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.
Surfboard Diplomacy: Tony Abbott Wants to Ensure Barack Obama is Australia’s Best Mate
Tony Abbott has revealed a secret and unlikely admiration for the world’s most powerful leader, describing Barack Obama as an “extraordinarily gifted man” and a potential friend to rival past presidents. But as the PM headed into his first official talks with the US President in Washington today, he pulled no punches in saying he would aggressively push for a historic strengthening of US-Australian relations.
New Orleans Chef and Musicians Practice Cultural Diplomacy in Russia
Liz Williams, executive director of the Southern Food and Beverage Museum, and Ryan Hughes, who will be the chef at the museum's restaurant Purloo, have traveled to Moscow to build good will through good eats, reports the Advocate. Williams and Hughes are part of a delegation funded by the U.S. State Department that also includes musicians Donald Harrison Jr., Keith Frank and the KIPP McDonogh 15 Middle School marching band.
USAID and GIZ to Support PAC
A statement from the Public Affairs Section of the United States Embassy said under a concluded agreement, USAID and GIZ would make available funds and technical assistance to PAC for the implementation of capacity building activities, advisory services, public hearings, and peer learning with public accounts committees of other West African countries.
A Different Kind of Drug 'Deal'
Information that was routinely released during the Calderón years is now locked away, including some basic information on the cartels. The government instead talks up its political and economic reforms as “Mexico’s Moment,” in what is little more than a public-relations effort to brush the continuing violence under the rug.
Featured Expert Opinions: Will the World Cup Help Brazil’s Soft Power?
As Brazil prepares for the World Cup kick-off this Thursday, CPD asked a few experts from the public diplomacy community for their thoughts on what hosting the tournament means for Brazil’s soft power.
Brazil’s Post-World Cup Legacy: Ignore FIFA
Brazil’s hosting of the 2014 FIFA World Cup was perceived as an economic, political and soft power coup for the country when it was announced as the host in late 2007. But it has become mired in labor disputes, not-yet-completed infrastructure, laughable gaffes, deadly accidents and massive social unrest.
Hundreds of Thousands of Travelers Urged to Boycott Botswana
A worldwide advertising campaign calling for a boycott of tourism to Botswana, launched by Survival International - the global movement for tribal peoples' rights - has reached hundreds of thousands of travelers. The ad has been published in international travel and lifestyle magazines including Wired, Escapism, Departures and Centurion magazines in France, Italy, Austria, Germany, Japan, and the U.K.
New Book Suggests Failures of Peacebuilding Linked to Habits of the Well-Intentioned
At the heart of Séverine Autesserre’s new book is a conundrum: If international peacebuilders are well-meaning people versed in the latest approaches to conflict resolution, why do their efforts so often come up short? Unsatisfied with the usual explanations (such as a lack of funding and resources from powerful states), Autesserre embarked on an ambitious project to interview hundreds of UN officials, NGO workers, and local staff in conflict zones around the world in order to study “the everyday” : their daily work routines, their standard security procedures, and even their social habits
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