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.

The rise of private power

To be successful and competitive in the long run, the private sector must manage global issues with numerous geographic and geopolitical challenges with creativity and dexterity, re-defining traditional notions of global engagement and public diplomacy along the way. A hybrid form of Smart Power on steroids.

Tags: soft power, public diplomacy, non-state actors, non-state pd, smart power

Blind Yang shines as ‘soft power’ example

On her graduation day at the prestigious Kennedy School at Harvard, Yang Jia’s dean called her “China’s soft power”. A decade later, Yang, 49, has probably become more than that — in a country which has the largest population of the disabled in the world, visually impaired Yang is now its symbol of hope.

Tags: china, soft power, public diplomacy, non-state actors, non-state pd

Disaster relief as public diplomacy

Pew’s argument suffers from an implicit fallacy, not unusual in public diplomacy discourse. The primary purpose of humanitarian relief is not public diplomacy...We have a tendency to measure the international popularity rating of many U.S. government activities that may influence foreign publics, whereas their real purpose is something entirely different.

Tags: united states, public diplomacy, public opinion, humanitarian aid

Cultural exchange cements foundation for healthy Sino-Italian ties

The Chinese Culture Year, which ran from Oct. 7, 2010 to Jan. 14, was a very important cultural exchange event in the time since the two countries established ties more than 40 years ago, the Chinese ambassador to Italy said. "The event has a profound impact on the Italian people and laid a solid foundation for the healthy development of bilateral ties."

Tags: china, Cultural Diplomacy, government pd, public diplomacy, italy

China to open more TCM classes overseas

China is planning to open more Confucius Institutes to teach traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) overseas in order to promote this age-old medical science, deemed the essence of Chinese culture, said Vice Minister of Health Wang Guoqiang...The Confucius Institutes are non-profit public institutions for promoting Chinese language and culture in foreign countries.

Tags: china, Cultural Diplomacy, public diplomacy, confucius institutes, confucius institutes project

Brand Israel: Time for Human Rights Washing

Branding a nation is “putting a human face on a product.” According to Aharoni, this is a process and not something that will occur overnight. “It will take time.” Explaining Brand Israel strategy, Aharoni said that the key to any nation branding is to “find out what the nation in whole is good at and communicate that to relevant audiences.”

Tags: nation branding, israel, syria, human rights, brand israel

INNERZELLA: Brand Zimbabwe

If South Africa could rebrand itself, there is no reason why Zimbabwe cannot and I am not talking about some socialist- sounding acronym or slogan. This calls for a change in mindset and approach.

Tags: nation branding, tourism, south africa, national image, zimbabwe, national identity

Clinton’s Triumph at State Raises Bar for Next Act: Albert Hunt

“She has made people all over the world more respect, appreciate and understand America,” says one of her predecessors, Madeleine Albright. “She has made very clear what American values are while at the same time understanding other countries’ national interests.”

Tags: united states, soft power, government pd, public diplomacy, hillary clinton, image

Pages

Stay in the Know

Public Diplomacy is a dynamic field, and CPD is committed to keeping you connected and informed about the critical developments that are shaping PD around the world. 

Depending on your specific interests, you can subscribe to one or more of CPD's newsletters >.

Visit CPD's Online Library

Explore CPD's vast online database featuring the latest books, articles, speeches and information on international organizations dedicated to public diplomacy.