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.
Illiberal Democracy in Latin America
In an influential 1997 essay, Fareed Zakaria coined the term “illiberal democracy” to describe those countries that hold elections (of varying fairness) to choose their leaders, yet restrict civil liberties and political freedom. At the time, such practices were common mostly in Asia and Africa, with a sizeable concentration of illiberal democracies among the ex-Soviet states. Zakaria described illiberal democracy as a “growth industry,” and he was right: in the past 15 years, it has come with full force to Latin America.
Mexico’s Latest Energy Revolution
Pena Nieto and his Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, want to let foreign companies such as Exxon Mobil Corp., Chevron Corp. and Repsol SA sign production-sharing contracts for oil exploration and output. (The companies would still be prohibited from operating their own fields.) Thus would Mexico return to the situation that prevailed from 1938, when the country expropriated oilfields from U.S.
Nokia Map Project Sheds Light on Belarus’s Roads
The former Soviet republic of Belarus, which lies along the main transit corridor connecting Moscow and Western Europe, is one of the Continent’s few remaining black holes for motorists, a landlocked country where reliable, current map information is closely held by the authoritarian government.
Hoi An to Host Cultural Exchange Program with Japan
The 21st Hoi An – Japan cultural exchange program will take place in the ancient town of Hoi An from August 23-25. The program was first held since 2003 on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Viet Nam and Japan. This year, the program will include display of cultural exchange photos and Hoi An – Japan cooperation activities during the past ten years. Viet Nam and Japan have officially established diplomatic relations in 1973. So far, the bilateral ties have been continually consolidated and enhanced in all fields.
Public Diplomacy: The Power of Sport
Diplomacy is an essential part of foreign policy. The postwar period saw the rise of public diplomacy, which went beyond traditional diplomacy in that it tried to influence public opinion in other countries. It dealt with influencing public attitudes on the formation and execution of foreign policy as private individuals began to engage in intercultural communication. Organized cultural visits like performances by philharmonic orchestras became part of public diplomacy.
Stephen Fry Asks Athletes to Protest at Russian Winter Olympics with ‘Simple Gesture’
Mr Fry has come up with a new plan to protest over what he calls the "unspeakable" treatment of the gay community in Russia. He has called on athletes competing in the Sochi Winter Olympics in Russia to make a "simple gesture" of solidarity by crossing the their arms over their chest whilst receiving their medals. "[Its] just a simple gesture, they can't take that away, they're not going to chop their arms off", Mr Fry said.
It’s “For Or Against” Kirchner In Argentina - And Its Primary Elections
Sergio Massa marches down a corridor, casting aside his suit jacket and rolling up his shirtsleeves – as if preparing for a schoolyard tussle – before facing the camera: “If they want to fight, we’re going to fight,” he says. That’s the controversial TV spot Mr. Massa, who is running for a congressional seat in Argentina’s upcoming midterm elections, chose for his campaign. But he is not the only politician to adopt an aggressive tone against the Front for Victory, President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner’s ruling alliance.
Afghanistan’s Pioneering Female MP Seeks Asylum as Progress for Women Unravels
Noor Zia Atmar, a young activist and then one of the country’s first woman MPs, travelled the world with her colleagues to show that things were changing. That was three years ago. Now, she lives in a shelter for battered women, the victim of an abusive husband - and a symbol of the way progress in women’s rights is unravelling as the West withdraws and more traditional conservative values return to the fore.
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