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.
Don’t Just Zap Space Aliens. Change the World.
Since 2004, Games for Change, a nonprofit group, has designed and promoted games that inspire players not to zap space aliens but instead to change the world for the better. In the first game released by the group, called PeaceMaker, gamers were invited to broker peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians.
UK Academics Sever Ties with Israeli Universities
University professors in the United Kingdom say they will halt all cooperation with Israeli schools in an effort to draw attention to Israel's violations of international law. In a statement released on Tuesday, 343 UK academics announced that they would no longer accept invitations to visit Israeli academic institutions, act as referees in any of their processes, or participate in conferences funded or organized by them.
China Rides the Rails of Ethiopia's Development
Ethiopia's Addis Ababa Rail project opened last month to the delight of excited residents of the country's capital. The $475m urban rail project [...] is one of the most obvious examples of Beijing's huge role in Ethiopia's infrastructure development. The world's most populous nation has also built dams, roads, and factories in Ethiopia, and even gifted Addis Ababa the African Union headquarters, which cost $200m.
Cultural Diplomacy to be on Display during India-Africa Forum Summit
India’s rich cultural heritage will be at show when the third India-Africa Forum Summit gets underway on Tuesday. Apart from a cultural event during the banquet being hosted by the President for the visiting dignitaries, a mix of Indian traditional cultural exposure to monuments as well as a modern fashion show, which will highlight the handlooms of Varanasi [...]
China Releases another Bizarre Propaganda Video Celebrating its Latest Five-Year Plan
2015 has already seen several Chinese propaganda videos, from foreign students falling in love with President Xi Jinping to Britain and China being “closer thank you think”; but this video is the most bizarre (until the next). The state news agency, Xinhua, tweeted the video above with the caption: “Wanna know what China’s gonna do? Best pay attention to the 十三五! See why it matters”.
Africa: Soft Power through Banking - ExIm Bank Provides U.S. Valuable Influence
The debate over the reauthorization of the Export-Import Bank of the United States tends to focus on big business and American workers: To opponents it represents "crony capitalism" and "corporate welfare," supporters point to the American jobs and tax dollars it seeds. But there's another way to think about it: Ex-Im, as small as it is, represents an excellent vehicle for advancing America's foreign policy interests.
How I Became a Science Diplomat
When I finally finished my Ph.D. program after 11 years of training for a research career in the biomedical sciences, I couldn’t help feeling that something was missing. I grew up convinced that science was the best tool we had to improve the world... Then I learned about science diplomacy.
Asia-Pacific Culture Day Showcases Regional Ties
The 2015 Asia-Pacific Culture Day concluded Oct. 25 at Taipei Main Station, demonstrating the government’s commitment to fostering stronger ties between Taiwan and its partners throughout the region.
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