Executive Summary: The U.S. Department of State’s Embassy Beirut, Lebanon announces an open competition to implement programs that promote U.S. priorities and strengthen ties between the United States and Lebanon. U.S. priorities include highlighting U.S.-led peace and stabilization efforts and advancing digital literacy to identify and counter false adversarial narratives and claims. All programs must include an American element, or connection with American expert(s), organization(s), or institution(s) that will promote increased understanding of U.S. policy and perspectives. Please follow all instructions below.

The Public Diplomacy Section (PDS) invites proposals for programs that support the following U.S. Embassy Beirut priority program area:

·      Advance digital literacy, the use of artificial intelligence tools, and other instruments and forums to identify and counter false adversarial narratives and claims.

Applicants are expected to identify their target audience, scope of work and effectively measure the results of their programs throughout the implementation period. This includes designing a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation plan, detailing how the project’s performance will be tracked over time, and outlining the approach and data collection strategies to be utilized. PDS encourages project ideas that acknowledge the United States as Lebanon’s committed partner, reinforce expectations of mutual responsibility in addressing and overcoming challenges, and highlight the built-in elements that constitute the building blocks of American excellence (i.e. innovation, education, culture, and creativity).

Project Goal:  Strengthen local public understanding of U.S.-led peace and stabilization efforts, and its role as a partner committed to security, economic opportunity, and responsible regional leadership.

Project Objectives: PDS welcomes project ideas that advance one of the following objectives.

Objective:

• Advance digital literacy, the use of artificial intelligence tools, and other instruments and forums to identify and counter false adversarial narratives and claims.
• Programs that advance digital literacy among local audiences and/or knowledge-based institutions to identify and counter false information.
• Programs that leverage artificial intelligence tools and platforms to identify, analyze, and counter false adversarial narratives that undermine Lebanon’s stability.
• Programs that promote the United States as a credible partner, and strategic enabler, in resolving conflict in Lebanon and reaching a peace agreement.

• Priority Outcome(s): Applicants may focus on one or more of the outcomes listed below. Applicants are encouraged to propose additional objectives and innovative activities that address the priority program areas.
• Increased capabilities and skills among identified target audiences to recognize and counter false narratives while protecting free speech and countering censorship.
• Reduced acceptance of false narratives that portray U.S.-mediated engagements as arbitrary, destabilizing, or disengaged.
• Increased local recognition of the United States’ leadership and positive role in stabilizing Lebanon.
• Increased accurate descriptions of U.S. strategic priorities and policy objectives by Lebanese knowledge-based institutions and stakeholders.