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.

China’s Cultural Devolution

The Central Committee has declared that focusing on China's cultural development is part of its plan to increase the country's "soft power" and defend its "cultural security." While the government continues to fund projects to promote Chinese culture abroad like the Confcius Institutes, behind these tired slogans are policy guidelines sure to doom any possibility of a Chinese cultural renaissance.

Tags: china, soft power, Cultural Diplomacy, government pd, public diplomacy

Secretary Clinton Names Ellen DeGeneres as Special Envoy for Global AIDS Awareness

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton announced that Ellen DeGeneres has been named as a Special Envoy for Global AIDS Awareness. In this role, Ms. DeGeneres will use her celebrity platform to raise awareness about the global fight against AIDS.

Tags: united states, government pd, public diplomacy, us department of state, celebrity diplomacy, hivaids

India Blog Series: Sesame Workshop and a new generation of citizen diplomats

Sesame Workshop provides a top-notch creative model...for conducting public diplomacy. But the real significance of this program is that it appropriates the power of citizen diplomacy to the youngest of the youth population. In a country like India, with 160 million children under the age of six, this is no small feat, and it’s a unique means of empowering a new generation of citizen diplomats.

Tags: united states, Cultural Diplomacy, media, public diplomacy, india, pakistan, education diplomacy

“Kampala Model” of U.S. public diplomacy in Africa praised; results include iCOW

U.S. embassies in Africa have created new models for public diplomacy, models which are already producing significant advances. Wharton... described the “Kampala model” of public diplomacy...at the U.S. Embassy in Uganda, according to the Secretary, PD is in the lead.

Tags: united states, government pd, public diplomacy, africa, new technology, foreign policy, uganda

China launches English language TV service

China’s state-owned broadcaster has launched an aggressive international push to extend the country’s influence, opening a new headquarters in Washington that will broadcast English-language programming from the heart of the US capital. CCTV has also built a studio facility in Nairobi...and plans to open a broadcasting centre in Europe.

Tags: china, united states, media, international broadcasting, government pd, public diplomacy, africa, europe

China’s Carribbean Mission Shows Growing Naval Capability

The recent arrival of a Chinese navy hospital ship...to treat the needy in Jamaica flew mainly below the radar of mainstream American media. But the “Peace Ark” mission highlights the delicate balance China is seeking to strike as it tries to show off its growing global military capability and boost its influence in regions once exclusively dominated by the U.S. military, without triggering suspicion and alarm in Washington and elsewhere.

Tags: china, united states, government pd, public diplomacy, aid diplomacy, humanitarian aid, jamaica, medicine

Satirical Song, a YouTube Hit, Challenges Extremism in Pakistan

A satirical song that takes a tongue-in-cheek swipe at religious extremism, militancy and contradictions in Pakistani society has become an instant hit , drawing widespread attention as a rare voice of the country’s embattled liberals. The popularity of the song on the Internet has made it a sensation across the border in India as well, surprising the band members.

Tags: Cultural Diplomacy, public diplomacy, india, pakistan, social media, new technology, non-state pd, music diplomacy, youtube

Our Global Water Crisis

We formed The Water Initiative (TWI) because the global water crises requires local, customized solutions. TWI co-creates customized and sustainable drinking water solutions through innovative partnerships with municipalities, businesses and local micro-entrepreneurs in developing and developed countries.

Tags: united states, public diplomacy, non-state pd, water diplomacy, celebrity diplomacy, water, innovation, partnership, advocacy

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