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.

Trade diplomacy needed to access world markets

Federal Commerce Minister Makhdoom Amin Fahim said on Friday the government was trying for better market access for local businesses in international markets by concluding FTAs and PTAs with a number of countries through active trade diplomacy. He was speaking at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Friday. Issues which came under discussion included: under-invoicing, duty on raw materials from India, decline in leather export ban on export of poultry to Afghanistan.

Tags: soft power, government pd, public diplomacy, pakistan, trade diplomacy

Musicians need to interact – Mobley

AN American musician, Leon Mobley says cultural exchange programmes are vital among artistes because they enrich culture. Mobley, who was in the country to hold workshops with Zambian musicians, said sharing experiences helps musicians learn from each other and develop their mind with new ideas.

Tags: united states, soft power, Cultural Diplomacy, public diplomacy, africa, cultural exchange, music diplomacy, zambia

Viet Nam, Bulgaria to exchange culture

Viet Nam and Bulgaria will boost their burgeoning friendship with a cultural exchange programme in 2013, which will see each country host culture weeks devoted to the other. Viet Nam‘s culture minister Hoang Tuan Anh confirmed the plans following a meeting with Bulgaria's visiting Deputy Prime Minister, Simeon Djankov, on Thursday.

Tags: soft power, Cultural Diplomacy, government pd, public diplomacy, cultural exchange, vietnam, bulgaria

AUSTRALIA ON THE UNSC: BIG, JUICY AND DECISIVE

The community of nations at the United Nations has said ‘we like Australia’. Australia’s first round win of the temporary United Nations Security Council (UNSC) seat is testament to a strong and effective campaign. Labelled a ‘victory for Australian diplomacy and values’ the UNSC outcome signals a comeback for Australia’s global standing – which has spent a little too many years in the doldrums.

Tags: soft power, public diplomacy, australia, un security council

Voice of America, 70 Years Later, Faces Bureaucratic Troubles

The broadcaster, Voice of America, has been the U.S. government's method of communication with populations abroad since 1942, when the institution broadcast anti-Nazi radio addresses to the German people in their native language... But 70 years after taking on Adolf Hitler and then communism, VOA is plagued with bureaucratic problems, including a bloated budget, redundant programming, and a uninterested board of governors.

Tags: united states, public diplomacy, voice of america, bbg, broadcasting

Nobel Prize a boost to literature development in China

Literary watchers in China say awarding the Nobel Prize for Literature to Chinese novelist Mo Yan will generate greater interest and spur the development of literature in the country. Channel NewsAsia explains why the win is even a source of soft power for the country.

Tags: china, soft power, literature

Fifteen megabytes of fame

Is there a diplomatic dividend to reap from going viral? Or, put another way, will 15 minutes of parliamentary invective deliver more than 15 minutes of global fame for Julia Gillard?... There is a certain irony that a speech in Parliament House in Canberra has had more of a global impact than her address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Tags: public diplomacy, social media, australia

MALALA’S PEOPLE

What does the plight of the brave and bright Malala Yousafzai say about the people of Pakistan, and the future of their relationship with the people of the United States and the West?

Tags: united states, public diplomacy, pakistan, social media

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