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.

Developing China’s Soft Power

What does China stand for? That question arose at a recent dialogue between Confucian and African thinkers in South Africa funded by the Confucius Institute. Such dialogues are relatively new: They are carried out on non-Western terms and funded by non-Western organizations...But which values does China stand for and how can they be promoted abroad?

Tags: china, soft power, south africa, confucius institutes, confucius institutes project

Can Culture Foster Peace? Creative Leaders Debate in New York

Juan Ignacio Vidarte, the director-general of the Guggenheim Bilbao, noted that cultural development can "improve the self esteem of a community" and that when developed in conjunction with local culture, "a new social asset is created." For many government planners over the past decade, that has been a compelling narrative...But Francesco Bandarin, assistant-director general for culture at UNESCO urged caution, noting that culture can also become a factor in conflict.

Tags: Cultural Diplomacy, europe, americas

Lawyer in line to head Martí stations

President Barack Obama has proposed Carlos García-Pérez, a Cuban-American lawyer in Puerto Rico, to head the Radio/TV Martí stations that broadcast to Cuba, sources said Tuesday.

Tags: united states, international broadcasting, cuba, bbg, radio

Savouring Singapore ... in Paris, through culture

How might the Republic portray itself to European audiences as a dynamic global city through arts and culture or forge relationships through cultural diplomacy? With Finger Players' puppet theatre skits, Royston Tan's film 881, Peranakan artefacts and a Singapore Chinese Orchestra performance, among others.

Tags: Cultural Diplomacy, france, film diplomacy, singapore, theatre

Obama at UN summit: foreign aid is ‘core pillar of American power’

President Obama on Wednesday unveiled a policy directive that defines the pursuit of global development as a “core pillar of American power.” Under the directive, development and foreign assistance are for the first time elevated to the level of key factors in US national security and economic policy.

Tags: united states, soft power, united nations, aid diplomacy, barack obama

Al Jazeera makes its Balkan debut

The Qatar-based media giant Al Jazeera has purchased a broadacasting station in the Bosnian capital. The operation is slated to begin January 2011 in Sarajevo and later be extended to the entire region. News of the Arab broadcaster's Bosnian expansion has produced diverse reactions.

Tags: media, international broadcasting, public opinion, al jazeera, balkans

Pakistan: Study shows appreciation for US disaster aid

Is all that foreign aid flowing into Pakistan in the aftermath of last month’s massive floods changing the way Pakistanis feel about the West, and in particular the United States?

Tags: united states, pakistan, public opinion, aid diplomacy

Language programs promote Chinese-Russian friendship

While tens of thousands of Chinese can sing the Russian song Katyusha, thousands of Russian families regularly watch a Chinese teaching TV program named "Hello, China."

Tags: china, Cultural Diplomacy, russia, language, confucius institutes, chinese, television diplomacy, confucius institutes project

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