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.
Many Views but Ours Must be Heard
In Australia, we invest $34 million in Radio Australia and Australia Network television. The ABC has long argued that we extract the maximum possible efficiencies from this outlay. Out of this small sum, we broadcast on radio in seven regional languages and reach 44 nations in Asia and the Pacific on Australia Network. But the ABC and Australia risk getting drowned in the growing proliferation of broadcast voices. The Japanese, the Russians and the Germans have recently announced plans for new English television services in Asia and the Pacific.
China Launches New English-Language Newspaper
A new English-language paper published by China's Communist Party hit newsstands on Monday — part of Beijing's efforts to raise its profile on the global stage and find an international audience for the party line.
Cultural Ministry to Hold Fair to Show Rich Tradition of Culture
Thailand could counterbalance its unsettled image by showcasing its rich tradition of culture and arts, starting with a fair to impress the diplomatic corps here, the Culture Ministry said yesterday. "We will invite foreign ambassadors in Thailand to attend the event and present to them that Thailand is quick to welcome international tourists," Culture Minister Teera Slukpetch said. The recent political riots had painted a dark picture of the country and other countries were not confident in the country's safety, he said.
People-to-People-Based Foreign Policy
New leadership of our public diplomacy program will be central to this effort. It will require someone who can energize public-private partnerships and tap the great potential of communications technologies. Judith McHale, the former president and CEO of Discovery Communications, has now been nominated for this position -- Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy. McHale, who serves on the Board of the National Democratic Institute, among other organizations, is the right choice.
Belafonte’s Trailblazing Celebrity Diplomacy
As we approach the 15th anniversary of that historic concert by Harry Belafonte on April 19-20, 1959 in Carnegie Hall, a performance that made for the first live album ever recorded that became a major hit, and one of the great musical performances of the century, we should recognise the role played later on by Belafonte in the early days of "celebrity diplomacy", when the very concept had not yet been coined.
Quiz to Boost Culture Links with India…
Students are invited to participate in a nationwide quiz contest next month. The Quest 2009 is being organised by the Indian Academy in association with Synergy Middle East Bahrain, for pupils aged 12 to 18. It aims to forge cultural and educational exchanges between Bahrain and India.
A Strong Start for Mr. Obama
U.S. President Barack Obama campaigned on a platform of "change." Change was plainly visible throughout his first overseas trip as president. Perhaps the most compelling sign of change was not of his doing: Throughout the weeklong tour of Europe, Mr. Obama was greeted with an enthusiasm that posed a stark contrast to the reception of his predecessor and should put to rest any thoughts about the erosion of U.S. standing in the world. Go beyond the atmospherics, however, and the change is a little more difficult to discern.
Unlikely Diplomats Ozomatli Pick Up Globe-Trotting Spice
L.A.’s Ozomatli lives a charmed existence. In 2004 several members of the eight-piece band, famed for its free-wheeling style, faced police charges in Texas after leading partying fans onto the streets of Austin at the end of a performance. Luckily, they got off, and three years later the left-leaning L.A.–based musicians became official U.S. State Department cultural ambassadors, an astonishing achievement under the Bush administration given the band’s anti-war beliefs.
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