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.
Who's Behind The Latest Ethnic Food Trend? Maybe It's A Government
Over the past decade, the Peruvian government has been making a very deliberate effort to popularize its cuisine worldwide. It's a strategy that a growing number of middle-income countries are adopting as they look to flex their muscles on the international stage. "Think – if you're Peru, Mexico or Korea, you are not going to be major nuclear proliferators," says Johanna Mendelson-Forman, a policy expert on international conflict. "But maybe you can hope to become the world's No. 1 culinary destination."
Public Radio’s American Routes brings American Roots Music to China
American Routes, the public radio program produced at Tulane University, is leading a tour of American “roots” music to China, April 30 to May 3. (...) This concert series builds on our prior China tours with Cajun music, gospel, cowboys and jazz. This kind of vernacular cultural diplomacy is both entertaining and edifying. The virtuosity and diversity we bring to ‘Meet-in-Beijing’ is a great statement between nations at an intimate level.
Israel To Send Search And Rescue Team To Nepal After Quake
Israel will be sending a search and rescue team to Nepal, including medical staff, in the wake of Saturday's massive earthquake, sources in the Prime Minister's Office have said. Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman also said that Israel plans to send an aircraft to evacuate any Israelis who want to return home from site of the disaster.
The Middle East’s Pivot to Asia
Remember the pivot to Asia? The big signature move of first-term Obama foreign policy? Some called it a “strategic rebalancing.” We were going to reset our priorities, put the conflicts of the Middle East behind us, and devote big efforts to creating and implementing a strategy to deal with the vital strategic moves America needed to make to account for the rise of the world’s fastest-growing region.
Russia Turns to Soft Power In The Middle East
Russia’s image in the Middle East is that of a tough state with a rigid authoritative political rule and an inclination toward hard power in its foreign policy. Indeed, Moscow’s support for some regional hard-liners and opposition to others, as well as its stance as one of the largest arms suppliers to the Middle East, are all grounds for this perception in the region. Although recently Russians have started to pay more attention to its soft power projection in different parts of the world, Moscow has a long way to go to make itself look more attractive on this front.
Jamaica's Passport Powerless - 'Country's Perceived Leadership In The Region In Danger'
The Jamaican passport is ranked as one of the least valuable travel documents in the Caribbean based on the number of countries which allow its holders visa free travel through their ports of entry. [...] While agreeing that the power of the Jamaican passport is weak opposition spokesperson on foreign affairs, Edmund Bartlett, said the low ranking is a reflection of a myriad of problems facing the country’s international image.
Commemorations for Armenian Genocide Victims Held in Turkey
More than 100 people gathered in front of the Islamic Arts museum in Istanbul on Friday to commemorate the massacre of Armenians during the last days of the Ottoman empire. [...]The commemoration, organized by Turkish and international human rights organizations, was one of a series of events taking place in Istanbul to mark the centenary of the Armenian genocide during which more than 1.5 million Armenians were killed, according to historians’ estimates.
Nicaragua's Grand Canal
In December 2014, workers broke ground on the Nicaragua Grand Canal, a planned 175-mile-long canal through Nicaragua. Three times the length of the Panama Canal, engineers say Nicaragua’s canal could eventually serve 5 percent of the world’s cargo traffic. Proponents of the canal argue that it will bring much-needed jobs and commerce to the country. However, critics charge that few details of the deal have been made public and say that the environmental and social costs of constructing the canal could be catastrophic.
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.