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.

U.S. Naval Ships Becomes Floating Hospital in Latin America

A floating hospital longer than the Washington Monument is tall has begun its mission of medical diplomacy in Jamaica, its first stop among nine Caribbean and Latin American countries. The converted oil tanker known as the United States Naval Ship Comfort is 894 feet long and carries more than 600 personnel.

Tags: united states, latin america, humanitarian aid, jamaica, caribbean, health diplomacy, us military

When Will the Arab Awakening Wake Up Washington?

Three months after the January 25 Revolution in Egypt, President Obama's approach to the Middle East is hopelessly adrift. He is hesitant to truly embrace the Arab freedom movements, failing to lead Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations and lacking effective diplomacy to counter Iran's nuclear ambitions.

Tags: united states, middle east, public opinion, crisis coverage, barack obama, arab world, arab, arab revolutions, arab diplomacy

Has the BBC become too afraid to take risks?

When Lord Patten went before the Commons culture, media and sport select committee last month to lay out his credentials as the new chairman of the BBC Trust, he deliberately alighted on a key issue for programme makers and viewers: whether the BBC has become too risk-averse in its commissioning.

Tags: media, international broadcasting, public opinion, bbc, britain

British Museum bridges the gap

In seven months on loan from the British Museum to the National Museum of Iran [the Cyrus Cylinder] has been seen by more than a million Iranians. MacGregor believes that the cylinder -- and objects like it -- can do what politicians often fail to do and bring antagonistic countries closer together.

Tags: Cultural Diplomacy, middle east, iran, art diplomacy, britain, cultural understanding, museum diplomacy, cyrus cylinder

Turkey mulls steps to boost foreign trade

Thanking trade counselors for their devoted efforts that have contributed to the growing of the Turkish economy, Erdoğan said these efforts were helping Turkey emerge as a soft power. “Soft power is now ahead of hard power. A country’s influence is no longer measured with its military power but with its economic and diplomatic power.”

Tags: soft power, turkey, trade diplomacy, international trade

Revolutions aren’t made in 140 characters

The Arab Uprising has shaken the way we understand politics, communications and public diplomacy. Social media may have played a role in the unrest, but pretending that the uprising is a social media revolution is as imaginary as the existence of the Empress of Mancha.

Tags: middle east, public opinion, social media, new technology, crisis coverage, twitter, facebook, social networking, social networks, arab revolutions

Fashion icons as symbols for closer ties

To showcase the beauty and global mark of both dresses, the Vietnamese Embassy set up a cultural exchange day that celebrates the new designs changing the face of these classical icons.

Tags: south korea, cultural exchange, vietnam, fashion diplomacy

Indian alumni call for national institutional reforms on Harvard’s 375th anniversary

India's strength does not lie with its nuclear weapons or its missiles or the size of its armed forces. India real strength lies with the IT, its culture, its civilization and its vibrant democracy. Today, India's soft power is everywhere, in every nook and corner of the world and you see India through its dance, through its music, though its food...

Tags: united states, soft power, Cultural Diplomacy, india, south asia, bollywood, harvard university

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