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.

Overcoming the Past in Lively Kampala

“Art-Culture-Life”: So beckoned the humble sign. Being a fan of all three, I made my way inside. Art came first in a portico lined with rich, Dalí-esque landscapes; in the craft shop, stocked with mottled straw purses and hand-carved bowls; on restaurant walls, splashed with multihued graffiti. There was culture, yes, in the form of eclectic sounds: a D.J. spinning house music and an open-mic session showcasing poets and singers from Africa to America.

Tags: Cultural Diplomacy, africa, tourism, art diplomacy, development, city branding, uganda, kampala

Europe’s New Refugees

When the banking and economic crisis broke around the world in October 2008, few imagined that its recessionary effects would linger for as long as they have. In Europe, and particularly in some eurozone countries, people accustomed to years of relative prosperity have had to get used to harsh government austerity measures, wage freezes and job cuts.

Tags: europe, non-state pd, diaspora, economy, migrants, employment, colonialism

Al Jazeera America Faces More than the Usual New-Kid Challenges

The combination of Al Jazeera and America doesn't exactly sound like a match made in Heaven, or Jannah for that matter. But that's not stopping the deep-pocketed media giant, funded by the government of Qatar, from spending hundreds of millions of dollars to once again try to build a presence in the United States. On Tuesday, Al Jazeera launches Al Jazeera America, an ambitious news network that hopes to challenge CNN, Fox News and MSNBC on their own turf.

Tags: united states, middle east, media, international broadcasting, al jazeera, journalism, qatar, news, al jazeera america

Sweden’s Malmo Arab Film Festival Set to Break Boundaries

This year’s Malmo Arab Festival in Sweden will screen more than 100 Arab films in a bid to facilitate cross-cultural exchange, it is set to run from September 2-8. Directed by Mohammed Keblawi, the festival will showcase films from countries around the region including Palestine, Qatar, Syria, United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. The festival will also honor a number of Arab actors and industry experts for their contributions to the world of Arab cinema, television and theatre.

Tags: Cultural Diplomacy, middle east, europe, film diplomacy, sweden, arab, cinema

Addressing Gender-Based Violence in the Caribbean: Building a Collective Movement

As part of the United States Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Gender-based Violence Globally, U.S. Embassy Bridgetown is addressing gender-based violence across a range of diplomatic, policy, and programmatic areas in the Caribbean region. These efforts build upon the priorities outlined last December at the first-ever Caribbean Dialogue on Rule of Law and Gender-based Violence, hosted by the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Global Women’s Issues (S/GWI).

Tags: united states, Cultural Diplomacy, government pd, public diplomacy, caribbean, gender, violence

Is This Egypt’s Intifada?

As the Egyptian military consolidates control by murdering pro-Muslim Brotherhood protesters and declaring a state of emergency, we may be witnessing the most dangerous potential for Arab radicalization since the two Palestinian intifadas. Despite the resignation Wednesday of Mohamed ElBaradei, the vice president, in opposition to the Egyptian junta's action, the discomfiting fact is that most of Egypt's liberal "democrats"--along with the United States--have never looked more hypocritical.

Tags: middle east, arab spring, public opinion, egypt, non-state pd, arab, muslim brotherhood, cairo, intifada

Al Jazeera America: Will U.S. Viewers Buy It?

Al Jazeera enjoys the best economic model you can possibly have," says Philip Seib, a journalism professor at the University of Southern California, who has written books on Al Jazeera. "They have a lot of money. They want to be a global player. They want Qatar to be a global player. And to be a true global journalistic force, you have to reach the U.S.

Tags: united states, middle east, media, international broadcasting, al jazeera, qatar, philip seib, al jazeera america

Oliver Stone in Tokyo: ‘We Need Edward R. Murrow’

I've been a writer and observer of all things American propaganda ever since I worked at the United States Information Agency in Washington. On Monday, August 12th at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan, I found two unlikely kindred spirits who share my interest in the subject, especially as it relates to what we know or think we know about American foreign policy.

Tags: united states, media, international broadcasting, government pd, public diplomacy, japan, usia, oliver stone, edward r. murrow

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