Evan Lysacek, the 2010 Olympic gold medalist in men’s figure skating was recently named as a sports envoy for the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs department. He just concluded a whirlwind visit to Stockholm, Sweden, and Minsk, Belarus.

State-controlled Belarusian Radio has reportedly banned a popular glasnost-era Soviet song by rebellious rocker Viktor Tsoi. When it was first released in 1986, "Peremen" (Change), was seen as a call to the younger Soviet generation to demand political change, and Soviet authorities tried to restrict it.

Public diplomacy is a tool with long-term benefits that are often difficult to measure. Public diplomacy is of limited value in short-term crisis situations. However, during a prolonged struggle, such as the Cold War, a sustained public diplomacy program can have profound effects. One public diplomacy program that is currently in play that bears watching is Poland's efforts with respects to its totalitarian neighbor of Belarus.

One of the more poorly understood aspects of public diplomacy is that it is not a tool for short-term policy goals. Public diplomacy is a tool with long-term benefits that are often difficult to measure. Public diplomacy is of limited value in short-term crisis situations. However, during a prolonged struggle, such as the Cold War, a sustained public diplomacy program can have profound effects. One public diplomacy program that is currently in play that bears watching is Poland's efforts with respects to its totalitarian neighbor of Belarus.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus commented on the decision of Germany and Estonia to make free national visas for Belarusians. According to the spokesman of the Republic of Belarus Andrei Savinykh, Belarus will able to convey the truth about the situation in the country to the Europeans "at least at the level of public diplomacy."