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.

The Specter Of Elected Despotism

The much-maligned U.S. State Department under Secretary John Kerry and his highly media-literate deputy, Richard Stengel (a former editor of Time magazine), is re-embracing public diplomacy as a major weapon in the West’s arsenal by dramatizing such issues, as in the Cold War. Europe would do well to follow suit.  For in the long run, ideas must do much of the work.

Tags: russia, syria, united states, john kerry, richard stengel, government pd, turkey

Hubs of International Research: Local Universities on the Rise

The best and brightest students and faculty from around the world are drawn to the Los Angeles and the broader Southern California region, home to six major research universities […] In figures compiled by the Institute of International Education (IIE), higher education institutions in Southern California enrolled some 72,762 international students in 2013-2014. 

Tags: international exchange, Cultural Diplomacy, los angeles, united states, non-state pd

It's Time We Have a Holiday to Honor Those Who Try to Stop Wars, Too

November 11 is commemorated as Veteran's Day in the United States. But in the UK, France, and other nations, it's remembered as Armistice Day, the day in 1918 when the pointless carnage of World War I came to a halt. This connection to a conflict that killed 17 million people, and accomplished nothing positive as a consequence, makes Armistice Day an appropriate time to reflect on the human costs of war.

Tags: Cultural Diplomacy, international advocacy, history and memory, europe, united states

Art for a Changing Earth

Art, as typically viewed in austere galleries, labyrinthine museums or collectors’ homes, is incredibly removed from its raw materials—nature. [...] It’s a type of denial of nature, even though humanity’s advanced culture is still part of nature. But with her series inconsequence / in consequence, artist Alison Moritsugu brings the natural world back into the gallery with new works that [...] highlight environmental urgencies.

Tags: Cultural Diplomacy, climate change, international advocacy, art diplomacy, united states

Qatar Adopts Cultural Diplomacy to Combat 'Clash of Ignorance'

Cultural diplomacy is also an essential tool for challenging claims of ‘cultural superiority’ by celebrating human differences and recognizing other cultures and values [...] It is toward this perception of culture that Qatar's diplomatic energies have been redirected over the past decade.

Tags: Cultural Diplomacy, nation branding, government pd, international broadcasting, qatar, middle east

Mithai Diplomacy: Pakistani Troops Present Sweets to Indian Counterparts at Wagah

Pakistani border troops on Wednesday presented sweets and exchanged greetings with their Indian counterparts on the occasion of the Hindu festival of Diwali […] Despite ceasefire violations and violence in the disputed Himalayan region, the exchange of sweets between Indian and Pakistani army personnel along the LoC on their respective days of national importance has been a recurring feature.

Tags: Cultural Diplomacy, military, india, pakistan, south asia, diwali, conflict resolution

Russian Diaspora: A Tool of Soft Power?

Last week Moscow hosted the Fourth World Congress of Compatriots that brought together Russian-speaking public leaders from 97 countries. Russian President Vladimir Putin and the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, took part in the event and emphasized the significance of the Russian Diaspora for government leaders. 

Tags: government pd, diaspora, international image, russian language, russia, nation branding, language, Cultural Diplomacy

How the U.S. Military Engages in Public Diplomacy

The military’s work and diplomacy may seem to be polar opposites, but the reality is the two are closely linked. There is more to military service than fighting wars and today’s military professionals are actively engaged in public diplomacy every day.

Tags: government pd, military pd, united states, HADR, Navy, army, air force, Pacific Partnership

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