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.
Enter the Golden Age of PR: Exit Reality
On my way to work this morning I pulled up on my bike beside a man wearing a t-shirt displaying a quote. The strap of his messenger bag fell across the first word leaving me with this: "________ (strap) is more abstract than reality." For the duration of the light I puzzled over the missing word.
Hindus Urge Academy to Have a Best Bollywood Film Category at Oscars
Hindus have asked American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to introduce a new award category of “Best Bollywood Film” for films made in India. Acclaimed Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, said that India had the largest film industry in the world, and thus it deserved at least one category in Oscars where its movies could compete among themselves. This gesture would bring more credibility to Oscars also in the international arena, as it was long overdue.
How to Make Europe’s Military Work
The European Union is justly proud of its “soft power” – its prosperity, stability and commitment to multilateral institutions have won admirers the world over. A decade ago, when the EU launched the European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP) and appointed Javier Solana as the first high representative for foreign policy, it signaled ambitions in the field of hard power, too. Policymakers in places such as Beijing, Delhi and Moscow took note.
Ripples of Clinton’s Visit
Although the two-day working visit of the US Secretary of State, Senator Hillary Clinton, had come and gone, ripples of the visit still fester. Omololu Ogunmade examines highlights of the visit, vis-a-vis the controversy involved and the challenges it left for Nigerian leaders. The much publicized visit of the United States Secretary of State, Senator Hillary Clinton, to Nigeria, ended last week amid huge reservations and mixed feelings. Rather than leave Nigeria with glimpses of hope, the government of Nigeria was downcast by the fallout of the visit.
Ahead of Vote, Afghans in U.S. Backing Candidates From Afar
Late at night, after he gets home from his job managing an Afghan restaurant in Alexandria, Mir Farid Hashimi makes long-distance calls, trying to convince relatives in Afghanistan that despite the hard times there, Hamid Karzai should keep leading the country. umira Noorestani, who runs an Afghan economic development organization in Centreville, has used e-mail, Facebook and phone calls to lobby voters in Afghanistan, including her mother's 500 cousins, to vote for one of Karzai's rivals.
Diplomacy: What Are the Odds?
If you were to trip over Shelley Berkley in the lobby of a five-star Jerusalem hotel, you might be excused for thinking you just bumped into your long lost Aunt Sadie. She dresses like Aunt Sadie, talks like her, has a passion for Israel like her and exudes warmth like her. Except for one major difference: Aunt Sadie was the head of her local Hadassah chapter, while Shelley Berkley, 58, is a six-term Democratic congresswoman from Las Vegas, five of those terms as a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
Not Enough?
In a speech last night at New York University, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice spelled out the Obama administration's vision for U.N. and global engagement. Her tone was decidedly upbeat -- almost valedictory -- and it came as no surprise to hear her happily declare, "It is a great time to be the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations." After eight years of hostility from the George W. Bush administration, two of which were spent under Ambassador John Bolton (who left little tiny shoes to fill), the high-spirited atmospherics were to be expected.
Bulgarian Envoy Eager to Share Culture
Bulgaria has much more in common with Korea than you might think. Bulgarian Ambassador Kossio Kitipov hopes to bring the two nations closer together. A career diplomat with three previous ambassadorial postings, Kitipov hopes to show the Korean people Bulgarian culture, foster trade and improve relations with the two countries.
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