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.

Foreigner`s perspective: Upgrading Korea to where people want to work in

From a foreigner`s view, Korea is a very impressive country. In just 50 years or so, Korea overcame the disasters of war and division of two Koreas through utmost effort and sacrifice, and became the world`s seventh largest exporter. The country exhibited an unprecedented pace of economic growth as exemplified by the "Miracle of Han River," the story of which is much touted among foreigners.

Tags: soft power, nation branding, public opinion, foreign policy, korea

The Toronto terror plot and Iran’s complicated relationship with al Qaeda

Indeed, for much of recent history, Iran and al Qaeda have essentially been enemies. As Jonathan Kay points out in Canada's National Post, Iran almost went to war with the al Qaeda-friendly Taliban in 1998 after Taliban fighters killed nine Iranian diplomats in the Afghan city of Mazar-i-Sharif. What followed were threats by the Taliban to attack Iranian cities, and the massing of nearly 70,000 Iranian troops near the Afghanistan border.

Tags: government pd, public opinion, iran, foreign policy, al qaeda

Sonenshine to leave public diplomacy post at State, sources told BBG Watch

BBG Watch has learned that the Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs will soon be leaving her post at the State Department and her representational role at the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), the federal agency in charge of U.S. international broadcasting.

Tags: united states, government pd, public diplomacy, tara sonenshine

ECONOMIC SANCTIONS AS TEMPER TANTRUMS

Harsh international sanctions against Iran are pointless and even counterproductive, members of the Iran Project argued this week in a new report. The group, consisting of a number of leading experts and former diplomats, argued that sanctions “may be sowing the seeds of long-term alienation between the Iranian people and the United States..."

Tags: united states, middle east, government pd, public diplomacy, iran, iraq, sanctions

Why a private equity tycoon is funding a scholarship in China

So what can $300 million buy you in China? Perhaps, the Chinese version of the Rhodes Scholarship. That's what the Chinese and American private equity mogul Stephen Schwarzman are hoping. The Blackstone Group founder is doling out $100 million of his own money and raising another $200 million to set up an international scholarship program at elite Tsinghua University in Beijing. Alumni include business leaders as well asa China's president, Xi Jinping.

Tags: china, united states, soft power, Cultural Diplomacy, public diplomacy

China rolls up Hollywood’s red carpet

In the first three months of this year, ticket sales for American-made films in the world's second-largest cinema market took an unexpected nosedive. Hollywood's revenues fell by about two thirds in China, compared with the same period a year earlier, to about $A195 million, as big-budget titles such as The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey failed to impress.

Tags: united states, soft power, Cultural Diplomacy, public diplomacy, film diplomacy

Classic Journeys Introduces People-to-People Cultural Exchange to Cuba

Classic Journeys, the award-winning cultural travel company which offers boutique guided tours in over 70 regions, 34 countries, and 5 continents, announced today the addition of people-to-people cultural exchange programs to Cuba.

Tags: united states, Cultural Diplomacy, public diplomacy, cuba

Chilean Diplomacy Shares A Common Mission With Its Literature

The Journal of Chilean Diplomatic Academy, ‘Diplomacia’ has recently published various essays on famous writers who were also successful diplomats. The content is not only valuable for its biographic details but it could additionally open a topic that needs to be developed further by writers and diplomats.

Tags: soft power, Cultural Diplomacy, government pd, public diplomacy, literature, chile

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