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.
Islamic Hip Hop, or a Load of Hype?
A satellite channel has launched in Egypt claiming to be the first Islamic MTV. 4Shbab aims to promote traditional Islamic values through hip hop, rap and pop music, using new and established artists whose lyrics and visuals address Islamic themes. The arrival of the channel has been described as a novel idea by some parts of the western press, seeing it as yet another example of contemporary Muslim culture becoming more conservative. But is it really so unusual and is it sustainable?
U.N. Launches Library of World’s Knowledge
A globe-spanning U.N. digital library seeking to display and explain the wealth of all human cultures has gone into operation on the Internet, serving up mankind's accumulated knowledge in seven languages for students around the world.
Road Trip! Social Tech Execs Make State Department Visit to Iraq
Representatives of Google, YouTube, Twitter, Blue State Digital, MeetUp, Automattic/WordPress and other well-known American social technology companies currently have boots on the ground in Iraq, according to a press release from the State Department that targets the group's mission as "explor[ing] new opportunities to support Iraqi government and non-government stakeholders in Iraq’s emerging new media industry," such as it is.
Why Public Diplomacy?
Recent proposals to eliminate “public diplomacy” from our vocabulary are, in my opinion, based on misunderstanding or misinterpretation of public diplomacy, a now recognized profession, academic discipline and indispensable component in the conduct of U.S. foreign affairs.
Sri Lanka Must Now Listen To Its Friends
It is an uncomfortable thought that growing international pressure on Sri Lanka's government to halt its military offensive against the Tamil Tigers may have actually precipitated this week's lethal, all-out push to end the war once and for all. President Mahinda Rajapaksa was under fire from all sides – the UN, the Red Cross, India, key western aid donors.
Chinese FM to Visit Israel
Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi will arrive in Israel on Wednesday for a three-day official visit as part of a regional tour, the government said...Talks will focus on diplomatic, economic and cultural relations between the two states, it said. "Regional and international issues such as Iran's nuclear programme and developments in Israeli-Palestinian relations will also be discussed," the statement said.
Bringing Ukraine Into the European Club
Many of us who watched the Orange Revolution with admiration four years ago have become disappointed with its failure to usher in a period of democratic stability and sustained reform. Recent crises have strengthened this feeling.
After Turkey’s Hype Over Obama Comes Hard Implementation
This trip could be characterized as a success in terms of public diplomacy. Opinion polls indicated that Turks had an increasingly favorable attitude toward the new US president. Turkish media was also mostly upbeat, bringing into sharp focus the contrast between the positive vibes directed toward Obama and the negative perceptions of his predecessor, President George W. Bush.
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