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.
When Dictators Cry Conspiracy
...[D]emocratic governments need to apply some of the street-level lessons activists have learned to the arena of geo-strategy and public diplomacy. Don’t be intimidated and stand up for your cause — but also don’t let yourself be dragged into endlessly trying to debunk the dictator’s fantasies. Instead, focus on developing an alternative vision that would enable a country like Serbia or Russia to flourish by treating its civil society as a legitimate partner, developing positive relationships with its neighbors, and joining the international community.
Ceylon Tea: Sri Lanka’s Gift to the World
With eight percent of the global production Sri Lanka is the fourth largest manufacturer of tea in the world after China, India and Kenya. [...] It is also the first tea producing country in the world which introduced nation branding with Ceylon Tea linked to the Lion logo symbol. [...] The promotion of Ceylon tea linked to the lion logo the symbol of quality, which is the trademark of the Sri Lanka Tea Board.
Vatican Diplomacy: Pope Francis Sends New Year Greeting to China
Pope Francis in his first-ever interview on China has sent greetings to president Xi Jinping and the people of China. The interview was given to the online daily Asia Times, Hong Kong. [...] The leader of 1.2 billion Roman Catholics talked about his admiration for the country and avoided sensitive issues like human rights. Pope Francis emphasized on the common interest of China and Vatican and creating an environment for better relationship
Nihilists, Beware
The Obama Administration has announced a new communications effort to counteract the “messaging” of ISIS. The new “Center for Global Engagement,” to be located at the State Department, will be charged with “counter-messaging” ISIS (ISIL) communications. The task of the center can be simply stated: to persuade those who might follow ISIS or other terrorist groups that following them is a very wrong idea.
'What Do We Need? Love': Students in Syria Tell UK Kids About Life in School
Students in Syria have been discussing their education with their counterparts over in the UK on Skype, and both groups have learnt a great deal about their foreign peers.
Obama Visits Mosque In U.S. For First Time During His Presidency
President Obama is delivering remarks at a mosque in Baltimore on Wednesday afternoon, in the first visit to an American mosque he's made during his presidency. His visit, which will also include a roundtable with Muslim community members, is intended to "reaffirm the importance of religious freedom" to life in America, the White House says.
Ghana to Host Diplomatic Fair in May
Ghana will host the third Annual Diplomatic Fair, which was formally known as Embassy Fair from May 24 to May 26, 2016 at the Accra International Conference Centre. The Fair is being organised by Precise Communications Limited in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration and the office of the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps in Ghana.
Social Media: Destroyer or Creator?
Over the last few years we’ve been treated to a number of “Facebook revolutions,” from the Arab Spring to Occupy Wall Street to the squares of Istanbul, Kiev and Hong Kong, all fueled by social media. But once the smoke cleared, most of these revolutions failed to build any sustainable new political order, in part because as so many voices got amplified, consensus-building became impossible. Question: Does it turn out that social media is better at breaking things than at making things?
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