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.

African Union to Enlist Famous Africans as Peace Ambassadors

The African Union has reportedly named famous African politicians, musicians, and Nobel laureates as special ambassadors to promote the AU’s peace efforts across the continent.

Tags: africa, non-state pd, peace, african union

Do they think we’re stupid? Local perceptions of US ‘hearts and minds’ activities in Kenya

Underlying the hearts and minds strategy is a simple - and mistaken - assumption that aid projects will generate goodwill towards the US and reduce local support for terrorists and militant Islamist ideology. However, in our conversations we found no evidence that the US has been winning hearts and minds.

Tags: united states, soft power, public opinion, kenya, foreign aid

U.S. Embassy in Tajikistan Pursues Soft Power, Hard Bodies

Most of us in the U.S. probably don't pay much attention to Tajikistan, but the central Asian nation, which borders Afghanistan and China, is strategically crucial. Fortunately, the U.S. Embassy in Tajikistan...has a brilliant new strategy to strengthen our cultural bonds: Body building competitions.

Tags: united states, Cultural Diplomacy, government pd, tajikistan

ABC, SMG sign programming deal

The Australian Broadcasting Corp. and the Shanghai Media Group Tuesday signed a long-term agreement that will see the two broadcasters' international channels share programming and news and provides for potential future co-productions.

Tags: china, media, australia

Navigating cultural differences

[HSBC] bank, known for its "world's local bank" slogan, has backed this summer's Festival Brazil, a programme of cultural activities at London's South Bank Centre celebrating the country that is predicted to be the world's fifth-largest economy by 2025.

Tags: Cultural Diplomacy, united kingdom, corporate diplomacy, brazil, cultural understanding, london

Chinese, Ibero-American educators meet to promote Chinese teaching

Education officials from China and the directors of Confucius Institutes in the Ibero-American countries have opened a conference to consider ways of boosting the overseas teaching of the Chinese language.

Tags: china, language, confucius institutes, chinese, south america, chile, confucius institutes project

Sufi Festival 2010 ; Pakistan to Present Its “Soft Image” at Union Square

Pakistan's permanent representative to the United Nations Abdullah Hussain Haroon and Pakistani Peace Builders (PPB) will host the 1st Annual New York Sufi Music Festival on Tuesday at Union Square, New York City, with an objective to present "soft image" of Pakistan through cultural diplomacy.

Tags: united states, soft power, Cultural Diplomacy, pakistan, united nations

State Department moves ahead with Facebook-style site

Many academics warn against relying on new forms of media like Wikipedia or Facebook for reliable information. However, an initiative at the State Department is taking advantage of these very platforms to improve agency performance and transparency.

Tags: united states, new technology, new media, us department of state, facebook

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