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.
Trucks as art: Pakistan’s colorful tradition, with a Midwestern twist
While these fully functional trucks are used only for transporting goods in South Asia, Asheer Akram, a young American artist from Kansas City, Missouri has embarked on the project of building a Pakistani cargo truck with a Midwestern twist in the hope of mixing venerable South Asian traditions with modern American culture.
Iron Man’s next adventure to shoot in China
Hollywood has increasingly been looking east, encouraged by the recent relaxation of the quota on foreign films allowed into China and the popularity of Hollywood-made but China-based international blockbusters such as Kung Fu Panda 2.
Shout of Africa
The key learning from Wednesday's broadcast is that we don't have to portray Africa as hopeless to raise money or engage listeners. Inspiration and personal stories are enough, and from the many calls we took at our offices, they reach people in a different and more profound way than easy stereotypes.
India, Pakistan likely to sign culture pact
"Six years ago, the two countries had decided to sign an MoU with the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, but it was stuck for cultural exchange. But we want to carry the MoU forward to promote people-to-people contact. Every Pakistani heart is open... India should also open the door of its heart to Pakistani art and culture," Nasir said.
Little action on common E.U. defense
What it does mean is that European nations will have to break their decades-old dependence on the United States for taking care of their defense, providing the strategic thinking for them and keeping Europe’s own backyard — the Balkans — stable.
Hollywood warms to China’s new openness
China has long kept up a barrier against foreign films — wary of insidious cultural influences while sheltering its own filmmakers. Officials last raised the annual cap on foreign movie imports as a condition of joining the WTO in 2001. The recent increased foreign movie quota is a belated response to a trade dispute the U.S. won nearly three years ago.
UK and China Commence ‘Cultural Dialogue’
“I hope that through this, the first of our cultural dialogues with China, we will develop deeper ties across all the areas that interest us. China is a country with a vibrant cultural past and a growing economic future. There is much that we can learn from one another.”
Leaving Asia out of the loop
Some argue that when we talk of exporting Australian arts to Asia, we ought to be talking only of their role in soft diplomacy: that is, assisting Australia's political and economic agenda.....The implication is that the arts in Asia should not be valued on their own terms.
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