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.
A Cultural Diplomacy Catalyst? The Cyrus Cylinder, Part II
It is always heartening to hear discussion of historical artifacts not strictly as museum pieces but as instruments that can transmit other cultural messages and interpretations of identity. The Cyrus Cylinder is an example of ancient cultural heritage that resonates with new meanings today. Inspired by the blogs by Jay Wang and Naomi Leight my interest was sparked on this subject.
Did Whistle-Selling Hipsters in California End a War in Eastern Congo?
Soon after the end of the M23 rebellion that threw parts of eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) into conflict for much of the last two years, a blog post titled "We Stopped M23" appeared on the website of a California-based nonprofit called Falling Whistles. The slick homepage describes the organization as “a campaign for peace in Congo." It urges visitors to “be a whistleblower for peace” by purchasing stylish metal whistles, hung on a chain or black cord, from the organization's online store.
When Nation Branding Fails, Who’s To Blame?
In 2010, I returned to London to meet again with the nation-branding consultants I had interviewed three years earlier. I expected to encounter a very different portrait of the field from the one that had been painted for me a few years earlier. Aftershocks from the global financial crisis of 2008 – 2009 continued to make themselves felt, upending the foundations of market value.
US School’s Arab Mascot Slammed As Offensive
A California high school's use of an Arab mascot has drawn the ire of a rights group that says it is offensive, stereotyping Arabs as hook-nosed, bearded and angry. Coachella Valley High School sports teams are dubbed the "Arabs", which the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee complained in a letter to the school this month plays on harmful stereotypes.
Sweden Brands Itself With Its Own Font
Nation branding is all the rage these days, and Sweden will not be outdone. It's currently fourth in the FutureBrand Country Brand Index, behind Japan, Canada and the brilliantly branded nation of Switzerland. Sweden is hoping a revamped website, featuring its very own font, will help boost the nation up charts.
Sonenshine: Amb. Pickering ‘Positive’ on Reaching a Deal with Iran
I was proud to be an American last night and honored to say a few words about Ambassador Thomas Pickering on the occasion of his delivering the Third Annual Walter Roberts Lecture at GW’s School of Media and Public Affairs which houses the Institute for Public Diplomacy and Global Communication. It was Ambassador Pickering’s birthday and he was in fine form as he answered tough questions from Frank Sesno director of the School of Media and Public Affairs.
Dispatches: Saudi Should Crack Down on Flawed Laws, Not Migrants
This week Saudi authorities resumed a sweeping crackdown on foreign workers violating local labor laws. Officials arrestedmore than 20,000 people over two days, according to the Jeddah-based Saudi Gazette, and deported many of them. The crackdown, which King Abdullah had suspended in July for six months to allow time for workers to regularize their status, primarily targets workers who do not have valid residency or work permits, but also affects workers with valid documents who are not working for the employer the documents designate.
Many Sunnis and Shias Worry About Religious Conflict
This week Sunni and Shia Muslims ushered in the Islamic New Year and the beginning of the holy month of Muharram. For Shias, the month also is a time to mourn the events that sparked the centuries-old schism between Shia and Sunni Muslims.1 Pew Research Center polls conducted in 2011-2012 find high levels of concern about sectarian tensions in several countries where Sunnis and Shias live side by side.
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