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.
YouTube Diplomacy and Iran
The Ayatollah is basically powerless against this technology: Block the Internet, cut out the computer, and a YouTube video will still circulate amongst citizens in other formats. Cut mobile telephone services, and a user will find a way to communicate via Twitter online. Block Internet access and users will find foreign-hosted proxy servers communicated via Twitter
Japan’s “Pop Culture Diplomacy” - Kawaii Ambassadors
Japan's Foreign Ministry has appointed three females to be “ambassadors of cute” to travel abroad and introduce Japanese pop culture to young people overseas. Putting criticism aside though, it’s undeniable Japan’s kawaii culture is its greatest ‘recession proof’ commodity, and is likely to have the greatest impact on boosting tourism and stimulate the interests of anime and Harajuku fashion aficionados around the world.
Iran Protests: Twitter, the Medium of the Movement
The U.S. State Department doesn't usually take an interest in the maintenance schedules of dotcom start-ups. But over the weekend, officials there reached out to Twitter and asked them to delay a network upgrade that was scheduled for Monday night. The reason? To protect the interests of Iranians using the service to protest the presidential election that took place on June 12
Leadership in Peril: Iranians Won’t Wait Out Recount
Do the clerics really think that the Iranian public will sit back and quietly wait out the next 9 days as they deliberate on the recount? Maybe the clerics should look out their windows to the streets below.
Public Diplomacy’s Glass Ceilings
Women in public diplomacy have long been confronted with a glass ceiling in Washington. It seems that their male counterparts in PD now see such a ceiling as well.
What caught my eye was a comment last weekend by former Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright. At her 50th class reunion at Wellesley College, Dr. Albright remarked to Boston Globe correspondent Ben Terris that women probably make better diplomats than men.
A Musical Bridge for Palestinians and Israelis
Wafaa Younis goes from Israel to Jenin twice a week on Sundays and Thursdays, where she is teaching 80 Palestinian youngsters from first grade to the age of 18 how to play music. The band calls themselves Strings for Freedom, and range in age from seven to 18.
Mideast Hanging On Every Text and Tweet from Iran
Footage of burning cars, masked boys and bloodied protesters in Iran is playing across the Middle East, captivating Arab countries where repressive regimes have for years been arresting political bloggers and cyberspace dissidents.
Improving Canada/U.S. Trade Relations a Two-Pronged Effort
Canada should work with both the U.S. president and Congress to try to change America’s current isolationist trade atmosphere and it should be taking full advantage of the Olympics as an opportunity “to reach out with with your cultural diplomacy and public diplomacy,” said David Gergen, a senior analyst for CNN.
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