cultural heritage
On November 2, Bruce Gregory published the most recent edition of his periodic public diplomacy reading list. Known affectionately at CPD as "Bruce's List," it is a compilation of books, journal articles, papers, and blogs on a wide variety of PD topics, and features a number of CPD scholars. Highlights in this edition include:
The award, the Cultural Heritage Rescue Prize, was established by Francesco Rutelli, of Italy’s Associazione Priorità Cultura and the Institute for Cultural Diplomacy in Berlin, to reward “the courage and determination of those fighting to preserve culture as universal heritage,” according to the organizers, who decided to give the inaugural award to a person or organization involved in the Syrian conflict.
Chief Executive of the Ministry for Culture and Heritage, Lewis Holden led the New Zealand delegation at the second Edinburgh International Culture Summit, held at the Scottish Parliament last week. New Zealand was one of 25 international government delegations brought together with speakers, arts leaders and culture experts from across the world.
Thousands of cups of Hong Kong's "silk-stocking" milk tea will be served to visitors at an exhibition in Taiwan showcasing the city's cultural heritage. Intangible cultural heritage will take centre stage at Hong Kong Week 2014 in Taipei, the third annual showcase presented by the Hong Kong-Taiwan Cultural Cooperation Committee. The October 17 to November 2 exhibition will feature 480 items that best represent the Hong Kong community and provide cultural continuity.
Traditional Japanese cuisine, known as washoku, is now an intangible cultural heritage, according to the United Nations. Tofu, mochi and miso are a few examples, but it's the buckwheat noodle, or soba, that many consider the humble jewel of Japanese cuisine. It's not easy to find in the U.S., but one Los Angeles woman is helping preserve the craft of making soba.
The Cyrus Cylinder, a small clay object dated from the sixth century B.C.E. and covered in Babylonian cuneiform script of an imperial decree by King Cyrus of Persia, is considered by many to be a powerful symbol of cultural and religious tolerance. Its international touring exhibition, spearheaded by the British Museum, has drawn broad global attention and is, by most measures, a resounding success.
Furthermore, political movements such as the youth group Nashi have harassed Estonia’s diplomats and vandalized its websites, while “soft-power” organizations like Russkiy Mir (Russian World) actively work to promote cultural and linguistic ties to the homeland.