Thanks so much for providing a bit more information. I learned about your Ning rollout earlier this week from Bill May and Anna Mussman, for whom I delivered a short workshop on Web 2.0. Next Tuesday at 11:30, I’m presenting the same workshop to the Youth Programs Division.

I’m a Fan of the groups at Facebook and will be sure to check out your Ning community. I would encourage you to post these same comments or even enter a blog response yourself over at http://www.govloop.com.

Also, I wasn’t aware of your activity on Second Life until the conversation this week…you’ve been relatively quiet about it! If I were to add to my recommendations, it would be that you cross-reference these other sites everywhere you have a presence…that way agencies and your constituents can know that you’re taking the lead with Web 2.0/social media in the public sector! Others can learn from you and get on board….

Thanks again for commenting,

Andy

The Department of State has recently launched some new social networks for Public Diplomacy. We have the Co.Nx Project on Facebook which is where we hope to build out a community of people interested in engaging in discussions we host through our online chat tool. We have also launched the Connect.state.gov social network on the Ning platform to discuss international exchange issues. This site has a complement on Facebook. These sites went live at the beginning of October. We are actively looking for people to join and more imporatantly to start talking and sharing with us!

The Department recently hosted a panel discussion on education titled, “Education without Boundaries” in Second Life. We had over 40 in world participants from all over the world. This was the fourth in a series of pilot events the Department has produced in Second Life in conjunction with the University of Southern California. The Department will continue to explore using virtual world technology for Public Diplomacy and expects to hold at least one more Second Life event this calendar year.