Category:Cultural Diplomacy & the Global Economy

Cultural Diplomacy in the Global Economy

“Cultural Diplomacy may best be described as a course of actions which are based on and utilize the exchange of ideas, values, traditions and other aspects of culture or identity. Whether to strengthen relationships enhance socio-cultural coorporation or promote national interests. Cultural diplomacy can be practiced by either the public sector, private sector or civil society.” (Constantinescu, 2012)

Cultural diplomacy is relied upon to establish a level of trust and dialogue among those involved. The target audience for Cultural Diplomacy is people from all walks of life: all ages, professions, races, social and cultural groups. Contact is an integral part of Cultural Diplomacy as it facilitates access to intercultural dialogue and talks, thus allowing people to learn more about one another and their cultures. This not only helps break down prejudices but also informs and raises awareness. Cultural diplomacy is a two-way concept. By improving the knowledge and awareness of each other’s cultures, it can facilitate interaction and sustainable cooperation.

In the contemporary economic system, globalization has re-structured the rules of bilateral and multilateral trade and investment in such a way that economic growth requires more than just financial exchange; it requires diplomacy, cooperation, and cultural understanding in order to be successful. As the global financial crisis has demonstrated, the global economy influences all areas of our lives. It is intimately connected to issues such as global activity against climate change, extreme poverty, immigration and integration, healthcare, development, education, and culture & the arts. As such, discussions on the future of the global economy must incorporate perspectives from a diverse range of fields and groups.

This article will describe how cultural diplomacy plays its part in the different sectors of the global economy, meaning the public sector, private sector and the civil society.

Cultural Diplomacy in the Private Sector

Cultural diplomacy in the private sector can best be described through the use of corporate cultural diplomacy activities. “Corporate Cultural Diplomacy (CCD) activities are Privately Funded Programs that encourage the Exchange of Cultural Practices and Values, promoting Inter-Cultural Dialogue and Respect.”

Corporate Cultural Diplomacy Activities cover a wide spectrum of different fields and stakeholders such as the engagement in intercultural exchange programs, educational programs, arts, sports, music and film programs, as well as research programs. Corporations can engage in corporate cultural diplomacy by for example encouraging development aid and trade that benefits less economically developed areas or encouraging and promoting sustainable tourism. Corporations operating internationally are generally associated with the values and beliefs of the country they are incorporated in. Innovative ideas and new initiatives can be generated through the cultural exchange fostered by international and intercultural corporation.

Corporations that expand internationally can combine corporate social responsibility with corporate cultural diplomacy in order to maximize their success. On a smaller scale corporations can implement CCD by for example creating an internship program for young professionals from different cultures and backgrounds. Also on a national level, corporations can bring themselves closer to civil society by engaging in cultural programs, such as cooperating with cultural institutions like for example museums, sports associations and music and film institutions. Worldwide businesses are not only a channel for significant intercultural exchange. As they become more culturally-aware and respectful this can help them to develop their processes, become more efficient and increase their profits in the long term.

A case study about the engagement of the private sector in corporate cultural diplomacy activities can be subtracted from the academic research conducted by the institute for cultural diplomacy in February 2014 called: “The ranking of the European private sector 2013.” This research presents a ranking of the 100 biggest European companies and their engagement in corporate cultural diplomacy. The two companies who came up on a divided first place were two companies from the United Kingdom, namely the Vodafone Group and BP PLC.

The Vodafone Group

In 2006/2007 the Vodafone Foundation introduced the “Vodafone Scholarship Program” in Germany. This program supports young students with migrant backgrounds to “pursue university studies in line with their talents”. This shows Vodafone’s direct involvement in education, which is an important factor of cultural diplomacy.

BP

BP supports the Tate Movie Project, in cooperation with Legacy Trust UK and the BBC. The Tate Movie Project is the first of its kind; an animated film made by and for children across the UK. With the talents of Aardman Animations, the project involved over a million 5-13 year olds. Thousends of drawings, sound effects and story ideas by children from across the UK make up the action packed, half-hour animation. The finished film, "The Itch of the Golden Nit" was screened in Trafalgar Square on 23 July 2011 and at Vue cinemas in August. This case gives a good example of how companies can engage in corporate cultural diplomacy through film and education, which are both important factors of cultural diplomacy.

Cultural Diplomacy in the Public Sector

The increasing globalization of today has made intercultural dialogue and exchange across borders inevitable. This is recognized by state governments around the world aiming to enhance sustainable and beneficial relations with other nation states. Cultural diplomacy has for centuries long before the recent enhancement of globalization been a powerful measure to achieve this and to secure national as well as international stability and peace. The public sector constitutes a significant platform for practicing cultural diplomacy due to the presence of public institutions within the international scene. Cultural diplomacy has always been a part of different governments’ political practices and is at the center of the field of international relations. As history has shown, practices of cultural diplomacy within the public sector by state governments and institutions can ultimately lead to a larger understanding of other cultures and thus to a greater worldwide tolerance.

Research shows that diplomatic initiatives produce better results when they showcase culture, touch on culture or at least take it into account. Institutions within the public sector taking this approach in their aim to practice and promote cultural diplomacy are for example government funded cultural institutes or councils often operating under a given ministry of foreign affairs. Public institutions such as the British Council, the French Institute and the Goethe Institute aim to promote their own culture worldwide, but they also seek to build bridges between their own culture and the culture of the context they are operating in. They do this through cultural activities such as film screenings, art exhibitions and concerts often followed by interactive debates. The British Council for instance implements the program The World Voice in several African countries. The program is a musical cultural exchange focusing on a mode of expression that children from all backgrounds and cultures are familiar with and enjoy - song. The project involves vocal leaders working with teachers and pupils to offer a unique range of approaches and techniques to deliver singing with the aim of inspiring them to use song throughout the school day. The British Council works together with key stakeholders in each country, lobbying for recognition of the power and value of singing as a core part of every child's education and as a strong tool of cross-cultural communication capable of facilitating mutual understanding and respect from an early age.

The recognition of the power of cultural diplomacy within the public sector and for state actors is also reflected in the program of the United Nations Institute on Training and Research where the aim is to prepare and train people from state institutions and within the diplomatic field to improve their own, diplomatic, cross-cultural communication skills in order to ensure positive and strong relations among state governments across the world.

Nation Branding is another important way for state governments to practice cultural diplomacy by promoting the culture of their country. Argentina is a good example of a country using cultural diplomacy within its nation branding programs.

Argentina has great capacity to attract people from abroad through its vast offers of cultural events. A wide range of cultural events such as national music-, art-, sports- and film events, festivals and international summits take place every year in Argentina all contributing to the promotion of Argentinean culture. Argentina’s main nation branding program aims to create a very personal link between the traveler and the country and has turned out to be very successful in terms of positioning Argentina as a tourist destination of excellence around the world. One of the largest cultural events in Argentina is the Argentina Carnaval Federal de la Alegría. This carnival is a cultural celebration across the whole of Argentina aiming at promoting and revaluating the popular celebrations of the country as a common meeting site, understood as liberal expressions of the local cultures, and in this way promoting the use of Carnival Fairs, which were forbidden during the military dictatorship. In 2012, more than 2.500.000 people were mobilized throughout the entire country to participate in the Carnival.

Practices of cultural diplomacy in the public sector have existed for centuries. State governments and institutions across the world have the capacity to establish positive and sustainable relations through practices of cultural diplomacy utilized through the promoting their own cultures and the recognition of other cultures. This gives evidence to the power of cultural diplomacy as a tool to enhance cross-cultural understanding, cooperation and strong, long-lasting international relations.

Cultural Diplomacy in the Civil Society

The civil society, referring to non-state actors, has been on the rise over the last decades. The civil society plays an important part today in tackling conflicts around the world by facilitating projects dedicated to the enhancement of peace through dialogue and cooperation between different cultures. Cultural diplomacy has always been an inherited part of the civil society on a global level due to multiple civil society actors operating in a variety of different ways to promote cultural exchange and understanding in societies worldwide. Practices of cultural diplomacy in the civil society give civil society actors the capacity to exert pressure on public authorities to render them more accountable. The civil society has often been disregarded because of its lack of involvement in governmental politics or within the private sector, but civil society actors have the capability of bridging the gap between state institutions and citizens, since they are rooted at the local level. Civil society actors have over time been successful in their practices of cultural diplomacy leading to sustainable bridges being built between different societies where it would otherwise be close to impossible.

Whilst the term "cultural diplomacy" has only recently been established it has been practiced by civil society actors for example in the shape of non-governmental organizations for decades in order to eliminate conflicts between different groups. The organization Interpeace is an example of this. It was originally a UN initiative, but operates now as an independent NGO with the mission of building lasting peace through inclusive and nationally led processes of change. By combining local peace building knowledge with the latest in international thinking, Interpeace assists the international community, including the United Nations, to play a more effective role in supporting peace building efforts around the world. Interpeace operates in different conflict areas. In Burundi for example Interpeace aims to reinforce Burundian capacities to strengthen and consolidate lasting peace in the aftermath of the civil war in 1993 that left the country in devastating conditions for more than a decade. In Burundi Interpeace is mapping the threats to peace and stability through consultations with the Burundian population. The results are disseminated through uses of creative and artistic means of expression to the diverse population of Burundi. They manage to reach a wide range of the population by using different media, such as radio, written documents and audiovisual material and in that way merge artistic tools with developmental peace building initiatives.

The Egyptian and Cairo-based non-profit NGO Darb 1718 is another initiative based on the belief that art and culture have the power to create social change and should be an essential part of developmental work. Darb 1728 is a modern contemporary art space with a vision to promote social change, to sensitize people and to expand their horizons through art. Darb 1718 aims to fulfill this mission by advancing the contemporary art movement in Egypt and by offering services that support, cultivate and sustain the burgeoning art scene in Egypt. Darb 1718 sees artists as beacons for change and direction in society and as cultural diplomats capable of challenging mainstream thinking and promoting peace and understanding through the international language of art. They provide local artists with opportunities for international exposure and cross-cultural exchange by for example inviting foreign artists to experience and learn from Egyptian culture and to share their knowledge. Darb 1718 establishes public outreach by moving the arts to unusual public spaces in the form of community events and street festivals throughout the country. They for instance arrange the Arts for Peace & Freedom Festival, which is a celebration of peace & justice, as well as an awareness-raising initiative about threats to peace locally and globally. The festival takes place in Cairo & Fayoum Oasis and includes art exhibitions, live concerts, children's activities, film screenings and an NGO bazaar. The objectives of the festival is to promote peace through open mic discussions and film screenings, to show how art can be a strong vehicle to portray and spread messages of peace to all levels of society and to mobilize youth to create action oriented activities that promote peace and positive social change.

Methods of cultural diplomacy has always been undertaken by civil society actors in order to enhance peace processes in areas of conflict, to create positive social change and development and to establish greater understanding and co-existence between different groups internationally and locally. The use of culture and art as powerful measures with the capacity to enhance sustainable developmental work and social change is seen as essential to a wide range of civil society actors.

Conclusion

Cultural diplomacy is an integral part of all sectors of society and is dedicated to the promotion of global peace and stability. It facilitates access to intercultural dialogue and enhances intercultural communication and, thus, it allows people to learn more about one another and their cultures. This not only helps break down prejudices, but also informs and raises awareness. Cultural diplomacy is used in every sector of the global economy. The only issue regarding cultural diplomacy in the global economy is that not all actors are aware yet about the use of cultural diplomacy and the possibilities it offers in the global economy. Here is where the improvement lies and this is precisely where the institute for cultural diplomacy is committed to.

References

E. Constantinescu. What is cultural diplomacy? Institute for Cultural Diplomacy (ICD) Available at: http://www.culturaldiplomacy.org/index.php?en_culturaldiplomacy. [Accessed: 27.02.2014]

ICD. (2009). Cultural Diplomacy & the Global Economy; Corporate Cultural Diplomacy (CCD). Academy for Cultural Diplomacy. Available at: http://www.culturaldiplomacy.org/academy/index.php?en_cdec_csr-sri. [Accessed: 27.02.2014]

Institute for Cultural Diplomacy. 2014. The Country Ranking of Cultural Diplomacy based on Nation Branding Campaigns. (Work in progress).

Vodafone. 2014. Vodafone Scholarship Programme [Online]. Available at: http://en.vodafonestiftung.de/content/programmes/vodafone_scholarship_programme/subcontent/vodafone_scholarship_programme/index.1472.html [Accessed: 4 February 2014]

BP. 2014. Connecting through culture [Online]. Available at: http://www.bp.com/en/global/corporate/about-bp/bp-worldwide/bp-united-kingdom/bp-in-the-community/arts-and-culture.html [Accessed; 24 February 2014]

The British Council. 2014. World Music 2014. Available at: http://music.britishcouncil.org/projects/world-voice. [Accessed; 27 February 2014]

United Nations Institute for Training and Research. 2014. Peace, Diplomacy and Security. Available at: http://www.unitar.org/psdu. [Accessed: 27 February 2014].

Interpeace. 2014. Burundi. Available at: http://www.interpeace.org/programmes/burundi. [Accessed; 27 February 2014]

Darb 1718. 2014. Darb 1718 Contemporary Art and Culture Center. Available at: http://www.darb1718.com/. [Accessed: 28 February 2014]

Enterprise, and Public Policy at Vanderbilt. 2014. Cultural Diplomacy and the National Interest: In Search of a 21st Century Perspective. Available at: http://www.vanderbilt.edu/curbcenter/files/Cultural-Diplomacy-and-the-National-Interest.pdf. [Accessed: 27 February 2014]