The USA Pavilion at the 2010 Shanghai World Expo has a thick skin. While critics have taken shots at its uninspired design and the politics behind its construction, the curiously overlooked question is how the Pavilion experience fares in the minds of visitors. Unlike any other Pavilion at the Expo, the U.S.

CPD Blogs on Expo Shanghai 2010

Pakistan has been submerged by the worst flooding in the country‘s history and an estimated 1/5th of the country remain underwater. The United Nations has appealed for nearly $460 million in emergency aid for victims as an estimated 20 million people have been affected-with 2,000 killed and millions left homeless. The natural disaster has led to much international discussion about humanitarian relief and aid diplomacy. The following is an aggregation of PDiN stories related to the floods in Pakistan and aid diplomacy:

After the final match of the 2010 World Cup games ended on July 11 there was much discussion regarding the impact of hosting such a monumental event on South Africa. Criticism focused on the vast socioeconomic inequalities that remain in the country and doubted that the World Cup provided any relief to these differences.

A now famous cartoon from 1993 showed two dogs, one sitting at a computer and saying to another sitting on the floor, “On the Internet, no one knows you‘re a dog.” The simple statement captured the anonymity and ambiguity made possible by the Internet and highlighted the new ability to transcend geography, language, culture, and time (and species for the literate pet).

PDiN Monitor’s focus on Entertainment Diplomacy for the month of October has brought to light a number of initiatives taken on by nations attempting to engage in this special type of cultural diplomacy. Musical performances, artist showcases and a variety of dance recitals have all been used in order to promote national images and culture. From Asia to the Carib-bean, entertainment is being featured to attract foreign audiences. Below is a selection of stories related to Entertainment Diplomacy aggregated by CPD‟s PDiN Research Team.

The London 2012 Olympics—what an exciting place to be! The two of us (Sulagna Misra and Kia Hays, MPD class of 2013) were able to experience this first hand. We traveled to London during the Olympics as a part of Sulagna’s final practicum project, which is a short interview-based documentary on Olympic fans. While there, we found that some of the most intriguing settings were the National Hospitality Houses scattered throughout the city.

The inclusion of two women in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s team for the Olympic Games in London meant that – for the first time—every participating country included female athletes.