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.
Obama’s less personal touch on diplomacy
More than two years into his term, Obama cuts the image of an all-business envoy, seldom going outside normal business hours to turn on the charm with other heads of state. He appears to have built few deep personal bonds with foreign leaders, and his forays into public diplomacy are notable for their rarity.
Xinhua, China’s Soft Power Initiative And The Return Of The New World Information Order
Then in early June, Li Congjun, president of the extraordinarily important Chinese global news service, Xinhua, published a statement in the Wall Street Journal as part of the process of being more public... Li declared a set of principles that, he thought, should govern information flows in the next several decades.
Dittohead wants more US propaganda via internet. A job for the Whatchamacallit for Public Diplomacy?
Under the State Department's Whatchamacallit for Public Diplomacy are... Arabic-speaking members of the Digital Outreach Team who respond to blog posts in the region... the State Department has developed its own Twitter and Facebook accounts in Arabic, Persian, and other languages.
Syrian blogger Amina Abdallah kidnapped by armed men
A blogger whose frank and witty thoughts on Syria's uprising, politics and being a lesbian in the country shot her to prominence was last night seized by armed men in Damascus. Several Facebook pages had been set up on Monday evening calling for her release...and activists were tweeting using the hashtag FreeAmina.
China’s Troubled Neighbors
No longer does the region assume that peace is a given and Chinese economic growth will not create other problems. Instead, the focus is on managing conflicts and attempting to allay mutual suspicions through dialogue. But it is too late for China to restore the status quo ante...balancing diplomatic necessities with nationalistic impulses is proving difficult.
Short film festivals take off in Japan
Tokyo and Yokohama jointly host the Short Shorts Film Festival in mid-June. First held in 1999, the festival has grown rapidly and became an official qualifying festival for the Academy Awards in 2004. When it began, the event was the only short film festival of its kind in Japan and was looking to emulate the popularity of similar events around the world.
China Begins to Look Away From Africa
Africa – once considered the lab for Chinese companies’ reach outside - is being relegated into a destination with too many risk factors. Safer political destinations and countries closer to home are likely to benefit from the shift. The readjustment has been in the works for some time but the uprisings in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya have made those subtle shifts more pronounced.
Germany Finds Itself Friendless in Europe
Germans are right to press for more cohesive European governance. It also might help Germany get along better with others. Germany is Europe’s powerhouse economy and preeminent political force, but lately it hasn’t won laurels for statecraft.
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