The Bureau of Public Affairs’ mission is to help make foreign policy less foreign to people around the globe by reaching out to the media and the public. The bureau also provides guidance and direction to the Department on the communication of foreign policy. The following offices work within the bureau to accomplish these goals in many different ways:

  • Office of Strategic Communications (PA/OSC): Advances U.S. foreign policy priorities by leading communications campaigns on cross-cutting issues that require a sustained and coordinated use of PA bureau resources.
  • Press Office (PA/PRESS): Prepares the Department Spokesperson for the daily briefing; facilitates media coverage of the Secretary of State’s public events; issues statements, media notes, and fact sheets to articulate a hot topic or policy position; and facilitates special media briefings for specific issues or events.
  • Office of Public Engagement (PA/OPE): Schedules briefings and conferences in the Department and arranges town meetings and speakers to visit communities to discuss U.S. foreign policy and why it is important to all Americans; reaches out to schools and non-governmental organizations; and answers questions from the public about current foreign policy issues by phone, e-mail and letter.
  • International Media Engagement (PA/IME): Creates and implements strategies to garner positive and persuasive coverage and commentary of U.S. foreign policy priorities by deploying U.S. spokespersons on foreign media, including via a network of six media hubs.
  • Office of Website Management (PA/WM): Designs, develops, prepares, and maintains information content for the State Department’s main website. The Office focuses on managing and providing technical and development support for www.state.gov and several related public-facing websites such as diplomacy.state.gov, pepfar.gov, and others.
  • Foreign Press Center (PA/FPC): Helps foreign media to cover the United States; generates programs for foreign journalists and broadcasters to deepen their understanding and the accuracy of their reporting on American society and U.S. foreign policy.
  • Office of Video Services (PA/OVS): Works to advance U.S. foreign policy priorities by providing live video coverage of the activities and policy messages of the Secretary of State, Department spokespersons, and other senior Department and U.S. government principals.
  • Rapid Response Unit (PA/RRU): Monitors global news stories around-the-clock; analyzes important media trends and puts together effective messages; and distributes a daily alert to Cabinet secretaries and key policymakers in Washington, D.C. and overseas.
  • Office of the Historian (PA/HO): Prepares the official documentary record of U.S. foreign policy, The Foreign Relations of the United States; compiles historical studies on U.S. foreign policy and diplomacy; and responds to public inquiries on foreign policy and diplomatic history.
  • United States Diplomacy Center (PA/USDC): Develops the exhibitions, collections, and educational public programs for the Department of State’s museum and visitors center. USDC is dedicated to exploring and engaging the public in the history, practice, and challenges of diplomacy and the work of the Department of State. Programs and exhibits explain the work of U.S diplomats, where they work and why. Interns can work on a variety of projects such as planning and implementing education programs and events, and completing museum collections projects which include artifact cataloging, photography, preservation, inventory, and exhibition planning. Interns also perform research and writing which cover topics and people in diplomatic history, as well as research related to specific artifacts or donors to the collection.
  • Office of Digital Engagement (PA/ODE): Communicates U.S. foreign policy through direct engagement with audiences on digital platforms. The content the office produces serves as the official online voice of the U.S. Department of State and the Secretary.