Why did the world, particularly U.S. individual donors, give so much for Haiti but show so little concern for Pakistan? The two most common answers are the poor economy and donor fatigue. While they are certainly playing a role, these two factors provide an incomplete picture.

Tags: united states, pakistan, public opinion, non-state actors, non-state pd, aid diplomacy, pakistan flooding

When a program can increase U.S. security and counterterrorism efforts and benefit the American economy at a time of a struggling recovery, you have hit a double jackpot. And when the program—in this case the United States Visa Waiver Program (VWP)—is also an effective public diplomacy tool for improving the image of the U.S. abroad, it is a triple jackpot.

Tags: united states, public opinion, visas

Ahmad tells RFE/RL it was a transformational moment in his life -- the moment when he declared "rock and roll jihad" against the "ideology of hate." "The Taliban and their brand of Islam is not Islam at all. Islam doesn't teach you to kill innocent women, children, and men. Islam doesn't teach you to commit suicide," Ahmad says. "That's haram," or forbidden.

Tags: Cultural Diplomacy, pakistan, non-state actors, non-state pd, cultural understanding

Most Taiwanese, who do not travel to or work in China, can only learn about Chinese by reading newspapers, watching television or listening to the radio. However, when Chinese come to Taiwan, locals can learn about their cousins from across the Strait first-hand, both the good and the bad. It’s a type of low-level diplomacy that cuts through misunderstandings and prejudices better than any ­government-sponsored effort.

Tags: china, Cultural Diplomacy, public opinion, non-state actors, taiwan, non-state pd, cultural understanding, taiwan-chinese culture

In his short life the doctor achieved more genuine goodwill for India in China than modern diplomacy can conjure up. Last Tuesday in Beijing, an exhibition of rare black and white photographs to commemorate his hundredth birth anniversary opened at the Peace Palace near the Wangfujing shopping avenue.

Tags: china, india, non-state actors, non-state pd, cultural understanding

For the last two weeks, North Korean propaganda has flooded the Internet–courtesy of the Internet, interestingly enough, and not North Korea. A North Korea government official tells Forbes that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is not using Twitter, Facebook and YouTube...

Tags: social media, non-state actors, new media, twitter, north korea, facebook, internet diplomacy, youtube

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton recently highlighted the next stage in American’s approach to worldwide health care. Secretary Clinton stated that the United States' Global Health Initiative "represents a new approach, informed by new thinking and aimed at a new goal: To save the greatest possible number of lives...

Tags: hillary clinton, us department of state, global health

The generosity of the British public in helping Pakistan's flood victims is "shaming politicians around the world", the head of the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) has said. Brendan Gormley, chief executive of the DEC, said the UK public was leading the way in donations, but that further funds were urgently needed.

Tags: pakistan, public opinion, non-state actors, non-state pd, aid diplomacy, united kingdom, pakistan flooding