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.

Playing the peacemaker?

There are about 20km (12 miles)—and lots of checkpoints—between the official residence in Jerusalem of Binyamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, and the headquarters in Ramallah of Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president. This week, as both leaders made simultaneous official visits to China, care was taken to keep a much greater distance between them. Their itineraries put them in different cities at all times.

Tags: china, soft power, government pd, public opinion, israel, foreign policy, palestine

Analysis: After months of deadlock, diplomacy gets another chance in Syria

The two major powers' joint announcement that they would try to bring together representatives of President Bashar al-Assad's government and the rebel forces fighting to oust him represents their first serious diplomatic initiative in nearly a year. After lengthy talks in Moscow on Tuesday, the United States and Russia said they would try to breathe life into a carefully negotiated agreement they both endorsed in June 2012 that left open the question of whether or not Assad must leave power.

Tags: united states, soft power, government pd, public diplomacy, russia, us department of state, syria

Public Diplomacy’s impact and prospects

A perennial question about public diplomacy is, “Does it work?” Congress quite rightly asks that whenever budgets are being scrutinized, and public diplomacy practitioners do their best to provide definitive answers.

Tags: united states, public diplomacy, us department of state, evaluation

The State Department’s Revolving Door of Public Diplomacy

The State Department is about to lose yet another Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs. As reported last week, Tara Sonenshine, who has been in the post for 14 months, is planning to leave the job on July 1. Sonenshine came to the job with an impressive media, foreign policy, and administrative background, and has been an enthusiastic advocate for U.S. government public diplomacy.

Tags: united states, soft power, Cultural Diplomacy, government pd, public diplomacy, us department of state

BBG: Creating New CEO Requires Congress to Transfer ‘Certain Authorities’ from the BBG Board

Last month the White House and the Broadcast Board of Governors proposed legislation as part of BBG’s FY2014 budget request to Congress that would create a new Chief Executive Officer who would supervise all U.S. international broadcasting, and I then filed a report based on a telephone conference call that followed the announcement.

Tags: united states, Cultural Diplomacy, government pd, public diplomacy, public opinion, us department of state, bbg

The Visit That Marks the Beginning of Diplomatic Efforts With Far-reaching Impact

From 22 to 30 March, Chinese President Xi Jinping paid state visits to Russia, Tanzania, South Africa and the Republic of Congo, and attended the Fifth BRICS Leaders' Meeting. On the way back, Foreign Minister Wang Yi briefed the accompanying journalists about the president's visit.

Tags: china, soft power, Cultural Diplomacy, government pd, public diplomacy, russia, south africa, tanzania, brics, congo

Israel Ministry of Public Diplomacy and Diaspora Affairs has officially closed its gates

This week, the Israel Ministry of Public Diplomacy and Diaspora Affairs officially closed. With almost no media recognition, it has become a division in the Prime Minister's office. From a ministry to a division, just like that. I find this move unacceptable.

Tags: middle east, government pd, public diplomacy, israel

US exchange programme for African journalists begins Wednesday

An exchange programme targeted at examining the role that journalists play in the society and the challenges they face while doing their jobs tagged Spring 2013 Professional Fellows Congress opens Wednesday in Washington, D.C., United States of America with 10 journalists from four countries in Africa – Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and Uganda – participating.

Tags: united states, soft power, Cultural Diplomacy, public diplomacy, africa

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