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.
Nigeria's Nollywood: Seeking Worldwide Appeal
The camera rolls from left to right on a dolly as the actors, all African, go through their lines, a sound operator holding a boom steady over their heads under bright studio lights. It could be a scene from any film set but Kunle Afolayan hopes "The CEO" could drive change in Nigeria's hugely popular and prolific movie industry, Nollywood. "'CEO' represents Africa as a continent," said the filmmaker.
This Massive Eco-Power Project Will Merge Jaw-Dropping Design with Abundant Ocean Energy
The U.K. has pledged to transition to at least 15 percent renewable energy by the year 2020 [...] the completion of such a prestige project would not only help the country meet its stated goal, but would usher in a new era of eco-minded design, and inspire other communities in search of new sources of green energy to cast their eyes, and their turbines, out to sea.
China Turns to Online Courses, and Mao, in Pursuit of Soft Power
Karla Cabrera [...] was excited when she came across "Introduction to Mao Zedong Thought," an online course about the Chinese revolutionary leader. But when Cabrera began watching the lectures on a popular online education platform owned and administered by Harvard and MIT [...] each class opened with a patriotic video montage. Talk of Mao's errors was minimal, restricted to the Communist Party line.
In Trudeau, Canadians Seek to Reclaim Liberal Stance on World Stage
On the world stage, Liberal leader Justin Trudeau, the 43-year-old son of former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, has pledged to reassert Canada’s traditional position as a humanitarian soft power. He has wasted little time in signaling a shift in Canada’s foreign policy back to the left after a decisive victory Monday over his predecessor, Conservative leader Stephen Harper.
Australian Foreign Minister Bishop's Fashion Diplomacy under Fire
Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has been accused of using fashion diplomacy as a self-promotional tool. Labor senator Sam Dastyari took issue with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade devoting public diplomacy funds to a hashtag #fashiondiplomacy initiative in the wake of the Australia Network's demise.
Politically Ignored Taiwan Practices Soap Opera Diplomacy, in Spanish
A promotional spot for a culture-bending telenovela recently aired on Spanish-language KJLA-TV channel 57. [...] "La Esposa Valiente," or "Xi Li Ren Qi" in Chinese, is the first drama the Taiwanese government has dubbed into Spanish. Thirteen Central and South American countries have aired the show since 2013 as part of an initiative by the Taiwanese government to promote Taiwanese culture.
The Duchess of Cambridge and Sartorial Diplomacy
Michelle Obama is not the only first lady who has become adept at using fashion as a form of subtle sartorial outreach to foreign leaders. On Tuesday night in London at the Palace state dinner in honor of President Xi Jinping of China, Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge (the British first lady in waiting), demonstrated her own ability to employ dress as a form of diplomacy, wearing a gown by the British designer Jenny Packham — in a bright shade of red, the Chinese national color.
“Think Again, Turn Away”…from Lousy Public Diplomacy
Whatever the successes of US public diplomacy since the attacks of September 11, 2001, they pale in comparison to the cavalcade of scandals. And all these foreign policy “missteps” or manifestations of “imperial hubris”—take your pick—predate the rise of the self-proclaimed Islamic State, or ISIS, the latest fixation of State Department attempts at counter-radicalization through messaging.
Pages
Visit CPD's Online Library
Explore CPD's vast online database featuring the latest books, articles, speeches and information on international organizations dedicated to public diplomacy.