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.
What is Soft Power? Hint: It’s Not Footing Sam Dastyari’s Bills
Revelations that Labor senator Sam Dastyari benefited from the largesse of Chinese benefactors have prompted several Australian journalists to draw attention to the problematic prospect of Chinese influence in Australia. [...] While important stories, these are not examples of soft power. Soft power is something different and the difference is important. Understanding it helps us analyse China’s attempts at influence.
Taiwan Builds Bridge with Israel through Arts and Culture
Performing on Sunday on the stage of the Ramat Gan theater in central Israel, Taiwanese art students showcased their country’s folk-inspired dance and culture, as part of a project initiated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Taipei. Before visiting Jerusalem yesterday, they performed their show in Jordan, and in the coming days will take the act to several Northern African states.
South Korea-Japan Comfort Women Agreement: Where Do We Go From Here?
The comfort women deal has been largely heralded by numerous experts as an example of successful diplomacy, but its success actually depends on how Park can reconcile disagreements within Korean society and effectively implement the deal.
‘We Did Well,’ China Tells itself After G20 Summit
China had earned a great deal of soft power by hosting the high-level summit. Soft power, or the non-military influence that a country and its culture can have around the globe, has been a matter of focus in certain sections of the Chinese foreign policy establishment.
VizEat, A Startup that Lets You Dine in a Local’s Own Home, Gobbles Up €3.8M Funding
Founded in July 2014, VizEat has built a platform — or marketplace — that connects those seeking an authentic local dining experience with hosts who are willing to cook for and invite strangers into their homes. In a sense it’s similar to the early days of Airbnb in that the social aspect is part of the draw. A cultural exchange, if you will.
Taiwan’s Trouble Talking to the World
Taiwan’s “soft power,” an intangible attraction based on the ideals and principles an actor – a government, country, organization, or individual- values, stands for, projects, and how the actor behaves at home and abroad. [...] Why is Taiwan still unable to connect with international audiences? Taiwan’s external communications are failing to help the island transit from the invisible to the visible.
Refugees Can Boost Surrounding Communities
Refugees can be an economic boost, not burden, to the communities that host them, a new study by the United Nations concludes. The benefit is bigger if refugees are given cash stipends instead of food rations, according to a joint project by the World Food Programme and researchers at the University of California Davis. The team studied Congolese refugees living in three different camps in Rwanda.
Diaspora Voices: Ukrainians and Armenians to Share their Stories
How do Ukrainians and Armenians who live around the world contribute to the communities where they have settled? How do they engage with their countries of heritage? If your family originally came from Ukraine or Armenia, share your stories by joining a webchat with others like you and with top U.S. diplomats. The chat will be held on September 8 at 9 a.m. EDT.
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