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.

Turkish TV Dramas Play Key Role in ‘Soft Power,’ Says Culture Minister

Turkey’s exports of home-grown television dramas play a key role in wielding “soft power” across the region, a Turkish culture minister has said.  By creating a lasting influence on Turkey’s image in the region, popular dramas are among the country’s most well-known economic and cultural exports, said Turkish Minister of Culture and Tourism Ömer Çelik June 12.

Tags: turkey, media, soft power, Cultural Diplomacy

Diminished France Loses Influence in Europe

It's not a good sign when the leader of a G7 nation feels the need to state his country still matters.  That is precisely what French President Francois Hollande did at a meeting of European Union leaders last month after his Socialist party's humiliating defeat by the hard right National Front in European Parliament elections.

Tags: france, soft power, europe, european union

UK Sends Humanitarian Team to Iraq

Britain has deployed a humanitarian team in Iraq to assess the needs of civilians fleeing the violent takeover of parts of the country by Islamist extremists, International Development Secretary Justine Greening has announced.

Tags: united kingdom, iraq, foreign assistance, aid diplomacy

The Danger to Voice of America is Maintaining the Status Quo

While our foes are working 24/7 to demonize the United States, the management of our international broadcasting meets once a month. Former secretary of state Hillary Clinton rightfully called U.S. international broadcasting “practically defunct.”

Tags: united states, international broadcasting, voice of america

Ethiopia to Send Delegation to Egypt

Ethiopia will send a public diplomacy delegation to Egypt soon to boost the people-to-people relation, said Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  According to the minister Dr Tedros Adhanom the delegation is expected to enhance the overall diplomatic relations with Egypt.

Tags: ethiopia, egypt, africa, public diplomacy, government pd

A Doctrine of Economic Levers, Soft Power

Those who had expected the Modi foreign policy doctrine to be defined by a new muscularity will probably be disappointed. Instead, it suggests a thoughtful understanding of smart power, an integrated approach that will best serve India in a complex, interdependent world.

Tags: india, south asia, foreign policy, soft power, smart power

Sports Events Boost Nations: Opposing View

While mega-events can involve colossal facilities of little use post-event, they can also provide reputational benefits and be seen as an investment in a nation's brand.

Tags: sports diplomacy, Cultural Diplomacy, olympics, world cup, nation branding

The Bizarre Reason the Rest of the World Hates the Word "Soccer"

Every time the World Cup rolls around, the rest of the world likes to remind Americans that the sport is called football, not soccer. And while the United States' usage ofsoccer may seem as strange as its reliance on the imperial system instead of metric units, some of the hate might be unwarranted. A recent University of Michigan study traced the popularity of both terms for the sport and found that despite the prevalence of the word soccer in England between the 1960s and the 1980s, a lot of people consider it a uniquely American term and respond to it with "anger and frustration."

Tags: united states, united kingdom, soccer, public opinion, cultural hegemony, history & theory

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