3. Summary
Definitions
Aims of cultural diplomacy
‘Soft power’ – definitions and examples
New concept of ‘smart power’
Instruments of cultural diplomacy
The concept of ‘nation brand’
Nation brand management
4. Cultural Diplomacy Definition
Cultural diplomacy is one of the
means by which a country
increases its visibility on the global
stage and gains political and
economic influence.
5. Cultural Diplomacy
It is a Type of public diplomacy and soft power that includes the
“exchange of ideas, information, art and other aspects of
culture among nations and their peoples in order to foster
mutual understanding.”
It is the third pillar of foreign policy alongside political diplomacy
and economic diplomacy.
More focused on the longer term and less on specific policy
matters.
6. Overall Process Of Evolution:
Ambassador to court.
Ambassador to ambassador.
Ambassador to opinion formers (outside the embassy).
Ambassador to general public (through cultural diplomacy agencies).
Nation to world (through all available channels)
7. The Evolution of Cultural Diplomacy
Ambassador to Court:
In the diplomatic mission, whereby ambassadors have developed a way of maintaining contact
and influence with foreign allies and their courts. The system first consisted of a government
spokesperson represented at court with the sole intention of influencing the leader.
Ambassador to Ambassador:
As diplomatic missions grew, over time ambassadors related to each other as professional
colleagues, friends and rivals, and a parallel communication channel of ambassador to ambassador
opened up, with allies working together to influence the government of the country in which they
resided.
8. Cont…
Ambassador to Opinion Formers:
A major change was the development of communication between the embassy and a
limited, wider non-diplomatic public, such as business leaders and opinion formers, including
the press and other parts of the media.
Ambassador to General Public:
Diplomatic missions became more involved with the general public through activities such as
language and cultural training, and the promotion of cultural events and trade missions.
They now have become engaged not only through radio and TV but through websites, emails
and blogs.
9. Cont…
Nation to World:
The final stage in this evolution has been the emergence of the embassies
supporting trade missions and of the foreign ministry as the coordinator of
trade initiatives.
10. Soft Power
“A means of educating the general
public and present and future decision-
makers to think favorably about the
country whose country offerings they
are enjoying.”
(Nye, 2004: 4–5).
11. Soft Power
Joseph Nye coined the term "soft power" in the late 1980s.
Soft power lies in the ability to attract and persuade non-military means. Whereas hard
power—the ability to coerce (force)—grows out of a country's military or economic might,
soft power arises from the attractiveness of a country's culture, political ideals,
and policies.
12. Soft Power Cont…
Nye argues that the use of diplomacy in promoting the culture of one group of people to another
creates greater awareness and helps develop interaction between the two cultures through cultural
activities.
The important point is that this interaction must be a two-way process. ‘Soft’ power can also be used to
help a country ‘punch above its weight’ and develop a stronger international identity.
13. Soft Power Examples
a free media with worldwide reach (for example, the BBC World Service);
advanced technology, particularly the export thereof;
active concern for the environment on the global stage
hosting major events (for example, the Summer Olympic Games, the football World Cup and heads
of government meetings)
evidence of social harmony and welfare provision in a democratic society.
well-developed educational services (for example, university exchanges, scholarships, English
language teaching and the British Council);
14. The new concept of ‘smart’
power, a combination of ‘hard’
power and ‘soft’ power, has been
introduced.
Smart Power
15. Smart Power
The term ‘smart’ power was first coined after the invasion of Iraq as a more feasible alternative to the neo-
conservatism of the Bush administration.
According to Nye, America must ‘learn to cooperate and listen if it is to become a “welcomed world
leader”’.
He defines ‘smart’ power as: ‘The power to persuade other countries to do what the USA wants.’
Examples can include the formation of NATO, the post-Second World War Marshall Plan and global
free trade (Nye, 2009).
16. Instruments of Cultural Diplomacy
Cultural Missions
Language And Education
The Arts
Science And Technology
Tourist Sites And National Attractions
Airlines
Gastronomy
Sport
National Heroes And Heroines
Diasporas
18. Cultural Missions
Cultural missions are bodies specifically created for the purpose of
cultural diplomacy.
They are now taking on a wider role, especially in countries where
diplomatic relations are not well established. Much of what is done in
fostering cultural relations has long-term aims and benefits.
19. Cultural Missions Example
The British Council:
The British Council operates in over 100 countries and is the overseas cultural arm of the UK
government.
It is responsible for building mutually beneficial relations with other countries and providing an
up-to-date picture of life in the UK.
The Council provides cultural exchanges, exhibitions, education, including English language
courses and teaching material, scholarships, consultancy and the provision of teachers.
The British Council has positioned itself as a cultural relations agency rather than as an
agency of cultural diplomacy. It increasingly sees its role as bringing peoples together, mainly
through the medium of English as an international language.
21. Language and Education
English is recognized as the major language of global communication as well as a lingua
franca. It has also produced a major international industry in English language learning
and in teacher training.
Cultural diplomacy often takes the form of cultural exchanges and scholarships as well
as the provision of English language teachers overseas.
For example, the large number of short summer courses or ‘learning holidays’ that
draw many young people from around the world to the projecting country.
22. The Arts
Culture is often associated with the arts, in
particular with ‘high art’, which can include
exhibitions of paintings and sculpture and
the performing arts of theatre, film, classical
opera and ballet.
The ‘high art’ events are often targeted at a
country’s educational elite. However, equally
important are more widely popular events
such as film festivals, pop music and
fashion.
23. Science and Technology
Although relatively few agencies
have invested in it, the widespread
knowledge of a country’s advanced
level of science and technology can
have a very positive impact on a
country’s image.
24. Non-governmental Organizations
Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) play an important role in the
economic development of developing countries. They provide services to society through
welfare works for community development, assistance in national disasters, sustainable
system development, and popular movements.
NGO activities include, but are not limited to, environmental, social, advocacy and human rights
work. They can work to promote social or political change on a broad scale or very
locally. NGOs play a critical part in developing society, improving communities, and promoting
citizen participation.
For instance, EDHI. BINGO: business-friendly international NGO (example: Red Cross) ENGO:
environmental NGO (Greenpeace and World Wildlife Fund)
26. Tourism
Tourism promotion is another area which helps
to raise a country’s profile.
It is primarily aimed at increasing the number of
people visiting the country.
It is controlled by national agencies who are
able to build the image of the projected country.
28. Airlines
“Designing a national airline is the closest
you can come to branding a country.”
“Airlines will fly both domestic and international passengers, so it's important to design something
that on the one hand, gives domestic passengers a sense of home, of the familiar, and for
international passengers offers them a glimpse of what awaits them.”
By ‘flying the flag’, a national airline can carry a nation’s name and values around the world.
The flags are important to countries not only because it describes the authority and power of the
nation but also because it is a symbol of peace and unity of all the people inside its vicinity.
30. Gastronomy
Gastronomy is the study of the relationship between food and culture, the art of preparing and
serving rich or delicate and appetizing food, the cooking styles of particular regions, and the
science of good eating.
The French have made gastronomy into an art form. French cuisine and French wines are well
known and highly regarded throughout the world.
Culinary diplomacy is now a well- recognized form of ‘soft power’ and is actively promoted. For
example, Indian and Chinese restaurants, by contrast, appear in many countries as a result of
private enterprise, rather than as any form of government policy.
31. Broadcasting
International broadcasting is broadcasting that is
deliberately aimed at a foreign, rather than a domestic,
audience.
Broadcasting has a long history as a means of cultural
diplomacy.
BBC is the world’s largest
international broadcaster, with an
audience of 180 million on radio, TV
and online and it continues to
broadcast language services in 28
languages.
32. Sports
As part of popular culture, hosting or achieving
good results in high- profile international sports
events have a major impact on national image, for
example, the Olympic Games and the FIFA World
Cup.
33. National Heroes and Heroines
The use of sporting ‘icons’ and the cult of celebrities have been used to
achieve cultural influence.
The list of heroes and heroines, both past and present, could include Churchill
and Nelson for the UK, Mahatma Gandhi for India and Nelson Mandela for
South Africa.
34.
35. Nation Brand Management
A brand is a set of rational and emotional benefits and experiences that enable a
product to command a premium in its chosen market.
Anholt and Hildreth (2004) suggest that cultural diplomacy can be legitimately
characterized as part of a ‘nation brand’, a term Anholt originally coined in 1998.
Another way of describing a brand is a name, term, sign or combination of these that is
intended to identify the goods and services of one business or organization and to
differentiate it from those of its competitors.
36. Nation Brand Management
Nation brand management is something that a nation uses to project its
image, employing the instruments of cultural diplomacy. It aims to help a
country raise its international profile through imaginative policies of
promoting diplomatic, economic, entertainment and sporting prowess.
37. Aims of Nation Brand Management
creation of a positive, confident self-image of a country;
achievement of greater political acceptability, respect and influence
internationally;
raising export potential;
increasing attraction as a destination for inward investment;
increasing tourism and tourism-generated income.
38. Instruments of nation branding
A number of international political and sporting events and institutions can have an influence
on how a country is seen overseas. These include the following:
political – influence with other heads of state;
economic – for example membership of the WTO;
entertainment – the development of a national film industry with export
potential, such as Bollywood in India, French and British cinema, and
Hollywood in the USA;
sport – hosting a leading international sporting event, such as the World
Athletics Championships, the Wimbledon Tennis Championships and
the Olympic Games.
40. The Importance of the Olympic Games
The Summer Olympic Games have become one of the pre-eminent ways
of focusing global attention on a city or a country, raising its profile,
attracting foreign visitors and encouraging investment.
There is a symbiotic relationship between the existing brand image of a
candidate city and the new brand image created by hosting the Olympic
Games.
41. The Importance of the Olympic Games
When considering the location for the Olympic Games, the International Olympic Committee
takes into account factors such as the following:
the population of the country must support the bid and be prepared to
make it work;
the country must have significant tourism potential;
the country must have a foreign and domestic policy that is compliant
with the Olympic ideal.
42. The Importance of the Olympic Games
In any international sporting event, Anholt points out, national image or
‘brand’ can strongly influence the choice of host country for a wide range of
business decisions, including major sporting and cultural events.
43. Conclusion
Cultural diplomacy can play an important part in raising a country’s profile and as the ‘third pillar’
of foreign policy. It can also increase influence in international affairs, stimulate exports and attract
inward investment.
The main instruments of cultural diplomacy include cultural missions, language and education,
broadcasting, national airlines, the arts, science and technology, gastronomy, sport, national
heroes and heroines.
44. Conclusion
Cultural diplomacy is now well established as an important tool in the work of diplomacy and
international NGOs and will continue to be developed in creating good relationships between
international actors.
The concept of the ‘country of origin effect’ has had an impact on much more than simply a
country’s exported products. It also impacts on its people, culture, ideas and government policies,
attracting tourists, talent and investors. This 360-degree expansion of the ‘country of origin effect’ is
what Anholt calls ‘nation brand’.
Editor's Notes
Naam hi kafi hai
Anholt has evolved the concept of the nation brand hexagon. A country’s image is formed by a wide range of factors represented in the hexagon.
