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.
A Search for Reconciliation From the Mideast to America
The main purpose of DanceMotion USA, a cultural diplomacy program run by the Brooklyn Academy of Music for the State Department, is to send American troupes abroad. Yet the program also benefits New Yorkers directly by having an American company bring back a foreign one for a free, collaborative performance here. These visits have proven illuminating, even if the arranged artistic alliances haven’t always gelled.
Exchange Students from Russia and Ukraine Arrive in Kansas
Amid controversy in Russia and Ukraine, a U.S. Department of State scholarship program aims to enhance public diplomacy, beginning in Kansas. Two exchange students, from Russia and Ukraine, arrived Friday afternoon at Wichita Mid-Continent Airport. They arrived on the same flight. Both students have been awarded the prestigious scholarship through the Department of State.
What are the World's Friendliest/Unfriendliest Cities?
Australians and New Zealanders tend to get annoyed when their accents get mistaken for one another, but there's one thing they do share. Both countries can lay claim to hosting the world's friendliest city, with Melbourne and Auckland jointly taking top honors in a new survey. Another southern hemisphere destination -- South Africa's Johannesburg -- didn't fare quite as well, being named as the most unfriendly.
Javed Malik Opens Pakistan Day Art Exhibition
Speaking about the initiative, Ambassador Javed Malik said, “Art and culture are important mediums of cultural diplomacy, and modern day diplomats recognize the vital role that art can play in connecting people and promoting goodwill and positive interaction through creative dialogue. He appreciated the Pakistan association in Dubai for their work, and welcomed the formation of Pakistan Art & Photography Club, and said that further opportunities must be created for the Pakistani community in UAE to positively contribute to the society...
Roman Baca Receives Award from Arts and Healing Network
The Arts and Healing Network awarded Ballet Theatre Company’s Artistic Director and General Manager Roman Baca for his efforts creating war related dance pieces, combining military veterans with dance, and seeking artistic and cultural diplomacy in Iraq. Baca, a U.S. Marine and Iraq War veteran, cofounded the Exit12 Dance Company in 2007 upon his return from Iraq and subsequently embarked on a soothing journey to help fellow veterans and to visualize inspiring conversations regarding worldly differences.
Subtle Voices of Dissent Surface in War-Torn Gaza
The group of neighbors surveyed the destruction wreaked on their residential complex by Israeli bombardment, with building after building flattened or punctured by shells. The men then began to voice something almost never heard out loud in Gaza: criticism of its Hamas rulers.
Putin Promises $19bn to Create Jobs in Crimea
Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced that he will give $19bn in financial aid, for job creation and infrastructure, to the Crimean Peninsula, which Russia annexed from Ukraine earlier this year. He was speaking during a visit to the region in front of members of Russian parliament who called out from their vacation in Moscow and asked to assemble in Crimean city of Yalta.
K-Pop Stars Gear Up for Pope Francis' Visit with Papal Tributes
What could bring together the biggest names in the Korean pop industry? A visit by the Pope will do it. As Pope Francis tours South Korea through August 18, some 20 Korean household names got together to record a video for a song titled "Koinonia," which means camaraderie and communion in Greek.
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