As Secretary of State John Kerry has pointed out, “Now more than ever, economic policy is foreign policy.” Rivkin’s appointment to lead the Economic and Business Affairs bureau comes after a long, entrepreneurial career in the entertainment industry, making him the first non-career bilateral ambassador to hold the position. 

2014 marked the ninth annual Summer Institute in Public Diplomacy, ran by the USC Center on Public Diplomacy at the Annenberg School. 

This intensive two-week training program allowed professionals from across the globe to immerse themselves in the growing field of public diplomacy. The Summer Institute equipped students with tools to better understand the role of public diplomacy, analyzed the impact of new communication technologies, and employ innovative approaches for improving the image and impact of their country or organization.

In recent weeks, warfare in Burma’s Kachin State has increased and is now making its way closer to the Burma-China border. While the international community has paid little attention to the Kachin conflict over the past few years, understanding its complexity is now more important than ever. Failing to do so could have dire implications on the lives of Kachin women, and on diplomatic relations in the region.

Hawaiian slack key guitar ensemble Keola Beamer toured Brazil in April with the American Music Abroad program. CPD Blogger Paul Rockower describes what happened next.

American Film Showcase, a joint project of the U.S. State Department and USC School of Cinematic Arts, held a private discussion with the members from APDS. AFS is a unique cultural diplomacy initiative which screens provocative (and often critical of the U.S.) documentaries abroad, and engages local filmmaking communities in 25-35 locations each year including China, Israel and Palestine, Pakistan, Algeria, Vietnam, Venezuela, Armenia, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe.

I was delighted to read the CPD Blog written by Anja Eifert on