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.
Narendra Modi’s BRICS Summit Challenge
When Prime Minister Narendra Modi flies to Brazil mid-July, it will be a welcome respite from the heat and cacophony of post-budget Delhi. President Dilma Rousseff's grand welcome to the sixth Brics summit will be energising. The summit's pomp and ceremony will, however, be less important than Modi's 'side meetings', especially with Chinese president Xi Jinping. It will allow him to take measure of the man who has emerged as one of the most powerful and ambitious leaders of modern China.
Bollywood in Latin America – India’s Soft Power
As Narendra Modi heads to Brazil for the BRICS Summit, Team Niti Central takes a look at India’s Soft Power in Latin America – the incredible popularity of Bollywood. A distant memory of a shared colonial past and a demographic dividend hungry for unbounded economic aspirations are not the only unifying factors between India and Latin America. India’s film industry is hugely popular in the region and has gone places where direct Indian diplomacy is perhaps yet to venture.
Japan’s Disaster Diplomacy: Pragmatism, Peace, and Activism
Given the recent stories about Japan’s turn to nationalism, it is sometimes easy to forget how much Japan is influenced by pacifist sentiments. Indeed, even nationalists such as Abe Shinzo have found it necessary to dress up their policies in the language of pacifism. Thus, it is not surprising that Japan’s first National Security Strategy talks of a more “proactive contribution to peace.”
Brazil Comes Around as the World Cup Plays On
When huge protests rocked Brazilian cities a year ago, Raphael Rabelo was among the multitudes in the streets, even joining the thousands of demonstrators enraged with political corruption and spending on lavish World Cup stadiums who danced on the roof of the Congress building in Brasília. But in a U-turn reflecting shifting attitudes in Brazil about the soccer tournament now that it is underway, Mr.
Xinhua Insight: Xi's Visit a New Dawn for China-ROK Ties
Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to the Republic of Korea (ROK) could be the beginning of a new era in China-ROK relations. Agreements reached during his visit include deals for the launch of RMB clearance in Seoul, political and security cooperation, and expanded people-to-people exchanges. The visit has plotted a clear course for the future of relations, according to Wang Fan of the China Foreign Affairs University.
Victim-Shaming And Rumor-Mongering Over Teens’ Deaths Fuels Hate Between Israelis And Palestinians
Suha, the mother of Mohammed Abu Khudair, calls him a “good boy,” often showing journalists photos of him on her phone playing in the neighborhood, or helping the family around the house. Her family was stunned when Hebrew media outlets began running stories just hours after his death claiming that he had been killed because of his sexual orientation, or because her family was involved in some sort of nefarious feud.
Musical Diplomacy Building Bridges Between the U.S. and Pakistan
When you think about diplomacy and the U.S. State Department, you probably don’t think about jazz singers or pop idols. Yet cultural, and specifically musical diplomacy, is not a new phenomenon – way back in the 1950s Louis Armstrong was described as America’s most effective ambassador. What American diplomats could not do, the New York Times said, Armstrong and his jazz music managed to do.
Social Media Poisoning Middle East Politics
Unfortunately, there’s a long history of terrorism. Palestinians regarded it as a resistance to what they see as an illegitimate occupation. Of course, Israelis regarded it as terrorism. What I think is new here, which is very troubling, is that people are using the new tools of technology, social media, and you're beginning to see radical fringe elements that are able to organize, galvanize support.
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