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.
Zambia: How about Cultural Diplomacy?
Cultural diplomacy thrives on the exchange of arts and aesthetic ideas. Research has continued to indicate that this form of diplomacy reveals the social profile of a nation and provides platforms for possibilities in economic cooperation and development. There is no better way to understand a people than to know about their culture. Perhaps, other than France through the Alliance Francaise, China is a classic example of a country that is aggressively promoting its culture in Zambia.
Tillerson Declines to Host Ramadan Event at State Department
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has declined a request to host an event to mark Islam's holy month of Ramadan, two U.S. officials said, apparently breaking with a bipartisan tradition in place with few exceptions for nearly 20 years. Members of Congress, Muslim civil society and community leaders, diplomats from Muslim countries and senior U.S. officials usually attend the State Department Ramadan event, a symbol of the U.S. government's diplomatic efforts with Muslim countries and people.
Denmark Names First Ever Digital Ambassador for Silicon Valley
The digital ambassador, who will lead the Danish foreign policy initiative dubbed ‘tech diplomacy’, was named on Friday as Casper Klynge, the current Danish ambassador to Indonesia.The digital ambassador will be based in Silicon Valley, California, but will have a global mandate to promote the tech agenda internationally and is therefore expected to frequently visit global technology hubs as well as engage actively with stakeholders in Denmark, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
America Should Stop Sneering at China’s Belt and Road Initiative
Just a couple of weeks before the Belt and Road Forum, held in Beijing earlier this month, Sinica Podcast co-host Jeremy Goldkorn and I spoke with Joseph Nye, professor at the Harvard Kennedy School, for our show. We talked about soft power, a term he coined and defined, and for which he’s perhaps best known — about China’s fixation with it, its prospects for augmenting it in the age of Trump, and the decidedly mixed results of its multibillion-dollar investments in soft power projects.
Israel's Ramadan Goodwill Comes amid Tension over Gaza
Israel has announced a series of goodwill gestures for Palestinians ahead of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan a day after it warned Gaza's already meager electricity supply could be further reduced following a spat between Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Hamas. Maj. Gen. Yoav Mordechai of the Israeli defense body said in a statement Friday the goodwill measures include access for 100 Gaza residents to attend prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem each Friday throughout Ramadan. West Bank crossings will open longer it also said.
Melania Trump Ends Foreign Trip on a Colorful and Diplomatic Note
When Melania Trump visited the Vatican alongside her husband and stepdaughter Ivanka Trump on Tuesday, she wore a black veil and dress to follow Vatican tradition for formal visits. While in Brussels on Thursday, Melania sported a beige skirt suit by Belgian fashion house Maison Ullens. She has also been making her own diplomatic choices, including opting not to wear a headscarf during her visit to Saudi Arabia last Saturday. She chose to end this trip, though, with a nod to Gabbana, an iconic Italian fashion house.
Listowel Exchange Students Get a Taste of Canadian living
Lynch is an international exchange student coordinator with the Avon Maitland District School Board, and works helps find host families for over a hundred international students every year. Lynch started as a host family herself, and continues to host international students.One of Lynch’s international students this year is Yuko Kawabe, a 16 year old who attends school in Tokyo, Japan. Yuko is joined by Laura Trigueros, a 17 year old exchange student from Spain.
The Establishment of Romanian Commercial Diplomacy Chamber in Spain
The economic and commercial relations between Romania and Spain will also be promoted through the recently established Commercial Diplomacy Chamber with the Kingdom of Spain, an NGO that is aiming to also support the collaboration in tourism, agriculture, scientific research, healthcare, telecommunications, fight against corruption, intellectual property and consumers' protection. [...] Currently, over one million Romanian nationals live and work in Spain, and the Spanish business milieu is represented in Romania by over 6,000 legal entities.
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.