Somaliland Diaspora Agency (SLDA) in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs & International Cooperation of the Republic of Somaliland is planning to hold the 3rd Annual Diaspora Conference under the theme “Experiences of the Diaspora & the Situation at Home” in August 2016. Previous conferences were successful in bringing Somaliland Diaspora and representatives of the Somaliland government together to discuss critical issues on Somaliland’s political transition, economic opportunities and the important role of the Diaspora in the nation’s development.

Tags: somaliland, africa, somaliland diaspora agency, diaspora, non state pd, economic development, culture, advocacy, democracy

For the past 15 years the U.S. has been recruiting pro baseball and basketball players to serve as diplomatic envoys to Muslim nations. Now with Dean Karnazes, we’ve begun sending adventure athletes abroad to build good will. [...]  The State Department launched its current sports diplomacy program after the September 11 terrorist attacks, largely to connect with and provide alternative activities to young Muslim youth who might be at risk of joining extremist groups. 

Tags: united states, us state department, sports diplomacy, Cultural Diplomacy, government pd, muslim nations, adventure athletes, good will envoy, silk road run, john kerry

South Africa was one of the high-priority visits for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, not just because of the shared partnership on multilateral fora but also because of historic ties that connect the two nations. This is the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister in the last 10 years. [...] The Indian media, along with a sections of the American press has billed this visit as another effort by New Delhi to counterbalance Beijing’s influence in the continent. 

Tags: narendra modi, india, south africa, government pd, bilateral relations, indian diaspora, history, smart & soft power, international image

The Mosaic Taiwan 2016 program ended successfully recently with remarkable singing, dancing and instrument performances by program fellows, new diplomats and youth ambassadors, according to a press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). MOFA Secretary General Wen-liang Chang awarded completion certificates and five recognition awards. The friendly interaction between young leaders from Taiwan, the U.S. and Canada was a perfect ending to the event, said MOFA.

Tags: mosaic taiwan, taiwan, united states, canada, international exchange, culture, ministry of foreign affairs, democracy, leadership

Britain pledged 100 million pounds ($130 million) on Thursday to help educate girls in the world's poorest countries in a move described by International Development Secretary Justine Greening as a post-Brexit bridge to the world. [...] Greening described the pledge as one of the "best bargains" in development investment the British government could make, saying it would build bridges with "trading partners of the future", particularly in a post-Brexit world.

Tags: great britain, global aid & development, international image, education, women and girls empowerment, brexit, partnerships, european union

Despite its advocacy for Beijing's controversial and important position in the disputed South China Sea, the Institute for China-American Studies (ICAS) -- the only Chinese think tank based in Washington DC -- has been unable to rise from obscurity. Google their initials and they come up on the third page, behind the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland, the International Council of Air Shows, and the Inupiat Community of the Arctic Slope, a tribe in Alaska. It has all of 43 Twitter followers.

Tags: china, united states, international image, nation branding, smart & soft power, south china sea, institute for china american studies (ICAS), education, public opinion

“During challenging times like these, there’s no replacement for people-to-people diplomacy – it’s something governments just can’t do,” observes Joanne Bouldt Sanders, former mayor of Sonoma and co-Chairman of Sonoma Sister City International. [...] “Organizations like Sister Cities International connect communities around the world, bringing people from different cultures together, allowing them to understand each other better and develop and build positive relationships"

Tags: sister cities international, sonoma, united states, chambolle musigny, france, citizen diplomacy, international exchange, culture, non state pd

Last week, as news of Brexit broke, foreign ministries throughout the world took to social media to comment on the UK’s decision to leave the EU. The German foreign ministry responded by changing its Twitter profile picture/cover photo from an image of the foreign minister to the EU flag. [...] An intriguing question is how do MFAs use their Twitter profile pictures/cover photos. Are these used to promote the national brand, or to project a certain institutional image or perhaps to make political statements as was the case with the Germany’s foreign ministry?

Tags: selfie diplomacy, digital diplomacy & new tech, MFA, twitter, social media, international image, nation branding