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.

Local Nonprofit Provides Clean Water in Malawi

Sitting in class, studying for a bachelors’ degree in business at the University of Kansas, Heidi Rickels felt her heart beating faster every time the professors talked about developing economies or international issues. So, after graduation, she moved to Colorado and began working for a nonprofit based in Denver that collects donated medical supplies to send overseas. 

Tags: colorado, united states, malawi, non state pd, global aid & development, medical aid, clean water, freshwater project international, education

The Islamic State Feeds off Western Islamophobia

These skeptical analysts argue that many current messaging strategies against the Islamic State are backfiring — and that polarizing politicians such as Trump have amplified the jihadists’ impact and been their best recruiting tool. Islamophobia helps the jihadists by fueling their narrative about embattled Muslims, Kenning argues. It creates a sense of wounded community — a shared identity of having been wronged, which prompts violent revenge.

Tags: counter-propaganda, counter-extremism, counter violent extremism, terrorism, jihad, identity politics, islamophobia, islamic state, radical islam, radicalization

U.S. Must Improve Image in Russia for Sake of Global Health

On May 26th, Gallup announced that the Russian people’s approval of U.S. leadership dropped to arecord 1%, which is the worst rating in the world and the lowest approval Gallup has ever recorded. According to an article written by Gallup analyst Julie Ray, the abysmal view of the United States in Russia is a reflection of the country’s “…increasingly tense relations with the U.S. since the crisis in Ukraine and the threat that many Russians, as well as residents of several former Soviet states, feel the U.S. now poses to their countries.”

Tags: united states, russia, international image, global health, nation branding, public opinion, vaccination, international exchange

Maghreb Arab Press Reopens Office in Tehran

MAP Director Khalil Hachimi Idrissi and some other executives of the news agency and Iran’s Deputy Culture Minister for Press Affairs Hossein Entezami announced the resumption of MAP activity during the meeting in Tehran on Tuesday. “The government has special regard for the development of media activity and also for a boost for media in private sector, because it deems media diplomacy one of the pillars of the public diplomacy,” Entezami said at the meeting.

Tags: maghreb arab press, tehran, iran, international broadcasting, media, culture, morocco, bilateral ties

Uganda: Makerere Starts Student Exchange with South Korean University

Makerere University has started an academic collaboration program that will involve staff and student exchanges and scholarships for industry linked Master's degree programs with Chonbuk National University (CNU) of South Korea. The program was sanctioned through a Memorandum of Understanding signed between Makerere University Vice Chancellor Prof John Ddumba Ssentamu and Lee Nam Ho, the president of Chonbuk National University in Kampala.

Tags: uganda, africa, south korea, international exchange, education, makerere university, chonbuk national university, kampala, culture

Obama’s Hiroshima Visit the Culmination of Delicate Diplomatic Dance

U.S. President Barack Obama’s historic visit to Hiroshima last Friday was the result of careful diplomatic staging by U.S. and Japanese government officials, who had it in mind since Obama’s last visit to the city in 2009. [...] The biggest obstacle was U.S. public opinion. [...] The shift in opinion provided a context for Obama’s Hiroshima visit, the first-ever such trip by a sitting U.S. president.

Tags: president obama, hiroshima, japan, diplomatic relations, government pd, public opinion, shinzo abe, international image

Tourism Branding Must be Used Wisely, not Wastefully

The tourist market is getting broader, changing and becoming more competitive. Understandably, nations and cities are constantly battling for their share of the huge tourism revenues to sustain the viability of attractions that bring in tourists and travelers – whether they are pristine beaches, ancient monuments, or natural wonders. To attract more tourists, destinations strive to outdo one another in trying to be different through destination branding.

Tags: tourism, nation branding, economic development, destination branding, philippines, marketing, international image

Penn Wharton China Center Sponsors Philadelphia Orchestra's 2016 Tour of Asia

In a tour that includes visits to Hong Kong, Macau, Shanghai, Beijing and Japan, the Philadelphia Orchestra is expanding its connection with the people of China through additional avenues beyond sold-out concerts. More than a tour that focuses exclusively on music, this 2016 tour includes social cross-cultural components as well.

Tags: philadelphia orchestra, asia, china, japan, macau, hong kong, Cultural Diplomacy, international exchange, music

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