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.
Odessa's Literary Flashmobs Attract Book-Loving Tourists
Odessa may not exactly leap to mind as a hotbed for book lovers – it is perhaps better known globally for its "mail-order bride" industry. And although it lacks the literary pedigree of St Petersburg, Edinburgh, Paris or Tangier, it has a storied past as a stopping point for Europe-trotting writers and intellectuals.
Canada Opens Montreal Olympic Stadium for Migrants from US
Montreal is temporarily opening its Olympic Stadium as a shelter to host a sudden increase in asylum seekers arriving from the US. [...] Many of them have been denied asylum in the US and are hoping for a second chance on the other side of the border.
S. Korea, China to Hold Annual Forum on Public Diplomacy
The semi-governmental forum will run from Aug. 16-17, led by South Korea's public diplomacy envoy Park Enna and former Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing. The countries' leaders agreed to institute the conference during a summit in 2013 as part of efforts to promote mutual understanding between the neighbors' populations.
Turkey Eyes Sustainable Ways to Meet Qatar’s Needs
Turkey asked Qatar, which has been under a blockade by Arab countries since June, to join hands for sustainable food production, the Turkish economy minister said Thursday. Nihat Zeybekci, proposed that Turkey, instead of sending finished goods to Qatar, could send raw materials, which Qatar could process at its own plants.
Indonesia, New Zealand Step Up Cooperation in Counterterrorism
Indonesia and New Zealand agreed on Wednesday to improve coordination in combating terrorism through information exchange and preventive measures. [...] BNPT chief Comr. Gen. Suhardi Alius and New Zealand's assistant commissioner for international and national security, Michael Pannet, also discussed deradicalization programs, with both countries agreeing to exercise a soft-power approach as a means of prevention, particularly toward families and communities with a history of radicalism to alter their orientation and offer counternarratives.
State Department Dysfunction Reaches New Highs
We’ve written recently about widespread concerns in the foreign policy community — both within and outside the State Department — over the management, direction and role of the State Department under former oil company chief executive Rex Tillerson. [...] Now the amateurism and arrogance has reached constitutional dimensions. On the day President Trump grudgingly and without public ceremony signs Russia sanctions legislation, State has managed to undermine the impression we are serious about curbing Russian behavior.
Armenia’s Hafez Association Holds Meeting for Persian Language Learners
The Hafez Association in the Armenian capital of Yerevan organized a meeting of its learners of the Persian language on Tuesday. [...] “One of Iran’s main concern is to stimulate the development of the Persian language in Armenia,” Iranian Ambassador Seyyed Kazem Sajjadi said at the meeting.
Project Runway – Madagascar Airports in Major Revamp
Madagascar airports are all set for upgrade and expansion with the help of the Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund (EAIF). [...] “Any international airports are the symbol of the connection to the world,” said Hery Rajaonarimampianina, President of the Malagasy Republic when he visited the project site. “The work would reflect the modern and dynamic and friendly image of Madagascar,” he added.
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