Cablegate: Fy04 U.S. Speaker Frank Kurt Cylke - Evaluation

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS ZAGREB 002670

SIPDIS

STATE FOR IIP/T/EUR LAWRENCE SCHWARTZ
INFO EUR/PD WYN HORBUCKLY

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KPAO OIIP HR
SUBJECT: FY04 U.S. SPEAKER FRANK KURT CYLKE - EVALUATION

1. DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITY: EACH YEAR, THE CROATIAN LIBRARY

ASSOCIATION HOLDS ROUND TABLE TALKS WHICH FOCUS ON A TOPIC
OF CURRENT INTEREST. THIS YEAR, THE TALKS WERE DEDICATED TO
THE ISSUE OF FREE ACCESS TO INFORMATION. PA ZAGREB BROUGHT
U.S. SPEAKER FRANK KURT CYLKE, DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL
LIBRARY SERVICES FOR THE BLIND AND PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED
(NLS), U.S. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, TO BE THE KEYNOTE SPEAKER
FOR THE EVENT. CYLKE ALSO SPOKE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ZAGREB
AND VISITED THE ASSOCIATION OF THE BLIND DURING HIS VISIT TO
ZAGREB.

2. DATE: DECEMBER 9-13, 2003; FY04; QUARTER: 1ST

3. JUSTIFICATION AND OBJECTIVE: THE CROATIAN LIBRARY
ASSOCIATION'S COMMITTEE FOR FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND FREE
ACCESS TO INFORMATION, IN COOPERATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF
INFORMATION SCIENCES, UNIVERSITY OF ZAGREB, SPONSORED THE
THIRD ROUND TABLE TALKS WHOSE THEME THIS YEAR WAS "FREE
ACCESS FOR ALL CITIZENS". THE COMMITTEE WAS INTERESTED IN
HAVING AN AMERICAN SPEAKER ON THIS TOPIC BECAUSE OF THE
U.S.'S EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE IN THIS FIELD. POST SOUGHT TO
REINFORCE THE IDEA, STILL NEW IN CROATIA, THAT ALL CITIZENS
HAVE THE SAME RIGHT OF ACCESS TO INFORMATION.

4. MPP STRATEGIC GOAL AND AUDIENCE REACHED: MPP GOAL: U.S.
SOCIETY AND VALUES. AUDIENCE: OVER 100 CROATIAN LIBRARIANS
PUBLIC AND SPECIAL LIBRARIES FROM THROUGHOUT CROATIA; STAFF
AND MEMBERS FROM THE CENTRAL LIBRARY FOR THE BLIND, LIBRARY
SCIENCE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS AND PROFESSORS.

5. RESULT/IMPACT: EXCELLENT: ON DECEMBER 10, CYLKE DELIVERED
THE KEYNOTE ADDRESS AT THE "ROUND TABLE TALKS," IN WHICH HE
SPOKE ABOUT THE IDEA OF FREE ACCESS TO INFORMATION IN
LIBRARIES FOR USERS WHO ARE BLIND AND/OR PHYSICALLY
HANDICAPPED. IN ADDITION, DURING HIS DECEMBER 9-13 VISIT,
CYLKE ALSO GAVE A LECTURE TO OVER 40 LIBRARY SCIENCE
UNIVERSITY STUDENTS AND PROFESSORS, IN WHICH HE OUTLINED THE
SERVICES AND WORKING METHODS OF THE NATIONAL LIBRARY SERVICE
FOR THE BLIND AND PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED, AND SPOKE AT THE
ASSOCIATION FOR THE BLIND AND MET WITH ASSOCIATION
REPRESENTATIVES. THE PRESENTATION OF SUCH EXTENSIVE
SERVICES AND WIDE ACCESS TO INFORMATION FOR THE BLIND WAS
NEW TO CROATIANS, ALTHOUGH GOVERNMENT AND EDUCATIONAL
SUPPORT FOR THE BLIND HAS EXISTED IN CROATIA SINCE THE MID-
1800'S. AT ALL VENUES, CYLKE WAS APPROACHABLE AND
KNOWLEDGABLE, CLEARLY AN EXPERT IN HIS FIELD WHO RELISHES
HIS PROFESSION. ALREADY, REPRESENTATIVES FROM OTHER
COUNTRIES WHO ATTENDED THE ROUND TABLE TALKS HAVE ASKED US
HOW TO CONTACT HIM, BECAUSE THEY WANT TO INVITE HIM TO SPEAK
AT THEIR UPCOMING EVENTS.

6. NON USG SOURCES OF IN-COUNTRY FUNDING: THE LIBRARIANS'
ASSOCATION HOSTED A DINNER.

7. QUALITY AND SUPPORT OF IIP OFFICES INVOLVED: EXCELLENT.
FRANK

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