Cultural Diplomacy
President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama will host "Jazz at the White House," airing on International Jazz Day, Saturday, April 30 (8-9pm EST), on ABC. The one-hour primetime television special will feature an extraordinary array of artists from around the world paying tribute to the truly American art form of jazz.
‘Soft power” refers to winning people over on the basis of cultural appeal and ethical values [...]. It’s by no means a novel concept, but it has particular contemporary relevance in a fractious, crowded, pluralistic world. MuseumNext is a peripatetic series of conferences on the future of museums that begins its Dublin iteration today. Among the subjects it will address is the idea of museums as agents of soft power.
Even as China increases its footprint in Cameroon through its language institutes and companies, locals are divided on how these facilities are impacting their lives. While youth welcome them as cultural bridges and windows of opportunity for jobs [...] What is most worrying is a growing feeling that these language schools may make local youth lose their moorings, confidence, belief and identity
In spite of persistent conflict and the rapidly changing political configurations across the Middle East, Arab countries must galvanise around their common interests [...] Additionally, a shared language, cultural affinity and a rich resource base must act as rallying points to bring the region together.
Last October, President Xi visited the National Football Museum during his state visit to the UK. Moore recounted the cultural exchange: “I gave to the President as a gift from the National Football Museum a copy of the hand- written laws from 1863, and he gave me a gift of a replica Cuju ball.”
Swedish Ambassador to Nigeria Svante Kilander says the embassy will collaborate with Nigeria to enhance works of arts and cultural relationship between both countries.[...] He noted that works of arts, especially poetry “is a strong tool for preaching culture and societal issues.
The latest U.S. delegation planning a Cuba trip since the thaw in relations is a government cultural mission that will include Usher, Smokey Robinson, and Lourdes Lopez, artistic director of the Miami City Ballet. [...] The delegation hopes to identify more opportunities for people-to-people artistic and cultural collaborations.
Secretary of State John Kerry exhorted Miami Dade Honors College students to pursue an inclusive American dream that includes “what our country stands for internationally.” [...] To encourage freedom, he said, the United States wants to help “the Cuban people to begin a new chapter in their history.”