My thesis today is that public diplomacy is critical in extending civilian-military power. It combines soft and hard power to make the kind of “smart power” that is necessary to succeed. Public diplomacy is inextricably linked to key U.S. foreign policy goals of preventing deadly conflict, managing conflict when it occurs, and building civil societies out of the ashes of conflict

Over the weekend in Doha, Syrian opposition figures reached an agreement to form a group called the National Coalition for Revolutionary Forces and the Syrian Opposition, amid calls from the United States and European and Gulf countries for a show of greater unity. This is another example of American soft power influence in the region.

Nicholas Cull on the role of film in public diplomacy. 

Population growth, urbanisation, industrialisation and climate change are putting pressure on the world’s river basins, and “hydro-diplomacy” is essential if water-related conflicts are to be avoided, experts said on Wednesday.

PM-designate Bidzina Ivanishvili and his cabinet plans to carry out “large-scale reforms in all strategic directions” according to incoming government’s program... On conflict resolution issues, the program makes emphasis on public diplomacy, economic and joint business projects and on encouraging people-to-people contacts across “the dividing lines.”