetsov, Y ed.Diaspora Networks and the International Migration of Skills: How Countries Can Draw on

Their Talent Abroad (The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development: WorldBank Publications, 2006) at 18.

60 Quote taken from Ancien, A., Boyle, M. and Kitchin, R. (2010). Exploring Diaspora Strategies:

Lessons for Ireland, (NUI Maynooth, 2010.) Available at http://www.nuim.ie/nirsa/diaspora/PDFs/Exploring%20Diaspora%20Strategies%20Lessons%20for%20Ireland.pdf.

61 Aikins, K., Sands, A., and White, N. A Comparative Review of International Diaspora Strategies:

The Global Irish Making A Difference Together (The Ireland Funds, Dublin, 2009) at 67. See also: De Haas, H. (2006) ‘Engaging diasporas: How governments and development agenciescan support diaspora involvement in the development of origin countries’(International MigrationInstitute, June 2006)

62 Ibid.63 Ancien, D., Boyle, M. and Kitchin, R. (2009) The Scottish Diaspora and Diaspora Strategy:

Insights and Lessons from Ireland (Scottish Government, May 2009) at 14.64 Kuznetsov, Y ed. Diaspora Networks and the International Migration of Skills: How Countries

Can Draw on Their Talent Abroad (The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development:World Bank Publications, 2006). See also: Riddle, L., Brinkerhoff, J.M. and Nielsen, T.M. (2008)

‘Partnering to beckon them home: public-sector innovation for diaspora foreign investmentpromotion’ Public Administration and Development Vol. 28 Issue 1.

65 Agunias, D. The Future of Diaspora Policy (International Organization for Migration, BackgroundPaper WMR 2010) at 10–11. See also Agunias, D. Closing the Distance: How Governments

Strengthen Ties with Their Diasporas (Migration Policy Institute, 2009).66 Ibid.67 Ibid.68 Ibid.



69 For a more detailed discussion on engagement see Agunias, D. The Future of Diaspora Policy

(International Organization for Migration, Background Paper WMR 2010).70 Ibid. at 14.71 Kuznetsov, Y ed. Diaspora Networks and the International Migration of Skills: How Countries


72 Ancien, D., Boyle, M. and Kitchin, R. Exploring Diaspora Strategies: An International Comparison

(Workshop report presented at NUI Maynooth, June 2009) at 13.73 Agunias, D. The Future of Diaspora Policy (International Organization for Migration, Background

Paper WMR 2010) at 15.74 Ding, S. (2007) ‘Digital diaspora and national image building: A new perspective on Chinese

diaspora study in the age of China’s rise’ Pacific Affairs, 80(4). 627–649. See also: Brinkerhoff, J.Digital Diasporas: Identity and Transnational Engagement (Cambridge University Press, 2009)

75 Grossman, M. (2010) Diaspora Knowledge Flows in the Global Economy. (Paper presented at E-Leader Conference, Budapest, 2010).

76 See: www.overseassingaporean.sg.77 See: http://onevietnam.org/.78 See: https://globalink.in/.79 See: http://social.ireland.com/80 See: http://jamaicadiasporaconnect.com/.81 See: www.yabiladi.com.82 Grossman, M. (2010) Diaspora Knowledge Flows in the Global Economy. (Paper presented at

E-Leader Conference, Budapest, 2010).



Section 3

DiasporaStrategies forEngagement

Diasp

ora

Strategies fo

rEng

agem

ent

3


Contents

Introduction 81

Realign remittances 83

Issue diaspora bonds 88

Promote diaspora philanthropy 92

Encourage FDI and DDI 99

Attract venture capital and support for indigenous industry 104

Export and import education 111

Organize visits to the homeland 117

Diasporas role in peace initiatives 124

Culture – the catalyst to connecting 131

Endnotes 139


The diaspora can be seen as a global tribeunited by history, culture and sharedexperiences and networked throughtechnology and they are a vital channelthrough which they can bring ‘the world tothe homeland’ and ‘the homeland to theworld.’ In a highly competitive world thispotential network offers many advantagesfor their home countries of which some haveyet to take full advantage. While manycountries have begun to court their diasporasactively, the priorities and policies ofcountries vary widely.

This next section of the Toolkit details avariety of policies and initiatives that havebeen undertaken by various countries. Thesereviews are not intended to be exhaustive,nor is it assumed that each category ofinitiative may be applicable to every country.Indeed, it is important to note that whatworks for one country may not necessarilywork for another. Each country has its ownset of unique characteristics and strengths, itsown diverse culture, and most importantly,its own distinct diaspora community orindeed communities. However, the strategies

Section 3 · Diaspora Strategies for Engagement 81

DiasporaStrategies forEngagement

Section 3

Introduction


set out below provide countries with anoverview of the multiple options for engagingthe diaspora – financially, culturally andsocially. At present many countries approachto its diaspora takes the form of what mightbe referred to as a developmental state,lightly incubating initiatives which haveemerged organically from an already existingdiasporic community. An interesting topicfor evaluation is how the initiatives presentedhere might be used to develop a more sophis-ticated, co-ordinated and targeted strategyfor engagement of the diaspora and thedevelopment of mutually beneficialrelationships and partnerships.

A critical element for the future success ofany diaspora policy will be prioritization.Initiatives must also be targeted, with specificobjectives, measurable outcomes and fullaccountability. Implementing a successfulnational strategy for engaging the diasporatakes time, preparation, patience and properexecution. While many countries haveattempted to introduce diaspora strategies,not all have succeeded. There are a multitudeof reasons that can lead to the failure ofdiaspora strategies and it is important to beaware of these and learn from the mistakes ofothers to ensure that they are not repeated infuture diaspora policies. First, as previouslynoted, diaspora initiatives are relatively

simple to initiate but difficult to maintainunless tangible results materialize. Theretends to be no shortage of interest andconferences on diaspora issues, but withoutspecific ‘takeaways’, or projects, the initialenthusiasm dissipates and runs out of steam.Furthermore, the key stakeholders mus tcollaborate in the diaspora strategy and themost obvious stakeholder, but the one whichis not always engaged in the designing ofpolicy, is the diaspora itself. It can beassumed that diaspora members would agreewith the following: ‘The greatest complimentthat was ever paid me was when one askedme what I thought, and attended to myanswer’ Henry David Thoreau. Returning tothe 4 step networking proce ss – diasporamembers need to be researched and cultivatedbefore they can be solicited and stewarded.

There is also a tendency to announceinitiatives with great fanfare but withoutcarefully mapping out their implementation.Countries must strategically and systemat-ically engage the diaspora and, to that end,design a policy that harmonizes current andfuture initiatives. 1 However, as previouslynoted, what will distinguish success fromfailure in any diaspora strategy will ultimatelybe one thing – excellence in execution. Toquote Booker T. Washington ‘Excellence is todo a common thing in an uncommon way.’


‘I have always been conscious of the need for India to be sensitive to the hopes,aspirations and concerns of its vast Diaspora. We invite you, not only to shareour visions of India in the new millennium, but also to help us shape itscontours. We do not want only your investment. We also want your ideas. Wedo not want your riches – we want the richness of your experience. We cangain from the breadth of vision that your global exposure has given you.’

Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Former Prime Minister of India


As noted by Grieco, Cortes et al. there is nosingle, standard definition of remittances,and authors and organizations have used theterm to discuss a variety of resources.2

However, remittances can be defined broadlyas the monetary transfers that a migrantsends to his/her country of origin or, in otherwords, financial flows associated withmigration. Most remittances are personalcash transfers from a migrant worker orimmigrant to a relative in the homeland. Itcan be funds invested, deposited, or donatedby the migrant to the country of origin.3

Remittances are not a new phenomenonin the world, being a normal concomitantto migration which has ever been a part ofhuman history. Several European countries,

for example Spain, Italy and Ireland, wereheavily dependent on remittances receivedfrom their emigrants during the 19th and20th centuries.4 Long-distance moneytransfer services, such as the informal,Islamic Hawala network of money brokers common in India, can be tracedback to the eighth century, and thesuccessors of this system, despite nowchanneling billions of dollars per year fromindustrialized countries into developingnations, and employing large banks andmoney transfer operators such as WesternUnion or MoneyGram as intermediaries,are still principally cash-to-cash transfersthat do not pass through the formalfinancial sector.5


‘One must be poor to know the luxury of giving.’ George Eliot

Realign remittances

‘It is estimated that one person out of every ten in the world is personallyaffected by the hundreds of billions of euro in remittances that are sent everyyear by migrants to families back home. These flows of human and financialcapital have profound implications for the economies and societies of thesending and the receiving countries.’

Moira McCarthy, A Study of Migrant Remittances from Ireland,Translocations: Migration and Social Change 2009


The impact of migrant remittancescannot be underestimated as they contributeto foreign exchange, going a long way tohelp countries acquire vital imports or payoff external debts. Remittances also play animportant role in reducing poverty.6 A studyconducted by Gyimah-Brempong and Asiedufound that the effect of internationalremittances in reducing poverty is far higherthan the effect of domestic remittances inreducing poverty. It also found thatremittance increases the number of childrenin a family that attend school, suggestingthat international remittances increasehuman capital formation and decreasepoverty in the long run.7

Promoting remittance flows is usuallyone of the first diaspora strategies employedby countries looking to financially engagetheir diaspora and to increase capital flowsback into the home country. Remittances canbe seen as the necessary embryonic step incultivating revenues for homelands and canprove important for improving the credit-worthiness of a nation. However, ascountries develop further capital flowstrategies, reliance on remittances invariably decreases.

At the sending end, migrants need to beable to transfer funds through a fast,efficient, competitive and secure financialsystem. At the other end, recipients need


n In 2010, worldwide remittance flows are estimated to have exceeded $440 billion.From that amount, developing countries received $325 billion, which representsan increase of 6% from the 2009 level.

n Recorded remittances in 2009 were nearly three times the amount of officialaid and almost as large as foreign direct investment (FDI) flows todeveloping countries.

n High-income countries are the main source of remittances. The United States isby far the largest. Saudi Arabia ranks as the second largest, followed bySwitzerland and Russia.

n Remittance flows to developing countries proved to be resilient during the recentglobal financial crisis—they fell only 5.5% in 2009 and registered a quickrecovery in 2010. By contrast, there was a decline of 40% in FDI flows and a46% decline in private debt and portfolio equity flows in 2009.

n Top 10 remittance recipients in 2010 (billions): India ($55), China ($51), Mexico($22.6), Philippines ($21.3), Bangladesh ($11.1), Nigeria ($10), Pakistan ($9.4),Lebanon ($8.2 ), the Arab Republic of Egypt ($7.7), Vietnam ($7.2)

Source: ‘Migration and Remittances Factbook 2011’ published by the World Bank.

Facts and figures


access to deposit accounts, so they can save,build credit histories and invest in theirfuture.8 The problem associated with thecost of sending remittances has long beenhighlighted. For example, the Trade UnionCongress of the Philippines (TUCP), a laborgroup, cited a World Bank study in 2009which found that Filipinos pay charges ofbetween $6.93 and $19.05 to remit just$200. To overcome this problem the ‘5 x 5’Goal was set at the L’Aquila G8 summit inJuly 2009 to halve the cost of remittancesover the next 5 years. The World Bankpredicts that reducing the cost of remittancetransfers by 5 percentage points would saveremittance senders an average of $3.5billion annually.9

However, it has been suggested thatwhile remittances are an important lifelinein many developing countries, they can alsofoster a dependency on outside flows ofcapital instead of prompting developingcountries to create sustainable, localeconomies. The more a country depends oninflows of funds from remittances, the morethat it will be dependent on the globaleconomy staying healthy.10 For that reasonthere has been a move to realign

remittances so as to maximize thedevelopment impact of remittance flows asthey have the capacity to be a transforma-tional asset for the receiving country.

The International Fund for AgriculturalDevelopment (IFAD) is home to theFinancing Facility for Remittances. It aims toreduce costs and increase options for poorrural households by creating partnershipsbetween rural finance institutions andremittance operators. It is funded by theEuropean Commission; Inter-AmericanDevelopment Bank; Consultative Group toAssist the Poor; Government of Luxembourg;Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation,Spain; and United Nations CapitalDevelopment Fund. The Facility increaseseconomic opportunities for poor rural peopleby supporting and developing innovative,cost-effective and easily accessible remittanceservices. It awards grants of up to $250,000per project. The projects selected are focusedon three major activities: promoting access toremittances in rural areas; linkingremittances to rural financial services andproducts; and developing rural investmentopportunities for migrants and communitybased organizations.11


‘Governments must develop their legal and regulatory frameworks, asremittance service providers move beyond simple cash-out systems and designand deploy innovative and functional financial products and services linked toremittances that facilitate savings, loans, mortgages and insurance.’

Michael Fuchs, Advisor to the World Bank’s Africa Region on Finance andPrivate Sector Development


According to Johnson and Sedaca manyexperts feel that increasing the involvementof credit unions and microfinance institutions(MFIs) in the remittance transfer process is apromising means to expand financial accessto the poor, particularly in rural areas withno access to the larger commercial banks.12

Microcredit and microfinance arerelatively new terms in the field of

development, first coming to prominence inthe 1970s and they are recognized aseffective tools to alleviate poverty. ‘Broadlyspeaking, microfinance for loans (i.e.,microcredit) is the provision of smallscalefinancial services to people who lack accessto traditional banking services. The termmicrofinance usually implies very small loansto low-income clients for self employment,


Led by the US Department of State’s Bureau of Economic, Energy and BusinessAffairs, the US has committed through the BRIDGE Initiative to work with ElSalvador and Honduras to develop and support partnerships with strong andreliable in-country financial institutions to maximize the development impact ofremittance flows from the US and to help establish strong foundations forsustainable, inclusive, and transformational economic growth. Under the BRIDGEInitiative, strong in-country financial institutions in Honduras and El Salvador willbe able to partner with the US and multilateral partners to help explore options touse their remittance flows safely and soundly as an asset to raise lower-cost andlonger-term financing for infrastructure, public works, and commercialdevelopment initiatives that are currently lacking in these countries. USAID-supported market assessments confirmed the feasibility of BRIDGE’s goals inHonduras and El Salvador. Based on previous successful efforts in Latin America,Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, BRIDGE will not impact the basic transferof remittances. The millions of households in El Salvador and Honduras thatdepend on remittances as income and for basic daily living expenses will not seetheir regular payments disrupted by this effort.

BRIDGE initiative

‘Give a man a fish, he’ll eat for a day. Give a woman microcredit, she, her husband,her children and her extended family will eat for a lifetime.’ Bono

Moving from remittances to microfinance


often with the simultaneous collection ofsmall amounts of savings.’13 Microfinance isalso the idea that low-income individuals arecapable of lifting themselves out of poverty if given access to financial services. Whilesome studies indicate that microfinance canplay a role in the battle against poverty, it isalso recognized that is not always theappropriate method, and that it should neverbe seen as the only tool for ending poverty.14

There are said to be at least nine traditionalfeatures of microfinance:

1 Small transactions and minimumbalances (whether loans, savings,or insurance)

2 Loans for entrepreneurial activity3 Collateral-free loans4 Group lending5 Target poor clients6 Target female clients7 Simple application processes8 Provision of services in underserved

communities9 Market-level interest rates.15

It is reported that microfinance institutionsare increasingly looking to diasporas as asource of funding for small enterprises.16

To that end, the World Diaspora Fund(WDF) was launched in 2010 and it is aninitiative of the Working Group of theInternational Migrants RemittancesObservatory for Least Developed Countriesin partnership with several public and

private organizations. The WDF is intendedto offer migrants a secure investmentvehicle (microcredit organizations) that willcontribute to the development of theircountries of origin. The WDF will investthrough loans, guarantees, or even takingstakes in microfinance institutions in theSouth. The Fund will also participate infinancing infrastructure identified by themigrants.17 The Fund will invest throughguarantees, loans and equity inmicrofinance institutions that are regulatedand sustainable. It will also participate tothe co-financing of infrastructures proposedby the migrants.

Furthermore, organizations such asKiva.org provide a channel through whichdiaspora members can provide microfinanceto the homeland. Kiva is a non-profitorganization with a mission to connectpeople through lending to alleviate poverty.Leveraging the internet and a worldwidenetwork of microfinance institutions, Kivalets individuals lend as little as $25 to helpcreate opportunity around the world. Kivaworks with microfinance institutions on fivecontinents to provide loans to peoplewithout access to traditional bankingsystems. One hundred percent of the loan issent to these microfinance institutions,which Kiva call Field Partners, whoadminister the loans in the field. Since Kivawas founded in 2005 it has made $203million in loans through 568,876 Kivalenders with a 98.65% repayment rate.



Although remittances are the best knownflow of monies from the diaspora to itshomeland, there are other instruments thatcan capture some of these monies as well.Foreign currency accounts and bonds aredesigned to specifically attract the migrants’monies. A diaspora bond is a debtinstrument issued by a country – orpotentially, a sub-sovereign entity or aprivate corporation – to raise financing fromits overseas diaspora.19

Foreign currency bonds have beenaround for at least as long as remittancebonds but once again are targeted to migrantworkers abroad. As explained by Lowell, thebonds are denominated in a foreign currencyand bearer certificates are issued, permittingthe holder to redeem them for cash

anonymously. High interest rates andpremium exchange rates are given.20 Theseschemes are thought to attract remittancesinto formal banking, although they may bemost attractive to professional and higher-income migrants.21 As noted by Ketkar andDilip ‘Diaspora bonds are often sold at apremium to the diaspora members, thusfetching a ‘patriotic discount’ in borrowingcosts. Besides patriotism or the desire to dogood in the investor’s country of origin, sucha discount can also be explained by the factthat diaspora investors may be more willingand able to take on sovereign risks of defaultin hard currency as well as devaluation asthey may have local currency liabilities andthey may be able to influence the borrower’sdecision to service such debt.’22


‘If you look at Kiva.org, people with a very modest amount of money can makea huge positive impact all around the world. There are so many people whowant to give but don’t really know how to do it. Through Kiva.org, peoplearound the world can become micro-bankers to developing worldentrepreneurs, who have their own ideas, so we can give them a chance toraise their kids with dignity, send their kids to school, and in troubled placeslike Afghanistan we can marginally increase the chance that peace can prevail,because people will see there is a positive alternative to conflict.’

Bill Clinton, 42nd President of the United States

‘The rationale behind diaspora bonds is twofold. For the countries, diasporabonds represent a stable and cheap source of external finance, especially intimes of financial stress. For investors, diaspora bonds offer the opportunity todisplay patriotism by helping their country of origin.’ Ketkar and Dilip18

Issue diaspora bonds


Bonds – why does the diaspora invest?Nielsen and Riddle examined why membersof the diaspora invest in their homelands.They observed that emotion, sense of duty,social networks, strength of diasporaorganisations and returns are importantfactors.23 Furthermore, it is suggested that

‘beyond the psychological benefits of ‘doinggood’ holders of diaspora bonds maybelieve that holding such bonds allowsthem some degree of policy influence backhome.’24 In many respects a diaspora bondinvolves an appeal for a sense of patriotism.Diaspora savings can be channeled toprojects that have multiplier effects in thehome country, rather than being transferredin the form of transfers that have little orno multiplier effects.

What countries have done this well?Increasingly countries are exploring theoption of issuing diaspora bonds to bridgefinancing gaps. Such countries includeJamaica, Grenada, Nepal, Zimbabwe, thePhilippines and Greece. In 2007 theGovernment of Ghana issued a $50 million‘Golden Jubilee’ savings bond targeted atGhanaians both in Ghana and in the

diaspora.25 The Government of Sri Lankahas also sold Sri Lanka Development Bondssince 2001 to several investor categoriesincluding non-resident Sri Lankans.26 It isinteresting to note that it has been suggestedthat sub-Saharan African countries couldraise $5–$10 billion by issuing diasporabonds and $17 billion by securitizing futureremittances and other future receivables.27

Some of the first diaspora bonds were theState of Israel Bonds issued in 1951. As canbe seen in Figure 1, Israel has had a verypositive track record, consistently raisingover $1 billion each year.28 Ketkar and Dilipreport that Israel views this financial vehicleas a stable source of overseas borrowing aswell as an important mechanism formaintaining ties with diaspora Jewry.Nurturing of such ties is considered crucialas reflected in the fact that the DevelopmentCorporation of Israel offerings of diasporabonds are quite extensive with multiplematurities and minimum subscriptionamounts that range from a low of $100 to ahigh of $100,000.29 Over $26 billion inproceeds from such issuance has been used intransportation, energy, telecommunications,water resources, and other essentialinfrastructure projects.30


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Figure 1: Taken from ‘Funds raised through Israeli Bonds platform’ (Israeli Ministry of Finance, 2009).


The Indian government has consistentlypursued diasporic capital. Between 1991and 2000 it issued 3 separate savingsschemes aimed at the diaspora. In 1992 thegovernment issued ‘India DevelopmentBonds’ and in 1998 and 2000 it launched‘Resurgent India Bonds’ and ‘IndiaMillennium Development Bonds’.31 Eachoffering was targeted towards infrastructurefinancing in India. The basic assumption indefining these efforts is that despiteincreasing globalisation people still like to‘think local’. Studies of investment by

nonresident Indians indicate that ‘emotionalties with India’ ranks as the single highestmotivating factor spurring these diasporiccapital flows.32 Israel and India have raisedover $40 billion through issuing diasporabonds. There is scope for other countrieswith large diasporas to issue diasporabonds to raise finance for development.Israeli bonds have a minimum investmentof $25k with 2, 5, 7 and 10 year maturities,and are targeted towards but not limited totheir diaspora. Indian bonds are limited toinvestors of Indian origin.


Israel India————————————————————————————————————————————Annual issuance since 1951 Opportunistic issuance in

1991, 1998, and 2000————————————————————————————————————————————Development oriented borrowings Balance of payments support————————————————————————————————————————————Large though declining patriotic discount Small patriotic discount, if any————————————————————————————————————————————Fixed, floating rate bonds and notes Fixed rate bonds————————————————————————————————————————————Maturity 1 to 20 years Five year with bullet maturitywith bullet repayment————————————————————————————————————————————Targeted towards but not Limited to diasporalimited to diaspora————————————————————————————————————————————Direct distribution by Development State Bank of India (SBI) distributionin Corporation for Israel (DCI) conjunction with int’l banks————————————————————————————————————————————Registered with US SEC No SEC Registration————————————————————————————————————————————

Taken from Ketkar & Ratha ‘Diaspora Bonds: Tapping the Diaspora During Difficult Times’

(2010) 1 Journal of International Commerce, Economics and Policy 2

Comparison of diaspora bonds issued by Israel and India


Greece aims to launch its first diasporabond to US retail investors in the first half of2011. Under the program, Greece aims toraise up to $3 billion from the bonds, whichwill be sold in a series of tranches every sixmonths to a year. After the US issue, Greecealso aims to issue similar bonds to the Greekdiaspora in other countries, with the nextprogram likely to target Greek-Canadians.33

It is important to highlight that ‘If banksand other issuers want to tap the US retailmarket, they likely will have to register theirdiaspora bonds with the US Securities andExchange Commission, whose customarydisclosure requirements could provedaunting for countries with weak financialinstitutions. But countries with a significantdiaspora presence in Europe, whereregulatory requirements are relatively lessstringent, may be able to raise funds there.Diaspora bonds might also be issued inHong Kong SAR, Malaysia, Russia,Singapore, and South Africa.’34

Given the evident success and financialyields of the issuance of diaspora bonds inIndia and Israel, it is surprising that so fewother countries have yet to follow suit.Ketkar and Dilip suggest that reasons forthis may include:

n There is limited awareness about thisfinancing vehicle. Governments andother entities are often deterred by the

complexities of bond instruments.Lacking the capacity to undertake bondissuance, they take the easy way out ofdepending upon national banks togenerate local and foreign currencydeposits (LCDs and FCDs) fromdiaspora investors.

n Many countries still have little concreteappreciation of the capabilities andresources of their respective diaspora

n The failure of many potential issuers toplan ahead. Indeed many potentialissuers resort to whatever instrumentsare at hand at the last minute of need.Furthermore, many also abandon theirplans for using new financingmechanisms as soon as the financinggap goes away.

n Countries that have a hostile diasporaare unlikely to succeed in raisingfinancing through diaspora bonds.Also countries with politicalinsecurity and weak institutionalcapacity would find it hard to marketdiaspora bonds unless creditenhancements are provided by morecreditworthy institutions.35

Suggested key factors for the success ofdiaspora bonds are the absence of civilstrife in the home country, the ability tomeet registration requirements and asizeable first generation diaspora.36



The word philanthropy, of Greek origin,means ‘love of humankind’ and in its modernsense means private contributions for publicpurposes by individuals, corporations andfoundations. It is sometimes called ‘thekindness of strangers’ and is all about whatis called the 3Ts – Time, Treasure and Talent.The industry is rapidly globalizing andphilanthropy is now front-page news.

Philanthropy recognizes that neither thegovernment nor the market place can doeverything especially in the areas ofeducation, healthcare and the arts, and thatpartnerships are going to becomeincreasingly important. Philanthropyrecognizes the role and impact an individualcan have. A better world cannot be broughtabout by some master strategy created by acentral agency. It can only emerge from thebottom up – produced by many creativecitizens and organisations willing to grapplewith issues and bring about change for thecommon good in issues they feel passionatelyabout whether it is in their own parish orvillage or in a community halfway across theplanet. Many people in the diaspora oftenfirst connect with their homeland throughphilanthropy. They then become moreengaged by travelling to the homeland andvisiting projects. This ‘philanthrotourism’often leads to deeper engagement with thehomeland in areas such as trade andinvestment, education and culture. As donors

develop a greater appreciation andunderstanding of the homeland and its needs,they begin to focus on areas of particularinterest and they begin to make investments.

As the world emerges from the bankingcrisis and attendant economic recession theprospects for an increase in global philan-thropy look bright. This is driven by anumber of factors:

1 The number of very wealthy people inthe world is growing and this will leadto issues of intergenerational transferwhich will benefit philanthropy.According to The Economist ‘the richestone per cent of the world’s adultscontrol 43 per cent of the world’s assets,the wealthiest ten per cent have 83 percent.’37 In the US individuals are thelargest source of giving according toGiving USA. Charitable contributionsexceeded USD 300 billion in 2009, or2.1 per cent of GDP and have remainedroughly constant despite the recession.Individuals are responsible for 82 percent of this, foundations 13 per cent andcorporations 5 per cent.38

2 Demographic issues and the hugenumbers of baby boomers will also help.In the US 77 million people were bornbetween 1946 and 1964 and they areturning 60 at the rate of over 10,000 aday. They are the most healthy, wealthy,


Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: what are you doing for others?

Martin Luther King, Jr

Promote diaspora philanthropy


educated cohort in the history ofmankind with expanding life expectancy.People who reach 65 have on average 18more years to live.

3 Technology is making the connectivitybetween potential donors and projectsmuch easier and the ubiquitous natureof social media networks allows largenumbers of small donors to participatein global philanthropy (Kiva is a leaderin this field). The emergence of the cellphone as a means of money transfer hasspeeded up response rates (see forexample – ezetop). Individuals arejoining with likeminded people throughsocial media to bring about change.Technology also allows for greaterreporting back to donors on the effectsof philanthropy.

4 Philanthropy is becoming front pagenews as witness the attention given tothe Billionaires Pledge initiative of BillGates and Warren Buffett which hasattracted over 55 pledges by March2011. Huge new foundations are beingestablished with global remits.

5 Businesses are embracing causes andthere is a move from corporate socialresponsibility to corporate citizenship.Reputation management, the rise ofconscience consumers who want to dobusiness with organisations whosevalues they share and the battle toattract and retain staff are factors here.

6 The non-profit sector is becoming moreprofessional, providing more accounta-bility and becoming more innovativewhich is attracting high quality stafflooking for substantive and meaningfulcareers in the sector.

7 Governments are reducing spending incore areas, particularly education,healthcare and the arts and the privatesector will have to pick up the slack.

An increasing number of diasporaphilanthropy organisations have beenestablished to engage the diaspora inphilanthropic initiatives that benefit thehomeland. These include;

The American Indian Foundation: TheAmerican Indian Foundation (AIF) isdevoted to catalyzing social and economicchange in India. AIF was born out of reliefefforts following the Gujarat earthquake of2001 and is the largest US diasporaphilanthropy organization focused on India.Since inception, AIF has benefited morethan 1.5 million people by implementingprograms through over 115 Indian non-governmental organizations and has annualfundraisers in New York, San Francisco,Los Angeles, Boston, Chicago, Dallas,Washington DC and Seattle.

Brazil Foundation: The Brazil Foundationwas created in June 2000 and aims to be abridge between the US and Brazil generatingresources for programs that transform thesocial reality of Brazil. Donors choose andrecommend a specific Brazilian non-profitorganization or project they would like toinvest in. Brazil Foundation screens theorganization to assure for quality andaccountability and disperses funds.Additionally, the Foundation can also providethe donor with project monitoring andevaluation services. With offices in New Yorkand R io de Janeiro the foundation capturesdonations from individuals and socially




‘A man of humanity is one who, in seeking to establish himself, finds a footholdfor others and who, desiring attainment for himself, helps others to attain.’

Confucius

The importance of individual contribution

responsible corporations in the US andtransfers them to social programs throughoutBrazil that focus and support projects specif-ically involved with education, public health,human rights, citizenship and culture.

Give2Asia: Give2Asia was founded in 2001with the goal of helping donors overcome themany challenges of international giving.Since then Give2Asia has and continues tohelp thousands of individuals, companies andfoundations meet their philanthropicobjectives. Their experience and localpresence in over 20 countries helps to ensurethat local groups large and small have theresources to carry out their good work. Their footprint in Asia serves the needs ofmulti-national companies, as well as Asia-based foundations with projects in multiplecommunities. The organisation has madeinvestments with the Skoll Foundation, theOmidyar Group, The Asia Foundation, theCaterpillar Foundation, Johnson & Johnsonand many others. Give2Asia’s success hashelped make possible over $150 million ingiving in their first 10 years.

The PhilDev Foundation: Established in2000, the Philippine DevelopmentFoundation (formerly Ayala FoundationUSA) is a public charity with 501c3 status.As the bridge between US-based Filipinoindividuals and communities, andPhilippine-based social developmentinstitutions, PhilDev becomes a mechanismby which donations and other forms ofsupport can reach intended beneficiaries inthe Philippines. PhilDev’s vision is toempower a global Filipino community,through diaspora engagement, and iscommitted to sustainable and equitabledevelopment in the Philippines andenhancing the lives of its people.

Detailed case studies on the TurkishPhilanthropy Funds, The Ireland Funds, theJewish Federations of North America andthe Pakistan Centre for Philanthropy canbe found in later sections of the toolkit.Furthermore, Weil, Gotshal and MangesLLP has provided a detailed insert in thetoolkit on the legal aspects on running anonprofit diaspora organization.

As previously noted change agents can bedescribed as members of the diaspora whobring new ideas and new ways of investing intheir countries of origin and therebycontribute to its development. One of the

main types of change agents include diasporaphilanthropists whose philanthropicendeavors result in societal change for thehomeland. Take for example, Jim Clery (nothis real name) is an Irish-born American


Ireland Fund supporter based in California.An innovative entrepreneur, he invented aunique piece of technology. He eventually soldthe company and retired relatively young. Hementors Irish hi-tech companies attempting tobreak into the US market. He owns a home inIreland and brings many people here. Hefunds community projects and secondaryschool scholarships in his county of origin inIreland. He invests heavily in national culturalprojects in Ireland. He believes he has anobligation to give something back. He nowinvests commercially in companies in Irelandand the US that have come to him through

The Ireland Funds network. His investmentsinclude an agreement that a certain percentageof any future sale of the company go intophilanthropic projects in Ireland. He is alsoplaying a leadership role in another diasporaorganization, the Irish Technology LeadershipGroup in Silicon Valley. Jim Clery, animmigrant who left Ireland with little in the1960s is now interacting with his homecountry through investment, education,mentoring, culture and philanthropy. There are many potential Jim Clerys. Thechallenge is to find them, cultivate them andask them to participate.


An Irish-American born in New Jersey during the Great Depression, Chuck Feeneybecame a multibillionaire many times over in the 1960s and 1970s when he founded theDuty Free Shoppers Group. Feeney was uncomfortable with his great wealth and hasspent the last quarter of a century giving it away. Until recently, much of this was doneanonymously through Atlantic Philanthropies who have donated vast sums to univer-sities, research institutions, social programs, community enterprises and charities aroundthe world but most of all in Ireland where more than $1.2 billion has been given away.Over $750 million was given to Irish universities. A modest man who eschews publicityFeeney believes in the concept of ‘give while you live’ and has decided that AtlanticPhilanthropies will be a limited life foundation that will cease when he dies, whichmeans a further $3 billion will be distributed. His motivation for now coming forward,he says, is to inspire other wealthy people to follow his example.

Chuck Feeney – Ireland



Kerkor ‘Kirk’ Kerorian is the Armenian-American president/CEO of TracindaCorporation, his private holding company based in Beverly Hills, California. He wasborn in California to Armenia immigrant parents on June 6th, 1917. Kerkorian isArmenia’s largest diaspora donor. He has given at least $240 million through theLincy Foundation since Armenia gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.The bulk of this money has been allocated and spent since 2001 on variousinfrastructure projects, including the repair of 420 kilometers of major highways andthe construction of 3,700 new apartments in Shirak and Lori, two regions devastatedby a catastrophic earthquake that struck Armenia in 1988. He received Armenia’shighest state award, the title of ‘national hero,’ during a rare visit to Yerevan in 2004.Then-Armenian President Robert Kocharian cited the reclusive tycoon’s ‘exceptionalservices’ to the country where his parents were born.

Kirk Kerkorian’s – Armenia

Since its establishment in Washington, DC in 1985, the Hariri Foundation-USA has beena major focal point of the Lebanese American community in the Washingtonmetropolitan area and beyond. This was especially true during the lifetime of its founderand benefactor, the late Mr. Rafik B. Hariri, former Parliamentarian and Prime Ministerof Lebanon. Mr. Hariri’s visits to Washington were always accompanied by a largegathering of the Lebanese American community and the many American friends whohelped to advance the work of the foundation as it pursued its mission of building upthe human resources of Lebanon through education. One of the chief means ofmaintaining communication with the Lebanese diaspora has been the newsletter of thefoundation, the Hariri-Gram. Maintaining an up-to-date public relations data base ofthe contact information for several thousand recipients enabled the foundation to sustaina direct link with the Lebanese American community. The foundation also uses e-mail tomaintain communication with its contacts who number well over 4,000. For a goodnumber of years the foundation provided a valuable service to Lebanese professionalswho registered with the Career Programs department of the foundation. These wereprofessionals who had substantial work experience in the United States and Canada butwho were interested in returning to Lebanon or another middle eastern country foremployment. By sending their resume and a registration form to the Career Programsdepartment, these professionals became eligible to receive periodic notices of job

The Hariri Foundation and the power of one individualDavid Thompson, Vice President, The Hariri Foundation


The diaspora can help the development ofphilanthropy in the homeland in anumber of ways:

n By making outright gifts of cash, stockor property and visiting projects.

n By making wills and bequests and other‘planned giving’ products.

n By adopting specific philanthropicprojects in the homeland and acting asmentors to them.

n By encouraging the Government in thehomeland to create more conduciveconditions for giving, particularly inrelation to the taxation environment.

n By investing in capacity building inhomeland nonprofit organisations.One practical example of that wouldbe offering to facilitate internships andexchanges of key personnel in the non-profit organisations they support intheir own country.

n By helping the non-profit sector developbest practice in new emerging areas suchas venture philanthropy, social entrepre-neurship, philanthrocapitalism, etc.

Relief and aid from diasporamembersDiaspora members often engage with thehomeland through relief and aid effortsin the aftermaths of natural disasters in

the homeland. To harness the generosityof the diaspora in relation to reliefeffforts, a number of organizations havebeen established:

n Fund for Armenian Relief: The Fund forArmenian Relief (FAR) was founded in1988 in response to a devastatingearthquake. FAR provides short-termemergency relief and implements long-term programs for the economic growthand social development of Armenia. Ithelps the most vulnerable segments of thepopulation – children and the elderly –and prepares the youth and professionalsto drive the country’s new democraticstate. FAR implements a wide range ofprograms in Armenia and Karabagh: fromemergency relief to construction toeducation, medical aid, and economicdevelopment. Since its inception, FAR haschanneled more than $265 million inhumanitarian assistance to Armenia.Headquartered in New York City, it alsohas offices in Armenia and in theNagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan.Its diverse programs include a HomelessChildren’s Center, an InformationTechnology Center, educationalscholarship programs, a MedicalEducation Program, soup kitchens, andsenior centers.39


openings in Lebanon and other Arab countries from the Hariri Foundation-USA.In addition to sending the professionals notices of job openings, Career Programsalso sent the prospective employers the resumes of interested job applicants. Forseveral years in the 1990s the Hariri Foundation encouraged its former sponsoredscholars to establish alumni chapters in the United States and Canada as a venuefor networking and social gatherings.



‘Diaspora philanthropy can be said to represent the essence of the powerof diaspora engagement. What greater privilege is there in life than givingback to your family – whether it’s one’s immediate or transnational family?Philanthropy is often equated to money, but its true definition of ‘caringfor humankind’ extends far beyond this and the legacy generated bydiaspora philanthropy will ensure that the diasporas engagement will havea lasting effect on the future of the homeland. Indeed, ‘Real generositytoward the future lies in giving all to the present.’ Albert Camus

n The Haitian Diaspora Federation: Themission of the Haitian Diaspora Federation(HDF) is to help create a stronger andmore prosperous and equitable Haiti bymobilizing the Haitian diaspora resourcesto address the reconstruction, andsustained economic growth anddevelopment of Haiti. The HaitianDiaspora Federation (HDF) is a broad-based alliance of Nonprofit Organizations(NPOs) under one umbrella to amp lify thevoice of the Haitian Diaspora. Inpartnership with the internationalcommunity, the Government of Haiti andother sectors, HDF will focus theDiaspora’s energy and resources on theongoing relief and the longer termreconstruction efforts to rebuild a stronger,more vibrant and socially just Haiti. TheFederation seeks to harness resources forthe Haitian Diaspora organizations andensure their acti ve integration and partici-pation, along with the international donors’aid, in the delivery of an integrated plan ofrelief, restoration and local capacity-building for the short and long-termwelfare of the victims within Haiti’s long-term comprehensive reconstruction andsustainable development.40

The sense of duty to assist in the re-building efforts, to reach out to those inthe homeland, to connect as a globalcommunity are often major catalysts inthe diaspora becoming fundamentalplayers in relief efforts.

ConclusionThe four-step donor cultivation processwhich The Ireland Funds follows –Research, Cultivation, Solicitation andStewardship – is as applicable to allaspects of working with members of thediaspora as it is with developing philan-thropic gifts. The key is to understand theneeds of the donor as much as the needsof the organisation. This then is the nubof successfully engaging influentialmembers of the diaspora, i.e. researchingtheir areas of interest and finding theirpassion, cultivating that interest through aseries of structured and relevantinteractions, presenting an opportunityfor a specific involvement and investmentand then following up regularly, based ona belief that this initial engagement is thestart of a long, fruitful and mutuallybeneficial engagement. In short, it’s allabout ‘asks and tasks.’


As noted by Riddle, Brinkerhoff and Nielsen‘Transnational entrepreneurs and the ideas,resources, and employment opportunitiesthey bring can exact a profound impact onthe economic and social development of theirhome countries.’41 This is particularlyevident in diaspora-driven FDI into the homecountry from the host country. Diaspora-driven FDI can also be referred to as DDI(Diaspora Direct Investment) and itsimportance and potential for homelandcountries is heightened given that world FDIflows declined by over 20% in 2008 due tothe financial crisis.42

According to Debass and Ardovino, DDIis distinct from FDI in that it relies on ‘atransnational social network made up ofmigrants and migrant mechanisms operatingbetween host and home countries. Themigrants are the linchpin because they have aunique knowledge of their homeland andculture. These factors make the migrants amore viable facilitator of capital acquisitionand investment.’43 In illustrating this pointLeblang provides the example that a migrantcommunity from India residing in the US canprovide US investors with a signal of thework ethic, labor quality, and businessculture that exists in India. These signalsenhance the quality of information that USinvestors have about India allowing them tomake forecasts about their ability to invest inpotentially profitable assets offered on theIndian market.44 Indeed, ‘migrant networksinfluence investment by facilitating thefamiliarity effect and by decreasingconstraints imposed by informationasymmetries and transactions costs.’45

‘Companies like Yahoo, Hewlett Packard andGeneral Electric have opened R&D centers inIndia largely because of the confidenceengendered by the presence of many Indiansworking in their US operations. This pointsto the cognitive effects arising from theprojection of a coherent, appealing, andprogressive identity on the part of thediaspora which signals an image ofprosperity and progress to potential investorsand consumers.’46

So why do diaspora members providedirect investment in their home country?Nielsen and Riddle have conducted extensiveresearch into answering this question andthey suggest that ‘Some diaspora membersare interested in investing in their homelandbecause they expect a financial return; othersare driven by the possibility of socialrecognition from within their diasporacommunities and organizations. Theinvestment interest of other diasporamembers may be motivated by the potentialemotional satisfaction they will receive wheninvesting in their homelands.’47

It is evident that, whatever themotivation may be, diaspora members areplaying an increasingly important role inincreasing FDI flows into their home countryand determining the destination of outwarddirect investment from the home country.‘Contacts and social networks (known inChina as guanxi) are one of the essentialingredients for the Chinese when doingbusiness. The presence of overseas Chinese ina certain country may therefore reduce therisks and costs associated with identifyingbusiness opportunities by Chinese companies,


Encourage FDI and DDI


thus favoring Chinese outward FDI.’48 Withmany economists believing that China is ontrack to be the world’s largest economy by2030, it is no surprise that FDI has been amajor factor in the emergence of China as amanufacturing and trading powerhouse inthe 1990s.49 The importance of Chinese DDIis evident from the fact that about 80 percent of all foreign investment – some $200billion which has poured into China since1980 has come from overseas Chinese.50

Similarly, ‘the strong ties between theItalian diaspora and their homeland havealso boosted inward FDI. In this case themechanism at work was constituted mainly

by the valuable information on businessopportunities in Italy that companiesmanaged by emigrants utilized to invest inItaly from abroad.’51 Speaking on the role ofinvestment by the Caribbean diapora,Rampersad notes that the diaspora is ‘deeplysympathetic to nation building… [and is]more inclined to invest their resourcesbeyond the call of duty because their drive ismore zealous and passionate than potentialnon West Indian investors.’52 Furthermore,

‘the Diaspora is amongst the best equipped toshoulder the responsibility as the sons anddaughters who have proven their abilities inthe global market place.’53


‘The diaspora was well positioned to do business with China because of itswidespread entrepreneurial experience, specialized knowledge and relationshipswhich allow them to overcome language, cultural and legal barriers whichfrustrate non diaspora investors. Their non financial motivation to reconnect withtheir homeland is also seen as an important stimulus for early stage investment.’

Richard Davone

Dov Frohman, an Israeli, was a leading scientist with the Intel Corporation in theUS. He was offered the opportunity to return home to Israel to take up a researchand teaching position at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Intel did not want tolose him – he was a talented scientist who had invented and developed the erasableprogrammable memory chip (EPROM). To avoid losing him, Intel established itsfirst integrated circuit design centre outside the US, in Haifa, and asked Frohmanto lead it. The rest, as they say, is history. Israel went on to become a leadingcentre of worldwide integrated circuit design and manufacturing.54

Israeli Intel innovator – bringing FDI to the homeland


An interesting initiative in promotingDDI is the African Diaspora Marketplace(ADM). The ADM is a business plancompetition designed to support economicdevelopment in Sub-Saharan Africa andallows the US-based African Diasporacommunity to directly invest in viablesmall and medium enterprises. In 2010,fourteen diaspora-driven businesses inseven countries were awarded matching

grants ranging from $50,000 to $100,000.Winning entries ranged from a commercialplant tissue culture business that usesbiotechnology to increase yield and qualityof produce for Ethiopian agricultureproducers, to a franchise business modelthat will empower female nurseentrepreneurs to improve access tohealthcare and reduce the burden ongovernment hospitals in Ghana.


n The brain gainer: In many countries, talented and highly educated émigrés havereturned to their home countries to tap into promising opportunities there. As theseprofessionals return to their countries, they bring knowledge and technology as well ascapital and access to advanced markets in developed countries. Furthermore, they canserve as advisors and role models to domestic businessmen and even advisegovernment officials on effective oversight and regulatory issues.

n The altrustic technologist: Diasporas are major conduits of technology and businessknow-how to their home countries and are prompted by altruism and a generalgoodwill to invest in their home countries. DDI is also superior to FDI becausediaspora groups are better informed about the capabilities and technology necessaryfor working in their home country. Due to the diasporas cultural and socio-economiclinkage with their home countries, their importation of technologies will be in tunewith local realities and cultural sensitivities. Thus, they are more likely to import andimplement appropriate technologies than foreign investors who have little experiencedoing business in the homeland.

n The brave capital investor: Palestinian, Armenian and Cuban diaspora interest inhomeland investment is driven by a perceived ethnic advantage and this makes thesebrave investors more likely to engage in DDI, given known risks. Altruism and a sense ofcultural connectedness are also significant factors in such decisions. Diaspora investors’willingness to invest and develop world-class industries in Taiwan and China, in spite ofquestionable fundamentals and serious business impediments, provides striking evidenceof this fact in support of their superior abilities in coping with the shocks.

n The catalyst: Many scholars have noted a catalytic effect of DDI on FDI. In China andIsrael, diaspora investors and entrepreneurs played a critical role in attracting non-resident FDI by setting up joint ventures and promoting export for domestic companies.

Types of DDI roles


Benefits of diaspora-assisted FDIThere are a number of important factors thatfavour diaspora-led FDI activities versus thenormal investment attraction approaches.

n Firstly, diaspora members are an excellentresource beyond pure capital. They occupyan intermediary position between theflows of capital, labour, knowledge and ahost of other resources.55

n Additionally, they assist in the transferenceof a variety of skills to the country oforigin in the form of tacit knowledge.

n Diaspora members not only serve asimportant potential investors, but can beseen as the ‘first-movers’ into a countrywhich may act as a catalyst for furtherinvestment by nondiaspora members. Inrelation to the Armenian diaspora,Freinkman notes that ‘when compared tothe average economic agent, diasporabusinessmen and professionals face alower risk of becoming the first movers.They benefit from a specific informationaladvantage: common cultural backgroundand established social links betweendiaspora and local entrepreneurs helpthem to reduce transaction costs of newentry and building new partnerships.’56

n Emotional connections to their country oforigin and feelings of duty and obligationmay motivate diaspora members to investdespite unfavourable economic conditions.

n Members of the diaspora may help toencourage FDI by providing market andoperational information about thehomeland to potential investors andbrokering relationships with buyers,suppliers, partners, government officialsand lending institutions in the homeland.57

n Beyond direct investment, diasporamembers can support the Government’sinvestment agency’s objectives in a varietyof other ways including assisting in theflows of venture capital and in theacademic space by connecting to interna-tional peers and collaborators to createglobal innovation networks.

n Diaspora members often have knowledgeabout investment opportunities,information about regulations andprocedures, or familiarity with languageand customs of the homeland that candecrease the transaction costs associatedwith cross-border investment.58

A practical example of the last point isprovided by Schulte who suggests that


n The diplomat: DDI works in the interest of US commercial policy and diplomacy.First, it expands market-driven economies amenable to US economic interests. DDIcan also be a powerful vehicle for commercial diplomacy. Commercial diplomacy inthe form of sustaining and supplementing positive linkages between Westerndeveloped economies and the global economic system, pro-vides a powerfulfoundation for many foreign policy and national security goals.

Taken from DeBass and Ardovino ‘Diaspora Direct Investment (DDI): The UntappedResource for Development’ (United States Agency for International Development, May 2009)


Turkish migrants living in Germany are morelikely to invest in their homeland rather thanin, say China, because language and culturalknowledge more than compensate for whatmay be marginally lower returns.59 For thisreason it can be said that ‘DDI is superior toother forms of FDI because diasporas have abetter grasp and understanding of the localbusiness environment. They are betterinformed and equipped to manageuncertainties in their home country and,consequently, able to absorb political riskand economic shocks.’60

Opportunities for strengtheningFDI/DDI in the homelandThe diaspora can undoubtedly play a decisiverole in assisting homeland agencies in theattraction of new inward investment and alsoin building investments already made in thecountry. Ways in which they can be leveragedto bolster investment include the following:

n Helping the homeland to define its newvalue proposition.

n Serving on task forces that are eithersectoral, regional, or topic specific as ameans of increasing the knowledge baseof the governmental agencies. They canprovide insight into market dynamics,the competitive landscape, local laws,differences in the regulatoryenvironment, etc.

n Assisting with the evolution of brand ofthe homeland and helping to positionthe country to succeed in today’sglobalised economy.

n Assisting with the understanding andformulation of foreign policy that mayhave a critical impact on the homeland’seconomic well-being. For example,

developments in US trade, investment andtaxation policy could have a majoreconomic impact on the homeland, andinformed members of the diaspora livingin the US can help to understand andpotentially mitigate such changes.

n Assisting with the understanding of keyindustry verticals and facilitating accessto investment in areas such as high valuemanufacturing, global services, andresearch, development and innovationspecifically in sectors such as life sciences,ICT, services, digital media andconsumer brands.

n Making key introductions.

Increasingly countries are putting in placeInvestment Promotion Agencies (IPA’s) tochase mobile foreign direct investment. Manyof these IPA’s have developed globalnetworks of offices and supporters. Althoughdifficult to measure there is no doubt thatmany of these agencies rely heavily ondiaspora connections whether as investors,door openers, introduction agents, advisorsand influencers. Motivated by a desire to helptheir a ncestral homelands many of them arewilling to ‘go the extra mile’ and willing to

‘nudge’ a deal in favor of their homeland.Many inward investment decisions are 50/50calls and having ‘tipping agents’ in place canbe helpful and ensure that the home countrygets a fair hearing. The lesson is that theserelationships have to be researched andcultivated long before these decisions aremade. Long term heart s and mindscultivation is critical. Building networks oflikeminded people in specific industries meansthat there are mutually beneficial outcomes.However, if the business proposition does notstack up then the deal will fail.



According to Mason and Zhou ‘Venturecapital is widely regarded as being a criticalelement in a country’s innovation system. Itplays a pivotal role in the entrepreneurialeco-system, providing long-term capital andexpertise to support the development ofyoung companies, especially in technologysectors, with the potential for fast growth.’61

The value of venture capitalism can be seenby looking at the followings statistics:

n Venture-backed companies in the USaccount for more than 12 million jobs or 11percent of total private sector employment.

n Venture-backed companies also have asignificant impact on US revenue. Withalmost $3 trillion in revenue – equivalentto one-fifth of the country’s gross domesticproduct in 2008.

n Since its formative years in the early 1970s,the US venture capital industry hasinvested approximately $456 billion inmore than 27,000 companies.

n For every dollar of venture capital investedfrom 1970–2008, $6.36 of revenue wasgenerated in 2008.62

n Many of the defining US firms of the lastthree decades, including 3Com, Amgen,AMD, Compaq, Cisco, Federal Express,Genentech, Intel, Oracle and SunMicrosystems, were first funded byventure capitalists.63

Diaspora can help attractventure capital funding –lessons from other countriesIn addition to playing a critical role inhelping to attract foreign direct investment,the diaspora has an equally significant role toplay in facilitating the flow of venture capitaland investment in domestic indigenouscompanies. Moreover, there is much thediaspora can do to assist in the growth ofindigenous companies, beyond the provisionof monetary investment. To date, manycountries, have done a reasonably good jobat leveraging the diaspora to aid in thedevelopment of indigenous companies, yet anopportunity clearly exists to develop a moresystematic approach to their engagement anda stronger sense of shared accountability.Other countries have also looked to leveragetheir diaspora networks to further facilitatethe flow of venture capital.

One of the leading countries in thisregard is India. By the turn of the centurymembers of the Indian diaspora in the USwere playing a key role in developing the ITindustry in India. They established theInternational School of Business in Bangalore.Many Indian professors in the US tooksabbaticals to teach there. Many Indiansreturned and started hundreds of ITcompanies. Delegations of venture capitalcompanies visited India from the US to


‘The real source of wealth and capital in this new era is not material things, it is thehuman mind, the human spirit, the human imagination, and our faith in the future.’

Steve Forbes

Attract venture capital and support forindigenous industry


explore potential investment opportunities(The Irish Leadership Technology Group inSilicon Valley has done this recently inIreland). Many venture capital companies inthe US require their start-up companies tohave a back end in India in order to save onR&D costs. More than 300 start-ups havesome form of back end in India and frontend in the US.64 In 2007, the Ministry ofOverseas Indian Affairs and theConfederation of Indian Industry establishedthe Overseas Indian Facilitation Centre toexpand the economic engagement of theIndian diaspora with India and facilitateeffective knowledge exchange. It aims topromote overseas Indian investments andfacilitate business partnerships. It’s statedvision is to be a one stop shop for GlobalIndians to facilitate investment into India.

Indeed, many countries are increasinglooking to its diaspora to facilitate the flowof venture capital. The Technology BusinessAcceleration program (TechBA) wasproposed in 2004 by FUMEC to theMinistry of Economy of Mexico (SE) afteran analysis of the Silicon Valley experiences

of other countries. A business developmentorganization working with Mexican start-ups and well-positioned companies in theirinternational business strategies, Tech BAhas a great multinational network ofcompanies, consultants and organizationalparticipants that facilitate the landing ofcompanies and foster high tech business.Each year, Tech BA Silicon Valley supportsover 50 companies entering the US market.Companies are selected based on theirreadiness, innovation potential, commitmentto discover new opportunities, and growthrate. Each company is mentored during thepreparation of their product or servicemarketing plan and sales strategy, prior toentering the sales phase of the program.Since launched Tech BA has supportedabout 1,500 Mexican companies worldwide,generating $100 million in direct US salesand $600 million in indirect sales.

Another excellent initiative in engagingthe diaspora in facilitating the flow ofventure capital and investment in domesticindigenous companies can be found in theIrish Technology Leadership Group (ITLG).


‘India is a land of opportunity that places a premium on enterprise andcreativity ... I invite you, the Overseas Indians, to make use of the investmentand business opportunities that India now offers. This is the time for all of usto become strategic partners in India’s progress.’

Dr. Manmohan Singh, Hon’ble Prime Minister of India



The Irish Technology Leadership Group (ITLG), founded by John Hartnett, is agroup of Irish and Irish American senior executives based mainly in SiliconValley, active in the global technology industry, committed to ensuring thatIreland remains a strategic area of investment and opportunity for US technologycompanies, and committed to supporting the global growth and development ofIrish-based technology companies. ITLG is a networking organisation whichfocuses on supporting the growth and development of small and start-up Irishtechnology companies seeking to leverage both the US marketplace and the UStechnology investment community. It also seeks to support US technologycompanies based in Ireland to ensure that Ireland continues to be seen as astrategic area of real investment and opportunity. ITLG has 1,500 members andorganizes business visits, innovation award ceremonies and leadership seminars.It is supported by an advocacy group of executives and professional advisorsfrom both the public and private sector. The chairman of ITLG is Craig Barrett,former CEO and President of Intel.

In July 2009, ITLG signed a transatlantic collaboration agreement withTrinity College Dublin and University College Dublin to drive innovation andcreate new business opportunities for emerging Irish companies and to advancethe goals of the Irish Government’s Innovation Alliance. One of the objectives ofthis agreement is the creation of a venture fund that will support companiesspinning out from the recently announced Trinity College Dublin/UniversityCollege Dublin research centre.

Two spin-offs have emerged from ITLG. The Irish Innovation Centre in SanJose, California is an incubator that provides Irish or Irish-American start-upswith office space, legal and financial advice, administrative support andnetworking opportunities. ITLG also launched another initiative, the IrishTechnology Venture Fund. Investors, with the support of the Irish Government,have put in their own money to create a source of capital for young companiesin need of investment.

Fostering Irish entrepreneurship, investment and innovation:The Irish Technology Leadership Group


An important way in which the diasporacan act is as a conduit of investment capitalto indigenous industry. Israel is at the top ofthe league tables in this respect and has anenviable track record of success in linking itsinternational diaspora to home-basedcompanies. Through a variety of programs,Israeli companies have broader access to

venture capital funding, knowledge ofexport markets, assistance with IPOs, etc.Two of the most successful programs Yozmaand BIRD, are detailed below. Althoughthere are many factors contributing to thesuccess of high-tech industry in Israel, thereis little doubt that diaspora networks haveplayed an important role.


OpportunityRecognising the potential of the Israeli hi-tech industry, the government decided in 1993 toestablish a viable venture capital industry and allocated $100 million for that purpose.

How it workedUnder this program a collection of funds – Yozma (which means initiative in Hebrew)– was established. Under the Yozma initiative, 10 venture capital funds were formed inpartnership with leading foreign venture investors. The total capital of each fund was$20 to $25 million of which the government’s share was 40 per cent and the foreigninvestors’ 60 per cent.

Key featureA major attraction of the Yozma program was the foreign investors’ option to buy out thegovernment’s share at a pre-agreed price for a period of 5 years. In addition, Yozma wasallowed to invest a certain portion of its capital directly.

SuccessThis initiative proved to be extremely successful. Ten venture capital funds were formedwith a total of $210 million under management and 15 direct investments were made byYozma itself. Nine out of the fifteen direct investments enjoyed successful exits, eitherthrough IPOs or through acquisition. The program attracted major international ventureinvestors like Advent, MVP, CMS and Walden from the US, Damier-Benz, DEG, Van LeerGroup, TVM from Europe and Oxton, AVX, Kyocera and Vertex from the Far East. Itwas not surprising that 9 out of the 10 funds exercised their option and bought out thegovernment’s share. From the modest beginning of the Yozma Program, a thrivingindependent local venture capital industry has been established comprised of close to 80venture capital funds, with the total capital under management in excess of $10 billion.

Yozma


African countries are also very active inpromoting venture capital through itsdiaspora. VC4Africa is a fast growing socialnetwork for investors and entrepreneursdedicated to building businesses in Africaand currently have over 10,000 members. Itfacilitates 364 active forum discussions, 157events focused on business in Africa, 38incubators and 886 community generated

blog postings. It has hosted self-organizedVC4Africa meetings in Kampala, Nairobi,Kigali, Johannesburg, Lagos, Abuja, Tunis,San Francisco, Atlanta, New York,Washington DC, London, Amsterdam andLeuven. In 2011 it launched its newmatchmaking platform VC4Africa.biz. Itcurrently has 66 ventures from 19 Africancountries open for funding.


OpportunityBIRD stands for the Israel/US Industrial Research and Development Foundation.It was set up by the Israeli Parliament, the Knesset and the US Congress in 1979.

How it workedEach partner put up $65 million in an endowment fund and the interest was to beused to invest in hitech companies in Israel. It was based on the premise that therewas only a very small domestic market for any particular Israeli hi-tech productand essentially none in adjacent markets. There was an absence in Israel of anadequate and dedicated source of equity finance like that in Menlo Park whichfuelled the Silicon Valley phenomenon.

SuccessThe strategy for the success of BIRD was to identify as many ideal target UScompanies as possible and acquaint them with the possibilities of a BIRD projectwithin Israel. BIRD was a success because it worked from the market back. In totalover $100 million was invested in 393 projects which had $3 billion in sales.

BIRD

‘Statistics aside, it’s our member’s success stories that are the most importantto us. We get really excited when we find out Brian from Next2.Us has found adistributor for his mobile services in Kenya or Rick from MarketFleas has beencontacted by an investor just three days after registering his plan to build abusiness in South Africa. And we are really rooting for 26 year old Valery whosaw his inbox fill with e-mails from possible partners/investors after his recentinterview about Agro-Hub, a mobile SMS service for farmers in Cameroon.’

Ben White, Founder, VC4Africa


It has been said that the value of venturecapital lies ‘in providing not only money butalso ancillary services, such as selecting goodfirms, mentoring entrepreneurs, hiringexecutives, formulating strategies, and‘professionalizing’ companies.’65 The diasporacan role a fundamental in both providinginvestment to start-up companies in thehomeland but, moreover, in providing theancillary services outlined above.

The diaspora as entrepreneursOften the significance of diaspora membersas entrepreneurs themselves is overlookedand yet research would indicate that as acollective group, not only are they moreinclined to start their own enterprises, theyare also more likely to succeed than thosewithout international experience. Anexample of innovative program promotingdiaspora entrepreneurship is IntEnt which isbased in the Netherlands. Founded in 1996,it provides support to diaspora entrepreneursin the Netherlands that would like to set upa new business in Surinam, Ghana, Turkey,Morocco, Ethiopia, Afghanistan or Curacao.The basic principle behind IntEnt is thatmigrants, once they have settled in theNetherlands, can be catalysts for thedevelopment of their country of origin.IntEnt assists in obtaining finance and has aguarantee fund to issue supplementaryguarantees. Also IntEnt offers business

advice during and after the start-up indeveloping countries.

It is interesting to note that Somalidiaspora entrepreneurs are one of the majorinvestors in Somalia and provided on average80% of the start-up capital for small andmedium enterprises. The investment activitiesand profits generated contributed to theeconomic recovery and livelihood of theSomalia economy. Many members of theSomali diaspora who return to the homecountry establish businesses as a soleentrepreneur or as a group and pool theirresources together. Investment in smallbusiness enterprise is spread over varioussub-sectors such as small scale industries,telecommunication, remittances and trade.66

Perhaps the leading organizationalexample of organized support on the part ofthe diaspora for indigenous entrepreneurshipis The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE) which is aglobal professional diaspora network. Asnoted by Robertson ‘these kinds of profes-sional diasporic networks can become themeans through which social networks areextended to their home countries,kickstarting developments sufficiently forthese entrepreneurs to return to investsignificant time, knowledge and capital intheir home country. In the case of the IndusEntrepreneurs, this meant investing back inBangalore in India, and establishing a SiliconValley like cluster there.’67


‘Entrepreneurs and their small enterprises are responsible for almost all theeconomic growth in the United States.’

Ronald Reagan


For further reading on diaspora entrepreneurship see the insert in the toolkit entitled ‘Take Advantage of your Diaspora Network’ by Isenberg and Kerr.


n The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE) is a non-profit organisation for overseas Indianscommitted to promoting entrepreneurship globally through mentoring, networkingand education. TiE has come to represent talent, ideas and enterprise

n TiE was founded in 1992 in Silicon Valley by a group of successful Indianentrepreneurs, corporate executives and senior professionals and it was founded onthe belief that nurturing entrepreneurs will lead to the virtuous cycle of wealthcreation, and encapsulates the true spirit of giving back to the community.

n TiE currently has 13,000 members and 2,500 charter members in 56 chaptersacross 13 countries. TiE charter members are successful entrepreneurs who havereached a stage in their professional lives where they are ready, willing and able tocontribute to fellow members, and give back to society

n Their annual flagship event, TiEcon, is the largest professional conference forentrepreneurs worldwide. TiE also has an array of programs, including SpecialInterest Groups, TiE Institute, Deal Flow TiE meetings, TiE Young Entrepreneurs,TiE Women’s Forum and CEO Forum. All chapters sign an affiliation agreementand are linked through a technology platform – TiE Global System

n TYE Global is a unique program that helps high school children learn about thechallenges and rewards of becoming an entrepreneur. The aim of the TiE YoungEntrepreneurs (TYE) Global Program is to empower our youth to become the nextgeneration of entrepreneurs, by coaching them on topics on business basics,leadership and overall development .In 2010, the TYE curriculum was taught in 9locations around the world – Atlanta, Boston, Carolinas, Seattle, San Diego,Austin, London, Delhi and Jaipur.

n Every year TiE holds more than 500 events, with over 70,000 attendees worldwide.

The Indus Entrepreneurs: The world’s largest non-profitorganisation fostering entrepreneurship globally


As it has been previously outlined, globalknowledge networks can play an instru-mental role in the economic and industrialdevelopment of a country. Whereas in thepast the fear of a brain drain caused policymakers to look unfavorably on professionalemigration, the world has evolved to anaccepted norm that two-way flows of humancapital bring immense benefits. In otherwords, migration is a source of brain gainand brain circulation that enhances theintellectual capital of nations. But aside fromall the positive externalities brought about byscholarly exchange and professionalmigration, the business of internationaleducation, or export education as it isreferred to in technical economic parlance,represents a major opportunity for countries,one where they can position themselves as acentre for educational excellence.68

Furthermore, the diaspora can be used tocommunicate the homeland’s high-qualityeducation system, greatly enhancing thebrand and reputation.

International education – the potentialCountries can derive major benefit fromthe recruitment of international students.International education is essentially anexport business since the tuition paid by

students generates substantial revenueearnings for the economy. In addition toprogram fees, each international studentmakes a significant contribution to theeconomy through spending on accommo-dation and living expenses. The statisticsare impressive:

n Demand for education beyondboundaries has increased by 40 per centover the past decade and is forecast toreach 6 million students by 2020.69

n In 1995, 90,000 US students went tocollege overseas. In 2008, over 262,000US students went to college overseas70 USstudent participation in study abroad hasmore than doubled over the past decade.

n Between 1978 and 2008 some 1.39million Chinese went abroad to study.71

n 690,923 international students wereenrolled in US universities during the2009/10.72

n Together, the top three sending countriesChina, India and South Korea comprisenearly half (44%) of the total internationalenrollments in US higher education.73

n Transnational education is increasing(where students study for a foreign qualifi-cation either in their home country or athird country.) A study of figures providedby the Higher Education Statistics Agency


‘Young people should be at the forefront of global change and innovation.Empowered, they can be key agents for development and peace. If, however,they are left on society’s margins, all of us will be impoverished. Let usensure that all young people have every opportunity to participate fully inthe lives of their societies.’ Kofi Annan

Export and import education


(UK) shows that there were 340,000students on programs outside of theEuropean Union who were studying for aUK degree or another higher educationqualification. The vast majority of thesestudents were not British.74

n There is now a massive pool of interna-tional students looking for new places to

learn. UNESCO estimates there are 138million students worldwide seekinguniversity degrees. With private univer-sities in the US costing in the region of$50,000 per year for four years, there aredistinct opportunities to promote interna-tional educational institutions as attractivelocations for international students.75


Top 10 countries of destinationfor US students to study abroad———————————————————————

1 United Kingdom 33,333

2 Italy 30,670

3 Spain 25,212

4 France 17,336

5 China 11,064

6 Australia 10,747

7 Mexico 9,461

8 Germany 7,355

9 Ireland 5,785

10 Costa Rica 5,383

Top 10 countries sendingstudents to the US———————————————————————

1 India 103,260

2 China 98,235

3 South Korea 75,065

4 Canada 29,697

5 Japan 29,264

6 Taiwan 28,265

7 Mexico 14,850

8 Vietnam 12,823

9 Saudi Arabia 12,661

10 Turkey 12,263

Taken from Institute of International Education, Media Planner 2010 at 3.

International students also contribute to thecountry’s economy and reputation in otherimportant respects:

n International students contribute toemployment creation directly and indirectly.

n International graduates promote andsupport country’s reputation abroad andhelp to establish an international profilefor education in that country.

n They bring a foreign affairs benefit to thehost country which other industries cannot

match – the country’s geopoliticialstanding is enhanced.

n Additional ‘spin off’ benefits aregenerated through the access, contactsand positive relationships provided bygraduates/alumni when they return totheir own countries.

n International students develop andretain a special bond with the hostcountry that is likely to pay dividendsin many unforeseen ways over thecoming decades.


n International students can provide apotential source of skills for the hostcountry if the country is faced with furtherskills shortages in the future.

n International students will become affinitymembers of the diaspora.

Attracting diaspora studentsCountries, in their efforts to attract interna-tional students, are also focusing ontargeting diaspora members to study in thehomeland by offering financial incentives todo so. For example, the Indian governmentoffers a special scholarship program for thechildren of persons of Indian origin (PIOs)and non-resident Indians (NRIs) to pursueundergraduate professional and generalcourses in India. The scholarship is open forundergraduate courses in disciplinesincluding engineering, architecture,technology, liberal arts, commerce, sciences,and law except for medical and relatedcourses. The scholarship offers 75% of theinstitutional economic cost or US$3,600,whichever is less.

Similarly, the Ireland HomecomingStudy Program which was launched in 2010is a new initiative that is open to thechildren, grandchildren and great-grandchildren of Irish emigrants who areinterested in completing a semester of study,two semesters or an entire undergraduatedegree at one of Irelands Institutes ofTechnology. Students who qualify willbenefit from the new ‘Irish Diaspora tuition

fee’ which is up to 40% less than thestandard rate for non-EU students. For thefirst time the Irish Diaspora have beenrecognized and rewarded by the Irish statethrough the creation of a reduced tuitionfee for the (non-EU resident) Irish Diaspora.Students also have the opportunity to livewith Irish families during their stay inIreland, further adding to the studentscultural experience and strengthening thestudents cultural link with Ireland.76

Twinning programs between schools inhost and home countries are also becomingincreasingly popular. The Jewish Federation’sTel Aviv/Los Angeles Partnership SchoolTwinning Program is the only initiative inexistence that connects schools in LosAngeles with schools in Tel Aviv. Thispowerful program has supported 60,000students, parents, and faculty through jointlyprepared curricula, teacher training, anddelegation exchanges. Students from Tel Avivcome to Los Angeles; students from LosAngeles go to Tel Aviv. Visiting students livewith a host family and study history,literature, language, pluralistic Judaism,Zionism, and the sciences at their partnerschool. The cultural and educationalexchange between students transforms schoolcultures, transcends the distance betweenIsrael and LA and creates a shared Jewishidentity and destiny.

One of the leading global diasporastrategies in encouraging diaspora students toreturn to the homeland to study is MASA.



Overseas schools for diaspora childrenGovernments in home countries inconnecting with the diaspora haveestablished overseas schools in host countriesfor children of diaspora members. Throughthese schools, children living in hostcountries can main both an educational andcultural tie to the homeland. An example ofthis is the Philippine Schools Overseasprogram. These schools are registerededucational institutions operating outside the

Philippines and implementing the educationalcurriculum approved by the Department ofEducation in the Philippines. They have beenestablished to address educational needs ofchildren of Filipinos overseas, and ultimately,facilitate their reintegration into thePhilippine educational system upon theirreturn to the Philippines. The schools alsoserve as a venue for teaching Filipino cultureand heritage among Filipino youth overseas.There are currently 41 Philippine OverseasSchools operational in 9 countries.77


MASA brings 9,000 Jews to Israel every year to study for a year in Israeli univer-sities. Although not free this is highly subsidised and a series of partnerships havebeen established with US universities, e.g. Harvard, who are putting increasingpressure on their students to study overseas, a trend that is increasing under theObama administration. MASA’s mission is to provide every young Jewish adultthroughout the world, aged 18–30, the opportunity to participate in a long-termIsrael experience. MASA is an umbrella organisation of over 160 long-termprograms in Israel for young Jewish adults throughout the world, including GAPyear programs, study abroad programs, internships, volunteer and Jewish studiesprograms. Israel promotes MASA as an opportunity to spend time in a countrywhich is not only the birthplace of the participants’ heritage but also anacknowledged leader in world technology and innovation. MASA programs runfrom 5 months to a year. In the US more and more universities such as Harvard,Yale and Princeton are recommending a year of study abroad before coming tocollege. They call it ‘taking a year on’. Israel has recognized this as an opportunityand is offering college credits that are accepted in the US and elsewhere. Résuméenhancement is a strong motivator to study overseas. MASA is a project of theGovernment of Israel and Jewish communities around the world represented bythe Jewish Agency for Israel and its partners, United Jewish Communities/theFederation of North America and Keren Hayesod – United Israel Appeal.

MASA – global best practice in engaging diaspora students


The Chinese School Association in theUnited States (CSAUS) is a not-for-profitorganization. The purpose of theAssociation is to strengthen thecooperation among Chinese schools,promote Chinese language and cultureeducation in the US, and enhance thecultural cooperation and exchange betweenChina and the United States. Since itsestablishment in 1994, CSAUS has grownfrom the original 5 schools into a largeorganization with 410 member schoolsacross 43 states. It covers all the major andmedium metropolitan areas in the US.Currently, CSAUS schools have over100,000 students and 7,000 teachers. Inother words, CSAUS has offered services toand exerted impact on tens of thousands offamilies, as the largest Chinese organi-zation in the US.78 Furthermore, manyJapanese Saturday Schools or Chinese AfterSchools are established in the US whichteach ethnic languages and cultures forchildren of diaspora members. Unlikestudents in the international schools, thosechildren are sent to American schools forformal education and go to heritageschools during the weekends or evening.79

These schools provide an opportunity foryoung members of the diaspora to learnabout their homeland culture andtraditions from an early age.

Role of diaspora in homelandeducational institutionsThe Irish diaspora has a long tradition ofdonating to educational institutes andschools in Ireland. A leading example of thisis the contributions made by supporters ofThe Ireland Funds to integrated educationschools in Northern Ireland. IntegratedEducation has been hailed as one of the mostsignificant social developments withinNorthern Ireland over the last 20 years.Integrated Education brings together childrenfrom Protestant and Catholic backgroundswho might otherwise never meet. Itsemphasis on respect, tolerance and conflictresolution teaches children to live as adults ina pluralist society, recognizing and acceptingtheir similarities and differences. For over 25years, The Ireland Funds donors havesupported the belief that integrated schoolshave a vital role to play in building a sharedfuture for the people of Northern Ireland.The Ireland Funds have helped to openschools and sustain the movement, rooted ina handful of parents who knew changewould come only when Catholic andProtestant children could learn together.

It is evident from this story that thediaspora can play a fundamental role in thepromotion and advancement of universitiesand schools in the homeland. The mostobvious way to do so is through philan-


‘The Indian community, living abroad, is unanimous in believing that their role instrengthening the educational infrastructure in the country is equally crucial. Thisaspect of the diaspora’s relationship with their homeland is manifested in morethan one way, the most prominent of which is the philanthropic activities that theNRIs take up in several parts of the country. Education holds the key to the future.’

Department of Higher Education of the Government of India


thropic donations to third level institutionsand donations by diaspora members to theiralma maters in the homeland are ever-increasing. ‘In a major boost to enhancingworld-class research facilities at the IndianInstitute of Technology (IIT), two of itsalumni have given a $6 million donation totheir alma mater as a ‘give back’ during itsgolden jubilee celebrations. General partnerat Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and co-founder of Sun Microsystems Vinod Khoslaand Advisory Director of Goldman SachsAvi Nash announced donations of $5million and $1 million respectively for theiralma mater IIT Delhi and IIT Mumbai. The‘gift’ by Khosla is the largest by a singleindividual in the history of IIT Delhi, andwill help maintain and enhance theexcellence of the school.’80

Diaspora members who may not havestudied in the homeland may also wish tomake contributions to enhance theeducational opportunities for youngermembers of the homeland. The ZimbabweDiaspora Scholarship Fund provides financialsupport to talented but economicallydisadvantaged students to develop the nextgeneration of professionals in Zimbabwe.81

Similarly, the United Macedonian Diaspora(UMD) announced its scholarship programto assist young Macedonians pursuing anundergraduate degree in the US, Canada, orAustralia. UMD will award up to threescholarships annually, in the amount of

$1,000.00 each for full-time undergraduatestudents at an accredited American,Australian, or Canadian college or university.Applicants must be undergraduate studentsof Macedonian heritage.

Mentorship and talentacceleration programsThe diaspora can act as ‘talent accelerators’for the home country’s next generationthrough mentoring, internships, and othertraining and educational opportunities thatwill offer opportunities to ‘internationalize’the next generation of leaders.

n The US – NI Mentorship Program is aplanned one-year work placement programfor residents of Northern Ireland to workin a corporation in the US. The program issupported by The American Ireland Fundand the Northern Ireland Science Park.The objectives of the program are: developthe future business leaders andentrepreneurs of Northern Ireland; developthe skills needed to grow the economy ofNorthern Ireland; improve the essentialbusiness, management and leadership skillsof participants; and provide participantswith first hand international experience.Each year qualified candidates will beselected to work with a mentor (many ofwhom are Irish diaspora members) at a USfirm and gain valuable experience in acorporate environment.82


‘Education is an admirable thing, but it is well to remember from time totime that nothing that is worth knowing can be taught.’

Oscar Wilde



‘The use of traveling is to regulate imagination by reality, and instead ofthinking how things may be, to see them as they are.’

Samuel Johnson

Organize visits to the homeland

A core element of many diaspora strategies isto encourage temporary or permanentreturns to the homeland. Short, targetedvisits by highly skilled expatriates can serveas an important channel for knowledgetransfer. For instance, half of the foreign-born professionals in America’s Silicon

Valley report returning to their country oforigin at least once a year, many of themmore often, which in turn helps explain thesubstantial exchange of information abouttechnology, jobs and business opportunitieswithin immigrant professional networks. Inturn, 40 per cent of Silicon Valley’s foreign-

n Many GlobalScot members are providingScotland’s young learners with some oftheir insight and experience. For example,one such initiative connects a GlobalScotmember with a secondary school inScotland. Through the program, themember provides pupils with an entrepre-neurial role model through a host ofactivities including: email mentoring, sitevisits and guest lectures during trips toScotland, staff development andmanagement consultancy for principals,and videoconferencing and web streamingon selected topics.83 Furthermore, inconjunction with the Saltire Foundation,GlobalScot members are providinginternational internship placements forthird year students at Scottish universities.

n In 2010, the Irish Government announcedfunding of €135,000 towards a newFarmleigh Fellowship Program, whichprovides 25 Irish participants theopportunity to work in Asia for fourmonths, and to participate in a joint MSc

degree in Asian Business Managementfrom UCC and Nanyang Business Schoolin Singapore. The project was developedby a number of Singapore-based business-people in the Irish diaspora who werepresent at the Global Irish EconomicForum held in Dublin in 2009.

The act of mentoring has a longstandinghistory dating back to the Ancient Greekswith Socrates serving as mentor and teacherto his student, Plato, and throughout thecenturies, mentoring has been utilized inmany specialized professions includingacademia, business, and the arts.84

Undoubtedly, many of the key influencers inthe diaspora had their own mentors duringtheir lifetime and would be well positionedand willing to pass on their experiences to thenext generation of leaders in the homecountry. The challenge with all the programsis scalability and finding the funders and theresources to impact thousands rather thanhundreds of younger members in the dias pora.


born professionals report that they wouldconsider returning home permanently – aphenomenon positively correlated with age.85

Given that it is both easier to implementand less dramatic for the returnees, manyrecent initiatives have focused on temporaryreturn. Engaging diaspora youth throughstructured home visits and more preciselyattempting to provide formative experiencesin the home country for the diaspora youth isa very effective instrument for encouragingfurther transformation towards a braingain.86 This type of strategy seems to suggestthat an important ingredient in a sustainablediaspora engagement is a generationaldynamism. For example:

n Lebanese Emigrants Youth Camp: thisannual camp is a free summer camp heldin Lebanon for participants between theages of 17 to 24 who are of Lebaneseorigin. In 2010, the summer camp hosted200 young people from 22 differentcountries across the globe.

n JAMPACT’s ‘Annual Service Trip’: isconducted as a part of JAMPACT’scharitable initiatives centered oneducational institutions in Jamaica andoffers an opportunity for the organization’smembers and supporters to connect withthe community they serve and submit theirresources to helping four basic schoolslocated in inner city Kingston.

A further interesting initiative is the UnitedNations Development Program (UNDP)which runs a program for the Transfer ofKnowledge through Expatriate Nationals(TOKTEN) that aims to persuade migrantsestablished abroad to return to their countryof origin at least temporarily. This may serveas a model program for other countries tofollow. Assignments generally last from threeweeks to three months, but some expatriateshave returned permanently. It is probably thelongest standing and most successfulprogram aimed at a transfer of competencieswithout being linked to permanent return.The TOKTEN program for Lebanon is oftencited as one successful model and result.TOKTEN consultants receive no payment,only a per diem allowance, insurance policyand reimbursement for travel expenses. Thefee for an average TOKTEN consultant isabout one-quarter that of a traditionalinternational expert consultant. This featureof the program makes it popular andfinancially efficient, but limits participationto those diaspora members who are in aposition to forgo their professional earningsfor periods of volunteer consultancy. Thereare many ways to promote short visits to thehomeland amongst diaspora members andthese are explored below.


‘Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.’

Aristotle


Diaspora tourismTourism is the world’s fourth most valuableexport, after fuels, chemicals and automotiveproducts, while for many developingcountries it is the number one export category.Diaspora tourism has created a significantmarket niche for itself in recent years, markedby the intensification of globalization andtransnationalism. The homing desire ofvarious diasporas has become a marketingtarget for various players in the tourismindustry. Even those who do not have directlinks to Ireland nurse the desire to visit theland of their ancestors. Diaspora tourism canbe divided into three distinct segments –heritage, residential and festival:

n Heritage tourism is predominantly drivenby diaspora tourists who wish to discovertheir ancestry and heritage.

n Residential tourists encompass diasporamembers who live and work abroad andwho have invested or plan to invest inproperty in their country of origin.

n Festival tourists include diaspora touriststravelling back for important events andfestivals such as Easter, Christmas,weddings and christenings.87

Tourism has an importance beyond itsdirect economic impact, and to reduce thesignificance of diaspora tourism purely to aneconomic niche would mean denying it ofits real worth. Tourism is essentially anadvertising voice to the world, anempathetic connection to the world, anability to bring back the diaspora, gettingthem to consider buying more produce from the homeland, coming back for furthervisits, buying a home in the homeland,investing in the homeland, returning to thehomeland full-time. It should be looked atthrough a variety of angles, among them thecontext of promoting the identity andculture of the homeland.

Some countries are targeting theirdiaspora for inbound tourism. One suchexample is Scotland who designated 2009 asHomecoming Scotland. For furtherinformation on diaspora tourism please seethe insert by Kathleen Newland of theMigration Policy Institute entitled ‘DiasporaTourism’ at the front of the toolkit.


‘Travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on,deep and permanent, in the ideas of living.’

Miriam Beard

‘Where we love is home, home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts.’

Oliver Wendell Holmes


Genealogy can also promote diasporatourism to the home country. According toFowler genealogy is ‘the account of descentfrom ancestor by enumeration ofintermediate persons; the investigation of thepedigree of a particular person or family.’88

Genealogy comes third as the most popularsubject on the internet. Furthermore,anecdotal evidence points to the existenceand potential growth of genealogy tourism,alleged to be one of the fastest growinghobbies in the world.89

Genealogy diaspora tourism is a greatway to engage the ‘baby boomers’ in thediaspora. When thinking about the future

and indeed diaspora strategies, it is naturalthat we tend to focus on the next generation.In doing so, however, we sometimes forgetthe baby boomers. In the US there were 77million people born between 1946 and 1964.They are now turning 60 at the rate of10,000 a day.90 By 2030 there will be morepeople aged over 50 than under 18. They arethe healthiest, wealthiest and best educatedcohort in the history of mankind. As theyenter into their ‘third act’ these ‘young old’are not buying into the old retirement ideal,and after their working careers are over theyare having a temporary pause before takingup the next challenge. They are curious, keen


Homecoming Scotland 2009 was a series of events designed to attract people ofScottish ancestry to visit Scotland. The campaign, organized by EventScotland andVisitScotland on behalf of the Scottish Government, and part-financed by theEuropean Regional Development Fund, claims that ‘for every single Scot in theirnative land, there are thought to be at least five more overseas who can claimScottish ancestry.’ Recognizing the importance of Homecoming was a means ofboosting tourism to support the Scottish economy at this time. 2009 was the 250thanniversary of the birth of Robert Burns, the national poet. In addition to Burns-related events, the other four themes of the Homecoming were Scotland’s cultureand heritage, great Scottish minds and innovations, golf and whisky.

The Year of Homecoming consisted of a program of over 300 events, festivalsand activities running from Burns Weekend, January 24th–25th, until St AndrewsDay on November 30th. One particular event which was organized was called‘The Gathering’. On the 25th and 26th July 2009 Edinburgh witnessed one of thelargest clan gatherings in history. Holyrood Park hosted a Highland Games andScottish Festival over two days, then on the Saturday evening Clan membersparaded up the historic Royal Mile and took their seats on the castle esplanade fora Clan Pageant. Homecoming Scotland 2009 motivated people with Scottishancestry and those with an affinity for, and love of, Scotland to ‘Come Home’ andjoin in an inspirational celebration of Scotland, past, present and future.

Homecoming Scotland


to travel and want to try new things. Theywant to learn. They are conscious of theirgood fortune and want to give back tosociety in a meaningful way. They are thesegment that shows most interest inresearching their ancestry. Just as the nextgeneration needs specific strategies ofengagement so, too, does the ‘grey’ market.91

Diaspora conferencesA recent feature of other countries’ disaporastrategies is the extent to which governmentsare organising events in the home countryand inviting key members of the diaspora toattend – and they are responding. Aninvitation from a government or head ofstate seems to carry more clout than if froma regular disapora organisation. Aspreviously noted, countries such as Australia,Israel, Scotland and Ireland have organizedconferences in the homeland to engagediaspora members. Examples of other suchconferences include:

India – Pravasi Bharatiya DivasIn 2003 the first major Indian diasporaconference was held which attracted morethan 2,000 overseas Indians from 63countries. The Conference was co-sponsoredby the Indian Government and theFederation of Indian Chambers of Commerceand was opened by then- Prime MinisterVajpayee. One of the main focuses of PBD2011, which was attended by over 5,000delegates, was on the young overseas Indian.In an endeavor to connect with and engagethe younger generation of the overseasIndians with emerging India, a plenarysession on ‘Engaging with the young overseasIndian’ was organized. There were alsoparallel interactive sessions on topics

important to the diaspora including: (a) industry round table: interaction betweendiaspora and Indian industry leaders; (b) information, communication andentertainment; and (c) celebrating the GlobalIndian. PBD conventions provide a platformfor exchanges of views and networking tooverseas Indians on matters of commoninterest and concern to them. They also helpthe Government of India to betterunderstand and appreciate the expectationsof the overseas Indian community from theland of their ancestors and more importantly,acknowledge the important role played bythem in India’s efforts to acquire its rightfulplace in the comity of nations. RegionalPBD’s are also organized overseas and havebeen held in New York, Singapore, SouthAfrica and The Hague.

Barbados – Inaugural BarbadosDiaspora ConferenceIn 2010, the Government of Barbadosorganized the Inaugural Barbados DiasporaConference. Themed ‘Strengthening theBonds that Unite Us’ the conference exploredways to realize national objectives pertainingto the diaspora, which are under the remit ofthe Council for Investment, Exports, ForeignExchange and the Diaspora. It also gaveBarbadians and Friends of Barbadosresidents abroad the opportunity to discussways in which they can make tangible contri-butions to the development of the homeland.The conference was attended by over 300delegates. Speaking at the opening of theconference the Minister of Foreign Affairsand Foreign Trade, Senator Maxine McClean,stated that ‘while not every overseasBarbadian intended to return they were allanxious to find avenues to contribute to our



national development’, and he recognizedthat ‘we needed to create a comprehensivestructure to embrace the Barbadian Diasporaas an integral part of the economic, socialand cultural development of Barbados.’92

Cameroon Diaspora Economic andTrade ForumIn 2010, the Cameroon government organizedthe first-ever economic and trade forum thatbrought together home-based developmentstakeholders and 300 key members of theCameroon diaspora to brainstorm on how thediaspora could contribute to the country’seconomic development. Many agreed it was amilestone in efforts to promote economicgrowth by encouraging cooperation betweenthe government and its citizens living abroad.The government has stated that the forum willbe held annually and is part of a plan to raiseCameroon to the rank of an emergingeconomy by 2035.93

These conferences provide an importantforum for home countries to listen to thediaspora and provide them with anopportunity to voice their ideas for waysthey can engage with the homeland andhome institutions. It is important thatcountries remember that conferences shouldnot just be a networking event for diasporamembers. In order to maintain theenthusiasm stemming from these conferences,countries must implement reporting and

follow up mechanisms to ensure that ideasgenerated at the conferences becometangible and real initiatives.

Diaspora volunteeringEncouraging members of the diaspora tovolunteer their time and talent to projects inthe homeland is an emerging strategypromoting diaspora engagement throughvisits home. The inherent interconnectivity inthe process and outcome of this type ofengagement positions it as a significantcontributor to any sustainable diasporastrategy. Governments, at home and abroad,are becoming more and more aware of thenatural benefits these programs hold becausediasporas often have ‘the connections,knowledge, and personal drive to volunteeroutside the framework of organizedvolunteer programs.’94

Apart from the theoretical benefits ofdiaspora volunteering, they also have severalpractical or instrumental benefits. Theprocess and cost of assimilation is generallyreduced with diaspora volunteering asdiasporas tend to be familiar with thedemands, needs, and terrain of the homecountry, a feature that has been described asthe ‘allure of the concept of diasporavolunteering.’95 This, in turn, increases thelikelihood that co-ordination of aims andobjectives will become easier. Furthermore,diaspora volunteer programs promote braingain and brain circulation.


‘One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.’ Henry Miller


An example of a popular diasporavolunteer programme is Birthright Armenia.Birthright Aremnia has partnered withdozens of existing internship organizationsand study abroad programs to give youngdiasporans a unique and personal immersionexperience in Armenia. These organizationsand programs plan each diaspora volunteer’sjobsite or community service placement,Birthright Armenia does the rest. Through itscomplementary services and financialincentives, Birthright Armenia offers eachparticipant the means and opportunity toexperience Armenia.

The UK Department for InternationalDevelopment (DFID) also offers a diasporavolunteering program. The program isstructured around a partnership betweenDFID and VSO (Voluntary Service Overseas),

a mainstream international volunteering anddevelopment organization.96 VSO took theidea of a diaspora specific volunteer programto DFID, and in 2006 the UK government’sWhite Paper for DFID proposed to ‘expandopportunities for ... diaspora communities tovolunteer in developing countries.’97 FromSeptember 2005 to March 2008, VSOworked directly with 18 diaspora organi-sations to develop international volunteeringprograms, sending 269 diaspora volunteersto countries in Asia and Africa. In the sameperiod, the demand from diaspora organi-sations for support grew from 29 to over50.98 In March 2008, the DFID assigned £3million (over three years) to support anddevelop an initiative to encourage peoplefrom diaspora communities to volunteer tohelp fight poverty in developing countries.99


1 Programs that target subgroups of highly skilled volunteers: including those withexpertise in entrepreneurship and business growth, public health, post-conflictrelief and recovery, higher education, and public policy advice and capacitybuilding. These diaspora volunteers often resemble discounted consultants inproviding expert insight (and occasionally services) and the missions are relativelyshort although occasionally repeated.

2 Programs that target youth volunteers: these programs target youth volunteers inthe diaspora for a period of community-based service work in their ancestralcountries. The terms of service for diaspora volunteers in these programs aretypically longer and aim to provide a formative experience for the volunteers anda transformative interaction for the host communities.

3 Multipurpose programs: they aim to attract a wide range of diaspora volunteersincluding both youth and highly skilled diaspora volunteers.

Taken from Terrazas, Connected Through Service: Diaspora Volunteers and Global

Development, Migration Policy Institute, August 2010

Clusters of diaspora volunteer programs


The programs implemented are broadlyaimed towards capacity building throughtransferring skills and knowledge networks.In addition to this, the VSO has innovativelyhelped to create the Diaspora VolunteeringAlliance (DVA). The DVA is a group ofdiaspora organisations that agree on sharedvalues and objectives, explore differentperspectives of volunteering and development,share experiences, skills and knowledge, takecollective decisions, and engage with issues ofmigration and development.100

It is obvious that diaspora volunteeringwill continue to grow as the needs ofdiasporas and governments move closer

together. It remains a vehicle to close theremaining gap between the two. Diasporascan use volunteering as a bridge to theirhomeland. Governments can use it as vehicleof transformation. The success of diasporavolunteering is partially its ability to create astake for diasporas and governments alike ina diaspora strategy. Its essence, however, are the real and tangible benefitsvolunteering can provide for diasporas andgovernments of both developing anddeveloped countries. This, of course, willtake time, patience, and commitment whichare the building blocks of volunteering and,indeed, diaspora strategies.


Diasporas role in peace initiatives

There is an emerging realization thatdiasporas can play a remarkably importantrole in peace initiatives in their homecountries. Historically, much of the analysishas centered on how diasporas act asspoilers to peace processes and help toexacerbate conflict. Meanwhile, recentinterpretations have offered a comparativeapproach and see diasporas as a constructiveforce in terms of peace initiatives. Withinthis debate, the realization of a constructivepresence for diasporas in peace initiatives isan important first step. Firstly, a diasporacan encourage dialogue within itself. It isgenerally accepted that diasporas are notsingular, homogenous groups. As such, theremay be multiple and competing views on ahomeland conflict. Through dialogue, withinand across the diaspora, this competition istransformed to a position of mutual trustand understanding. The skills and processes

involved in such dialogue can act as a modelfor, or complement, the wider peaceinitiative. In terms of conflict transformation,diaspora networks can provide invaluableadvantages for a peace initiative. They canprovide much needed support for theinitiative. They can be beneficial in terms ofpromoting long-term engagement (key topost-conflict development), building internaland external structural support, and access.Diaspora networks can open access topreviously unreachable fields. For example, astrong lobby movement in the host countrymay provide impetus and strength to a peaceinitiative as seen in the Irish case. This canintroduce innovative elements intoprotracted conflicts. This has a relative effectin forming partnerships.

One of the most instructive examples ofthis was the role the Irish diaspora, inparticular Irish-America, played in the peace


process in Northern Ireland. As noted byCochrane, Baser, and Swain ‘while Irish-America did not cause the peace process in

Northern Ireland, it certainly did helpfacilitate it once the conflict actors began thelong journey out of violent conflict.’101


I sometimes look back and reflect, with some whimsy on the irony of the fact thathad I not left Ireland in 1967, I most likely never would have become involved withthe conflict in Northern Ireland, other than as a passive observer from a comfort seatin Dublin, probably working for some quasi government agency and working myselfup the career ladder. When I left Ireland in September 1967 for graduate school inthe US, my focus was entirely focused on academic success – getting out of Irelandhad been one of my life’s priorities and the unfolding drama in Northern Ireland(NI), the first civil rights’ marches were events I watched on television or read aboutwith quasi detachment. Bloody Sunday on 30th January 1972 changed all that.

With other native born Irish and Irish Americans, many ‘more Irish than the Irishthemselves,’ all of us regulars at the Plough and Stars in Cambridge, the Irish bar offlavor in the late 1960s and 70s, we created the Committee for an Irish Forum (CIF),the umbrella organization for my future activities. First was a concert for the familiesof the victims of Bloody Sunday, organized within weeks, allowing us to hand deliverto each of the families in Derry a cheque for $1,000. Today that might seem like asmall sum but the people we reached out to were the working class Irish and IrishAmerican community in Boston – South Boston and Dorchester – for whom thecause was great but the means to help very limited.

That concert and our experiences in Derry, the overwhelming gratitude of thefamilies, the stories of a brutal RUC (the special arm of the police force formed backin the 1920s with the primary purpose of policing Catholic nationals), the bitternessof the divide between Catholics and Protestants, the Lagan a natural barrier ofdivision, the sights and sounds of war torn Derry, the hubris of the British armypresence on the streets, were the catalyst for most of what would follow. Here the‘seeds’ of involvement were planted that would ultimately culminate in the greatIndaba, (Zulu word for ‘gathering’) that brought delegations led by the leaders of allthe parties to the conflict in Northern Ireland, who were also among their party’schief negotiators in the embryonic peace process underway, to a secure military basein Arniston, South Africa in July 1997 where they were closeted for four days with

The Northern Ireland Peace Process: a diaspora members’ storyPadraig O’Malley, John Joseph Moakley Distinguished Professor of Peace andReconciliation, University of Massachusetts Boston



the chief negotiators from all the parties in South Africa – ranging from far left tofar right – that had reached South Africa’s historic settlement in 1994. Other eventspaved the way to Arniston. In 1975, we organized a weeklong closed conference atthe University of Massachusetts Amherst, which brought together over 30 +members of paramilitary organizations, including the Ulster Defense Association(UDA) both wings of the IRA (Official and Provisional), the Irish RepublicanSocialist Party (IRSP), cross community NGOs, partisan NGOs, constitutionalpoliticians from both sides, journalists and union leaders, among them the includingthe Ulster Workers’ Council (UWC), which had brought down the SunningdaleAgreement in 1974. Certain agreements were reached at Amherst – the UDApromised not to kill Catholics randomly in retaliation to the IRA targeting of allwho wore or had worn the uniform of the Crown but they were promises not kept.Again, the funding was raised locally, again, the same network that had made theBloody Sunday concert possible was called on, and again, it rose to the occasion.

Subsequently, I was able to draw on the contacts made at Amherst to writeThe Uncivil Wars: Ireland Today, (1983) which was based on interviews with allleading protagonists to the conflict and attempted to show how each partyperceived the conflict through its particular prism and their perceptions of variousovertures periodically made by other parties. The book was very well regarded asimpartial by all parties in Northern Ireland, although some reservations werereceived. I had, so to speak, a little political capital to work with and thecredibility that accompanied it. The Ireland Funds (IF) entered the picture whenthe CIF hosted two symposia (1982 and 1984) at the John Fitzgerald KennedyPresidential Library, Boston (and here I should make special mention to ProfessorCatherine Shannon, Wakefield State College) helping to fund the participation ofUnionist and Nationalist leaders appearing on the same platform and openingthemselves to questioning from the public that attended. The Airlie Houseconference in Virginia, which brought together senior leaders of all politicalparties in the Northern Ireland, Britain, and the Republic of Ireland, together withsenior civil servants both from the Northern Ireland Office, the Department ofForeign Affairs in Dublin and a cluster of Whitehall Foreign Office mandarinstook place in January 1985, and again the IF stepped into the financial breach.

It was the first occasion on which the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), witha delegation led by deputy party leader, Peter Robinson, participated in such anevent – a breakthrough of sorts. Unfortunately, given US State Dept restrictionson visas Sinn Fein was not invited to participate, but a more compelling reasonfor its absence was the fact that no other party would participate if there was aSinn Fein presence. There were barriers yet to be overcome.



That conference could not have taken place were it not for the support of The Ireland Funds, but also the support of a wide network of contacts among theIrish and Irish American communities. The Diaspora, now more educated in thenuances of the conflict was coming to realize that getting leaders on both sides ofthe divide out of the confines of the narrow ground of Northern Ireland to secludedsurroundings in the United States where they could establish personal relationshipsand talk frankly, contributed mightily to fostering confidence building measures.

In the late 1980s I had begun to document the transition from apartheid todemocracy; in 1992, the CIF cemented a relationship between Northern Irelandand South Africa (and here special mention is due to Michael Donlon) when itbrought 30 political leaders and NGOs from Northern Ireland and South Africato the University of Massachusetts Boston for a three day symposium at theKennedy Library on the ‘The Role of a Bill of Rights in a Divided Society.’ Herecrucial relationships were established among the South Africans and the NorthernIrish that were subsequently nourished and resulted in numerous ongoingrelationships, and opened the way to Arniston.

My work in South Africa enabled me to establish relationships with the leadersof all the parties involved in the negotiations that began in 1991. Observing thebehaviors of South African protagonists and comparing them with the behaviors ofNorthern Ireland leaders back to the 1970s led me to the premise that people fromdivided societies are in the best position to help people in other divided societies;that peoples from divided societies share behavioral, political, social and psycho-logical traits, not seen in people in more ‘normal’ societies, traits that predisposethem to see things through prisms that are different than the prisms societies notsubject to the vagaries of protracted conflict perceive the same events. Mostimportantly I became well acquainted with Roelf Meyer, who headed the apartheidgovernment’s negotiating team and Cyril Ramaphosa who led the ANCnegotiation team and was able to persuade both to come to the University ofMassachusetts Boston in 1993 where they were joint commencement speakers andthe recipients of honorary degrees. That three day trip strengthened therelationship among the three of us.

And so, in 1996, after multiple conversations with party leaders in NorthernIreland, stretching over two years, I broached the proposition to Meyer andRamaphosa that the Northern Irish had much to learn from the way in which SouthAfrica had conducted its negotiations and reached accommodation and that theyshould take a trip to Belfast to assess the readiness of the parties in NorthernIreland to engage in such a process. They came to Belfast in June 1986, again withthe assistance of The Ireland Funds, met with each party for two hours, returned to



South Africa, and informed President Nelson Mandela that they believed SouthAfrica had something to give and the Northern Irish something to learn. True tohimself Mandela sought from each party a written request for assistance, which I ‘extracted’ from each in the following months.

In July 1997, the Great Indaba convened at Arniston, by the government ofNelson Mandela and the University of Massachusetts Boston. From NorthernIreland, twenty of the key negotiators across all party lines, arrived at Oliver Tamboairport in Johannesburg, Unionist coming in through a flight from London andnationalists in a flight through Paris and they were whisked by military aircraft toArniston. As part of the pre Arniston agreements the Democratic UnionistParty(DUP) delegation, led by Peter Robinson were accommodated at one end of thecomplex with its own residential and restaurant facilities and the Sinn Feindelegation, led by Martin McGuiness at the other end. At that point Unionists wereinsistent that they would not share the same space where there was a Sinn Feinpresence (the IRA had rescinded its 1994 ceasefire) and when President Mandelacame to address them, I had to ask him whether he was up to tolerating a little bitof apartheid, at which he laughed and proceeded to address both delegationsseparately – and give different messages to each. Ironies abounded: Only one copyof Mandela’s autobiography was available (brought by my colleague Margery ODonnell) which Mandela, a co Nobel Prize winner in 1993 gave to David Trimble,leader of the Ulster Unionist Party, with the inscription ‘Dear David, you are one ofthe few people who can bring peace to your troubled land. I know you can rise tothe occasion. Your friend, Nelson.’ Mandela had won Trimble’s heart! Two yearslater Trimble was co winner of the Nobel Prize for Peace.

The trip to South Africa and the dialogue there – South Africans sharing theirexperiences and Northern Ireland identifying with different aspects of thoseexperiences and sharing their own, created a bond between the two, resulted in anopen line of communication, and thus an indirect ongoing ‘conversation,’ perhapsunknownst to themselves, between the DUP and Sinn Fein. A senior member of theANC took Sinn Fein under his wing and a senior member of the old NationalParty took the DUP under his, and although the DUP and Sinn Fein were notengaging in direct talks at that time, they had pipelines to each other as the twoSouth Africans apprised each other of the conversations they were having andpassed observations up the pipeline.

After the Good Friday Agreement/Belfast Agreement was reached in 1998, theNorthern Irish parties, across the divide, were effusive in their praise of the SouthAfricans contribution, of how the lessons of Arniston and the value of follow up


From the mid-1980’s, there was astunning shift in the shape of diasporasupport for peace initiatives in NorthernIreland. Whilst there had always been anelement of a moderate, nonviolentframework to parts of their presence in the

conflict, Irish-America adopted a much moreinstrumental and nuanced role. This resultedin a strong belief that peace was not onlypreferable but also possible. Politicallobbying in the host country, the formationof strong and well connected networks, the


contacts had eased their paths to agreement. This conference and the ongoingbehind the scenes dialogue that followed were a contributing factor to theNorthern Ireland peace agreement in 1998. And again there is irony: PeterRobinson (DUP) who was adamant that his people would have no direct contactwith Martin McGuiness (Sinn Fein) and his delegation today are First Ministerand deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland, sharing one office. And there wasan unintended consequence: because of the bonds established among negotiatorson all sides from both countries they have jointly intervened in other conflictsituations, especially in Iraq where their efforts in Helsinki with Iraqi leaders wereinstrumental in leading to the signing of the Helsinki Agreement in Baghdad inJuly 2007 – a set of principles and mechanisms to bring sectarian violence undercontrol and preempt its resurfacing.

In all of these engagements of the Northern Irish with themselves, of theNorthern Irish with the South Africans, of the key players in both jointly reachingout to Iraq, countries, the Irish Diaspora in the United States was pivotal.Without The Ireland Funds not much might have been possible, but it was thegrassroots Diaspora of the ‘little’ people, people with little means and often withconflicting beliefs regarding Northern Ireland who, nevertheless, intuitively knewthat that there would never be peace in Northern Ireland or an end to conflictthere unless all parties – men of violence and nonviolence, sat around the sametable, treated each other with respect, educated themselves to an understanding ofthe position of the ‘other’ and laid the groundwork for a compromise thatresulted in a win-win outcome. The contribution of the ‘wee’ folk was assignificant as that of the highly organized and sophisticated Ireland Funds butrarely acknowledged. On this page I applaud their contribution and dedicationover three decades. In the course of those years they became aware of the powerof their collective engagement, but they never realized the extent of their impact –a strung out chain of people bound by links of heritage and culture whocontributed, in the most unexpected ways, in helping to bring closure to one ofthe last century’s most intractable conflicts.


advancement of corporate Irish-America, anda redrawing of earlier perspectives were thehallmarks for this new Irish-Americaninvolvement. A new generation of individuals,groups, and ideas helped to engage pre-existing perspectives and ultimately changethem for the better. For example, financialsupport was re-conceptualized along moreproductive lines particularly through philanthropic donations and the support of The Ireland Funds.

This brief illustration of Irish-America’srole in the Northern Ireland conflict andpeace process seems to suggest that theassertion that diasporas can have aconstructive role in homeland conflict iscorrect. However, it is evidently not withoutchallenges. It will take time, effort andpatience to change destructive patterns ofengagement. Interestingly, if this can beachieved, a diaspora is hypothetically bettersituated to engage with a peace initiative. For example, any attempt to overcomedivision in terms of opinion and perspectivewill usually need dialogue, negotiation, andsettlement. These are some of the core

capacities for a peace initiative and thisexperience can be vital, as illustrated by theIrish case. Furthermore, another insightfulcontribution that can be drawn from theIrish-American experience is that the peaceinitiative or process needs to be inclusive. A diaspora can contribute to this by facili-tating depoliticized discussions and acting asa mediator of sorts. It is clear from the abovethat diasporas are also key to ensuring thatpeace initiatives are sustained. This broadlycomes under the umbrella of long-termpolitical and financial support. Diasporasacquire and experience a diversity of ideas,practices, beliefs, and networks that enablethem to become vehicles for sustained andconstructive engagement in peace initiatives,whether directly or indirectly. However, it isimportant to not lose sight of the fact thatviewing diasporas as a constructive force isstill emerging. It is clear, however, thatdiasporas have the capacity, ability andcourage to become important players inpeace initiatives in their homelands. The peace process in Northern Ireland stands as testament to this.


‘I have heard from leaders of several countries who have studied not only whathappened in Northern Ireland but what happened in the Irish Americancommunity to enable it. And one of the ways that worked was through this Fund[The Ireland Funds]… And efforts are now underway to engage communities inAmerica with ties to Mexico, Haiti, Kenya, Bangladesh, Nigeria, and othercountries. These communities of the diaspora fill a critical niche. We want tobegin to support them to do what the Irish American Community has done: toreach back, to make contributions, and to assist on the road to peace.’

Hillary Clinton, The American Ireland Fund 18th Annual Gala, March 2010.


The power of culture must not be underes-timated when architecting strategies forengagement of the diaspora. Culture is oneof the main catalysts in attracting membersinto the diaspora and is the fundamentalpremise upon which every dimension of ourdiaspora develops. Although it cannot alwaysbe seen, it is always felt.

Culture is a term used loosely and often toreference a wide range of experiences andculture is many things to many people. It canbe understood as shared values, ideas andhopes but it is also the expression of thosethings through arts, music, religion and even(or especially) food. Culture is a unifyingfeature of various groups, be it throughcommon language, background or religion,and is the way in which we can talk aboutand understand the shared experience andperspective of different individuals. Indeed,culture can be representative of shared values,goals and attitudes of a group and can also bea forum for the expression of soft power,diplomacy and networking. Arts organizationspromoting cultural traditions or heritage(crafts, arts, dance) all are meeting points for

people to express shared culture and interest.They are also one of the most inclusive waysto broaden the reaches of affinity diaspora.

Culture is intrinsic to the mobilizing ofdiaspora populations and is the commonthread that can brings groups together fromdifferent countries, or around sharedinterests, language, hobbies or regions toorganize. In understanding diaspora, cultureis the meeting point where initiatives can gettheir strongest roots. Countries trying toreach their diaspora populations simulta-neously need to pull out the strongest aspectsof their culture to build upon foundationallyfor strategies and policy and recognize thediversity within their culture. This balancebetween universalism and collective identityand respect for differences within any groupis one that can be a difficult balance to strike.Many countries have successfully used sharedculture to bring about diaspora engagementand examples of arts or food festivals orcelebration days around the world arecommon for many countries andcommunities and can be a place for differentsub-groups of a culture to come together.


‘Culture is the whole complex of distinctive spiritual, material, intellectual andemotional features that characterises a society or a group. It includes creativeexpressions, community practices and material or built forms.’

The UN World Commission on Culture and Development Report

Culture – the catalyst to connecting

‘A nation’s culture resides in the hearts and in the soul of its people.’

Mohandas Gandhi



Long before globalisation was formally recognised, the Irish diaspora existed asa globally dispersed cultural presence, and has played a key role not just indisseminating, sustaining and promoting Irish culture around the world, butalso in helping to shape new creative developments. Diaspora and exile havebeen central to the lives and creative work of many of our greatest artists,including Wilde, Joyce and Beckett. With ever-increasing global mobility, manyleading Irish artists and cultural entrepreneurs now work or live abroad forextended periods, building high-level international cultural and businessnetworks for Ireland.

Establishment of Culture IrelandCulture Ireland was established in 2005 under the aegis of the Minister for Artsas the national agency for the promotion and advancement of Irish artsworldwide. To date it has supported and promoted more than 2000 Irish artisticinitiatives and events in over 74 countries, ranging across music, theatre, dance,literature, film, visual art and architecture. Its programs include:

n mounting showcases and promotional missions at key international festivalsand arts markets through the year;

n supporting the presentation of Irish arts events and projects abroad througha funding scheme which is open to both Irish artists/companies and interna-tional venues/festivals;

n managing strategic initiatives in response to Government priorities, forexample, a programme of Irish-Chinese artistic collaborations during ShanghaiWorld Expo 2010, and ‘Imagine Ireland’ in the United States in 2011;

n inviting international programmers and promoters (i.e. buyers) to travel toIreland to see new work and engage with Irish artists and companies.

Imagine Ireland InitiativeImagine Ireland is a special year-long initiative showcasing Irish arts and culturein the US. Its objectives are to:

n reinvest in the unique cultural relationship between Ireland and America;n strengthen links with the Irish diaspora, while expanding the reach of Irish

culture to new audiences;n enhance Ireland’s reputation and profile, with benefits for Irish tourism, trade,

investment and innovation.

Culture IrelandEugene Downes, Chief Executive, Culture Ireland



The programme includes more than 1,000 Irish artists in more than 400 eventstaking place in more than 40 US States throughout 2011. Partners include leadingUS cultural organisations e.g. MoMA, New York Public Library, Lincoln Center,BAM, National Gallery of Art, Kennedy Center, Museum of Contemporary Artin Chicago, and the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

Strategic steps leading to Imagine IrelandIn March 2009, the Irish Government published a Strategic Review of Ireland-USRelations. This was the first major Irish foreign policy document which identifiedculture as a key driver for Ireland’s international relations. In his speech in NewYork launching the Review, the then Irish Prime Minister requested that CultureIreland mount a series of strategic events in the United States in 2011. This high-level strategic positioning was key in securing the special funding for the ImagineIreland initiative (€4m).

Another key strategic development enabling Imagine Ireland was the GlobalIrish Economic Forum at Farmleigh, Dublin, in September 2009, whichprioritised culture as a unique long-term strength for Ireland, a vital door-openerfor Irish business, and the most effective means of strengthening links with theglobal Irish community.

In 2010, the Irish Government created the new position of CulturalAmbassador for Ireland, and during his visit to Washington DC for St Patrick’sDay, the Taoiseach announced award-winning actor Gabriel Byrne as the firstappointee to this innovative role. Mr Byrne has been centrally involved in thedevelopment of Imagine Ireland, personally curating a retrospective of Irish filmat MoMA and working closely on major projects at the New York Public Libraryand Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, amongst others.


Sports – a playing field fordiaspora engagementSport is a medium through which diasporascan form dialogue, connections, andnetworks. Importantly, it is an invaluabletool for diasporas to not only engage theirown cultural heritage and orientation butthat of their host country. As Darby andHassan have noted, ‘As well as providingcountless hours of enjoyable distraction fromthe rigours of everyday life, sports, boththose that the Irish encountered in their newhost societies and those that they broughtwith them, have performed a number ofcrucial functions. For some immigrants, sporteased their assimilation and facilitated adegree of acceptance in what could be hostileand unwelcoming environments. For others,proficiency and success in sports allowed for the promotion and preservation of astrong sense of ethnic pride and identity.’103

It promotes inclusion through diversity andequality, drawing diasporas into asustainable relationship with their home andhost country. Sport is instructive in that itdilutes difference; it encourages all ages,capabilities, gender, and race. It is acommunity building mechanism, at homeand abroad.

Sport allows diasporas to maintain atangible and recognizable cultural link withthe country of origin. For example, theGaelic Athletic Association provides acontact information booklet for its overseasunits. In this booklet, contact details arelisted for clubs in Asia, Australasia, Britain,Canada, Caymen Islands, Europe, New York,and North America. The GAA Asian Games,to be held in Korea in 2011, attracts over800 players from Asia Pacific. Likewise,other sports illustrate that support can bejust as constructive as any participation. Inrecent years, Irish rugby has undergone aremarkable transformation in interest at local,national and international level with areported 40 million overseas viewerswatching Ireland compete in the 2009 SixNations competition.104 Similarly, outside ofIreland, sport generates massive diasporainterest. Official supporters clubs, of whichdiasporas can play an important role,maintain this interest. They become networksand communities within themselves. A primeindication of this would be that manyleading sports club now have their websiteavailable in a wide range of languages, andthey also form associations and hold eventswith their international audiences in the hope


‘Sport has a unique power to attract, mobilize and inspire. By its verynature, sport is about participation. It is about inclusion and citizenship.It stands for human values such as respect for the opponent, acceptanceof binding rules, teamwork and fairness. Sport is a powerful tool tostrengthen social ties and networks, and to promote ideals of peace,fraternity, solidarity, non-violence, tolerance and justice.’

United Nations Sport for Development and Peace102


of engaging with their supporters abroad.Cricket, for example, in Indian and Pakistanidiaspora communities in the US, hastranscended borders of simply a game. It isnow a form of national consciousness,community, and friendship.105

The Croatian World Games (HrvatskeSvjetske Igre) is a further example of howsport can connect a diaspora. The Gamessomething similar to the Olympics, whereathletes of Croatian heritage from all aroundthe world compete as representatives of theirhost countries. 750 competitors from 25countries participated in the first Games in2006.106 Similarly, the Pan-Armenian Gamesare a multi-sport event, held betweencompetitors from the Armenian diaspora andArmenia. They consist of variouscompetitions in individual and team sportsamong the Armenian athletes. It takes placein Yerevan, the capital of Armenia. TheGames are open to Armenian passport-holders (irrespective of national origin) andcitizens of other countries who haveArmenian descent. Spouses of those ofArmenian descent are also eligible tocompete. The First Pan-Armenian Gamestook place from August 28th to September5th, 1999. Delegations from 62 cities and 23countries participated in the Games. In 2007,a total of 2500 sportsmen from 94 cities ofthe world will take part in the Fourth Pan-Armenian Games.

These examples illustrate that diasporasand sport can help form a network ofindividuals and communities across adiaspora. Within this, it is also apparent

that sport initiatives need to occur acrosshost countries. Alternatively, in terms ofmaintaining a cultural link it is importantthat sport remains integrated in the homeand host country. Consequently, sport is adiplomatic tool for diasporas andgovernments alike. It is within thesemultiple relationships that we can see howbeneficial the relationship between sportand diasporas can be.

The United Nations and the InternationalOrganisation of Migration have, in the past,combined to promote sport initiatives tocontribute positively in many regions.107

For example, in 2006 a Sports Carnival wasorganised in Sri Lanka for the victims of the2004 tsunami that affected the region.Diasporas can play an important role in suchinitiatives through allocation of their timeand efforts. Similarly, in the aftermath of theearthquake in Haiti, sport played atherapeutic role in many of the camps set up.This can be particularly beneficial for theyouth. Diasporas and sports can be apowerful humanitarian tool. In othercountries, sporting initiatives have been givenprominent roles in challenging manyproblematic social, cultural, and politicalissues. In 2008, a ‘Play It Safe’ nationwidesporting campaign in Zimbabwe helped toraise awareness to promote safe migrationand raise awareness of the risks and realitiesof irregular migration and HIV/AIDS.Campaigns such as these illustrate how sportand diasporas can combine to become aninformative and constructive force in eventhe most challenging contexts.



The arts – drawing in the diasporaThe arts is a term which is used to describea vast sub division of culture andencompasses visual arts, literary arts and theperforming arts – music, theatre, dance andfilm, among others. There are an infinitenumber of diaspora-related arts initiativesaround the world. Take for exampleRiverdance. Riverdance is a theatrical showconsisting of traditional Irish dancing andmusic and is, in essence, the story of Irishculture and of the Irish immigration toAmerica. 15 years after it originally debuted,Riverdance continues to be performed allover the world and the show has playednearly 10,000 performances in 40 countries,and more than 22 million people have seenit live in four continents. The show alsoenjoyed a prosperous run on Broadway for18 months. Below is a short outline of anumber of organizations that using the artsto engage the diaspora:

n Turkish Cultural Foundation: founded in2000, the Foundation is a nonprofitorganisation based in the US which aimsto promote and preserve Turkish cultureand heritage worldwide, through originalprograms and help to build culturalbridges between Turkey and othercountries to support a betterunderstanding and appreciation ofTurkish cultural heritage. It has alsolaunched two separate web portals on

Turkish music and cuisine. In 2010, itdistributed grants totaling $2.1 million tosupport Turkish arts projects.108

n Global Society for Latvian Art: TheGlobal Society for Latvian Art is anonprofit organization in the US whichwas incorporated in 2004. Its mission is:to promote, preserve, and exhibit works ofart created by artists who were exiledfrom Latvia as a result of the SecondWorld War as well as other artists ofLatvian descent; to promote andencourage global communication amongpersons interested in Latvian art andculture; to establish and operate a centerfor Latvian diaspora art dedicated tocollecting, studying, exhibiting andpreserving such art; and to work with allexisting Latvian-American organizations.

n Museum of the African Diaspora: TheMuseum of the African Diaspora (MoAD)is a San Francisco based nonprofit whichopened in 2005. As a dynamic, worldclass institution, MoAD brings people ofall ages, ethnicities and backgroundstogether so they can enjoy, study andappreciate, through enriching exhibitions,public and educational programs, theculture, history and art of people ofAfrican descent within the US andthroughout the world. MoAD is uniquelypositioned as one of the only Museums inthe world focused exclusively on AfricanDiaspora culture and on presenting the


‘A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture islike a tree without roots.’

Marcus Garvey


rich cultural products of the people ofAfrica and of African descendant culturesacross the globe.109

n Diasporic Vietnamese Artists Network:the DVAN’s aim is to promote artistsfrom the Vietnamese diaspora whose workin literature, visual art, film andperformance art enriches communities andstrengthens ties between Vietnameseacross the globe. It undertakes to supportthis body of work through cultural events,exhibits and publications that exploreconnections between art and society. Itprovides resources and promotes the workof Vietnamese artists in the United States,France, Canada and Australia, as thesecountries host the largest Vietnamesecommunities overseas.110

n Russian Mir Foundation: the goal of theFoundation is to support, enhance andencourage the appreciation of Russianlanguage, heritage and culture. RusskiyMir promotes the teaching of theRussian language within Russia andabroad – both to new learners of thelanguage and to those who alreadyknow Russian and wish to recapture or

maintain their fluency. Russkiy Mir alsobrings Russia’s history to life, andshowcases vibrant examples of Russianart and culture around the world andreconnects the Russian communityabroad with their homeland, forgingnew and stronger links through culturaland social programs, exchanges andassistance in relocation.

Such organizations not only promote thearts of the home country, they also play afundamental role in strengthening thenational brand of the country. As previouslynoted, branding centers on culture – thestronger the culture, the stronger the brand.Diaspora members through philanthropicinitiatives can also play a pivotal role in thepromotion of the arts both in the homecountry and globally.

The arts are a powerful medium fordiaspora engagement. Through dance,music, art, and literature disapora memberscan connect the head with the heart, thehost country with the home country, thepast with the present, and their identitywith their heritage.



ConclusionThis section illustrates the diverse nature ofstrategies that are designed to engage adiaspora. We have seen how diasporas havebecome important stakeholders in a widerange of strategies once they have becomeengaged. The important step remainsformulating a constructive platform fromwhich to engage a diaspora. As we have seen,these strategic methods of engagement cantake many shapes and sizes. They occuracross a wide spectrum of areas, includingthe cultural, economical, educational, social,and political spheres. Broadly, this representsa remarkable asset for diaspora strategies.

Generally, no one-size-fits-all-model isavailable. In essence, each case will need toinnovatively engage their diaspora. That said,elements of one strategy may hold relevancefor another. The participants in a strategycan learn from each other, i.e. they also need

to engage with each other. One country’slessons can mean another country’s success.This comparative approach opens upimportant new opportunities.

Whilst most strategies will havespecific elements, there are some commonfeatures to a strategic engagement ofdiasporas. The strategy must be based onthe premise that diasporas want to beengaged. Also, successful engagement isbased upon awareness that there will bevariations within this premise. Diasporashave a multitude of reasons, motivations,and interests. Any strategy designed toengage them must be aware of this. Forexample, this section clearly distinguishesthe plurality possible in diasporaengagement. Working with this pluralityprovides a strong platform for a coherent,transparent, sustainable and ultimatelysuccessful diaspora strategy.



1 White, N ‘Thinking 70 Million Plus: A new Relationship with Ireland’s Diaspora’ in Burke, E and

Lyons, R Next Generation Ireland (Blackhall Publishing, 2011) 161–179. See also: Kuznetsov, Y ed.

Diaspora Networks and the International Migration of Skills: How Countries Can Draw on Their

Talent Abroad (The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development: World Bank

Publications, 2006) at 228.2 Grieco, E. Cruz, P. Cortes, R & Larsen, L. (2010). Who in the United States Sends and Receives

Remittances? An Initial Analysis of the Monetary Transfer Data from the August 2008 CPS

Migration Supplement. U.S. Census Bureau. 1 (No. 87), 1–21. See also: The Index of Global

Philanthropy and Remittances 2010 (Hudson Institute, 2010).3 Carling, J. (2005) Migrant remittances and development cooperation (International Peace Research

Institute Report 1/2005). See also Newland, K. and Erin, P. (2004) ‘Beyond Remittances: The Role

of Diaspora in Poverty Reduction in their Countries of Origin’ A Scoping Study by the Migration

Policy Institute for the Department of International Development (July 2004); and Poirine, B.

(2006) ‘Remittances sent by a growing altruistic diaspora: How do they grow over time?’

Asia Pacific Viewpoint Vol. 47 Issue 1, April 2006.4 See Hass de, Hein ‘International Migration, Remittances and Development: myths and facts’

Third World Quarterly, Vol. 26, No. 8 (December 2005).5 Comstock, M, Iannone, M and Bhatia, R. (March 2009) Maximizing the value of Remittances for

Economic Development. Available at: www.cermi.eu.6 Newland, K. and Erin, P. (2004) ‘Beyond Remittances: The Role of Diaspora in Poverty Reduction

in their Countries of Origin’ A Scoping Study by the Migration Policy Institute for the Department

of International Development (July 2004).See also: Shroffi, K., Impact of Remittances on Poverty in

Mexico (Working Paper Prepared for the Global Citizenship Conference, 2009).7 Gyimah-Brempong, K. and Asiedu E.(2009) Remittances and Poverty in Ghana (Paper to be

presented at the 4th African Economic Conference (AEC), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, November 2009).8 Remittances: Sending Money Home (International Fund for Agricultural Development. October,

2009). Available at: www.ifad.org.9 Reported in Comstock, M, Iannone, M and Bhatia, R. (March 2009) Maximizing the value of

Remittances for Economic Development. Available at: www.cermi.eu. See also Ratha, D. ‘Workers’

Remittances: An Important and Stable Source of External Development Finance’ in Global

Development Finance: Striving for Stability in Development Finance (The Word Bank, 2003).10 Radcliffe, B. (2010) ‘Introduction to Remittances’ Investopedia 1. Available at:

http://www.investopedia.com/articles/economics/10/introduction-remittances.asp. See also: Ratha, D.

(2007) Leveraging Remittances for Development (Paper presented at the Second Plenary Meeting of

the Leading Group on Solidarity Levies to Fund Development, Oslo, February 6–7, 2007; and at

the Brainstorming session on Migration and Development organized by the Migration Policy

Institute and the German Marshall Fund of the United States, Brussels, February 27, 2007.)


Endnotes


11 Remittances: Sending Money Home (International Fund for Agricultural Development. October,

2009). Available at: www.ifad.org.12 Johnson, B. and Santiago, S. (2004) Diasporas, Émigrés and Development: Economic Linkages and

Programmatic Responses A Special Study of the USAID Trade Enhancement for the Services Sector

(TESS) Project Washington DC: USAID March 2004; and Karlan, D., and Goldberg, N. Impact

Evaluation for Microfinance: Review of Methodological Issues ‘Doing Impact Evaluation No. 7’

(2007). Available at: http://karlan.yale.edu/p/Doing_ie_series_07.pdf. 13 Karlan, D., and Goldberg, N. Impact Evaluation for Microfinance: Review of Methodological Issues

‘Doing Impact Evaluation No. 7’ (2007). Available at: http://karlan.yale.edu/p/Doing_ie_series_07.pdf.14 See: www.kiva.org. 15 Karlan, D., and Goldberg, N. Impact Evaluation for Microfinance: Review of Methodological Issues

‘Doing Impact Evaluation No. 7’ (2007). Available at: http://karlan.yale.edu/p/Doing_ie_series_07.pdf. 16 Newland, K. and Erin, P. (2004) ‘Beyond Remittances: The Role of Diaspora in Poverty Reduction

in their Countries of Origin’ A Scoping Study by the Migration Policy Institute for the Department

of International Development (July 2004). See also: Bengt, H.T. (2006) ‘An Innovation Framework

for Analysing and Facilitating Diasporas Contribution to Poverty Reduction in Developing

Countries’ World Review of Science, Technology and Sustainable Development Vol. 3 (1).17 See: www.disaporafund.org.18 Dilip, R and Ketkar, S. L. (2010) ‘Diaspora Bonds: Tapping the Diaspora during difficult times’

Journal of International Commerce, Economics and Policy. World Scientific Publishing Company

1 (2), 251–263.19 Ketkar, S.L. and Dilip, R. (2007) Development Finance via Diaspora Bonds:Track Record and

Potential (Paper presented at the Migration and Development Conference at the World Bank,

Washington DC 23 May 2007).20 Lowell, B.L. and Stefka, G.G. (2004) Diasporas and Economic Development: State of Knowledge

Institute for the Study of International Migration, paper prepared for the World Bank, September 2004.21 Ibid.22 Ketkar, S.L. and Dilip, R. (2007) Development Finance via Diaspora Bonds:Track Record and


Washington DC 23 May 2007).23 Nielsen, T.M. and Riddle, L. (2007) Why Diasporas Invest in the Homeland: A Conceptual Model

of Motivation (Working Paper Series, George Washington University).24 Terrazas, A. (2010) ‘Diaspora Investment in Emerging Markets: Patterns & Prospects’ (Diasporas

and Development Policy Project, Migration Policy Institute, August 2010) at 10. 25 Ibid.



26 Ketkar, S and Ratha, D. ‘Diaspora Bonds as a New Funding Vehicle for Developing Countries’

(Paper presented at the Privatization of Development Finance Conference at NYU, December 4

and 5, 2009). Available at: www.iilj.org/research/documents/Ketkar.ppt, Full paper available at:

http://www.iilj.org/research/documents/FDC.Ketkar.pdf. 27 Ibid.28 State of Israel Bonds is an organisation whose sole purpose is to sell bonds and notes for the Israeli

Ministry of Finance. Israel Bonds are securities issued by the State of Israel to help build the

nation’s infrastructure. David Ben-Gurion established the Israel Bonds program in 1951, as a

means of providing Israel with urgently needed economic support. Israel was economically

devastated by the War of Independence; immigrants who poured into the country from Europe and

Arab nations were living in primitive shelters; food was rationed, and an economic infrastructure

was practically non-existent. Rebuffed by Wall Street, Prime Minister Ben-Gurion established the

Israel Bonds organisation as a means of raising economic capital through the sale of State of Israel

securities. See www.israelbonds.ca. 29 Ketkar, S and Ratha, D. ‘Diaspora Bonds as a New Funding Vehicle for Developing Countries’



http://www.iilj.org/research/documents/FDC.Ketkar.pdf. 30 Dilip, R and Ketkar, S. L. (2010) ‘Diaspora Bonds: Tapping the Diaspora during difficult times’


1 (2), 251–263.31 Ketkar, S.L. and Dilip, R. (2007) Development Finance via Diaspora Bonds: Track Record and


Washington DC 23 May 2007). Available at: http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTPROSPECTS/

Resources/334934-1100792545130/Diasporabonds.pdf. 32 Bose, P.S. (2008) ‘Home and Away: Diasporas, Developments and Displacements in a Globalising

World’, Journal of Intercultural Studies Vol. 29 Issue 1; and Chander, A. (2001) ‘Diaspora Bonds’

New York University Law Review Vol. 7. See also: Agrawal, Cockburn and McHale (2003)

Gone But Not Forgotten: Labor Flows, Knowledge Spillovers and Enduring Social Capital

(National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper No. 9950).33 Phillips, M. (March, 2011) ‘Interesting: Greece Plans ‘Diaspora Bonds’ Wall Street Journal Blogs.

Online article available at: http://blogs.wsj.com/marketbeat/2011/03/09/interesting-greece-plans-

diaspora-bonds/?mod=google_news_blog.34 Ketkar, S and Ratha, D. ‘Diaspora Bonds as a New Funding Vehicle for Developing Countries’



http://www.iilj.org/research/documents/FDC.Ketkar.pdf.



35 Dilip, R and Ketkar, S. L. (2010) ‘Diaspora Bonds: Tapping the Diaspora during difficult times’


1 (2), 251-263.36 Ketkar, S.L. and Dilip, R. (2007) Development Finance via Diaspora Bonds: Track Record and


Washington DC 23 May 2007).37 Tribes Still Matter: How global leaders tap into diaspora networks’ (The Economist, January 2011).

Available at: www.economist.com.38 Giving USA 2010: Annual Report on Philanthropy for the Year 2009, (Giving USA Foundation,

2010). See www.givingusa.org. See also Newland, K., Terrazas, A., and Munster, R. ‘Diaspora

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48 Chinese outward foreign direct investment: A new Challenge for Institutional Theory. Online article

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of Oxford. A report written for the Asian Development Bank, March 2005.49 Mulliner, S. (September 2008) ‘The new wave of Chinese diaspora – Shenzhen, China: The Year

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See also: Tung, R.L. (2008) ‘Brain circulation, diaspora, and international competitiveness’

European Management Journal Vol. 26 Issue 5; and Wei, Y. and Balasubramanyam, V.N.

(November 2006) ‘Diaspora and Development’ The World Economy, Vol. 29, No. 11.52 Rampersad, I.,(2007) ‘Crime as an Obstacle to Diaspora Investment’. (Paper presented at the

Conference on the Caribbean: A 20/20 Vision. Washington, DC. June 19–21.) As quoted in Minto,

I. (2009) Diasporas and Development: An Assesment of the Irish experience for the Caribbean 7

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Development Vol. 28 Issue 1.56 Freinkman, L. Role of the Diasporas in Transition Economies: Lessons from Armenia (Munich

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Development Vol. 28 Issue 1.58 Leblang, D. (August 2010) ‘Familiarity Breeds Investment: Diaspora Networks and International

Investment’ American Political Science Review Vol. 104, No. 3. See also: Isenberg, D.J. (2008)

‘The Global Entrepreneur’ Harvard Business Review Vol. 86 Issue 12, December 2008.59 Schulte, B., (2008) Second Generation Entrepreneurs of Turkish Origin in Germany: Diasporic

Identity and Business Engagement (COMCAD Arbeitspapiere – Working Papers No. 56, 2008).



60 Debass, T and Ardovino, M. Diaspora Direct Investment (DDI): The Untapped Resource for

Development (United States Agency for International Development, May 2009). Available at:

http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PNADO983.pdf. See also: Gueron, J. and Spevacek, A.M. Diaspora-

Development Nexus: The Role of the ICT USAID Knowledge Services Center, August 2008.

Available at: http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PNADM028.pdf.61 Mason, C and Zhou, J. ‘The growth of Venture Capital in China: The Role of the ‘New Argonauts’’

(Hunter Centre for Entrepreneurship, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland and Sobey

School of Business, Saint Mary’s University, Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada, July 1st, 2009).

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Gambardella, A. From Underdogs To Tigers: The Rise And Growth Of The Software Industry In

Brazil, China, India, Ireland, And Israel (Oxford University Press, 2005).62 ‘Venture Impact: The Economic Importance of Venture Capital-Backed Companies to the U.S.

Economy’ (National Venture Capital Association, 2009).63 Kenney, M, Kyonghee H., and Tanaka, S. (2002) ‘The globalization of venture capital: the cases of

Taiwan and Japan’ Available at: http://hcd.ucdavis.edu/faculty/webpages/kenney/articles_files/

Globalization%20of%20Venture%20Capital:%20The%20Cases%20of%20Taiwan%20and%

20Japan.pdf.64 Pandey, A., Aggarwal, A., Devane, R. and Kuznetsov, Y. (2004) ‘India’s Transformation to

Knowledge-Based Economy – Evolving Role of the Indian Diaspora’ (Evalueserve, July 2004).

Available at: http://info.worldbank.org/etools/docs/library/152386/abhishek.pdf.65 Popov, A., ‘Venture Capital and Industry Structure: Evidence from Local U.S. Markets’ (ECB

Working paper No. 1121, 2009). See also Newland, K., and Tanaka, H. ‘Mobilizing Diaspora

Entrepreneurship for Development’ (Migration Policy Institute, October 2010). 66 Hosein, R., Franklin, M. and Joseph, S., ‘The Caribbean Diaspora – An Untapped Resource for

Impacting Economic Development through Investments in the Caribbean’. Online paper available

at: http://sta.uwi.edu/conferences/09/salises/documents/M%20Franklin.pdf.67 Robertson, S., (2008) ‘Bringing Diasporas to Market: Leveraging Talent (and Patriotism) for

Nations’ Economies’, (Centre for Globalisation, Education and Societies, University of Bristol,) in

eds. Houtsonen J. and Antikainen A. Symbolic Power in Cultural Context: Uncovering Social

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knowledge transfer? Evidence from the Philippines’. Available at:

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English in Ireland Conference, Malahide, Dublin, November 2008.70 Open doors fast facts 2010 (Institute of International Education, 2010).71 Analytica. O., China Beckons Overseas Citizens Home (Forbes, February 2009).72 Open doors fast facts 2010 (Institute of International Education, 2010).



73 Ibid. See also: New international student trend presents fresh challenges for universities. (British

Council. 2011) and Freeman, R.B. (2009) What Does Global Expansion of Higher Education Mean

for the US? (National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper No. w14962, May 2009).74 Available: http://www.britishcouncil.org/new/press-office/press-releases/New-international-student-

trend-presents-fresh-challenges-for-universities/. Last accessed March 31st, 2011. 75 Trends identified in 1998 have accelerated massively over the past ten years. Worldwide, some 138

million students were enrolled in higher education in 2005. This represents almost a 50 per cent

increase since the turn of the century. Student mobility is also rising at an unprecedented rate, and

is expected to triple by 2025. See http://portal.unesco.org/fr/ev.php-URL_ID=43815&URL_DO=

DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html.76 See: www.irelandhsp.com.77 About Phillippine Schools Overseas. Available at: http://www.cfo-pso.org.ph/. 78 Introduction of Chinese School Association in the United States (Chinese School Association in the

United States, 2008). Available at:www.csaus.org.79 Chen, K and Wu, C. (2010). ‘Taiwanese International School under Challenges: A Case Study of

School Reactions in the China/Taiwan Economic Transition’ American Educational Research

Association Annual Conference. 80 Sahoo, S. (2005) ‘Indian Diaspora and Nation Building: Philanthropic Engagement with the

Country of Origin.’ Online article available at: http://webspace.webring.com/people/gh/

husociology1/philanthropy7.htm.81 See: www.zimcouncil.org. 82 See: http://www.nisp.co.uk/Connect/us-ni-mentorship-programme_140.aspx.83 MacRae M. and Wight, W. ‘A Model Diaspora Network: The Origin and Evolution of Globalscot’

in Kuznetsov, Y ed. Diaspora Networks and the International Migration of Skills: How Countries

Can Draw on Their Talent Abroad (The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development:

World Bank Publications, 2006) at 215. 84 Raub, J. (November 2009). The Importance of Mentoring. Online article available at:

http://edtheory.blogspot.com/2009/11/importance-of-mentoring.html.85 Lowell, B.L. and Stefka, G.G. (2004) Diasporas and Economic Development: State of

Knowledge Institute for the Study of International Migration, paper prepared for the World

Bank, September 2004.86 Terrazas, A., (2010) Connected Through Service: Diaspora Volunteers and Global Development

(Migration Policy Institute, August 2010).87 World Travel Market Global Trends Report 2007 (IPK International, 2007). Available at:

http://www1.messe-berlin.de/vip8_1/website/MesseBerlin/htdocs.88 Quoted in Novelli, M. Niche Tourism: Contemporary issues, trends and cases

(Butterworth-Heinemann, 2005).89 Ibid.



90 Demography is Destiny (The Concours Group, 2003). Available at:

http://www.concoursgroup.com/company/DD_MgmtSumm.pdf.91 International facts (Help the Aged UK, May 2009). Available at http://www.helptheaged.org.uk/

NR/rdonlyres/759CCFCC-911F-4AFC-9D1F-6F9C82BD993E/0/international_facts.pdf. 92 Quoted in Waithe, A. (August, 2010) ‘Barbados conference acknowledges importance of Diaspora’.

Online article available at: http://www.sharenews.com/local-news/2010/08/18/b%E2%80%99dos-

conference-acknowledges-importance-diaspora. 93 ‘Cameroon’s government courts Diaspora investment’ (VOA News, February, 2011).94 Terrazas, A., (2010) Connected Through Service: Diaspora Volunteers and Global Development

(Migration Policy Institute, August 2010).95 Ibid.96 Ibid.97 Ibid.98 ‘Diaspora Volunteering Section’ VSO UK Official Website. Available at:

http://www.vso.org.uk/volunteer/diaspora-volunteering.99 Ibid.

100 Ibid.101 Cochrane, F., Baser, B., and Swain. A., (2009) ‘Home Thoughts from Abroad: Diasporas and

Peace-Building in Northern Ireland and Sri Lanka’ Studies in Conflict and Terrorism, Vol. 32,

Issue 8 August 2009 at 681–704. See also: Cochrane, F. (Fall 2007) ‘Civil Society Beyond the

State: The Impact of Diaspora Communities on Peace Building’ Global Media Journal

Mediterranean Edition 2(2).102 United Nations Sport for Development and Peace Website, ‘Why Sport?’, Available at:

http://www.un.org/wcm/content/site/sport/home/sport.103 Darby, P. and Hassan, D., (2007) ‘Introduction: Locating Sport in the Study of the Irish Diaspora,’

Sport in Society, Vol. 10, No. 3 May 2007, p. 333–346.104 ‘Irish Sport Matters Campaign’, Tennis Ireland website. Available at:

http://www.tennisireland.ie/home/irish_sport_matters_campaign.105 ‘The South Asian Diaspora and Retention of Culture in the New York Metro’. (July, 17th 2010).

Available: http://wichitatribes.com/online-dating-advice/the-south-asian-diaspora-and-retention-of-

culture-in-the-new-york-metro/.106 See: www.zadar2010.org. 107 The examples provided below are taken from the United Nations Sport for Development and Peace

website: http://www.un.org/wcm/content/site/sport/home/unplayers/fundsprogrammesagencies/iom. 108 See: www.turkishculturalfoundation.org. 109 See: www.moadsf.org.110 See: www.dvanonline.org.



Learn from Others

Section 4

Diaspora organizations share their stories

4

Learn from

Others


Contents

Introduction 147

What to do and what not to do: AFFORD’S experience in diaspora engagement for development 148

ChileGlobal – talent network for innovation 151

Taglit-Birthright Israel 155

The Bangladesh Enterprise Institute: lessons learned and the way forward 157

The Grenada Diaspora Organization 163

Advance Australia 166

GlobalScot – building international business networks for Scotland 168

Homecoming Revolution – connecting the South African diaspora 173

Government of Jamaica forges formal partnership with diaspora to achieve goals of Jamaica’s national agenda 175

Diaspora philanthropy and the Pakistan Centre for Philanthropy 178

NEPOMAK diaspora engagement model 181

Turkish Philanthropy Funds 185

Development Foundation for Zimbabwe – profile of programmes and activities 186

The Ireland Funds – the global Irish making a difference together 188

Jewish Federations of North America: Israel and overseas 191


Diaspora engagement is not about breakingthe mould – it’s about learning what othercountries have done well and evaluatingwhether such a strategy, depending on yourcountry’s unique strengths, could work as asuccessful model of engagement in yourcountry. Below you’ll find a number of casestudies from diaspora organisations whichhave kindly contributed to the Toolkit. Theyshare their experiences and the lessons theyhave learnt in developing diaspora strategies.

Their stories will inspire others to reach outin innovative and strategic ways to developa mutually beneficial relationship with theirdiaspora. There is no uniform strategy –each country and diaspora has uniqueelements. These examples are not intendedto be prescriptive – merely to show whatother countries are doing in the area. To an extent the name of the country isirrelevant – the key is to identify programsthat may work elsewhere.

Section 4 · Learn from Others: Diaspora organizations share their stories 147

Learn from Others

Section 4

Don’t reinvent the wheel, just realign it. Anthony J. D’Angelo

Introduction

Diaspora organizations share their stories


IntroductionIn the field of diaspora engagement,governments and big institutions share someunflattering habits. For AFFORD, theseineffectual institutional practices have beeninstructive on ‘how not to do diasporaengagement’. In this paper, we look at threespecific problems and how AFFORD, in itsown way, has sought to introduce structureand consistency in diaspora engagement forinternational development.

Participation, not consultationInstitutions tend to seek engagement through‘consultation’ rather than facilitatingsubstantive ‘participation’. This is problematicbecause the diaspora (and civil society groupsgenerally) is often not a mere ‘informant’, but an actor and active participant in thedevelopment process. The diaspora can play akey role as an ‘informant’ in the formulationand development of policy, practices andinitiatives, but it is vital that their role asactors and participants is not relegated. We believe that in diaspora and civil societyengagement, ‘participation’ is often moreimportant and appropriate than ‘consultation’.

Dynamism, not mediocrityEven then consultations tend to be superficialand perfunctory – satisfying short termpolicy ‘needs’ of the institutions, rather thanthe longer term programme ‘wants’ of thediaspora. There is also an unhealthyfrequency of celebrity endorsement andheadlining publicity. Inevitably, the organi-

sations and individuals consulted tend to bethose who are visible and available, notnecessarily those who are suitable andknowledgeable. This produces policies andprogrammes that may not be irrelevant, buttend to lack ambition and thrust, andsometimes appear patronising. This approachrisks excluding the practitioners and dynamicprotagonists, who are busy doing – ratherthan talking about development – and beginsthe process of institutionalising mediocrity.

Recognition and supportThrough engagement, institutions often learntabout innovative and effective practices andinitiatives developed and undertaken by thediaspora. These are sometimes adopted,repackaged or re-presented into formalprogrammes, without due recognition orsignificant involvement of the diaspora. This becomes more frustrating for thediaspora, when non-diaspora and largeractors are given funding and principal roles todeliver these ‘new’ packages. The commoninstitutional justification for such approachesis that the diaspora lacks the capacity for thenecessary scaled -up delivery. This merelyhighlights the fact that engagement withoutappropriate capacity-building and support isalso an inherent weakness in the institutionalapproach to diaspora engagement.

Omissions and commissionsThe problems identified above set back theprocess of diaspora engagement in manyways. They cause cynicism and alienate some


What to do and what not to do: AFFORD’S experience indiaspora engagement for developmentGibril Faal, Chairman of African Foundation for Development (AFFORD-UK) London


of the most dynamic actors in diaspora anddevelopment, whilst reinforcing the cycle ofmediocrity and short term opportunism forboth the institutions and elements within thediaspora. These approaches must be omittedas counterproductive and retrogressive.

On the other hand, those interested indiaspora engagement need to commit topositive, productive and enlightenedapproaches, that create synergies and lastingmutual benefit. AFFORD acts as a catalystin extending and enhancing the role of thediaspora in development. In the past 15years, it has developed guiding principles onachieving best practice in diasporaengagement. We believe that diasporaengagement initiatives, activities andprocesses must always have two entrenchedand fundamental principles, i.e. alwaysgenerate short term practical benefits; andbuild medium and long term capacity toenhance participation.

Commitment to providing practical benefitsIn the past ten years, diaspora organisationshave been developing professional outfitswith paid staff. However, most diasporaindividuals and organisations still undertaketheir roles in international development as avocation and as volunteers. Diaspora profes-sionals and workers acquire skills, technicalexperience and income from their varied ‘day’jobs; and then apply these intellectual andmaterial resources to the development of theircountries of origin or ancestry. This approachis an important characteristic of diasporacontribution to development. As such, themost effective and productive diasporans needto be focussed and purposeful due topressures on their time. The best forms of

diaspora engagement would ensure thatirrespective of long term goals, proposedactivities and initiatives would yieldimmediate practical benefit to the suitablediaspora people invited to take part. Suchbenefits may include acquisition of specificskills, access to resources or exposure to newopportunities relevant to the developmentwork of the individuals or groups. With thisprinciple in mind, consultation exercises canbe transformed into more participatory formsof engagement, which in turn relieves theexasperation of ‘consultation fatigue’.

Whatever the nature of the engagement,one can make a virtue of devising,integrating and optimising relevant shortterm practical benefits. This makes theengagement more meaningful for all partiesand attracts the interest and commitment ofthe more purposeful members of the diaspora.AFFORD in its role as a catalyst have soughtto demonstrate these virtues.

There use to be a false perception (whichstill exists in some quarters) that it is extraor-dinarily difficult to engage young members ofthe African diaspora in substantive andtechnical aspects of continental Africandevelopment. This perception was partlypremised on the fact that the negativemainstream images of Africa alienates youngpeople, who cringe at the thought ofassociating with such African misery andbackwardness. However, 10 years ago,AFFORD started its annual Africa Diasporaand Development Day (AD3) as a showcaseand networking event. This was used as anopportunity to engage with young membersof the diaspora. Instead of ‘inviting orconsulting’, AFFORD developed aprogramme whereby these young peoplebecame the key facilitators, moderators and



organisers of technical AD3 workshops,seminars and lectures, with high profileguests including Africa’s first and only femaleNobel Laureate Prof Wangari Maathai. The young participants benefited from:intensive structured training on facilitation;opportunity to apply their training at a highprofile event; opportunity to invite theircolleagues and friends to see their work;opportunity to be active contributors to thecreation of innovative African developmentnetworks, etc. For AFFORD, the effectiveengagement led to: commitment and inputfrom young Africans – who continue as keyparticipants and leaders in the diasporadevelopment sector; conceptualisation of new and innovative development initiatives;access to new so-called ‘hard-to-reach’constituencies, etc.

For the diaspora, involvement indevelopment is not only a professionalexercise, but a practical form of self-help. For those with serious commitment todevelopment, the glamour of association withgovernments and other powerful institutionswears away quickly in the absence of practicalbenefits. AFFORD has applied the principle of‘entrenched practical’ benefits to many otherinitiatives over the years – in the process –gaining and retaining the collaboration,contribution and commitment of differentsections of the diaspora. We have found thatgenuine and serious application of the‘practical benefit’ principle (however small thebenefit is) leads to meaningful engagement.AFFORD as a civil society organisation sharesa trait with governments and institutions inthat it sometimes seeks to change behaviouror encourage particular practices. However,without the inherent influence and affluenceof institutions, we depend on substantive

input and support from the diaspora.Steadfastness and consistency in providingpractical benefits to the diaspora whenever weengage with them has enabled us to achieveoutcomes disproportionate to our size.

Capacity to participateWhen diaspora engagement exercises aresuccessful, it should lead to the creation,extension or enhancement of policies andprogrammes. Furthermore, the diasporaneeds to be able to capitalise and play anenhanced role in the new scenario. Takingyouth engagement as an example, the peoplewho take part in AD3 engagement have thechance to progress to enhanced and profes-sional roles in international development.Similarly, diaspora organisations andindividuals need fair opportunities to beactive and substantive actors in the new orenhanced institutional programmes thatemerge from the engagement process.

Currently in the United Kingdom, alldiaspora organisations fall within thecategory of ‘small organisations’ as none hasyet broken the barrier of an annual turnoverof £1m. This evidences the fact that capacityand size are key restraining factors affectingdiasporas and their organisations. As such,good diaspora engagement activities need toincorporate capacity-building as a corefeature. Otherwise, one is caught in thefrustrating situation of being pioneering andinnovative in generating developmentalsolutions, yet being denied the chance todeliver scaled-up projects. Lack of ‘capacityto participate’ is a real and actual form ofexclusion, the very opposite of what oneseeks through diaspora engagement.

At AFFORD, our strategic priority is jobcreation through enterprise development and



productive remittances. All our programmesseek to engage the diaspora in a manner thatyields practical benefits in the short termand enhances their long term capacity tocontribute to job creation. Interestingly,AFFORD and other diaspora organisationsthat engage with government andinstitutional partners, need to bebeneficiaries from this principle themselves.

Like in many other forms of relationships,there is no panacea for achieving excellencein diaspora engagement, however, a well-conceived and empirically-tested list ofomissions and commissions, goes a long wayin generating mutual gains.

For further information please visit

www.afford-uk.org


Following other network experiences andencouraged by the World Bank’s Knowledgefor Development Program, Chile started aconnection among successful Chileanentrepreneurs and executives living andworking in foreign countries, with interest incontributing to Chilean economicdevelopment. The network, calledChileGlobal, was started in 2005.

This model seeks to stimulate theparticipation of emigrants in thedevelopment of their countries of origin,mitigating the negative effects produced bya country’s brain drain and turn it into‘brain circulation’ or ‘brain exchange’.

It is run by a Technical Secretariat at firstinstalled in Fundación Chile, a private non-profit institution that has played a significantrole in Chile’s technological development.Successful in its efforts, the network wasconsidered a national public interest projectand financed by Chilean public funds until2009. In 2010 ChileGlobal was settled as

part of the Fundación Imagen de Chile, apublic-private institution in charge ofpromoting the Chilean image around theworld. Consequently, ChileGlobal memberswill play an important role as ‘Ambassadors’of the Chilean image, within their countriesof residence.

Chilean immigrants are characterizedby a high average level of education,usually higher than their host country’saverage. Consequently, there is a Chileantalent elite composed by people who havestudied abroad, belong to professionalnetworks of well-known universities, anddeveloped a prolific net of contacts withwell positioned persons around the world.Organized, they are making a significantcontribution to their home country asinvestors, promoters of technology transferand providers of international support forlocal firms and entrepreneurs.

Today ChileGlobal is formed by around400 members, distributed in the USA,

ChileGlobal – talent network for innovationMolly Pollack, Director, ChileGlobal


Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina,Australia, China, Spain, Sweden andEngland. Within this program, membersoffer time, experience, contacts, knowledgeand skills to help internationalize Chileancompanies. The mission of this program isto increase the exposure of Chileanbusinesses and entrepreneurs to interna-tional business ideas and knowledge and tohelp those with the potential to grow tochoose the most appropriate domestic andinternational opportunities.

Phases of developmentUp to date, ChileGlobal has evolved throughfour phases: 1) pilot project, 2) expansionand strategic activities, 3) establishment offocus areas and activities and 4) developmentand consolidation. Each phase has beenshaped by members’ interests, expertise andenthusiasm to contribute.

Potential members must be influentialpeople, recognized by their sector, dynamicresidents abroad, motivated and able toparticipate. Once registered, members receiveinformation about the network, while theyprovide their profile, interests and expertise.Members are then invited to information andworking meetings where their concerns andinterests are discussed.

The key ingredient for an active networkis the role played by the Technical Secretariat.This articulating unit acts as a brokeringservice to facilitate connections andoutcomes. Given previous unsuccessfulnetwork development experiences at homeand low level of confidence at the beginningof the project, it was no easy missionresponding to member expectations. Oncetrust increased, the challenge was gatheringand packaging results as success stories to

stimulate further demand. This process hasproved to be essential to sustain members’interest and involvement.

At present, ChileGlobal is concentratedon three areas of action: Human CapitalDevelopment, Support of Public Policies onInnovation, and Business Development.Improvements in these areas are considered arequirement by network members to generateand promote conditions that enable businessand innovative projects at home.

Given network operations, theChileGlobal Secretariat is responsible formobilizing and matching members withChilean counterparts (in the academic,private, and public sector), therefore actingas a broker bringing together supply anddemand. In the case of each line of actionand given its limited resources, theTechnical Secretariat works via public-private partnerships to carry out eachprogram effectively.

As previously mentioned, givenChileGlobal’s basic Technical Secretariatinfrastructure, initiatives are generated bymeans of connecting available resourceswith other agents, such as ProChile(Export Promotion Agency, Ministry ofForeign Relations), by which itsgeographical nodes were developed and itsoperations expanded. Through thispartnership, ProChile’s commercial officesaround the world give ChileGlobalassistance in helping identify potentialnetwork members.

The Chilean Economic DevelopmentAgency (CORFO) is also a strategic partnerof ChileGlobal since its creation. CORFOhas actively participated in member activities,seminars and workshops and given its publicinterest work, ChileGlobal’s basic financing



was provided by this institution during threeyears, from 2007 to 2009.

Among the initiatives two should behighlighted: (a) facilitating and organizinginternships for young Chileans at memberenterprises, (b) mentoring of Chileanentrepreneurs in new sectors. Additionally,members participate on expert meetings inChile and other countries and offer lecturesat Chilean universities.

Another line of action is related to therole of selected members as active partic-ipants in policy formulation and projectsrelated to innovation. ChileGlobal membersprovide key information and strategicadvice to government agencies whose maintheme is innovation.

Though ChileGlobal was created as anetwork of business owners, it has evolved tobe a network of all kinds of successfulprofessionals and business owners.Developing and carrying out successfulbusiness transactions proved to require amajor time commitment and a great amountof trust. ChileGlobal’s Technical Secretariatgenerates multiple business contacts, linkingmembers to counterparts in Chile and viceversa. Confidentiality is always a key issue,thus monitoring these transactions becomes achallenge. Nonetheless, ChileGlobal canaccount for success stories that includeforeign direct investment, technology transfer,human capital development, and the supportof public subsidies. The cases of Synopsysand Phytomedics illustrate this example.

Synopsys, Inc.Synopsys, Inc. is a world leader in deliveringsemiconductor design software, intellectualproperty (IP), design for manufacturing(DFM) solutions and professional services

that companies use to design systems-on-chips (SoCs) and electronic systems. Thecompany’s products enable semiconductor,computer, communications, consumerelectronics and other companies that developelectronic products to improve performance,increase productivity and achieve predictablesuccess from systems to silicon.

After years of expansion the companyhad reached the level of annual sales of$991.9 Million USD (Fiscal 2005) and 4,852employees, with various softwaredevelopment centers around the world andneeded to choose either to expand anexisting development center or create a newone. Raúl Camposano, Senior Vice Presidentand Chief Technology Officer of Synopsysand member of ChileGlobal, helped push forthe decision to set-up a center in Santiago,Chile, with a direct investment of $5 MillionUSD. Feasibility studies were conducted byFundación Chile that later helped obtainChilean government incentives for thiscompany. Furthermore, to create the highlyskilled human capital necessary for thiscenter, the ‘Synopsys Programming Course’was offered to engineering students at theUniversidad de Chile in order for them tolater opt for a Synopsys position at theSantiago Development Center. By means ofarticulating a public-private partnership, newhighly skilled paying jobs were created andfresh capital was invested in the country.

Phytomedics ChileTriggered by the partnership of twoChileGlobal members, the creation of atechnology innovation consortium took placewith the purpose of developing naturalproducts derived from Chilean plants withnutraceutical and botanical drug applications.



Constituted by Phytomedics Inc., InterLinkBiotechnologies, Fundación Chile, RutgersUniversity and The University of Illinois, thisinternational consortium will buildPhytomedics Chile, a company that seeks toestablish international alliances for thecommercialization of unique high-valueadded products.

In order to guarantee scientific securityand effectiveness, the company took on thepre-clinical development of selected productsfor a three year period with the support of itspartners and 50% of CORFO co-financing(USD$ 1,500,000 in investment).

Lessons from the experienceOne lesson learned from this experience isthe importance of considering from thebeginning of the network how it is going tobe sustainable in the long run. It is importantto have a high level of political supportwithin the country to ensure a quickresponse at home that responds to theexpatriate Diaspora interest. ChileGlobal hasmobilized a number of highly qualifiedChilean citizens living abroad, helpedmaterialize some ventures in Chile involvingexpatriate business, and launched severalexamples of good practices. However, it

remains to be seen if the sustainability of thiseffort and its capacity to scale-up theseinitiatives runs smoothly. There is optimismin this regard given the results to date andthe interest shown by relevant governmentinstitutions, including Ministries and byprivate sector associations.

Another lesson derived from thisexperience is the great importance of startinga network of talents based on quality andnot in quantity, as most networks are usuallyorganized. This choice has proved to be asound decision, given the need to focusenergy and resources on the development ofa small network of high quality resulting inhigh impact. Partnerships with public andprivate institutions from the innovationworld are one of the key factors explainingChileGlobal’s success.

It is important to underscore thatChileGlobal members represent a changingtarget: their interests, availability andwillingness to contribute and commit aredynamic and may shift. This is a factor to betaken into account to be able to adjust goalsand activities accordingly.


www.chileglobal.org



BackgroundThe National Jewish Population Surveypublished in 1990 shocked the Jewish world.The survey, which focused on the Jewishpopulation of the United States, revealedseveral startling statistics depicting a growingdistance between Diaspora Jewry and theirheritage. In a community that had beenconsistently growing stronger since itemerged from the shadow of the holocaust,the NJPS survey forecast exactly the opposite– that the largest Jewish community in theworld had begun to grow more and moredistant from its heritage. Connectionsbetween Diaspora Jewry and the State ofIsrael were seen to be on the decline, andperhaps most glaring was an assimilationrate of more than 50% – a clear threat to thefuture of the community as a whole.

Several key figures in the Jewish world,from both North America and from Israel, setout to reverse this trend, and the project thatemerged was Taglit-Birthright Israel. Taglitwas based on two key ideas: the first, that ashort-term trip to Israel would help connectindividuals to their heritage by reconnectingthem with their roots through the method ofexperiential education. The second was thatthe only way to reach the most disconnected,the most assimilated – t hose who would leastbe interested in such a trip – was to present itas a free gift with no strings attached.

With these ideas in mind, the standardswere set: any individual (aged 18–26) with atleast one Jewish parent, who had neverbefore been to Israel on an educational trip,

was eligible for the gift. These standardswere critical – the condition of it being afirst-time educational trip would focus theproject’s reach on the most assimilated, andthe age bracket of 18–26, which at the timewas said by most to be ‘too old for partic-ipants to change their sense of self-identity’,turned out to be exactly right. At the sametime, a rigorous process was begun to buildan educational program, which would setstandards for each trip and devise anexperience that would expose participants tothe wide range of what Israel had to offer,through the carefully planned prism ofbuilding a Jewish identity. The educationalprogram was coupled with the funding ofindependent research and a careful system ofoversight and evaluation, so that theprogram’s actual impact could be measured.

The program was built as a uniquepartnership, the likes of which had neverbeen seen before in the Jewish world, thepartners of the program were three, Jewishphilanthropists from North America, theGovernment of Israel, and local Jewishcommunities around the world. Eachpartner would fund a third of the program,and a joint steering committee wouldoversee the project’s professional staff,headquartered in Jerusalem.

SuccessThe first planeload of participants toucheddown in 2000, such that in its first few yearsthe project had to survive amidst the SecondIntifada, a time when the media was filled

Taglit-Birthright IsraelDoron Karni, Taglit-Birthright Israel



with reports of violence and terrorism, andwhen many educational trips to Israeldwindled or even collapsed. Yet the projectsurvived and even thrived, and as of today,Taglit-Birthright Israel can count more than aquarter of a million young Jews as its alumni.

Even more importantly, careful attentionto and investment in oversight andevaluation has continually raised the qualityof the trip. Independent research shows thatnon-religious alumni of the project are 51%more likely to marry Jews than those whodid not participate, 46% more likely to feelstrongly connected to Israel, and even 35%more likely to strongly support the idea ofraising their children as Jews (among thosenot yet married). These numbers, rather thanthe quantity of those who have come on thetrip, are the true measure of success.

At the same time, the project has seenexponentially growing demand, too. For thecoming summer, 40,000 individualsregistered to participant from North Americawhere there were only 15,000 available spots.This is true even though the vast majority ofregistrants who are waitlisted do not reapplyin subsequent rounds.

In 2011, Taglit-Birthright Israel willbring 33,000 participants from around theworld, and recent increasing investment fromthe partners means that by 2013, the projectwill bring 51,000 young Jews per year –representing a majority of world Jewry. Soon,more than half of the Jews of the Diasporawill have gone through the rite of passage ofthe Taglit-Birthright Israel experience.

ProjectsAs Taglit-Birthright Israel comes to termswith its new role as the main bridge betweenIsrael and Diaspora Jewry, it has sought new

ways to strengthen the bond between Israeland Diaspora Jewry. One of the earliest ideasthat has become a mainstay of the trips wasthe Mifgash, a program where a group ofIsraelis (at the same age as the Diasporaparticipants) are placed with each group forbetween 5–10 days. This has been cited byparticipants as the most meaningful elementof the program by far, and it does more thangive Israel a personal face – lastingrelationships have been forged between Israeland non-Israeli alumni.

This summer, a new initiative will bepiloted, a post-trip fellowship for business-oriented Diaspora Jews. The idea with thisproject, currently titled ‘Birthright Excel’, isthat it will forge a connection between thefuture business leaders of the Jewishcommunity in the Diaspora and the businessworld in Israel, such that a bond will becreated that will manifest itself in their futureprofessional careers and ultimately benefitboth Israel and their home countries.

SummaryUltimately, it has been our experience that aneducational trip to Israel serves as anincredibly powerful tool to connect Diasporacommunities to their cultural heritage. Witha carefully built educational program basedon an experiential model, as well assuccessful marketing and funding, and strongemphasis on the research that monitors theresults, we believe that Taglit-BirthrightIsrael has changed and continues to changethe future of the Jewish people, and hasbegun to reverse the disconnect that showeditself nearly 20 years ago.


www.birthrightisrael.com



Diaspora communities are of migrant originsbut cherish a strong sentimental and materialbond with their homeland and have anoteworthy role in development andeconomic growth of both the host countriesand home countries. Bangladesh has been amajor beneficiary of the growing trendtowards global migration. The oldest andmost well established Bangladeshicommunities are seen in the UK and the USA.Diaspora linkages have evolved through themaintenance of family ties, regular visits toBangladesh, participation in cultural andother events organized by the localBangladeshi community, formation oforganizations, professional, business, culturaland political interaction, which encourageand promote links between the Diasporacommunity and Bangladesh. The fact thatBangladesh TV channels can now be seen inthe US and the UK, their access through theinternet to Bangladeshi newspapers and agood number of publications brought out bythe Bangladeshi Diaspora have fostered agreater sense of belonging to what was oncetheir homeland.

The Bangladesh Enterprise Institute (BEI)recognized the importance of Diaspora contri-butions and initiated a one-year project inSeptember, 2009 to establish an effectiveBangladeshi Diaspora network for the socio-economic transformation of Bangladesh. Theproject was undertaken in collaboration withthe Asian Tiger Capital Partners and wasfacilitated by the Department for InternationalDevelopment (DFID). The purpose of the

project was to identify the potential of theBangladeshi Diaspora in the economic growthof Bangladesh through leveraging knowledgeand skills transfers and improving its globalcommercial interface. The Project alsopromoted the establishment of an effectiveDiaspora Knowledge Network (DKN) ofBritish Citizens of Bangladeshi origin andorganizations and individuals in Bangladesh.

The outcome of the project includes aStrategy Paper titled Beyond Remittances: A Strategy to Unlock the potential ofBangladeshi Diaspora, completion of sixhigh level seminars, circulation of ane-newsletter among the Non-ResidentBangladeshis (NRBs), development of adedicated website, preparation of a databaseof the NRBs and establishment of the DKN.

The interaction with the BangladeshiDiaspora in the UK was viewed withoutexception as a timely initiative and waswelcomed by all the different groups andindividuals we met during the past year inthe UK and in Bangladesh. It was evidentthat while many initiatives had been taken toengage the Diaspora in the UK and a numberof associations, organizations and bodies hadbeen formed over the years to promote theinterests of the Bangladeshi Diaspora, thatthere was no coherent strategy to effectivelyengage the Diaspora. In the case of theBangladesh Government (GOB), notwith-standing the existence of a Ministry ofExpatriate Affairs, it was clear that measurestaken by the Government were of an adhocnature and lacked coordination. The

The Bangladesh Enterprise Institute: lessons learned and the way forwardRashedur Rahman, The Bangladesh Enterprise Institute



Bangladesh High Commission in the UnitedKingdom did engage the Diaspora to the bestof its ability but was severely hampered bythe lack of both human and financialresources, the absence of a clearly definedpolicy on how best to engage or leverage theDiaspora, the lack of coordination withinGOB and the bitter factionalism and politicalrivalry within the Bangladeshi Diaspora itself.

A number of interesting ideas andproposals were put forward during themeetings that Ifty Islam and I had bothcollectively and individually with differentgroups and individuals in the Diaspora. Wewere also made painfully aware that a largenumber of the persons we interacted with hada variety of complaints about the way theywere treated during visits to the BangladeshHigh Commission in London and theconsulates in Manch ester and Birmingham.There were complaints about the quality ofconsular services and about their treatmentby the Immigration and Customs authoritiesin Dhaka. Mention was made about howsome of them had tried to invest inBangladesh with very unhappy results; othersexpressed an interest to invest in Bangladeshbut voiced their concern about the lack ofadequate support from key agencies in theGovernmen t; they also mentioned the delay inobtaining approvals, lack of infrastructure,corruption, the difficulty in meeting keypeople in the Government. Some mentionedthat their local partners in Bangladesh hadcheated them and the difficulty in findingtrustworthy partners as well personnel, toemploy in Bangladesh. A number ofsuggestions were put forward on the need forbetter services from different branches ofGOB and also the High Commission and itstwo sub-offices in the UK.

During the tenure of the presentGovernment a number of ministers, advisersand senior officials have visited the UK andmet with the Diaspora. In addition anassortment of delegations representingdifferent associations as well as individualshave visited Bangladesh during this period. Infact this process of interaction has been takingplace even before Bangladesh became anindependent country. The BangladeshiDiaspora is rightfully proud of the role itplayed during the Liberation War in supportof their ancestral homeland. However, whathas changed is the realization that theDiaspora could and should play a much moreproactive role in supporting the growth anddevelopment of Bangladesh. There isrecognition today within the Diaspora thatthey can and would like to do much more tohelp Bangladesh become a middle incomecountry by 2020. This new sense of interest isbased on the financial growth and increasedlevel of prosperity of the Diaspora, theemergence of a second and third generationwho are highly qualified professionals, lawyers,accountants, bankers etc. In fact, Diasporamembers may be much more effective thanother foreign investors. First, they may bemore likely to invest in economies that otherswould consider high risk, simply because theyhave better knowledge and relationshipopportunities that other investors lack. Second, they can combine this knowledgewith the skills, knowledge, and networks they have cultivated abroad, yieldingimportant synergistic advantages.

The issue then is what can be done torealise the full potential of the Bangladeshdiaspora?

A recommendation is to start with smallcommitments and small projects, increasing



the scale and scope of projects gradually withthe accumulation of trust and experience,thereby winning over sceptics who may havehad unsatisfactory experiences in the past.Commitments may start with occasionallectures at a home country university or thesupervision of a talented student’s projectand eventually move on to a large researchor business project

A lesson from the academic research aswell as the practical experiences of Diasporanetworks around the world is that some keysto success for Bangladesh to replicate theeffectiveness of its Diaspora strategy include:1) Have a strong home country institution tofacilitate Diaspora exchanges with a compre-hensive global database of NRBs bothindividually and groups. This need to bestructured by region and professional associ-ations; 2) Ensure e ngagement is mutuallybeneficial to both NRBs and the homecountry; 3) Host governments and themultilateral agencies can play an importantrole in both funding and facilitating thegrowth of vibrant Diaspora networks. Butthere is no reason over the longer-term not toexpect them to become self-sustaining as thecommercial benefits become more firmlyestablished, most notably in the case of TheIndus Entrepre neurs (TIE), a key globalIndian technology/business Diaspora networkand AFFORD, an African Diaspora organi-zation in the UK.

Clearly the first priority is the need for awell defined strategy with a plan of actionwhich is owned both by GOB as well as theDiaspora. Such a strategy should encompassa wide range of stakeholders in bothcountries, in particular, the Britishgovernment. It is interesting to note that inthe efforts to promote better interaction

between the Diaspora and GOB, the role ofthe British Government, has so far beenquite insignificant. This does raise thequestion, should the British Government joinhands with GOB in forging a joint strategyto leverage the Bangladesh Diaspora? Thiscould certainly be discussed by the twogovernments at a conference with the partici-pation of a representative group from theDiaspora. In order to prepare the ground forsuch a meeting a draft strategy paper couldbe prepared by a small task force. The TaskForce could look at the best practicesfollowed in the case of other Diasporas inthe UK and elsewhere, most notably theIndian Diaspora in the UK and the US.There are also important lessons to belearned from initiatives taken by severalother countries, most notably China, thePhilippines, New Zealand, Cyprus, Jamaicato mention a few countries, which havetaken important initiatives.

It is suggested that in the second phaseof the Diaspora project the followingaction may be taken:

1 A detailed survey may be undertaken ofthe Bangladeshi Diaspora in the UK.

2 The work on the data base, website andthe newsletter may be continued.

3 A small task force can be establishedwith the participation of representativesfrom GOB, AT Capital, BEI, DFID(Bangladesh), BBCC and one or twopersons from the Bangladesh Diaspora.The Task Force will be asked to preparea strategy paper and a plan of actionwhich could be discussed in July/August,2011 at a conference to be held in Dhakaor the UK, with wide representation fromthe Diaspora.



4 One very important point which came upseveral times during the various meetingsheld last year with members of theDiaspora was the need for a youthexchange programme. Such a programmewould depend entirely on the amount offunding available to support suchexchanges. The essential idea is to haveperhaps 20–30 students every year fromthe Bangladesh Diaspora, who havecompleted their A levels or are studying atUniversity, to come and spend one to twomonths as interns in Bangladesh attachedto a research institute such as BEI or at afirm, company or financial institution suchas AT Capital. The idea is to give them afirsthand exposure to developments inBangladesh. Students could also do theinternship with Grameen Bank, BRAC orone of the many NGOs in Bangladesh.

5 In addition to the Youth ExchangeProgramme it is proposed that thereshould be a programme based on the oldUNDP Tokten programme, which wouldbring experts in different fields from theBangladesh Diaspora to Bangladesh. The experts could be attached todifferent Ministries, firms or Universities,where they would provide their services.

6 One of the most successful programmesundertaken by the Indian Diaspora inthe US has been the mentoring servicesprovided to young entrepreneurs in theIT sector. If in no other field theBangladesh Association of Caterers canprovide a training course for membersfrom the Bangladesh Diaspora willingto become entrepreneurs or set up theirown restaurants, on how best to goabout doing so, if they had the benefitof some mentoring.

7 The subject of encouraging theDiaspora to invest in Bangladesh hasbeen pursued for many years with,generally speaking, disappointing results.The present government has promisedthe establishment of a Bank for overseasBangladeshis. It will be important toensure that this Bank is established withthe minimum of hassle but that itsucceeds in providing the necessarysupport to members of the Diasporakeen to invest in Bangladesh. In themeantime the very useful work insupport of improving remittancesundertaken by DFID should continue.Other ideas to promote investment mayalso be explored, such as theestablishment of a Special EconomicZone in Sylhet. The holding of regularinvestment seminars both in Bangladeshand in the UK may be encouraged.What is important though is to ensurethat GOB delivers on the promises thatit makes at these conferences.

8 During the last Awami LeagueGovernment a Minister for Investmentpromotion work was appointed at theBangladesh High Commission in London.The person was from the Diaspora andtherefore had a wide range of contacts,although it has to be acknowledged thatthe principal reason for his appointmentarose out of his political affiliations andthe fact that he had rendered many yearsof service to the Awami League. If suchan appointment is made, it is importantthat the person chosen for the job has theright qualifications. In any event it isimportant that the High Commission isstrengthened and perhaps a separatewing for Diaspora Affairs and Services is



opened at the High Commission, with atleast two or three officials appointedfrom the Diaspora itself.

9 The Ministry of Expatriate Affairsneeds to be strengthened and mademore active. It needs to provide a 24hour hotline service where members ofthe Diaspora can go with theircomplaints and problems and receiveimmediate assistance.

10 It is suggested that similar to the practicefollowed by the Govt. of India that GOBshould sponsor every year an annualconference for the Diaspora with theparticipation of the Prime Minister andthe entire cabinet. Awards and prizesshould be given to members of theDiaspora in recognition of their work insupport of the Diaspora and their contri-bution to Bangladesh’s development.

11 In the efforts to develop a joint strategyfor the development of the BangladeshiDiaspora in the UK, with the partici-pation of GOB, the British Govt. andrepresentatives from the Diaspora, a highlevel Advisory Council can beestablished; similar to what has beendone in the case of the Indian Diaspora.In addition joint teams drawn from bothgovernments, the two High Commissions,in London and Dhaka, and represen-tatives from the Diaspora can tour theUK every year and hold dialogues withdifferent groups and associations fromthe Diaspora to discuss a broad range ofsubjects of interest to both countries, aswell as the Diaspora.

12 Consideration can be given to theestablishment of a Foundation to support

charitable work both in Britain and inBangladesh, as well as to support ascholarship programme, support researchwork and generally undertake the kind ofwork done by well known foundations inthe US and UK. The Foundation willpromote philanthropy within theDiaspora but the emphasis will be tomake the Diaspora understand theimportance of independent professionalmanagement, in sum, to understand theconcept of sensible giving.

13 Leveraging the credibility and globalinterface of the Diaspora as part of theBangladesh Re-branding Strategy.Close collaboration with the UKDiaspora for the upcoming Nov 26/27Bangladesh Brand Conference wouldbe an example of potential partnershipin country brand building.

14 Diaspora engagement strategy shouldalso be incorporated into the National‘Digital Bangladesh’ initiative, it is worthnoting that Information technology (IT)has emerged as an essential enabler ofDiaspora knowledge transfer andexchange. Among other things, it holdsgreat potential for providing theinformation system which would includea searchable database of Diasporamembers and their skills on the one hand,and opportunities/needs in the homelandon the other. In fact, the Internet is themain tool of the intellectual/scientificDiaspora networks studied. It is IT thathas enabled Diaspora connections to thehomeland to evolve from ‘sporadic,exceptional and limited links’ to‘systematic, dense and multiple’ ones.



As noted by Yevgeny Kuznetsov, whileindividuals are crucial to initiate the process,home country organizations are what sustainit. The quality of home country organi-zations appears to be the single mostimportant determinant of Diaspora initiatives.Even where Diasporas are massive, rich,entrepreneurial, and enthusiastic aboutgetting involved – as in the case of Armenia –they often run up against t he bindingconstraint of home country organizations.This is why Chile and Scotland, with theireffective home country organizations, havehad much more success in interactions withtheir Diasporas, even though their Diasporasare small and less wealthy than theDiasporas of Argentina and Armenia.Reinforcing the institutional strength andcapacity of a focal Diaspora organization in

the UK such as BBCC as w ell as acorresponding Diaspora organization inBangladesh will be a critical part of movingforward with a successful Diaspora strategygiven the disparate and heterogeneous natureof the Bangladeshi Diaspora. Where homecountry institutions are weak, donors, whoare already engaged with the country despiteits institutional weaknesses, can play animportant role in mobilizing the Diaspora.Using the Diasp ora as a partner fordevelopment pro vides donors with anadditional tool and can be a cost-effectivechannel through which to providedevelopment assistance, with considerableupside gains if things turn out well.


www.bei-bd.org


The Bangladesh Enterprise Institute (BEI) is one of the leading think-tanks in Bangladesh,and has extensive experience in facilitating public discourse, undertaking advocacy fornational policy development, conducting research, and supporting NGO partners tocontribute to public policy debates. The Institute promotes issues of importance to theprivate sector and seeks to initiate essential measures to influence policy for thedevelopment of a market-oriented economy. The Institute has established for itself areputation for excellence in its research and advocacy work and has a proven track recordin bringing together stakeholders from a diverse segment to create consensus in developingaction plans based on priorities of reform. BEI enjoys wide recognition of its leadershipclout and research niche in informing and influencing public policy. For additionalinformation about BEI, please log on to www.bei-bd.org.


The Grenada Diaspora Organization (GDO)has estimated that from 1886 to 1980 over200,000 Grenadians have migrated fromtheir homeland and have settled in fourcountries which today contain the largestfootprint of expatriates from the Spice Island.In order of immigrant population,Grenadians abroad have settled in the UnitedStates, the United Kingdom, Trinidad andTobago and Canada. According to 2000United States Census data, Grenadians likemost Caribbean-Americans are amongAmerica’s rising middle class with a medianincome exceeding $51,000 per household.The World Bank estimates that in thedeveloping world only the Philippinesexports more of its college educated citizens.Recent data on remittances from the Bankalso indicates that financial transfers fromGrenada’s nationals abroad contributes morethan one-third of the island’s gross nationalproduct and is the leading source of incomeahead of construction, agriculture andtourism. Though the picture remainsincomplete, taken together, we believe thatthis small island nation of only 100,000people with a consistent annual out-migration rate of almost 2% must undertakea set of carefully designed initiatives tocapitalize on the strength of its diaspora andits strong linkages to the homeland.

In 2007, we at GDO designed asystematic approach that would connectGrenadians abroad to stakeholderinstitutions and organizations at home. In thecourse of our research into this project, we

interviewed other Caribbean organizationalleaders and government officials who wereinvolved in similar efforts since the migrationpatterns, culture and history of our regionalneighbors were similar. Almost from thebeginning, it was clear that our Jamaicanneighbors had moved the farthest toconsolidate relationships with their diasporaand had developed an approach thatGrenadians abroad could use as a model.Notwithstanding the size of Jamaica’sdiaspora (officially more than 500,000 in theUS alone) the similarities in terms offootprint, cultural assimilation, employmentand education mirrored not just Grenada’sbut that of many other CARICOMexpatriate communities in London, NewYork, Toronto and Miami.

In New York City there are over 40Grenadian hometown associations comprisingformer civil servants, secondary schoolstudents as well as parish groups. Becausemany of these expats have resided in NorthAmerica and the United Kingdom for almost30 years (Grenada experienced a majorpopulation exodus from the island during theperiod of the socialist revolution 1979–1983)their communities now include local socialclubs and religious organizations in thecountries they now call home. All togethertheir numbers are quite impressive. In theearly 1990s a study conducted by the CityUniversity of New York estimated that therewere over 60,000 Grenadians residing in NewYork City. That is quite a staggering numberconsidering the size of the population on the

The Grenada Diaspora OrganizationJerry Edwin, Executive Director of the Grenada Diaspora Organization



island (100,000) and the continuingimmigration abroad coupled with the factthat New York City is the number onedestination for most of the island’s migrants.

GDO was thus confronted with animperative of how to actuate these set offacts with a systematic program that wouldlead to involvement of our diaspora innational development. To be sure, not allof our diaspora residents are favorablydisposed toward this project and politicalalliances have alienated many based on thegovernment in power in St. Georges. Yet aswe approached the community at homeand overseas we were greeted withwidespread support for a plan of actionthat would connect the two communities.We had designed an architecture thathoused people into action groups then intosectors (health, education, immigration,disaster relief) and then connected them toorganizations at home that would benefitfrom their professional skills, goods andservices transfers and participate with themin solving their own organizational issues.At the same time those organizations inGrenada would form welcome committeesfor returning nationals either as permanentresidents or for their children in summerand holiday educational programs.

In the summer of 2008 we learned thatthe former Jamaican Prime Minister P.J.Patterson had failed to convince Jamaicansthat a diaspora bond could succeed inimproving the island’s stagnating economy.We approached the financial teamresponsible for designing the proposedJamaican diaspora bond and from thisvantage we gained valuable insight into theregulatory requirements of the securitiesmarkets where litigation hucksters prey on

vulnerable issuers in the hope of collectingquick monetary settlements. Added to thisare the enormous costs that sovereigns mustcommit when targeting retail investors totheir debt products. It was thus clear fromthe onset that the Grenada diaspora neededto thread carefully in this area of highfinance while navigating a course toultimately benefit our nation’s economicgrowth and development.

We soon realized that the demographicprofile of our diaspora presented a class ofpotential investors that could convincegovernment officials to design and issue abond. At the same time we knew thatGrenada’s external debt had exploded to anunsustainable level and an added debtburden through a diaspora bond would be aleast favorable option for the newgovernment. The idea that a small islandnation could tap its diaspora and transformits economy and in the process obtain fundsfor its struggling health care sectors, watersanitization plants, agribusiness, inter-islandtravel facilities, eco-tourism initiatives and soon was not to be taken lightly in the face ofsobering economic realities.

We therefore marshaled relevant datafrom international agencies, national censusdepartments and travelled to Grenada inMarch 2010 at the invitation of the PrimeMinister to make a case for a diaspora bondto the Cabinet and to audiences around theisland. There was unanimous support for theidea. Back in New York we held open forumat local churches and travelled toWashington D.C. to dialogue withcommunity leaders from Virginia, theCapitol and Maryland who embraced theidea of investing their foreign capital in thecountry of their birth. True to form, the



‘patriotic discount’ which foreign nationalsaccord their home countries was on fulldisplay. This is the idea that diasporaresidents will forego higher returns frominvestments in foreign financial markets andaccept lower returns by investing in theirhome countries for patriotic reasons.

Still unsolved was the quagmire ofGrenada’s debt ratio which was in excess of125% and would rise even higher if adiaspora bond were to be issued. Eventuallywe arrived at a solution that could providean answer for ourselves and our neighborslike Trinidad, Guyana, Jamaica and Haiti allwho have large diaspora footprint in NorthAmerica and face severe economic challenges.

Our solution for small economies thatwant to access their diaspora for developmentfunds is that they issue a diaspora ‘bond’ butthat instrument cannot be a drag ongovernment obligations. The instrument iscalled a bond but in reality it is a Certificateof Deposit. Haiti, Jamaica and Guyana havesizeable diaspora and should consider issuinga diaspora bond that is structured as aCertificate of Deposit to avoid costlyregulatory and registration fees and whichalso adversely impacts their high debt ratios.Against a backdrop of financial crisis in th edeveloped world, diaspora residents arereceiving considerably higher returns onsavings accounts and from CDs in localbanks than in North America or Europe. We suggest that diaspora bonds from thesesmall islands should not be a traditional debtinstrument instead, a consortium of localbanks should act as trustees for thegovernment earning commissions from thesales of these deposits that are markete d to

foreign nationals. Present day communi-cations technology and the vibrant and activecommunity networks will easily and quicklyspread the word about the diaspora ‘bond’.According to our estimate, Grenada can raiseupwards of $40m USD within six months ofissuing this instrument. From our discussionwith several local bankers they are preparedto design this special CD since currentlegislation alrea dy provide for such SpecialFunds that target economic development. At a diaspora conference in Grenada this pastsummer the Finance Minister urged attendeesto support our proposal.

In 1951 Israel began issuing truediaspora bonds followed in 1991 by Indiaand many other developing countries withlarge diaspora have turned to this option.Today, Greece is turning to its diaspora tofight off a crippling national bankruptcy.For Grenada and the small island nations ofthe Caribbean the traditional debtinstruments are not an option for reasonsalready outlined. There have been manydeclarations from government leaders aboutinvolving our diaspora in nationaldevelopment and based on our work directlywith organized diaspora groups we believethat innovating the diaspora bond modelcan achieve many important objectives.

Engaging diaspora nationals inhomeland development provides a long-term connection to the home country that isboth a source of individual pride andnational aspiration. This is the challengethat we believe is met by the diaspora bondwhich connects people to purpose that ismore rewarding than the financial benefitsthat can come from this initiative.



Advance is Australia’s leading global ‘peopleto people’ network of Australians and alumniof Australian universities abroad. Advance’spatron is the Hon Julia Gillard, PrimeMinister of Australia. Our founding patronsare Lachlan Murdoch, Anthony Pratt andPeter Lowy. We are supported by theAustralian Government through theDepartment of Foreign Affairs and Trade,and the Department of Innovation, Industry,Science and Research, as well as donors,universities and corporate global partners.

Advance has a global reach of 80countries, with offices in New York, SanFrancisco, Hong Kong and London. With agrowing membership of over 24,000Australians, alumni of Australian universitiesand ‘Friends of Australia’ in key global citiesaround the world, a strong commitment tobusiness volunteerism, our extensive industry,government, corporate and academicnetworks in the US, Asia, UK, EMEA andAustralia, we galvanise our talent pool forthe economic, cultural and socialadvancement of Australia. Our members andnon-Australian friends represent extensivenetworks, spheres of influence in keyoverseas markets.

Advance achievementsAdvance embodies the best of Australia andAustralians – dynamic, professional,innovative, cross cultural, competitive, globalthinking, fun and the ‘can do’ attitude forwhich we are admired.

n Founded in 2002 as a not-for profitentity in the US, established in the UKand Hong Kong.

n Largest and highly valued globalnetwork of senior Australian expatriates,alumni and mentors. Membership ofover 24,000 – both Australians andFriends of Australia.

n Reach to 80 countries includingAustralia’s largest markets, US, China,India and Japan.

n Eight (8) global industry networksincluding financial services, greentechnology, life sciences, creativeindustries, professional services, media,communications and technology, socialentrepreneurship, academic and research.

n Successful delivery of fully integratedoverseas programs to accelerate thesuccessful commercialisation ofAustralian innovation with a trackrecord of bringing results.

n Successful in partnering with Australiangovernment agencies, institutions andaccessing private sector investments.

n Successful delivery of leading globalthought leadership. Summits such as:Advance Women’s Leadership Summitheld at the Sydney Opera House in March2011; Advance Emerging Leaders IndiaSummit 2010 in New Delhi in May 2010;Advance Asia 50 Summit held in Shanghaiin March 2009; Advance Global 100Summit held at the Sydney Opera Housein December 2006.

Advance AustraliaSerafina Maiorano, CEO, Advance Australia



n Successful delivery/promotion of over100 events worldwide annually.

n Global advisory board consisting ofAustralian captains of industry aroundthe globe.

n Successful media partnerships. The mediacoverage Advance attracts is global andrepresents our leadership as Australia’slargest international diaspora network.

Advance programs Advance offers a host of global programsand services:

n Global thought leadership summits –Established and emerging leaders fromAustralia’s diverse diaspora (Australianborn and Australian educated) and theirglobal peers meet at Advance Summitsto explore and disseminate ideas, toconnect with other members of thisimportant ‘brain trust’, and to shareglobal best practices. Initiatives from theSummits often contribute to society andproduce tangible results. The AdvanceSummits represent a unique opportunityto also network with peers, and gatherclear and intelligent insight into criticalglobal trends and solutions that willinfluence Australia’s growth and itsplace in the world. Each year Advancehosts a Summit in a different global cityas part of our commitment to showcaseand harness the talent and expertise ofAustralia’s diaspora, and providefeedback to assist with government andbusiness decision-making.

n Boosting jobs through the globalcommercialisation of Australianinnovation – Advance delivers tailoredprograms to fast track successful

commercialisation, which includesglobally experienced management,mentors and advisers; global financeintroductions; critical global ‘street-level’business and social networks; a globalknowledge network to increasecommercial success; and programs thataffect cultural change within ourinnovation system. Advance’s programsare designed to deliver programmaticvalue to the ecosystem in the criticalphases of commercialization, by tappinginto its global networks of professionalsand service providers that are motivatedto help and are willing to invest time andshare their knowledge and social capital.

n Global events – to promote Australianbusiness, talent and innovation via liveevents, online programs and podcasts.

n Australian leadership promotion – toempower influential Australians overseasto identify international investment,cultural and business opportunities.

n Industry networks – to recognise andlink Australians overseas in key industrysectors, such as financial services, greensector, life sciences, media, communi-cations and technology, arts, academicand research, professional services andsocial entrepreneurship.

n Online communication channels – toreach members around the world withvaluable, relevant and up-to-datecontent, targeted by industry, geography,education, profession and demography.

n Talent return and mobility – toprovide a web portal with jobopportunities, repatriation informationand seminars for Australians overseasseeking to return to Australia ormigrate to other countries.




www.advance.org


GlobalScot is an international businessnetwork that seeks to harness the powerfulScottish business diaspora that can befound across the world. Established in 2001,it was designed as a long term approach toaddress market failure and was designedand created by Scottish Enterprise. ScottishEnterprise is Scotland’s main economicdevelopment agency, funded by the ScottishGovernment, and aims to deliver asignificant, lasting effect on the Scottisheconomy. Our role is to help identify andexploit the best opportunities for economicgrowth. We support ambitious Scottishcompanies to compete within the globalmarketplace and help build Scotland’sglobally competitive sectors. We also workwith a range of partners in the public andprivate sectors to attract new investment to

Scotland and to help create a world-classbusiness environment.

The GlobalScot network is made up ofover 650 senior business people based acrossthe world, and across Scotland’s key sectors.The membership has committed to assistScotland and our business ambitions. Thisassistance ranges from market advice andcontacts to much deeper levels of engagementincluding advisory roles on industry bodiesand non executive roles within Scotland’smost ambitious companies (See appendix forsome examples of company support).

Leveraging this international networkmakes a real difference to Scotland andcontributes to those economic indicators thatare at the core of the Government’seconomic strategy to ensure long termsustainable economic growth for Scotland.

GlobalScot – building international business networks for ScotlandMarina Maciver, Senior Manager, GlobalScot

‘The Advance network brings together an amazing array of distinguished andrising Australians – leaders across prominent institutions and corporationsand entrepreneurs at the forefront of new ventures. This network brings toa focal point our nation’s achievements. But more importantly, this networkprovides a vehicle for forging new connections with fellow Australians livingabroad, sharing insights from their experiences, and discussing ways offurther promoting our nation.’

The Honourable Julia Gillard MP · Prime Minister of Australia


The success of the network has been a resultof the very deliberate business to businessfocus of our activity.

Since its inception, GlobalScot has helpedto realise the aspirations of Scottishcompanies who seek opportunities to growtheir business. The most recent independentevaluation of GlobalScot (Frontline 2007)showed that the net annual GVA figureattributable to the GlobalScot network for2006 was £2.7m, and that ‘GlobalScotprovides a unique service for this group ofcompanies and a high degree of additionality.’

The membershipMembership of GlobalScot is by invitationonly, personal and non-transferable.Members are formally welcomed to thenetwork by Scotland’s First Minister,following a nomination process.

In order to maintain the quality andintegrity of the network, we are careful toensure that all our members are activelyengaged and that the composition of the mem-bership accurately reflects the needs of ourcustomers as well as the priorities of ScottishEnterprise and the wider Scottish economy.

There are currently over 650 GlobalScots inthe following regions across the world:n Europe, Middle East and Africa – 35%n USA – 35%n Asia – 18%n Scotland – 12%

These members are represented across thefollowing sectors:n Digital Markets and Enabling

Technologies – 12%n Life Sciences – 15%n Business Services – 13%

n Financial Services – 13%n Energy – 10%n Food and Drink – 4%n Government – 1%n Tourism – 1%

The balance of our existing membership isnot currently aligned to the above sectorsbut have a range of experience acrossvarious business disciplines.

Making connectionsOne of the key aims of GlobalScot is toengage with Scottish companies, and this isdone through a number of channels andpartners. Scottish Enterprise works with over10,000 companies, and of those 2,000 areintensively account managed. GlobalScotsupport is actively targeted at thesecompanies through account managers.Working with partners in the public andprivate sector we also engage with companiesand organisations to support their work forexample universities and industry bodies.

The global nature of the network meansthat it in order to facilitate introductions ona day to day basis technology has beendeveloped to support this. We have awebsite and members only community areawhere requests for help can be targeted,profiles can be searched, discussions andadvice can be posted and members canvirtually connect.

Diaspora engagement is an importantpart of Government policy from a number ofperspectives including culture, tourism, andbusiness. We work closely with theGovernment and agencies to ensure we arealigned and share opportunities, whileretaining our very clear focus on creating astrong business to business network.



ActivityAnnually GlobalScots will make over 600connections that will convert into benefits forScotland’s businesses. These connections arelinked to Scottish Enterprise’s business planpriorities and focus primarily on internation-alisation, commercialisation, companygrowth and key sector engagement.

Some recent GlobalScot projects include:n 2009 GlobalScot International Conference

– 106 GlobalScots and 233 ScottishCompanies attended and over 150meetings took place (see appendix for theinitial evaluation results).

n Offshore Technology Conference,Houston – 70 meetings between ScottishCompanies and GlobalScots.

n Bio 2010, Chicago – 10 GlobalScotsparticipated in a roundtable advising theLife Science team on propositions.

n SaltireFoundation – 64 internships wereprovided by GlobalScots.

n Leadership Masterclass with John Stewart,Chairman of Legal & General – 45Scottish companies attended.

n GlobalScot, Laxman Badiga, CIO ofWipro – a 3 day programme including12 inward investment and companymeetings, as well as a keynote speech atand an industry event.

n In November 2010 New York hosted aGlobalScot Connect event. Over 60GlobalScots and representatives of some ofScotland’s most exciting growth companiesattended the event, themed ‘Leadership andAmbition’. The programme included 80face-to-face connections with GlobalScotsbased in the USA, along with workshops,mentoring, support and advice fromleading business people.

n GlobalScot, Brian McBride, MD ofAmazon UK – spoke about leadership to300 Headteachers, Senior Managers,teachers and staff from the EasterhouseLearning Community in Glasgow.

n Dubai was the location for the GlobalScotMiddle East connect event, in February2011. Attending were 25 GlobalScotsfrom the region providing advice andsupport to Scottish companies withambitions to trade in the Middle East,along with promoting inward investmentopportunities in Scotland.

CommunicationsThe GlobalScot team engages with themembership in a number of ways toensure they are active and informed.These include GlobalScot.com, themember’s only community area thatvirtually connects GlobalScots withScottish companies, a bi-monthly digitalmagazine, a Linked In group and events.In addition to this each GlobalScot has arelationship manager, who is their link,and is responsible for understanding eachmember, their past contribution, and howthey want to engage moving forward.GlobalScots often develop strongrelationships with other members of theScottish Enterprise team, including sectorspecialists and local contacts withinScottish Development International (SDI),the trade and investment arm of ScottishEnterprise, Highlands and IslandsEnterprise and the Scottish Government.

Lessons learnedThe GlobalScot Network is celebrating its10th anniversary in 2011. It has evolvedsince then, reflecting feedback from the



membership and Scottish companies as wellas changes in the domestic and globaleconomy. Some key lessons learned:

n Network effectiveness requires activemanagement, providing opportunities forconnections to be made.

n Planning is required to manage demandfor the network.

n Regular general and personal communi-cations to the membership is critical.

n Capturing skills and competencies is animportant part of effectively matchingmembers with opportunities.

GlobalScot case studies

MackaysFifteen years ago, when Paul Grant MBEbought the Arbroath company, none of theirproduct went overseas – the company hadnever looked beyond the UK market. Today,Mackays are the fastest-growing importedbrand in their field in the USA, and they nowexport 35 per cent of their output to 43markets across the world. Mackays are amember of Scotland Food and Drink, whichhas a key focus on market development inNorth America. The support provided byJody Hall is one example of the assistanceavailable to Scottish companies to help themidentify and build international sales. TheScotland Food and Drink Strategy aims togrow exports of food and drink to £5.1bn by2017. Mackays’ agreement with HEB inSouthern Texas will underpin their positionas number one British supplier of preservesin the US. It’s a market worth around£100k–£150k a year to the company,reckons Grant. ‘It all began with a meetingwith Scottish Development International at

the Fancy Foods Show in New York just ayear ago. From there we were put in touchwith Scottish Enterprise’s GlobalScot teamand they set up a conference call with JodyHall. I gave him the top line and sent himsome samples which he passed on to theappropriate people. Jody has been havingconversations with my American importsman for the past four or five months andnow Mackays will be available in 113 storesacross Texas.

PolybiusIn the summer of 2008, David Goutcher wasa former policeman, out of work – andfacing some major career decisions. Thewinter of 2010 saw the 43-year-old father offour leading a computer games businessthat’s heading for a £5million annualturnover, with the prospect of adding around6000 hotels worldwide to his client base.There’s also a book release and a TV deal inthe offing. It’s an incredible story, and one inwhich the GlobalScot network and ScottishDevelopment International (SDI) have playeda major part but, like many successfulbusinesses, it was born out of a simple idea.

Since that first sale around 18 monthsago, Polybius have added clients such as theJumeirah group, the Hilton, Center Parcs,Macdonald hotels and the Four Seasons totheir customer base. David is happy toacknowledge the ‘major role’ played by theGlobalScot network and SDI in helping himdevelop the business. Through SDI he hasenjoyed a very successful introduction to theHilton group, while GlobalScot introductionsinclude the Disney organisation. Davidexplains that ‘I reckon the GlobalScotnetwork is unique in the quality of thepeople it brings together – and they are all



there to help. They are not looking forbusiness in return, they are genuinelyinterested in seeing fellow Scots succeed andbranch out internationally. ‘There are veryfew groups in the world that give you directaccess to people like the head of Walmart inAmerica. You can contact them direct andthey’ll take time out of their day to help you.There’s nothing like it anywhere else. Thereare also events such as GlobalScot Connect.It was at the Connect gathering in New Yorkthat I met Andy Mooney, the Chairman ofDisney Consumer Products. ‘He gave metremendous advice and I look forward tohaving more talks with him early in the newyear with the possibility of perhaps abusiness tie-up further down the line.

Bio 2010The three key Life Sciences propositionscame under scrutiny from a panel of industryexperts and business leaders at the 2010 BIOConference in Chicago in May. A roundtablediscussion chaired by Rhona Allison, ScottishEnterprise’s Senior Director of Life Sciences,produced a lively two-hour session onScotland’s work on Transitional Medicine;Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine; andthe Edinburgh BioQuarter. The eventbrought together a rare meeting ofGlobalScots from a wide geographic areawith representatives from SDI, ScottishEnterprise, Edinburgh BioQuarter, ScottishStem Cell Network, University of Edinburghand the Scottish Academic Health SciencesCollaboration. ‘It was a very worthwhileexercise,’ said Rhona Allison. ‘We had somevery good feedback from our Global Scots. It was very focused.’ It’s not every day that

the chance presents itself to meet so manyimportant figures in Life Science at once.Allison agreed: ‘It was very opportunistic butit worked out wonderfully well. ‘We sent outthe information beforehand and we wereclear on what we wanted from theGlobalScots. We were asking them: are thesethe right companies and the right individualswithin them that we are targeting?‘Sometimes, with meeting like these you findyou do not make much progress, but thistime it was very successful. It worked reallywell because it was a small focus group.’ She added: ‘We got some excellent leadsfrom BIO and we are already puttingtogether plans for next year’s BIO to makeour presence there even more effective.’

2009 GlobalScot InternationalConferenceThe theme of the 2 day event was ‘Scotland’sGlobal Opportunity – Great Minds &Innovation’. The conference was targeted atGlobalScot members, based globally, andrelationship managed Scottish companies anduniversities. 106 GlobalScots attended,including some that had travelled from as faras New Zealand and Singapore plus 233representatives from Scottish organisations.

Connections made: 150 1-2-1meetings between Scottish participantsand GlobalScots were scheduled inadvance of the event. 70% ofGlobalScots and 60% of Scottishcompanies identified new business leadsas a result of attending the conference.


www.globalscot.com



Emigration is nothing new for South Africa.Triggered by turbulent political situations,there have been peaks and troughs inemigration throughout its’ short history.Inspired by Nelson Mandela’s speech inTrafalgar Square in 1999, The HomecomingRevolution was founded in 2003 by apassionate South African, Angel Jones, as anon-profit, independent organisation withthe aim of reversing the brain drain. Thelaunch of the campaign showed the numberof South Africans wanting to return and itwas vital that for the organisation tosucceed that it stand alone and have its ownmanagement structure. Sponsorship fundingwas agreed with First National Bank whosaw the opportunity not only as part of aproudly South African message but also therole that they could play in making thetransition home through streamliningbanking process. What started as a smalllaunch quickly spread into a globalcampaign as thousands of South Africansaround the world wanted to return home.The Homecoming Revolution plays a vitalrole in encouraging and assisting SouthAfricans abroad to return home.

It is an organisation that has beenrecognised by the President, the Governmentand many business and civil society leaders.It has been acknowledged as the voice onmany issues including skills shortages andskills repatriation, the psyche of returningSouth Africans and those in the Diaspora.The Homecoming Revolution is made up ofpassionate individuals who do what they do

because they believe in taking a pro-activeapproach to building South Africa’s future.

South Africa, like any developingcountry has many challenges. Chronic skillsshortages in some areas, over-supply oflabour in others, and unemployment atmore than a third of people of working agemeans that the country is dealing withmany complex issues that won’t go awayovernight. There is no magical wand forresolution but the first step is recognisingthat South Africa’s main problem isn’tmoney but a lack of skilled people who canassist in growing the economy and creatingjobs. The Homecoming Revolution hasplayed a strategic role in ensuring that boththe private and public sectors recognize thevalue of the South African Diaspora in thismatter and that as a country we mobilizerecruiters and employers to take action infacilitating their return.

‘The Homecoming Revolution has been avital part in the way South Africa has beenperceived abroad and at home, through itsown citizens. Through constant communi-cation, passionate South Africans andhighlighted opportunities, this campaign hasbeen a credible source of information forglobal South Africans. For the people, by thepeople. Being independent is one of the keyreasons we were able to be successful. Ateam who had lived the experience offeringthe advice, and the people who had returnedtelling their unedited stories, gave thosethinking or yearning the confidence to makethe decision. All the research that we

Homecoming Revolution – connecting the South African diasporaBrigitte Britten-Kelly, Managing Executive, Homecoming Revolution



conducted also showed us that it was aheart over head decision.’ Says MartineSchaffer, director and consultant forHomecoming Revolution.

Over the past seven years TheHomecoming Revolution has built up adatabase of over 20,000 people and has arange of communication channels and toolsfor engaging with the Diaspora:

n An active website that helps the SouthAfrican Diaspora to keep in touch withwhat is happening on the ground in SouthAfrica. The website provides usefulinformation for returning, and testimonialsof those that have done it. It includes arange of practical information oneverything to do with moving back toSouth Africa.

n A careers portal which features updatedjob vacancies directly from thecompanies that are looking for skills aswell as from agencies that have positionsfor homecomers.

n First National Bank are proud sponsors ofthe campaign. They assist South Africanexpats with opening bank accounts,finding out about homeloans, car finance,bringing money in to South Africa, longterm and short term insurance.

n An interactive blog provides a safe spacefor the South African Diaspora toengage with one another, share stories ofreturning home and discuss topicalSouth African issues.

n International careers exhibitions hostedannually in London connect South Africanemployers with top South African talentwishing to return home. Alongside this,other service providers offer relevantinformation about moving home, from

shipping, schooling and immigration fornon-South Africans. This is furthercomplemented by workshops and topspeakers who address topical SouthAfrican issues.

n Entrepreneurship events have beenorganised in key markets to provide aplatform for South Africans in theDiaspora to get all their questionsanswered with regards to starting abusiness in SA. Homecoming Revolutionand its’ partners, have inspired andencouraged many South Africans abroad tokick start their business ideas, return homeand create jobs through entrepreneurship.

n Local events help returnees to settle in andprovide valuable networking opportunities.

n Adhoc Research projects on some of themain issues facing returning South Africans.The organisation tries to influence changeon the things that are stopping great SouthAfricans from returning.

In addition to assisting South Africans toreturn home, the Homecoming Revolutionacknowledges the important role that theDiaspora plays in shaping the future of thecountry. With this in mind the organisationhas launched an online giving community toenable South Africans living abroad toconnect with thousands of good causes fromall over South Africa. The campaign, ‘It FeelsGood To Do Good’, encourages SouthAfricans around the world to give their time,money, goods or skills to various causesthroughout South Africa.

The Homecoming Revolution networkconsists of influential and passionate SouthAfricans around the globe. The main targetmarket is professional South Africans in theUK, London in particular, followed by the



USA, Australia, Canada and Dubai. Thedemographics and psychographics of SouthAfricans in these countries vary greatly andwhat works for one market may not beapplicable to the other.

The success of the campaign is that itportrays a very realistic, honest picture oflife in South Africa. The HomecomingRevolution knows it can be a trade off tocome home, but they sincerely believe thetrade off is worth it. The bulk of thecampaign features stories of people who’vealready returned, because there’s no better

proof than the frank, believable tales ofdiverse individuals who’ve grappled withthe decision themselves. Somehomecomers have started their ownbusinesses, some are nurturing a family,some are climbing up the corporate ladderand some are working at grassroots level –all are making an immense impact onnation building, the economy and humancapital in South Africa.


www.homecomingrevolution.co.za


Government of Jamaica forges formal partnership with theirdiaspora to achieve the goals of Jamaica’s national agendaMrs. Geneive Brown Metzger, Consul General of Jamaica, NY

With a Diaspora population almost equalingthat at home, Jamaica is committed toengaging its Diaspora, concentrated in theUnited States, Canada and the UnitedKingdom. The almost (US) $2 billion thatJamaicans send home annually is the largestearner of foreign exchange in Jamaica. Yet itis only one aspect of support by Jamaicansabroad to their island home.

Both the Government of Jamaica and itsDiaspora have forged a formal partnership,whose mission is to realize the goals of thecountry’s national agenda. Hence, Jamaicansabroad play a role in many key aspects ofsociety, such as healthcare, education,investment and trade, and tourism.

The Government of Jamaica launched itsformal Diaspora initiative in 2003 under theauspices of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

and Foreign Trade within which the Diasporaand Consular Affairs Division was established.Foreign missions, i.e., consulates, embassies,and high commissions, are the bridges to theDiaspora. They implement Diasporastrategies and programs in the host countries.

A networ k of Diaspora Chairs, known asthe Jamaican Diaspora Advisory Board, inthe United States, Canada and the UnitedKingdom, advises the Jamaican governmenton matters relating to their respectivecommunities. Advisory Board Chairsinterface with community groups toconsolidate and advocate interests orconcerns. These Chairs are appointed by theGovernment of Jamaica for a limited term.The Board meets with their respectivecommunities on an annual basis and collab-orates with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs


and Foreign Trade on the staging of abiennial Diaspora convention.

The convention brings together eachJamaican Diaspora location, includingalumni associations, interest groups inhealthcare, education and business,foundations, and social groups ranging fromcricket to domino clubs. Conferenceobjectives include placing on record thecountry’s appreciation for contributionsmade by Jamaicans residing abroad tonational development; using the conferenceto involve Jamaicans overseas more compre-hensively in the economic, social, politicaland cultural aspects; and to develop thenecessary structures to strengthen therelationship between the two groups.

The following are highlights of JamaicanDiaspora Engagement initiatives:

Health: Medical missions are a keycomponent of the Jamaican Diasporacontribution to Jamaica’s health caresystem. These missions whose delegationscomprise a diverse team of physicians,dentists, nurses and volunteers from thesecountries, provide much-needed medicalservices and supplies that would otherwisenot be readily available to Jamaica,especially in the more rural, isolatedJamaican communities and parishes. ACommittee comprising prominent friendsof Jamaica, Jamaican business leaders andphysicians, is focused on developing apublic/private partnership model tosupport major health care projects inJamaica, such as the building of healthclinics in rural Jamaica.

Education:n The Union of Jamaican Alumni

Associations (USA) Inc. (UJAA) is a non-profit umbrella organization comprised ofalumni associations that include Jamaicanprimary, secondary and tertiaryeducational institutions. The JamaicanDiasporan community strongly supportsJamaica’s education with 50 formalalumni organizations in the NortheasternU.S. alone. They organize fund raisinginitiatives and social events and contributeto Jamaica’s schools with state-of-the-artequipment and supplies, such as books,computers, pencils, paper and otherimportant school-related materials.

n ‘Handbook for Jamaican StudentsEntering Schools in the United States ofAmerica’. The UJAA-published Handbookwas developed to assist the U.S. publiceducational community – primary andsecondary school teachers, many based inNew York City and Connecticut, ingaining a fuller understanding of thepublic school system in Jamaica and tobetter evaluate and raise academicstandards for newly arrived studentsemigrating from Jamaica. The Handbookcontains a description of schools, types ofexaminations and terminology unique toJamaica’s school system.

n Special School Teacher Trips: The UJAAorganizes special trips, where Jamaicanschool teachers in the U.S. can meet theirpeers or counterparts in Jamaica andhopefully gain a better understanding ofJamaica’s school system and theenvironment and culture that Jamaicanstudents are emigrating from.



Global diaspora skills database initiative:The absence of a well-populated andcurrent database of Jamaican nationals hasbeen a huge challenge. To that end, TheDiaspora Foundation in Jamaica isspearheading the development of a globaldatabase of Jamaican nationals – with afocus on garnering information on theprofessional skills of its Diaspora. Thedatabase will be an information reservoirfor the Jamaican government and theprivate sector that will include professionalsin technology, healthcare, accounting,financial services and business.

Critical conversation series: In an effort toshare ideas, learn about best practices anddiscuss challenges and successes of theJamaican Diaspora initiative, the New YorkConsulate collaborates with the DiasporaAdvisory Board, NE to undertake a series ofconversations uniting Jamaican communityleaders and representatives from otherforeign missions charged with Diasporaaffairs. Topics of interest include: how tostrategically use community organizations,engaging young Diasporans in communityactivity and the role of the Diaspora toattract trade and investment, leveragingremittances for sustainable development.

Online interactive community eventscalendar and organizational database:Launched by the Consulate General ofJamaica, N.Y., the site includes a monthly

listing, detailing important special events,including annual banquets, cultural programs,fundraisers and other activities hosted byDiaspora organizations for the Diasporacommunity. More than 150 Jamaicancommunity organizations in the Tri-Statearea (New York, New Jersey andConnecticut) are represented, as well as some50 alumni groups in New York.

About the AuthorMrs. Geneive Brown Metzger, ConsulGeneral of Jamaica, NY, was appointedJamaica’s eighth Consul General to NewYork City in February 2008, covering ajurisdiction of 33 states, Puerto Rico andBermuda. Her work in Diaspora engagementhas focused on developing relationshipsbetween Jamaican entities and the U.S.private and public sectors in order to drivegrowth and development in health care,education, business/entrepreneurship andsports in Jamaica. She participated in theUnited States Agency for InternationalDevelopment/Migration Policy InstituteThink Tank on Diaspora. Mrs. BrownMetzger is a founding member of theCaribbean American Chamber of Commerceand Industry (CACCI), the Union ofJamaican Alumni Associations (UJAA), andhas served on several trade and investmentboards in the USA.


www.congenjamaica-ny.org



Globalization as a phenomenon hasoverwhelmed the world in a multiplicity ofmanifestations. The most potent of these isthe communication revolution which hasincreased mobility phenomenally reducingthe globosphere into a nutshell. The ease ofmovement opened an array of economicpossibilities for nationals of economicallydepressed countries by connecting them witha new world of opportunity and increasingprosperity. Thus a cascade of humanmigration resulted spreading across borders,countries, regions and continents,comprising both blue and white collarworkers equipped with an array ofcompetencies ranging from the skilled to theunskilled and the professionals to theamateurs. While this phenomenon providedsustenance to the host countries withoutdoubt, it also eventually became a source ofsustenance for the home countries of themigrants. Economic prosperity being themotivating force behind the migrants, theynecessarily maintained strong links withtheir homelands and their families who nowbecame the recipients of large chunks of theearnings of these workers. Remittancesemerged as an important economic indicator,especially for underdeveloped countrieswhere they began to exceed foreign directinvestment as well as overseas developmentaid. While surprised attention was beingdrawn to the scale of remittances, there wasa concomitant interest in the rapidlygrowing potential of migrant philanthropy.

Given the socio economic condition ofcountries in Asia, remittances cannot beconsidered as social investments or philan-thropy per se being a source of sustenancefor the families of the workers who continueto live in the motherland. They however, docontain a significant proportion of funds thatare diverted to philanthropy. It is verydifficult to gauge those figures. However themagnitude of the amounts being received forexample in Pakistan can support a purelyintrospective perception, if such anassessment were to be made. At the presentpoint in time, Pakistani websites arereflecting the global size of the PakistaniDiaspora at 7 million and the level ofremittance received from them at US$ 4.531billion in the 2009–2010 financial year.

Significant research has now beenundertaken into the character and thepotential of Diaspora Philanthropy in manycountries of the world. It is important tonote that while the impulse to give may beuniversal, the form and function is highlypersonalized. The impetus is to a largeextent religious across the world, but again,the preferences are the choice of individuals.Philanthropy is one of the potent ways inwhich human beings feel and find connec-tivity with the Divine as giving is a divineact in the finer analysis of existence. Dohertyin her excellent work on Philanthropy,(2007)* has cited an array of examples fromdifferent countries of the world reflecting thepersonal choices of givers:

Diaspora philanthropy and the Pakistan Centre for PhilanthropyAnjum R Haque, Executive Director, Pakistan Centre for Philanthropy



1 Najam’s groundbreaking study ofPakistani-American giving, researchfindings clearly indicated ‘the single mostimportant giving impulse is the desire todirectly help individuals in need’ (Najam).42 (PCP: 2005).

2 A study of Kenyan Diaspora emphasizesthat a strong societal ethic of sharingwith individuals who have less is aprimary motivator for Kenyan philan-thropy (Copeland-Carson).

3 A philanthropic survey conducted by theSampradaan Indian Center forPhilanthropy found that the mostimportant reason for giving was a feelingof compassion, and that 90% of therespondents donate directly toindividuals while only about half tend tosupport organizations.

4 In a survey of giving among wealthyindividuals in six Asian countries, manyrespondents indicated that the mostimportant impact of their philanthropywas the visible difference it made toindividual lives and well-being (APPC).

5 Diaspora philanthropy and philanthropyin general is directed towards individualsprimarily because: Philanthropy is largelyfaith based and seeks a directrelationship between the giver and theneedy; Non profit institutions have notbeen able to inspire confidence; In theAPPC six country study, a governments’lack of commitment to equitable humandevelopment and pervasive corruptionwere key obstacles to giving.

6 However, rapid economic growth inBrazil, China and India has opened upavenues for institutional giving. Low levelsof trust in institutions have also beenascribed to low economic development.

* Reference: Diaspora Philanthropy:Influence, Initiatives and Issues. Paula Doherty Johnson. The Philanthropicinitiative Inc and Global Equity Initiative,Harvard University, May 2007.

In Pakistan, the only scientific researchconducted on Diaspora Giving is the onequoted above, commissioned by the PCP andexecuted by Dr. Adil Najm on the PakistaniDiaspora in the US. The findings of theresearch find everyday echoes in all spheresof giving whether at the local level or in theDiasporas in other countries. The researchvery clearly brought the preference of giversfor reaching individual beneficiaries. Thereasons cited included: superiority of givingto individuals rather than institutions withpersonal networks playing an important role,lack of trust in nonprofit and philanthropicinstitutions, a sense of faith based moral dutyto give directly to the poor and deservingindividuals in dire need, over and above amotivation of faith and giving not necessarilydirected to faith based organizations. Thereare multiple structural hindrances forDiaspora giving, the first being the chroniclack of trust in the civic sector followed by alack of convenient mechanisms for thetransfer of funds and a lack of informationabout organizations among others.

Organizations like the PCP seek toincrease the levels of giving both locally andfrom the Diasporas. Given the potential thatthe Diasporas possess it is only logical to findways and means of supporting their givingespecially through organized institutions.This would help not only increase giving butalso strategize giving by changing it into achannel that can create social assets in thecountry. Individual relief will always remain



a powerful motivating force for givers butthere is enough room to elicit support for thecreation of social assets as they will be apermanent contribution to the socialdevelopment of the country and help plugthe social deficit which exists in the agendasof developing states. The PCP, though nothaving been able to completely implement allthe recommendations of the Diaspora studyhas made efforts in the following areas:

Building confidence in Pakistan’scivic sectorBridging the trust deficit between donors andrecipient organizations was a criticalrequirement. PCP has initiated anindependent certification programme for civilsociety organizations. The process consists ofa robust evaluation scheme which includesdesk reviews and field visits of applicantorganizations resulting in a Certificationbased on a thorough evaluation of an organi-zations administrative, programmatic andfinancial systems. This Certification hasreceived Governmental recognition in theshape of tax exemption granted to theorganizations so certified. Governmentsupport and recognition has led to theprocess being recognized by internationaland national donors some of whom havemade it a requirement for their funding. The process and the instruments of PCPsCertification have been based on interna-tional best practices after studying themodels of several countries. The PCP has todate certified over 200 organizations.

The PCP in collaboration with the AsiaPacific Philanthropy Consortium’s project ofSustaining Diaspora Philanthropy Efforts forthe Development of Communities of Originin Asia has developed an online database toprovide an authentic knowledge source tohelp enhance, highlight and streamline theimpact of Diaspora Philanthropy in Pakistan.This interactive web source includes, on thegrant givers end, a database of Diasporaorganizations and facilitators and on thegrant seekers end, a list of local projects andorganizations that can be supported byDiaspora communities. This effort isexpected to improve both the trust deficitfactor and the lack of information factorbridging the gap between bona fide donorsand trustworthy recipients, thus improvingand enhancing Diaspora contributions.

PCP plays a vital role in the dissemi-nation of information to both CSOs anddonors including Diaspora communities.Reliable information improves linkages andnetworking. PCP is in the process ofdeveloping an online philanthropy portal,Give2Pakistan. The portal will serve as ahub of information containing lists ofdonors, their formal procedures andrequirements designed to make grant-seeking and grant giving a viable andefficient procedure. The data base wouldhave detailed up-to-date profiles of bothgrant-makers and grant-seekers.


www.pcp.org.pk



NEPOMAK is the World Organisation forYoung Overseas Cypriots. It was founded in2002, and has 8 member organisations – inthe UK, USA, Australia, Greece, Canada,South Africa, Rest of Africa and Rest ofEurope. NEPOMAK is a non-profit organi-sation, with its aims being to:

n Bring together young Cypriots, andprovide them with tools and opportu-nities to maintain their culture andunderstand their heritage;

n Keep the Cypriot community as vibrantas possible outside Cyprus; and

n Promote a just and viable solution tothe Cyprus issue.

Through multiple channels, NEPOMAK isable to reach out to over 15,000 youngCypriots around the world and is run on adaily basis by 150 voluntary committeemembers around the world who operate itsregional, national and global committees.

FocusThe Cypriot diaspora is estimated to bearound 500,000 individuals (60% of thepopulation of Cyprus). NEPOMAK is focussedon young Cypriots aged between 18 and 30who live outside Cyprus. In order to apply forfull membership of NEPOMAK individualsneed to have at least one Cypriot grandparent.

Organisational structureNEPOMAK is run by a 22 member globalExecutive Council, which is composed of

individuals from the national ExecutiveCouncils of each of NEPOMAK’s 8 memberorganisations. Each national organisation hasits own Executive Council that runs localactivities and administers national and globalprogrammes. As NEPOMAK is run byvolunteers, forward planning is crucial as theorganisation is run by individuals who aresimultaneously working or studying.Therefore, at the start of each year, on aglobal and national level, events and targetsare agreed by the national and globalExecutive Councils, and monitored to ensurethe organisation continues to move forward.Within this structure of global and nationalExecutive Councils, there are very clearlydefined roles for the global and nationalorganisations. These roles are guided by theoverriding principle that decisions aboutevents should be taken as locally as possible,because those closest to members are bestplaced to decide on the events that wouldmost appeal to the local diaspora.

Engagement model with the diasporaNEPOMAK seeks to engage with the youngCypriot diaspora through various channels:

n Globally (by organising globalprogrammes/online media).

n Locally (by administering globalprogrammes/online media/targeted eventsthat members want).

n Through partnerships (by developingstrong partnerships with other diaspora/Cypriot organisations).

NEPOMAK diaspora engagement modelChristos Karaolis, President of NEPOMAK



At the heart of NEPOMAK’s engagementmodel is a belief that it is the members’ needsand wants that guide the activities, opportu-nities and programmes that NEPOMAKprovides. Therefore, the opinions of membersare actively sought out through surveys, openstrategy days and global conferences.

Global engagementGlobally, NEPOMAK brings together thenational member organisations and in doingso shares ideas, experiences and bestpractices, realises economies of scale andoffers members the unique opportunity tobuild their own global network with youngCypriots around the world. NEPOMAKcurrently operates three global programmeswith places allocated to young Cypriotsfrom NEPOMAK’s member organisationsaround the world:

n NEPOMAK Discover Cyprus Programme(NDCP) – established in 2004, NDCP is a3 week cultural tour and language coursehosted in Cyprus. 50 young Cypriots agedbetween 18–22, from around the world,participate in the programme every year.To date over 400 individuals have partic-ipated in NDCP. This is an inspiringprogramme helping many young peopleconnect with their roots, as well asencouraging them to become involved inthe Cypriot diaspora both locally andglobally (e.g. 30% of the NEPOMAK.ukExecutive Committee attended NDCP and40% of the NEPOMAK AustraliaCommittee attended NDCP). Thisprogramme is delivered in partnershipwith the University of Cyprus and YouthBoard of Cyprus.

n NEPOMAK Young Community Leader’sProgramme (NYCL) – newly launched in2011, this programme is a long-distancelearning diploma uncovering the history ofCyprus, which runs for one academic year,and culminates in a week-long tour ofCyprus. This programme is targeted atyoung Cypriots over the age of 24.NEPOMAK delivers this programme inpartnership with the Open University of Cyprus and Cyprus Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

n NEPOMAK Professionals – launched inDecember 2010, this network is designedto connect young Cypriot professionalsaround the world.

The NEPOMAK global Executive Councilmeets once per year in Cyprus to discussits initiatives, strategy and share bestpractice of events that work around theworld. Bi-annually, NEPOMAK holds aGeneral Conference which is attended bymembers and delegates from NEPOMAK’smember organisations and is anopportunity to identify programmes andinitiatives that members feel should beprovided for them. The goal of theseconferences is to generate specificresolutions and programme proposalswhich can be implemented by theExecutive Council (e.g. NEPOMAK’sDiscover Cyprus programme wasdeveloped from a conference resolution inAugust 2004, NEPOMAK’s YoungCommunity Leader’s Programme wasdeveloped from a conference resolution inAugust 2008 and the NEPOMAKProfessionals network arose from aconference resolution in August 2010).



NEPOMAK’s online presence is coordinatedthrough its website www.nepomak.org. The goals of the website are to:

n Allow individuals to sign up toNEPOMAK.

n Allow members to apply forNEPOMAK programmes.

n Bring together news about global andnational NEPOMAK and Cypriotcommunity events.

n Allow national organisations to reachout directly to members in theircountry through dedicated homepageson the global web domain (e.g.www.nepomak.org/uk).

n Provide members with information andresources about Cyprus, (e.g. a speciallydeveloped online encyclopaedia about thehistory of Cyprus and the latest briefingsabout the ongoing negotiations for asolution to the Cyprus issue).

n Provide a portal through which memberscan access websites/resources of otherCypriot community organisations Thewebsite is the hub of NEPOMAK’s onlinemedia presence. With profiles on Facebook,Linked In and YouTube, NEPOMAK isutilizing all available social networkingmedia to reach out to young Cypriotsaround the world.

n NEPOMAK profiles on Facebook andLinked In are managed by nationalNEPOMAK member organisations.NEPOMAK’s YouTube channel waslaunched in February 2011 in order toshowcase videos of NEPOMAK eventsaround the world, allowing members tohear from committee members around theworld, and collating the very best Cypriotvideos/parodies available online.

Local engagementEach national member organisation iscomposed of regional representatives andmanaged by an Executive Council. Thenational Executive Councils share bestpractices across regions, administer globalprogrammes and organise a variety of eventsfor our members. These national ExecutiveCouncils are comprised of representativesfrom different regions within a country (e.g. NEPOMAK.uk has representatives fromLondon, Birmingham, Manchester andCardiff and NEPOMAK.Australia hasrepresentatives from Melbourne, Brisbane,Sydney, Canberra, Perth and Adelaide)

NEPOMAK’s local activities varybetween member organisations and aretargeted to the preferences of members ineach country. Examples of activities include:Club nights, football tournaments(Australia), cultural festivals, Summer Balls(UK), boat parties (UK), ski weekends (USA),networking events with high profile guestspeakers, beauty pageants (South Africa),and demonstrations and protests about theCyprus issue. The Executive Councils ineach country meet regularly to developinitiatives and programmes and ensure thereis frequent communication with members ineach country about upcoming local andglobal NEPOMAK events and events in thewider Cypriot community. NEPOMAK isvery aware of the importance of socialnetworking media. NEPOMAK’s presenceon social networking websites (e.g.Facebook) is driven by national memberorganisations. National member organi-sations manage NEPOMAKprofiles/pages/groups, on social networkingwebsites for their country and use them as aneffective tool to reach out to young Cypriots



in their home country. National NEPOMAKmember organisations are responsible foradministering NEPOMAK’s globalprogrammes, in line with agreed selectioncriteria and procedures. Members wishing toapply for global programmes therefore comeinto direct contact with the members ofnational Executive Councils ensuring thatthe ranks of the organisation are open.

PartnershipsNEPOMAK also effectively engages withthe diaspora through global and localpartnerships. NEPOMAK has 10 interna-tional partners and hundreds morepartners in member countries. Thesepartnerships are formed with otherdiaspora organisations, other Cypriotcommunity organisations and Cypriotmedia organisations. All NEPOMAK’spartners help to expand the reach of theorganisation and expose NEPOMAK to agreater number of young Cypriots. Inaddition to this, the partnerships alsoprovide some specific benefits:

n Allow NEPOMAK to deliver its globaland national programmes (e.g. Universityof Cyprus/Open University of Cyprus/Press and Information Office of Cyprus/Youth Board of Cyprus).

n Provide introductions, advice and supportto the leadership of NEPOMAK (WorldFederation of Overseas Cypriots –POMAK/International CoordinatingCommittee, Justice for Cyprus – PSEKA,Cyprus Ministry of Foreign Affairs).

n Share best practices across other diasporaorganisations and reach out to Cypriotsthat are part of a broader Helleniccommunity (World Council of OverseasHellenes, Would Council of OverseasHellenic Youth, local Hellenic organisationse.g. National Union of Greek Australianstudents and National Association ofHellenic Youth of South Africa).

n Raise awareness of NEPOMAK, itsprogrammes and activities through localand Cypriot based media.

ConclusionAs an organisation, NEPOMAK exists tomeet the needs of its members. Therefore, byproviding members with multiple touchpoints for NEPOMAK (primarily driven bylocal member organisations), NEPOMAK isable to gauge what members want andthrough structured planning, NEPOMAK isable to deliver these activities.


www.nepomak.org



Turkish Philanthropy Funds (TPF) wasformed following a 2005 feasibility studyabout Turkish giving commissioned by Mr. Haldun Tashman, an Arizona-basedbusinessman. He was interested in harnessingthe high-levels of philanthropic giving byTurks and Turkish-Americans in athoughtful and comprehensive way. TurkishPhilanthropy Funds was incorporated as anindependent public charity in February 2007and shortly thereafter was granted the501(c)(3) status by IRS. It is headquarteredin New York City.

TPF is the first diaspora organization ofthe Turkish-American community in the USthat employs the community foundationmodel to promote the culture of philan-thropy among the Turkish-Americans andfriends of Turkey. TPF helps to connectdonors to charities and to key social causesin Turkey. Donations that are intended forNGOs in Turkey are channeled efficientlythrough TPF with full tax-deductibility underUS law. TPF’s larger goal is to provide asizable, sustainable funding and informationsource that can be used to benefit both theUS 501(c)(3) entities, and charitable organi-zations located in Turkey which are thefunctional equivalent of 501(c)(3) charities.

As the profile and income levels of manyTurkish-Americans rapidly increased over thelast several decades, and as interest in Turkeyhas risen, awareness in giving back to Turkeyfollowed. There was great demand for acredible and transparent civil society organi-zation that would help bridge Turkish based

charity and global giving. TPF through itsdue diligence and flexible donor-centeredmodel catapulted into that platform.

Donors are at the heart of TPF’s work,not the donations. Individuals give ‘through’rather than giving to TPF. Its mission is tofoster a relationship between NGOs inTurkey and donors in the US. TPF introduceseffective, efficient and transparent organi-zations in Turkey to the US donorcommunity. During this process, TPFassumes all administrative functionsincluding due diligence, management andoversight activities, thereby facilitating theirphilanthropic giving.

As a result, donors have access to vettedinformation. More importantly they have thesimplicity and tax advantage of a publiccharity combined with the personalrecognition, involvement and flexibility of aprivate foundation for not only giving totheir local causes in the US but also inTurkey. It also positioned itself so donorsgain access to the highest level of strategicthinking on ways to meet communitychallenges to help make their contributionsas effective as possible.

TPF offers two kinds of funds to thepublic. The first one is component fundsthat are established and named by a donoror family, which also includes donoradvised funds. In addition, TPF offers anumber of funds that pool contributions invarying amounts from multiple donors tosupport a myriad of social issues:education, social and economic

Turkish Philanthropy FundsSenay Ataselim Yilmaz, COO, Turkish Philanthropy Funds



development, arts and culture, and womenempowerment. These areas of need havebeen targeted based on the United Nations(UN) Millennium Development Goals andbasic human rights, such as the rights tohealth, education, shelter and security, andmodified to apply to the social needs of

Turkey. Since 2007 TPF has raised close to$14 million in charitable funds of whichapproximately $2 million has already beengranted to the NGOs in Turkey.


www.tpfund.org


Development Foundation for Zimbabwe – profile ofprogrammes and activitiesMichelle Hakata, Development Foundation for Zimbabwe

The Development Foundation forZimbabwe (DFZ) is a non-profit, non-partisan organisation created and drivenby Zimbabweans living in the Diaspora.Its principal purpose is to provide avehicle for Zimbabweans to contribute tothe country’s political and socio-economicreconstruction and development.

Zimbabwe has witnessed a decade ofsevere economic decline and political unrestwhich, in part, resulted in an estimated 3 to4.5 million of its nationals leaving thecountry to settle in neighbouring countries orabroad in search of better prospects. SouthAfrica is home to the largest group ofZimbabweans, around two million, followedby the United Kingdom and Botswana. Othercountries in which large communities havesettled include the United States, Canada,Australia, New Zealand and other countriesin Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.

The decline precipitated the near collapseof the country’s infrastructure and a humani-tarian crisis which led to severe shortages of

basic services and a massive brain drainresulting in the loss of key skills. For instanceit is estimated that 80 percent of criticalhealth workers such as nurses, doctors,physio-therapists, pharmacists and radiol-ogists left the country at the height of thecountry’s economic and political crisis.Academics, scientists, engineers have also leftthe country in large numbers. The signing ofa power sharing agreement between the mainpolitical rivals led to the formation of atransitional government (Government ofNational Unity) which has brought modesteconomic growth and stabilisation of thepolitical environment. Spurred on by thesechanges, many in the Diaspora have begun toseek a more active role for themselves in thereconstruction efforts. The DFZ isdeveloping and implementing a series ofinitiatives and programmes that will allowgovernment and business to make optimaluse of the vast number of Zimbabweansliving abroad to contribute to nationalrecovery and long-term development.


The specific objectives of the DFZ are to:

n Facilitate the formation of aninstitutional framework that willsupport effective contributions to andparticipation in economic recovery byZimbabweans living abroad.

n Provide a platform for opinion leadersand implementers to discuss the role ofthe Diaspora.

n Ensure effective citizenship rights andrepresentation for the Zimbabwe Diaspora.

n Share global standards and practice forease of doing business in Zimbabwe.

n Support the development of effectivepublic sector institutions.

n Support capacity building of Diasporaand national groups oriented towardsZimbabwe’s development.

The DFZ has been engaging Zimbabweansthrough a series of conferences andworkshops. In December 2010 theFoundation convened the first ever Diasporaconference to be held inside the countrybringing together Zimbabweans from aroundthe world, politicians, captains of industryand civil society. Other areas of interestinclude climatic change and sustainabledevelopment issues. The DFZ has formed aCore Group of Experts on Energy tochampion development of renewable energysolutions. Other initiatives includeconducting research and surveys, andcommissioning of expert discussion paperson areas of interest. The DFZ has commis-sioned discussion papers covering core areassuch as human rights and governance, socialservices and reconstruction, and economicdevelopment and investment. The economicdevelopment and investment programme

mobilizes investment from the Diasporatowards national and community projectscovering the private and public sectors. Themain vehicle through which investment ispossible is the Diaspora Fund that iscurrently being established. Ideally, theDiaspora Fund will make it possible forZimbabweans in the Diaspora to channeltheir investment through this facility that willallow even very small contributions to berecognized. It is through the aggregation ofthe small contributions prevalent amongstthe Diaspora that a significant fund can beconsolidated and invested in a meaningfulway in Zimbabwe. Other programmes aimedat strengthening already existing Diasporanetworks and increasing their ability tocontribute towards comprehensive nationalrecovery are being developed.

The DFZ has begun the process ofdeveloping a database of Diaspora organi-sations and will embark on a geographicmapping exercise in order to gain a moredetailed insight into the location ofZimbabweans in the Diaspora and the skillsthey possess. This work will be done inconjunction with other relevant regional andmultilateral organizations like InternationalOrganization for Migration (IOM). The DFZwill be working with other Diaspora organi-sations to facilitate programmes for therepatriation of skills on a temporary orpermanent basis mainly in the education andhealth sectors. While in the education sectorDFZ is facilitating skills repatriation andcurriculum development to best practiceglobal standards, in the health sector DFZ iscoordinating twinning arrangements betweenglobal centres of excellence in specificmedical procedures with relevant recipientunits within major referral centres in the



country. Mentorship programmes aimed at,among others, first generation Zimbabweansin the Diaspora are under development andwill be implemented with other partnersworking with highly skilled persons identifiedwithin the Diaspora and in-country.

The DFZ stands ready to assist thetransitional government in areas that theGovernment may request for such assistance.The DFZ’s programmes tend to mirror the

ambitious set of economic and socialdevelopment targets set by the Governmentwhich will require substantial financial andhuman capital. Diaspora expertise andremittances will therefore be critical to thesuccess of any development andreconstruction programmes.


www.dfzim.com


In 1976, Sir Anthony O’Reilly, formerPresident, Chairman and CEO of the HJ Heinz Company, created what was thenThe Ireland Fund with fellow Pittsburghbusinessman Dan Rooney, owner of thePittsburgh Steelers football team and todaythe US Ambassador to Ireland. With a trinityof goals – peace, culture and charity – The Ireland Fund appealed for support forIreland and its people from all Americans,but especially those of Irish descent.

On St Patrick’s Day 1987, The IrelandFund and the American Irish Foundation,founded by Irish President Éamon deValera and US President John F. Kennedy,merged at a White House ceremony toform The American Ireland Fund. Today,The Worldwide Ireland Funds are active in12 countries around the globe. Togetherthey harness the power of the Ireland’sgreatest asset: the Irish diaspora, a globalfamily of over 70 million people.

Partnering with individuals, foundations,corporations and Government, The IrelandFunds have funded constructive changethroughout the entire island of Ireland. To date, they have raised over $350 millionfor worthy causes and have supported over1,200 organisations in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

Areas of focus for The Ireland Fundsare advancing a shared future in NorthernIreland, promoting philanthropy in Ireland,supporting access and excellence ineducation, promoting the best of Irishculture and heritage, assistingdisadvantaged youth and caring for theelderly ‘Forgotten Irish.’

Currently The Ireland Funds host over100 events annually in 39 cities around theworld, attended by more than 40,000 people.The American Ireland Fund has formed athriving fundraising network of chapters incities across the US including:

The Ireland Funds – the global Irish making a difference togetherKieran McLoughlin, President and CEO, The Worldwide Ireland Funds


n Boston n Palm Beachn Chicago n Philadelphian Dallas n Pittsburghn Denver n San Diegon Los Angeles n San Franciscon New York n Washington DC

The Worldwide Ireland Funds are alsomade up of Funds operating around theworld including:

n The Australian Ireland Fundn The Ireland Fund of Canadan The Ireland Fund of Chinan The Ireland Funds (Dublin)n The Ireland Fund of Francen The Ireland Fund of Germanyn The Ireland Fund of Great Britainn The Ireland Fund of Japann The Ireland Fund of Monacon The Ireland Fund of New Zealandn The Singapore Ireland Fund

The chairman of The American Ireland Fund,Loretta Brennan Glucksman, recentlyannounced the launch of the ‘PromisingIreland Campaign’ to raise $100 millionbefore the end of 2013 for nonprofits acrossthe island of Ireland. In 2003 they concludedthe ‘Hope and History Campaign’ which

raised a similar amount. Their mission is ‘the global Irish making a difference together’.Many of their supporters, having beenintroduced to Ireland through philanthropyhave gone on to engage with the country inmany different ways – trade and investment,education, culture and tourism. Key lessonslearnt by The Ireland Funds have been theimportance of key individuals, the time andpatience required to develop deep and lastingrelationships and the importance of reportingback to donors and supporters on the impactof what they have done. The Funds havefound that relationship building, networkingand partnerships are the keys to success.

Speaking of his relationship to Ireland,long-time donor John Ryan summed upthe importance of giving back, ‘My givingto projects in Ireland has nothing to dowith need. In times of plenty and greatwealth, need persists. My philanthropy isprompted by a wish to give back and adesire to see Ireland reach her fullpotential. The Ireland Funds have been amajor focal point for the Irish diaspora tocome together, reconnect with theirheritage and support good work at home.I am very proud of this and particularly,the work that has been done supportingthe Peace Process.’


‘The Ireland Funds have been there, in Ireland and in Northern Ireland for 20 years ...for most of the last 20 years it was about the poorest country in Europe. And youwere there, day-in and day-out, month-in and month-out, year-in and year-out, andI am telling you it made a difference. I know. I’ve been there. I’ve been on thestreets, I’ve been in those neighborhoods, I’ve seen your projects, I’ve seen thepeople you’ve helped.’

Former US President, Bill Clinton · Nantucket Celebration, 1999


Another interesting perspective wasoffered by a beneficiary of The Ireland Funds’support, ‘It’s almost analogous to theemigrant experience of the Irish who went toAmerica. It is in the Irish DNA to simplyhelp the guy behind you.’

Ireland is an evolving island and The Ireland Funds have adapted over theirhistory to meet the island’s modern needs.Members of the global Irish family havealways been ready to help in times of need

and have always had a strong tie to theland of those that came before them. By reaching out and engaging the Irishdiaspora in a thirty-five year dialogue, The Ireland Funds have effectivelychanneled the generosity of the diaspora tomake a difference in the lives of thousandsof men, women and children.


www.irlfunds.org


‘In a very real sense we are just at the beginning of this new Ireland’s possibilities,as peace and prosperity and partnership converge for the first time in our history.You understand this with great insight and intuition and so you understand thatthis is time for the accelerator and not the brake. Your work with individuals andsmall communities and a myriad of groups has been utterly fundamental inseeding and advocating a new culture of consensus.’

President of Ireland, Mary McAleese · Addressing The American Ireland FundNew York Dinner, 2007


The Jewish diasporaIn order to provide history and contextwhich are key to understanding the efforts ofthe North American Jewish Federationsmovement in this field, we note that, at itsessence, the term Diaspora was originallyused to designate the dispersal of the Jews atthe time of the destruction of the first Templein 586 B.C. and the accompanying forcedexile to Babylonia. Since that time, andthroughout subsequent Jewish exiles andreturns, Jews and Jewish communitiescontinued to relate to their historic homelandin a unique manner leading up to and sincethe founding of the modern State of Israel in1948. This special bond acts as a distinctivecoalescing force with many members of theworldwide Jewish community viewing theneed to support Israel and the communitythere as an imperative, modern politicalcomplexities notwithstanding.

Many programs of the Jewish Federationsof North America reflect the paradigmdescribed above. In this short essay, we havechosen to highlight a small group of initiativeswhich can be divided into four main, inter-

related, categories which all seek to reinforcethe ties between Jews living in North Americaand Israel and include: 1) Education, IdentityBuilding, and Engagement, 2) Philanthropy, 3) Israel Travel, and 4) Advocacy.Philosophically, these programs stem from atradition which spans three millennium –strategically, it is believed that continuing tofoster deep engagement with Israel buildsJewish identity and fosters Jewish continuity.

An introduction to the North AmericanJewish Federations movementThe Jewish Federations of North America is a national organization that represents157 Jewish Federations and 400 smallercommunities, which raise and distributemore than $3 billion annually for socialwelfare, social services and educationalneeds locally and around the world. The Federations movement, among the top10 charities on the American continent,protects and enhances the well-being ofJews worldwide Our work is informed by acore group of Jewish values which includeJews taking responsibility for each other

Jewish Federations of North America: Israel and overseasNaomi Orensten and Rebecca Caspi, Jewish Federations of North America


‘The Israel and Overseas team works with Federations and our overseaspartners to help Jews in need or in peril all over the world, expand Jewishhorizons and build and reinforce a sense of worldwide Jewish community. As aglobal people, our strength and compassion have enabled us to make miraclesand change the world. We have more yet to do, but by working together wewill certainly accomplish much more.’

Shep Remis · Chair, Israel and Overseas


according to the principles of chesed (caringand compassion), Torah (Jewish learning),tikkun olam (repairing the world) andtzedakah (charity and social justice).

The Israel and Overseas department, basedin Jerusalem, is JFNA’s international platformproviding a wealth of services, informationand support, helping to connect the NorthAmerican Jewish community with Israel andWorld Jewry. Through a multi-dimensionalapproach to outreach and programming, theIsrael and Overseas department contributes togreater understanding between Israel, theNorth American Jewish community andcommunities around the world. For moreinformation on JFNA, please visit our web siteat www.jewishfederations.org.

Education, identity building andengagement

Example 1: Perhaps the most well-knownand successful recent example of Diaspora-Homeland engagement, Birthright, providesthe gift of first time, peer group, educationaltrips to Israel for Jewish young adults ages18 to 26. For more information on thisinitiative see page 5 in Section 1.

Example 2: Makom, which means ‘place’ inHebrew, is changing the communal conver-sation about Israel. In 2004 The JewishAgency for Israel (one of two primarypartner organizations working with JewishFederations in the international arena) begana partnership with the Jewish Federationscalled Makom – the Israel EngagementNetwork. A network of more than 13 Jewishcommunities has succeeded in layingintellectual groundwork and inspiring newinitiatives that have significantly advancedthe field of Israel education.

There are many additional programs in thiscategory, such as:n The Israel Center of the Jewish

Community Federation of San Franciscoprovides a cultural bridge, connecting theBay Area Jewish community with Israel.This is achieved through a wide variety ofenriching cultural, educational and socialprograms for people of all ages.

n Support for the Salute to Israel Parade as away of engaging diverse segments of theNew York Jewish community.

n Annual ‘Israel Independence Day’communal celebrations, events andfestivities that take a variety of formsincluding lectures, parades, andeducational encounters.

n New trilateral links, bringing togetherJewish institutions with sister agencies inIsrael, Europe, and Latin America.

n Exciting new programs to engageIsraelis living in the USA.

PhilanthropyAnother way in which the Diaspora Jewishcommunity expresses its connection with ‘thehomeland’ is through collective financialsupport. Annually, federations together sendapproximately $230 million to Israel tosupport a diverse range of collective programsas well as other endeavors which reflect thepriorities in individual Diaspora communities.

Over the past 25 years, there have beenstriking examples of large-scale, focusedcampaigns to meet specific goals whichenjoyed the consensus support of NorthAmerican Jewry. These communal effortshave supplemented annual fundraising effortsand echo a core Jewish value of collectiveresponsibility in which all Jews areresponsible for one another.



Major Federations efforts of this typehave included:n Israel Emergency Campaigns, where funds

are raised to help Israel during times ofconflict and in the aftermath of conflict. It is important to note that these funds areused to provide assistance to all of Israel’scitizens, Jewish and non-Jewish alike.

n From 1990 to 1997, Operation Exodusraised nearly $1 billion to free, rescue andresettle more than 1 million Soviet Jews inIsrael and North America.

n In the mid-1980s and again in the mid-1990s, Operations Moses and Solomonbrought more than 25,000 Jews of Ethiopiahome to Israel after 2000 years of exile.

n Through an overarching sister-city-typeframework called Partnership 2000 (aname which reflects a vision for the futurefrom the time of the inception of theprogram) a great deal has been invested inbuilding individualized site-to-sitegeographic partnerships betweenDiaspora communities and towns andcities across Israel. This new paradigm ofmutuality, which provides Diaspora andIsraeli communities opportunities to buildflourishing interpersonal relationships, hasproven a significant success. More than45 Federations participate in suchpartnerships with leadership on both sidesof the ocean working collaboratively toshape these relationships.

Israel travelTravel and engagement with ‘the homeland,’engenders understanding, facilitates people-to-people relationship development,promotes Jewish continuity, elevates therole of Israel in the wider identity ofDiaspora Jews, their families, and their

wider communities, and ensures ongoingsupport of the Diaspora community for ‘the homeland.’

Creating exciting, educational, andinnovative Israel travel itineraries forindividuals, groups, and boutique visits toIsrael is a critical way that Jewish Federationsprovides a platform for North American Jewsto achieve these important goals.

Jewish Federations develops and leads arobust Israel travel program. Highlycustomized issue-based trips–whether foryoung singles, doctors, entire communities,or Jewish professionals–ensures that Israeltravel can also foster relationships backhome and with Israeli peers. Homehospitality visits are always highlights ofthese experiences as are meetings with keyIsraeli stakeholders and visits to nonprofitprograms supported by the participantsthrough their annual federation campaigns.This program has often been called the ‘jewelin the crown’ of the Federation movement.

ConclusionThis essay has highlighted a small group ofinitiatives within the specific arena of GlobalDiaspora Strategies. Jewish Federationssupports additional programs in the area ofhomeland-diaspora relationships, and areinvolved in additional activities – socialwelfare, North American Jewish Life, localcommunity building and non-sectarian work– that comprises the broader work of theFederations Movement. We would be happyto discuss this paper, the wider context ofour operations, and/or additional areas ofactivity with interested readers.


www.jewishfederations.org




AdditionalTools

Section 5

5

Additio

nal To

ols


Contents

Rules of diaspora engagement – A to Z 195

Remember networking matters 202

Diaspora circles for engagement 203

Bibliography 204


AAgency and accessibility

Agency is a central component in a diaspora strategy. It promotes and facilitatesco-operation, co-ordination, and communi-cation within the strategy. It advancesimportant strategic aims of capacity building, networking, and stakeholding.

Accessibility for the diaspora dialoguewith government representatives and keydecision makers in the home country isfundamental in diaspora engagement.Diaspora members like to feel that if theyare giving of their time and expertise to

Section 5 · Additional Tools 195

AdditionalTools

Section 5

Rules of diaspora engagement – A to Z

Below is a list of what can be loosely termed ‘rules’ for diaspora engagement.These rules are to serve as both a guide and a catalyst when thinking abouthow to engage the diaspora.


advise on particular matters a fitting formof acknowledgement is access to importantpeople. This is particularly the case if theyare doing so voluntarily and giving readilyof their time and energy. However, itshould be recognized that access to, forexample, Government, while an importantdriver of engagement, is a necessary but notsufficient condition for success.

BBeneficial

All too often we tend to ask, ‘What can thediaspora do for us?’, yet it is important thatthis be a two-way and mutually beneficialengagement. In engaging the diaspora, thisquestion must also be extended to include‘what can we do for the diaspora?’ Bythinking in terms of ‘giving’ rather than‘taking’ in the short term the benefits comein the medium and long term.

CCultivation

The key to success is to build long term‘hearts and minds’ sustainable relationships.This can only happen by bringing people ona journey that builds trust. Trust is not anevent. Each engagement can lead to a furtherengagement if handled correctly.

DDynamic and durable deliverables

At the outset of designing a diasporastrategy the deliverables for the engagementmust be defined.

The deliverables on a diaspora strategyare the specific outcomes that must be

achieved in order to complete the project.Defining the deliverables directs attention tooutcomes rather than activities. It isessential that outcomes of diasporastrategies are dynamic and durable if theyare to be sustainable.

EExcellence in execution and expertise

The difference between those countries whowill ultimately succeed and those who willfall short of expectations lies in one thingonly – excellence in execution. It makesintuitive sense that in order to havesustainable, successful execution of anational strategy there has to be a large anddiverse group of supporters involved.Furthermore, countries should seek toengage experts, both at a national andinternational level, to assist in the designingand implementing of diaspora strategies.Countries should examine closely whatother countries are doing and see whatworks/what does not.

FFlexibility and feasibility

Diasporas are constantly evolving anddiaspora strategies must be flexible enoughto react to the needs of the diaspora,adaptable to changing patterns of migrationand responsive to current and futuredemographics of the diaspora.

Obviously countries differ greatly interms of their macroeconomic circum-stances, the history of their diaspora, theirsize, geography and general resources tosuccessfully pursue a diaspora strategy.Also, as many of these initiatives have been



enacted recently it is too soon to assessthem fully. Therefore, it is necessary toconduct complete feasibility studies inorder to gauge their success and appropri-ateness as models to follow. Asking lots ofpeople for advice can be a forerunner to amore committed involvement.

GGenerational and granularity

A countries’ diaspora strategy needs toformulate initiatives that are likely to besuccessfully adopted by different demographicgroups. Generational diaspora engagementdenotes targeted and tailored initiatives forthe next generation and baby boomers.

To think of diaspora engagement interms of granularity is to think in terms ofbreaking down the engagement into realis-tically manageable and narrowly focusedsteps in engagement. Engagement is aprocess not an event.

HHarmonization and heterogeneous

Different agencies and home institutionscommonly deliver different messages overseasabout the home country and often work inisolation from each other. There is a need forgreater harmonization in branding the homecountry overseas and in engaging thediaspora. There is a need to develop anational narrative and figure out what thehome country wants to be famous for.

The diaspora is a heterogeneous entityand there can be no ‘one size fits all’diaspora strategy. Rather a plethora oftailored, highly researched and strongly

executed policies must be introduced toensure that each diverse segment of thediaspora recognizes the fundamental roleand potential it possesses in shaping thehomeland’s future – economically,culturally and socially.

IInclusive and incentivize

Diaspora members must be involved in thedesign process– they are the ultimatestakeholders and therefore any diasporastrategy must be inclusive of their viewsand ideas. They are in the preeminentposition to inform the home country of thepotential and realistic deliverables whichthey can generate.

The diaspora must also be incentivizedto engage. Having a mechanism throughwhich to recognize and reward diasporamembers will potentially increaseengagement, raise awareness and generatesubstantial good will.

JJournalize the journey

Successfully engaging the diaspora is along-term ‘hearts and minds’ business andjourney that requires perseverance andpatience. It is essential that all stages indiaspora cultivation and engagement aretracked and recorded. Not only will thisensure that there is chronological data onprogress to date but this data will beessential when evaluating and measuringoutputs. It will be the basis for futureacademic study and can provide aroadmap for other countries.



KKey influencers

It is important to remember that quite oftenit is a small fraction of the overall number ofthe diaspora that are the ones who are goingto make the difference. These members canbe described as the ‘key influencers’.Countries need to know how to identify,cultivate, and engage that fraction. Lookingat the global diaspora networks which havebeen examined in this Toolkit – most havesought to engage a small group of firstmovers, tipping agents and change agentsfrom within the diaspora and have begunbuilding a network with this initial group.This group, depending on the size of thediaspora, should aim to have between100–300 initial members.

LLinks

Technology is now facilitating the creation ofnew links and networks and building on the‘catalytic power of connectivity.’ Like mindedpeople with shared interests can now connect.These can be based on geographic heritageand allow people to connect who otherwisewould have been unable to do so. Newalliances can be formed and the ‘tyranny of distance’ defeated.

MMeasurability

In any strategy it is important the outputs aremeasured. This will assist in evaluating the‘next steps’ and assessing the ‘hard impacts’resulting from engagement. Distinguishbetween outputs and outcomes – outputsmeasure the activities of the project –

outcomes are the ultimate changes in societythat the project makes. Impact is anotherpart of evaluation and it is the portion of thetotal outcome which occurs as a result of theproject, over and above what would havehappened anyway. There must also be a clearunderstanding of the motivations forengagement both for the home country andthe diaspora itself. Motivations must bematched with initiatives within the strategy.Unintended consequences refer to unplannedoutcomes, sometimes good, sometimes bad.

NNetworks

At the heart of diaspora engagement lies thecreation of networks. This is because it isessential that there is a formal framework inplace to maintain relationships and makesure that ideas are followed through.Remember the four step process: research,cultivation, solicitation and stewardship.Overseas embassies and consulates can assistin identifying potential network members.Quite often once the initial key members areidentified – they will be able to assist inidentifying others. ‘Molecular diplomacy’ is aterm used to describe how networks ofpeople in specific ‘verticals’ can developnationally and internationally.

OOrganized visits home

A core element of many diaspora strategies isto encourage temporary or permanentreturns to the homeland. Short, targetedvisits by highly skilled expatriates can serveas an important channel for knowledgetransfer. Purposeful visits could include:



attendance at diaspora conferences, diasporatourism, next generation programs, anddiaspora volunteering initiatives. Theobjective is connecting key people in thediaspora with key people in the homecountry. These initiatives also allow thediaspora network amongst themselves.

PPartnerships and prioritization

Diaspora engagement is premised onstrategic and meaningful partnershipsbetween home and host institutions, publicand private bodies, and people and projects.Partnerships must be fostered at the outset ofdiaspora engagement to ensure that they areuniform. Success is matching the right peoplewith the right projects and executing a smallnumber of successful initiatives rather thanattempt a vast number of potentiallyconflicting and confusing programs.

‘The Department defines a partnership asa collaborating working relationship withnon-governmental partners in which thegoals, structure and governance, as well asrole and responsibilities, are mutuallydetermined and decision-making is shared.Successful partnerships entail complementaryequities, transparency, mutual benefit, sharedrisks and rewards, and accountability.’United States, Department of State.

QQualitative research

Research is the first step in designing anydiaspora strategy. As part of that research,countries should consider the followingfundamental questions:

n What initiatives have been taken to dateor are presently active?

n How successful or unsuccessful were/are they?

n Which active initiatives are ‘living dead’initiatives?

n What are the key lessons which can belearnt from those initiatives?

n Who are the key stakeholders thatshould be involved in designing andimplementing the diaspora strategy?Consider public and private bodies bothin the home and host countries.

n What has been the role to date of thegovernment in terms of engaging the diaspora?

n What has worked in other countries?

RRole of Government

The role of government varies from countryto country, from light engagement to heavyengagement. The consensus of commentatorsis that government should be a facilitatorrather than an implementer of initiativeswhich broadly works along a decentralisedplatform; thus encouraging and developingmulti-layered networks with diasporamembers and groups. In even the most basicinterpretation, it is a much more inclusive andtransparent paradigm than an implementerframework. It appears that it will remain thepreferred choice of governm ents as it enablesthem to adopt a ‘reductionist’ approach,particularly in terms of cost, whilstmultiplying their presence within the strategy.However, in the absence of market leddevelopments governments may have tointervene to ‘kickstart’ initiatives.



SSerendipity

The only thing that beats a really goodstrategy is dumb luck! Most people thinkthat serendipity happens on its own and isdue to blink luck. Sometimes this is true butoften serendipity happens in a non randomway. Serendipity can be shaped by ourbehavior, by what we do, where we do it andwho we do it with. By bringing members ofthe diaspora together random connectionscan happen in a non-random way withconsiderable benefit all round.

TTask take aways

There tends to be no shortage of interest andconferences on diaspora issues, but withoutspecific ‘take aways’ or ‘projects’ the initialenthusiasm dissipates and runs out of steam.To be effective there must be ‘asks and tasks’of a group of diaspora members. They needto be engaged in small groups with specificprojects over a limited time frame. If not,initial enthusiasm will fade quickly.Initiatives can be like fireworks.

UUniversity alumni model

The United States have perfected this modeland universities engender terrific loyalty andraise massive funds from their alumni whobuild powerful networks. This approachhas been exported around the world and isa model for diasporas to follow. It allcenters around ‘development’ and running‘campaigns’. Much can be learnt fromtaking this approach.

VVeracity

Diaspora strategies for engagement must betransparent and veracious. This impliesopenness, communication, and accountabilityby those executing the strategies. Suchtransparency will enhance and sustain centralingredients in a successful diaspora strategysuch as mutual understanding and trust.

WWeb

Technology, and in particular, social mediaand cloud computing now means thatcountries can connect with their diasporason a one to one basis. This was neverbefore possible and means that identity isno longer a function of geography.Countries need to develop strategies todevelop and harness this capability, to carryout global electronic censuses and build the‘World Irish’, e.g. concept.

XXposure and xpectations

Education is more powerful than PR.Diasporas have powerful, emotive storiesand have contributed to remarkabletransformations in world history. Thesestories need to be told in compellingways. The media needs to be educated asto the potential.

Participants in a diaspora strategymust have realistic expectations in termsof aims, objectives, and outcomes.Moreover, these expectations will need tobe communicated between and across theparticipants in the strategy.



YYOZMA

Countries should think of the YOZMAmodel that Israel used to develop itsventure capital market. A combination ofpublic and private funds helped linkcompanies in the US and Israel and makethose two countries numbers one andtwo in the global venture capital market.From no Israeli companies quoted onNasdaq in 1990 there are 127 today.

ZZoom

The global diaspora market is about to bezoom driven by technology and interest.What was once a cottage industrydominated by academics it is now becomingmainstream. 215 million people live in acountry other than the one they were bornin (this has doubled in the last 25 years).Soon there will be more electronic devicesthan people in the world and they areconnecting at an exponential rate. Thanks tothe Hillary Clinton Global Diaspora Forumgreater attention than ever will focus ondiasporas and interest, involvement andengagement will zoom.




Remember networking matters

1 Research

n Broad outreach

n Segment by interest

n Rate and screen each contact

n Identify ‘affluence and

influence’

3 Solicitation

n ‘Asks and tasks’

n Engage small groups with specific

projects over a limited time frame

n Partner with strong home institutions

n Individuals are key

2 Cultivation

n Moves management program

n Build trust

n Transactions to relationships

n Taking to giving

4 Stewardship

n Thank, reward and recognize

the contributions made

n Measure and evaluate outputs

n Report back

n Tell stories

4Stewardship

3Solicitation

2Cultivation

1Research



Diaspora circles for engagement

Diaspora

Host country Home country

n Networksn Key influencersn Asks and tasksn Hidden members

and potentialn Talent accelerators

n Generationsn Diversityn Motivations and

expectationsn Mentors

n Strong hostinstitutions

n Interestn Other diaspora

organizationsn Infrastructuren Capacityn Knowledge

n Embassies andconsulates

n Government as facilitator

n Accessn Stays and

progressn Affinity

n Co-ordinationn Partnershipsn Data gatheringn Embassies and

consulates

Strategiesn Philanthropyn Culturen Tourismn Educationn Arts and sportn Trade and investmentn Median Capital flows

n Technologyn Regular meetings

and contactn Access

n Specialist groups

n Mutuality

n Excellence in execution

n Recognize and rewardn Strong home institutions

n Evaluate and report outcomes

n Research and definen Prioritizationn Government as

facilitatorn Capacityn Overarching

strategy


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2 September 2004



the global Irish

making a difference

together

Global Diaspora Strategies ToolkitSponsored by

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Diasporamatters

E info.diasporamatters.com W www.diasporamatters.com

Diaspora Matters, Gateway House,133 Capel Street, Dublin 1, Ireland

Valuable support was received from

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Mike and Lou Ann Corboy, Dallas

Joseph Corcoran, Boston

Kevin M. Curley, Dallas

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