Cultural Diplomacy

"Sport is the conquest of the revolution," reads the sign looming over the outfield of Havana's Estadio Latinoamericano, the island's main stadium and hallowed ground for Cuban baseball fans [...] The bare-bones stadium is the setting of one President Barack Obama's most anticipated events during his historic visit: taking in a baseball game between the Cuban National Team and the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday.

A famous Belgian statue has become a symbol of defiance in the wake of the attacks in Brussels that took place Tuesday morning. The Manneken Pis is a well-known bronze sculpture in Brussels of a small child urinating into a fountain.

With instruments made of bamboo, plant-based face paints, and skirts woven from local fauna, groups at Guinea Bissau's Carnival dance competition displayed the biodiversity of their country […]"I think when you protect your culture, you are protecting the environment [...] There's a strong connection between the environment and the culture of this country" [...] said Rita Le, a spokeswoman for the carnival committee

Dr Barclay Ayakoroma, the Executive Secretary, National Institute for Cultural Orientation(NICO) says Nollywood movies should be used as a cultural diplomacy to foster mutual understanding with countries to enhance national development. Ayakoroma made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday, in Abuja.

In a vast parking lot outside Cambodia’s famed Angkor Wat temples complex stands a new museum built by North Korea, part of a lucrative charm offensive by a hermit state exporting its monumental art to a handful of foreign allies.

Terming India an “affordable destination” for quality education, HRD minister Smriti Irani today said the release of rankings of educational institutions and decision by IITs to hold entrance tests abroad will draw more foreign students to the country. Speaking at an event organised by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) here, Irani spoke of the importance of educational and cultural diplomacy. 

French food has evolved over the years to become the foremost representative of France’s culture, to the extent that Unesco declared French cuisine as a ‘world intangible cultural heritage’ in 2010.

 

Pakistan’s Ambassador to the UN, Dr Maleeha Lodhi said the concert is an effort to project Pakistan’s soft image and present the country’s rich culture. ‘Public diplomacy is the most effective way to win hearts and minds’ and this aims to do just that.

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