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.
Meet America's First Ambassador of Skateboarding
Skateboarders can often be proudly stupid. We relish in action, not thought. So whenever someone starts talking about how skateboarding can be a passport to connect with people across cultures, or starts going off about the power skating can have for the marginalized, we’re often quick to get defensive and write off such thoughts as self-serious pretention.
Conan O’Brien Continues To Be Our Best International Ambassador
Tonight, TBS will air an hour-long special called Conan Without Borders: Made In Mexico. [...] “With all of this week’s negative news about the relationship between the United States and Mexico…I thought I’d try and do something positive,” he said on Conan. America’s longest-serving late-night host, O’Brien has distinguished himself by filing more field pieces than his peers, particularly from areas of the world that have experienced tension with the U.S.
Why Germany's Cultural Ties With Mexico are More Important Than Ever
Trump's US presidency is putting American-Mexican relations in the international spotlight. It is therefore particularly important for countries like Germany to show their solidarity with Mexicans, and that can happen through culture, because we're all dependent on mobility, globalization and exchange.
The Power of Food Diplomacy and Hospitality, In the Service of a Nation
Raffarin said another former French premier, Laurent Fabius, had once organized – on the same night – some 150 dinners in French embassies around the world, with more than 1,300 chefs preparing the food for the guests who included public figures and political leaders. Gastronomy, he argued, has served as a means of creating networks and building relationships in a world in which networks are vital.
NY Museums Wage Cultural War Against Trump Prejudice
Museums across New York are waging a cultural war on prejudice in Donald Trump's America, flexing the soft power of art and photography to compound the city-wide climate of protest. From talks about Islamic art to a Muslim exhibition, swapping Picasso and Matisse for Iranian, Sudanese and Iraqi artists and extending a children's exhibition, museums have dreamt up multiple ways to promote art and education in the wake of Trump's short-lived travel ban.
The Shanghai Communique: An American Foreign Policy Success
On February 28, we celebrate the 45th anniversary of the Shanghai Communique. The 1972 agreement, brokered by Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai, ended 23 years of diplomatic estrangement between the United States and China, and laid the foundation for a peaceful and prosperous Asia. The Vietnam War was still raging when the Communique was signed but there has been no major war in the Asia-Pacific since that time.
Kate Middleton’s Outfit Made a Diplomatic Statement
Kate Middleton joined the rest of the royal family at Buckingham Palace to celebrate Britain’s cultural ties with India. The Duchess of Cambridge literally shined at the reception in a metallic, mid-length dress by Erdem, pairing it with sparkling Oscar de la Renta heels. In honor of the occasion, she wore earrings by Indian designer Anita Dongre, whose pieces she also wore while playing cricket during her visit to India.
U.S. Foreign Aid Expected to be Biggest Casualty of Trump's 1st Budget
US spending on overseas aid is expected to bear the brunt of dramatic cuts as part of Trump’s plan to increase defence spending by $54bn in his upcoming budget. The US operates the largest and most expensive overseas aid programme in the world, with a proposed federal spend of $50.1bn for 2017 alone. More than $18bn of that is made up of economic and development assistance, commonly referred to as humanitarian aid.
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