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.
Q & A with James Fowler
If you’re in a position where you’re trying to control the message then I think what these online contacts do is they make your job very difficult. In general as a U.S. citizen I think it’s a really good thing to increase these contacts but I can understand that diplomats or officials in the government might be frustrated. They might think a little bit like it’s opening Pandora’s box while the conversations go on that may or may not be at odds with official policy.
The British Museum brings the dead to life
Skeletons on stilts danced in the smoke that wafted from fiery braziers. Babies wore skeleton costumes and children feasted on sugar skulls while a Mariachi band played. Elsewhere, a musical anthropologist had people singing along to an Aztec dirge. And most of all, wherever you looked there were people – thousands and thousands of participants in what must surely be one of the most extraordinary public events ever staged in a museum.
Vietnam, Denmark boost cultural cooperation
The agreement will promote culture and art cooperation between Vietnam and Denmark, including the exchange of visits and holding cultural activities in both countries from 2009 until 2014. Over the past few years, Vietnam has had the chance to better understand Denmark’s culture through the implementation of projects funded by the Scandinavian country. Currently, 7 similar projects sponsored by the Vietnam-Denmark Cultural Exchange, Cooperation and Development Fund are underway.
Myanmar launches series of cultural activities to mark Japan-Mekong exchange
Myanmar has been launching a series of cultural exchange activities since early this year to mark the Japan-Mekong exchange year to showcase the cooperation and friendship between Japan and Myanmar and such activities continued up to the end of the year. Myanmar is a member of the six-country Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS)-Economic Cooperation. The others sharing the Mekong River are China, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam.
Venezuelan ambassador in Alaska to promote cultural, commercial exchange
Since being appointed as Venezuela’s top envoy to the U.S. in 2003, the ambassador has traveled to Maine and California and many states in between, fostering people-to-people ties based on culture, commerce, energy and sports. In Alaska, Alvarez will meet with elected officials, students and the Alaska Inter-Tribal Council, and speak with leaders from communities benefiting from Venezuela’s heating oil program.
KAUST and Social Networking: The New Face of Saudi Arabia
After years of state monopoly and censorship twitter and other social media sites and applications are making governments more concerned over news. Social media is placing more power in the hands of citizens in this region. For that reason, I believe that regional governments from now on will have to take a pro-active approach in conducting their public diplomacy campaigns and efforts.
China expands language institutes at US colleges
Although the students are doing their work at a state school on Florida's Gulf Coast, the center they are studying in is part of a global outreach by the government of China called the Confucius Institute. The cultural and language centers have sprung up around the world, hosted at universities eager to boost their Mandarin offerings as China's economic influence grows.
The New Rules: When Contractors Fill America’s Foreign Policy Gap
When that construction effort brings globalization into previously off-grid locations, the result is political-security repercussions that, when they get bad enough, sometimes trigger military interventions by outside great powers. But that hardly means that the governments of these external powers are in charge of globalization's advance. This tail does not wag the dog.
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