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.
Ignoring Al Jazeera
The Qatari government, which funds Al Jazeera...knows the channel is about as popular in the palaces of the Arab world as in the halls of the Knesset. Which is precisely why it is so influential among the Arab public, and why non-Arab governments seeking to influence Arabs – whether Israeli or American – ignore the channel at their own peril.
Earth Hour: U.S. cities to dim lamps, illuminate climate-change
The actual impact of turning off lights for one hour is minimal, and some skeptics question the message. But promoters say the idea is to get people talking about further ways they can contribute, and to spur government action through grassroots activity. "It's largely a symbolic event," acknowledges Leslie Aun, a WWF spokeswoman. "But symbols are powerful things.... It provides people with an opportunity to say something about climate change."
Monks Protest During Press Tour of China
The demonstration amounted to another embarrassment for China. Its government organized the press tour to help sway international opinion, which has focused on China’s heavy crackdown and arrests in the aftermath of the riots. Chinese leaders have accused Tibetan separatists and their supporters of trying to spoil the atmosphere ahead of the Summer Olympic Games in Beijing.
McCain holds out olive branch in foreign policy speech
Sen. John McCain is set to deliver a major foreign policy address this morning where he will emphasize the need for the US to be a good world citizen and listen to world opinion if the country expects to be listened to. “When we believe international action is necessary, whether military, economic, or diplomatic, we will try to persuade our friends that we are right. But we, in return, must be willing to be persuaded by them,” he is expected to say. “America must be a model citizen if we want others to look to us as a model. How we behave at home affects how we are perceived abroad.”
‘Fitna’: Dutch leader’s anti-Islam film brings strife
The Dutch government has been telling Muslim nations and Islamic organizations that it doesn't agree with Wilders's views. The main question that has emerged in the debate is whether it is acceptable for an elected official to use free speech to attack the identity of other groups, even if he or she feels they are causing harm to the Netherlands.
Sport & Intercultural Dialogue
Already accepted as a tool for social integration, sport is also seen as a means of promoting intercultural understanding in an increasingly diverse Europe.
Israel’s image matters
Obviously, too, government or quasi-government broadcasting cannot be seen as a panacea to Israel's public diplomacy woes. But it is a basic part of the puzzle that cannot be summarily gutted. Given that the cost of maintaining the current broadcasts is negligible - they are already grossly underfunded - the true explanation for their cancellation cannot be financial, but rather just another symptom of neglect of the entire public diplomacy field.
European Press Review: Olympic Protests, Not Boycott, Needed
Olympic functionaries often vacillate between claiming that sports and politics should not be mixed, and that the Olympic Games represent positive political ideals. European pundits hold out little hope that the contradictions can be resolved by a threat from the world's large sporting nations to boycott the Beijing event. But they are encouraging athletes to make critical statements about China's policies toward Tibet.
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