Today marks the official launch of CPD's Water Diplomacy Initiative. The Initiative will feature a number of events and publications on Water Diplomacy and continuing research activity addressing a range of water diplomacy issues.

This thumb-shaped spit of sand on the Persian Gulf has emerged as the most dynamic Arab country... Its clout is a lesson in what can be gained with some of the world’s largest gas reserves, the region’s most influential news network in Al Jazeera, an array of contacts, and policy-making in an absolute monarchy vested in the hands of one man, its emir, Sheik Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani.

Culture, as an underlying force that shapes global public diplomacy, remains curiously unexplored. Most focus on the positive, visible side of culture. As a soft power resource, culture is often viewed as a product for export that can help improve a country’s image. In cultural diplomacy, culture is a vehicle for bringing people together.

APDS Blogger: Anna Dawson

China’s insistence on treating investment strictly as a government-to-government affair, ignoring the sentiments of inhabitants on the ground, could undermine this. Its refusal to acknowledge public opinion on a continent where mass political consciousness is awakening could cost it dearly in the long run.

During International Education Week, the U.S. Department of State highlights existing efforts to attract future leaders from abroad...All U.S. embassies and consulates expedite visa processing for foreign students to ensure qualified students are able to begin their academic program on time.

As part of its cultural diplomacy program, the U.S. embassy brought the FEW Collective, a hip-hop troupe from Chicago, to Islamabad, where they danced, rapped and recited poetry to a Westernized, educated elite audience of young Pakistanis.