Cultural Diplomacy

Turkey's National Education Minister Nabi Avci said on Thursday, "Palestine is the name of an honorable and prideful struggle for life."
He added, "this struggle will reach victory via works to be held in fields of education and culture."

Pope Francis chose to engage in “a silent diplomacy” to help victims of Argentina’s ‘dirty war’ rather than lead a public outcry, according to an Argentine Nobel Peace Prize laureate.

Oklahoma's musical ambassador, Kyle Dillingham, and his trio Horseshoe Road, who are gearing up for a series of performances in Taiwan, said Thursday in Taipei that they "are excited to be here."

For any of you worried about North Korea, Dennis Rodman has some words of reassurance: Despite what you may have heard about the oppressive and isolated regime, it’s “pretty much like any other country.” On Tuesday, the retired NBA player turned global ambassador paid his second visit to “The Tonight Show” in the space the of a month. When last we saw "the Worm" on Jay Leno’s couch, he was erratic and emotional over the death of Lakers owner Jerry Buss.

Bar Refaeli's appearance in a new pro-Israel campaign has prompted an official letter from the Israeli Defense Forces to the Foreign Ministry complaining about Refaeli's lack of military service. Israeli law requires all citizens over 18 to enlist — women must serve for two years, men for three — but Refaeli managed to avoid conscription in 2007 by briefly marrying a family friend so that she could continue her modeling career.

Recent Culture Posts have highlighted “relationalism,” which emphasizes relations, and by extension, networks. The term network is appearing with greater frequency in all things related to public diplomacy. It seems only a few years ago that Jessica T. Matthew was lamenting the fate of state actors as entrenched hierarchies in “Power Shifts". Now Manuel Castell’s work on network power pervades the scholarly literature. Anne-Marie Slaughter’s network vision drives policy analyses.

Recent Culture Posts have highlighted “relationalism,” which emphasizes relations, and by extension, networks. The term network is appearing with greater frequency in all things related to public diplomacy. It seems only a few years ago that Jessica T. Matthew was lamenting the fate of state actors as entrenched hierarchies in “Power Shifts".

Bao Yuan Dumpling House, a modest eatery near the U.S. embassy in Beijing, has long been a favorite among foodie expats for its mind-boggling variety of dumplings available at very affordable prices. On March 19, humble Bao Yuan — with its dusty red lanterns, cracked linoleum and heaping bowls of raw garlic cloves should you wish to spice up the meal — played host to a rather august personage: U.S. Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew, who was in town for talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping that ranged from China’s trade surplus to cybersecurity concerns.

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