A curated selection of public diplomacy-relevant news from a global cross-section of English-language media outlets, including independent, corporate-owned, and state-sponsored sources. The stories featured don't necessarily represent CPD's views nor have they been verified by CPD.
US to engage Burma (Myanmar): Clinton
After years of imposing sanctions, the US will now also engage Burma, Clinton said. The closed regime may also be reaching out: It attended its first UN meeting this week in 14 years. The change comes as the White House appears to recognize that sanctions against Myanmar – currently leveled by the United States and the European Union – have done little to effect democratic changes, as Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told reporters this week.
RI seeks out results at 5th Interfaith dialogue
Predominantly Muslim Indonesia is pushing for government, civic and religious leaders in Asia and Europe to move beyond dialogue and engage in more concrete collaboration. “As our regional interfaith dialogue series matures, it should be oriented toward concrete cooperation on issues of common concern,” [said] Andri Hadi, the Indonesian Foreign Ministry’s director general for information and public diplomacy affairs.
PM’s bold reform push
''Our global institutions have largely remained static while the world they were designed to serve has been dynamic beyond anyone's imagining,'' he said. ''America remains uniquely qualified, through the combination of its hard power and its soft power, through the narrative of its history and the consistency of its purpose, to shoulder the great responsibilities of our time.''
Bulgarian Who Is to Lead Unesco Advocates Political Pluralism
[Irina Bukova] said she would strive to give Unesco a more prominent role in talks on climate change and would focus more resolutely on gender roles, the financial crisis and other issues. As the first Eastern European director of Unesco, she said she would help improve the region’s prominence in cultural affairs.
Barack at the UN: Was this Obama’s most naïve speech ever?
Overall this was a staggeringly naïve speech by President Obama, with Woodstock-style utterances like “I will not waver in my pursuit of peace” or “the interests of peoples and nations are shared.” All that was missing was a conga of hippies dancing through the aisles with a rousing rendition of “Kumbaya”.
Drawing on the Full Strength of America: Seeking Greater Civilian Capacity in U.S. Foreign Affairs
Across the Sahel and Maghreb soldiers are conducting development and public diplomacy tasks because there simply aren't enough civilians. Yet, the soldiers often lack the specific knowledge necessary to properly accomplish the tasks. As one exasperated officer queried, "How do I, as a military professional, know what's best for the development of this country? USAID is trained for that." But there is no USAID mission in that country.
We can’t decide Iran’s struggle. But we can avoid backing the wrong side
Let's get this straight: the people who will change Iran for the better are the Iranians. The words of an American president at the UN general assembly in New York can't do that. European talks and sanctions can't do that. Israeli bombs on Iran's nuclear installations certainly won't do that. But the Iranian people: yes, they can.
Responsibility for Our Common Future
In an era when our destiny is shared, power is no longer a zero-sum game. No one nation can or should try to dominate another nation. No world order that elevates one nation or group of people over another will succeed. No balance of power among nations will hold. The traditional divisions between nations of the South and the North make no sense in an interconnected world; nor do alignments of nations rooted in the cleavages of a long-gone Cold War.
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