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.

No, China will not usher in the Renaissance Africa dreams of

There’s also a strong likelihood that Chinese interest in Africa’s infrastructure will wane in time. One, because China is not in Africa out of magnanimity, but rather to extract resources and boost its soft power reach; once secured, there will be less reason to invest in infrastructure.

Tags: china, soft power, africa, african union, resource diplomacy

Does star power do any good? A Q & A on ‘celebrity diplomacy’

There’s a real spectrum of celebrity activity. George Clooney really stands out, along with Angelina Jolie and Bono -- you can disagree with some of the cases that they pick up, but they’re very conscientious, they’re advised well, they’re in it for the longer run.

Tags: united states, Cultural Diplomacy, public diplomacy, celebrity diplomacy

The real (spiritual) message of Kony 2012

Social media continues to change the landscape of the way we interact, go about our lives and connect us in ways that we never imagined. One such example is the unprecedented ability for people to unite for the common good, and to promote truth and justice.

Tags: public diplomacy, social media, new technology, invisible children

Artist breathes new life into Nowruz

Words without Borders tells us that "50 percent of all books in translation now published worldwide are translated from English, but only six percent are translated into English." "The conversation between the reading public in the United States and the rest of the world has become more like a monologue."

Tags: Cultural Diplomacy, public diplomacy, iran, non-state actors, non-state pd

Cultural diplomacy’s representative conceit

There is good reason to think that, whatever happens as a part of these expressive or performative opportunities, cultural diplomacy as display and for the creation of an audience is in fact not the best route to intercultural dialogue.

Tags: united states, Cultural Diplomacy, public diplomacy, art diplomacy

China’s rise driving Hollywood interest in Asia

Big studios are trying to push further into China, where box office receipts rose more than a third last year to $2 billion. China represents one of the most attractive growth opportunities for the U.S. movie industry, which is facing declining North American theater revenue and slumping DVD sales.

Tags: china, united states, Cultural Diplomacy, public diplomacy, film diplomacy, hollywood

Photographs and histories

For the students of diplomacy, the photographs detailing the early years of Asean are objects of nostalgia and politics. Established on August 8, 1967, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) was composed of Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines.

Tags: Cultural Diplomacy, public diplomacy, asia pacific, art diplomacy, photography

Hancock launches International Jazz Day

Ambassador Herbie Hancock believes what the world needs is a little jazz diplomacy. "This is really about the international diplomatic aspect of jazz and how it has throughout a major part of its history been a major force in bringing people of various countries and cultures together."

Tags: Cultural Diplomacy, public diplomacy, united nations, jazz diplomacy

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