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.

Soft Power is Largely an American PR Gimmick

The recent nose-thumbing at Russia and China by Professor Joseph Nye in Foreign Policy magazine over the inability of those countries to marshal soft power is flawed in a number of ways that go beyond the methodological weaknesses of his scholarly writings that I have described at length elsewhere.

Tags: soft power, media, government pd, russia, joseph nye

The Road to an Effective Innovation Diplomacy

Learning from the American experience, governments around the world have developed national innovation policies and programs to accelerate their economic prosperity and to help their citizens and companies compete globally.

Tags: united states, government pd, public diplomacy, new technology, us department of state, innovation diplomacy

The History Project: Inspiring Indian and Pakistani Children to Rethink the Past

The History Project, comprising excerpts from three Indian textbooks and nine Pakistani textbooks, provides students an illuminating comparison of the ways that key historical events – leading up to partition – are taught in schools in both countries.

Tags: public diplomacy, india, pakistan, non-state actors, non-state pd, education diplomacy

Saudi Arabia Signs Accord to Protect Philippine Maids

The agreement is aimed at preventing exploitation of Filipina maids such as confiscation of their passports to control them, overworking them with no rest days and preventing them from returning home.

Tags: middle east, government pd, india, saudi arabia, diaspora, philippines, labor

U.S. Denounces “Rise” in Anti-Muslim Sentiment in Europe, Asia

The United States on Monday denounced what it called a spike in anti-Islamic sentiment in Europe and Asia, pointing to restrictions and violence against Muslims including the faith’s minority sects...Secretary of State John Kerry also voiced alarm at what he called rising anti-Jewish sentiment, and filled a position of special envoy to combat anti-Semitism.

Tags: china, middle east, public opinion, europe, islam, us department of state, myanmar, judaism, anti-semitism, religious freedom

Irish Prime Minister Tells BC Graduates to “Be Successful, be Well”

Referencing a mix of history and personal experience, Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny exhorted 4,395 Boston College graduates today to “let go, let fly.” In his speech, Kenny touched on the deep ties between the United States and Ireland, forged over centuries.

Tags: united states, public diplomacy, ireland, catholic church, boston college

Obama to Tour Senegal, South Africa and Tanzania in June

US President Barack Obama will visit Senegal, South Africa and Tanzania in June, the White House has said. Mr Obama is expected to meet lawmakers as well as business and civil society leaders and youth on his trip.

Tags: united states, government pd, public diplomacy, africa, barack obama, south africa

Advice to Secretary Kerry: Talking is Not The Same as Communicating

The ability to talk is not the same as the ability to communicate. That was the advice from USC’s Nicholas Cull at a public diplomacy conference here. Asked what advice he would give to the new Secretary of State, Cull said he would first ask a question: “What’s possible? Am I going to waste my time talking about projects that can never see the light of day?”

Tags: united states, Cultural Diplomacy, government pd, public diplomacy, us department of state, john kerry, usia, Nicholas J. Cull

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