Marketing Sri Lanka's image abroad using the basics of public affairs, public diplomacy and strategic communication, as Sri Lankan watchers have observed, seems to be a dueling task for Sri Lankan authorities.

America's top diplomat, the president's closest ally on foreign policy formulation and execution, and the most influential cabinet member in the Obama administration Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton strongly believes that the ethnic Diasporas using the American soil to promote human rights, democracy and good governance in their former homelands have lot of credibility.

The resolution on Sri Lanka at the recently held UNHRC secessions in Geneva has caused Sri Lanka to reassess the effectiveness of its investment in the deployment of diplomatic capital - its soft power. A direct consequence of this assessment has been to summon Heads of Sri Lankan Mission for a briefing by the President who emphasized the need to focus on Public Diplomacy and to realign its missions abroad.

Where nations were once connected through emissaries and traders, they are now networked through millions of citizens by tools such as fibre optics... Information flows have become multidirectional with a multitude of media platforms that have mushroomed increasing direct communications, greater access to information, information sharing, and greater outreach.

The British Council Colombo has served as the educational bridge between Sri Lanka and the United Kingdom for some 60 years now, specializing in language studies, and strengthening educational and cultural exchange between the two nations. Now it is preparing to undergo a complete refurbishment.

@america is the State Department’s newest and most innovative American Center and is located in a popular shopping mall in downtown Jakarta. American Centers are public places where the U.S. Government engages with foreign publics through a variety of outreach activities...

The U.S. State Department significantly lacks expertise, diplomatic and intelligence tools. Inadequate developed techniques to propel its overseas diplomatic missions for wider reach to engage with diverse community leaders and communities in the periphery.

Cultural exchanges take place periodically at the regional level...Sri Lanka has a rich heritage of cultural resources. We will increasingly focus on public diplomacy and cultural exchanges. It also relates to smart power and soft power.