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.

The UK's EU Referendum and its Lessons, Part 2

There were controversies in terms of migration created by individuals outside of the official “Vote Leave” campaign. Yet, contrary to a widely held belief, migration was never the primary issue: the economy was a greater concern. The aforementioned ORB poll showed that 52% of respondents believed the economy to be more important than immigration.

Tags: united kingdom, brexit, migration, leave campaign, economy, government pd, public opinion, labour party, european union, nationalism

Afghans Arrive to Embrace Sister City Bluffs and to Share their Passion and Hope

The group will cement their bond today at a ceremony in Council Bluffs formalizing a friendship between Afghanistan’s third-largest city, Herat, and the Bluffs. The two cities will become “sister cities” as part of a decades-old citizen diplomacy program called Sister Cities International. The program pairs up cities from different countries to promote mutual understanding. 

Tags: afghanistan, united states, bluffs, iowa, sister cities international, international exchange, understanding, culture

NBA to Play Two Games in Mexico City

The Phoenix Suns will play successive games against the Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs in Mexico City on Jan. 12 and 14, marking an expansion of the NBA’s effort to spread the game globally. The games, between three teams in states neighboring Mexico, will mark the first time the NBA has played more than one contest during the same season in the neighboring country since the league began playing there 25 years ago. 

Tags: nba, mexico city, basketball diplomacy, sports diplomacy, Cultural Diplomacy, phoenix, dallas, san antonio, nba global games, 2016 Rio Olympics

Syrian Band’s Concerts are Music to German Ears

This chance meeting in the depths of a Berlin winter marked the start of a new phase in Syrian refugee Abdallah’s life. [...] “Our concerts are a piece of Syria in Berlin,” said Abdallah, 28, who fled growing violence near his home in Aleppo, north-western Syria, and arrived at a shelter outside the German capital last October.

Tags: syria, germany, refugee crisis, music, Cultural Diplomacy, berlin, musiqana, tarab music, dialogue, cultural exchange

Google, Trying to Endear Itself to Europe, Spreads $450 Million Around

A yearlong digital training course for Irish high school teachers started in 2014. A fund to help European news outlets adapt to the web popped up in 2015. And in March, a virtual reality exhibition began at a Belgian museum to showcase a Renaissance painter. All these projects are aimed at supporting European culture and education, helping the region embrace the fast-changing online world. And all are financed by Google

Tags: google, europe, digital diplomacy & new tech, non state pd, ireland, belgium, culture, education, international image, soft lobbying, arts

NADI 2016: Connecting With India's Northeast

The two day Asian Confluence NADI River Festival is one such example. Organized by the Asian Confluence and India, East Asia Center in Shillong, in collaboration with the Meghalaya government and the Maulana Abul Kamal Azad Institute of Asian Studies, [...] Rivers served as the central theme of discussions, as in addition to serving as a means of transport, rivers have formed as a connective narrative among people for centuries.

Tags: NADI 2016, india, east asia, asian studies, bangladesh, cultural exchange, government pd, diplomatic relations, people to people diplomacy

Abu Dhabi Festival Flies the Cultural Diplomacy Flag with Groundbreaking Initiatives in France and US

In collaboration with leading global organisations, the Abu Dhabi Festival, organised by the Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation, ADMAF, enables the creation of cultural initiatives that bring countries together and enable societies to better understand each other. The latest cultural diplomacy endeavours by the Abu Dhabi Festival also seek to further strengthen Abu Dhabi's position on the global cultural map.

Tags: Cultural Diplomacy, united states, france, abu dhabi, abu dhabi festival, Nation Image, cultural exchange

Europe Eyes Israeli Technology for Spotting Lone-Wolf Terrorists Online

European powers are trying to develop better means for pre-emptively spotting "lone-wolf" militants from their online activities and are looking to Israeli-developed technologies, a senior EU security official said on Tuesday.

Tags: anti-terrorism, europe, israeli technology, Digital Diplomacy & New Technology, global development, israel, united states, european public sphere

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