Cultural Diplomacy in Europe (CDE)

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Introduction to Cultural Diplomacy in Europe[edit]

Europe is the second smallest continent in the world, having an area of approximately 4000 square miles and a population of over 700 million people. The core of Europe is the political and economic union of 28 countries – The European Union. This is the major pattern in Europe for political, economic and cultural life. Cultural life in the European Union and rest of Europe today has been preceded by centuries of development since ancient times. Regarding the EU, it can be said that despite substantial cultural differences between the member states, the common European policy in the field of culture is expressed in the documents adopted by the EU. Of utmost importance today is the Maastricht Treaty of 1993 giving main directions for the development of culture in Europe. The Maastricht Treaty enables the European Union to take action in the field of culture in order to safeguard, disseminate and develop culture in Europe. The three major priorities of the European Agenda for Culture include cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue, stimulating creativity within the framework of the Lisbon Strategy for growth and jobs as well as promoting culture as a vital element in international relations.

Another further point to be considered in Europe is the enlargement process. Applicants include Iceland and the Balkan countries of Serbia, Montenegro, FYR Macedonia and Turkey. European integration in the EU is constructed on the dissection of national sovereignty into parts that are then 'pooled' at the European level to create European structures that overarch and complement all the remaining structures of sovereign decisionmaking, national policies, and distinctive political cultures and traditions. A further sphere of influence includes the countries that geographically situated in Europe but that do not participate in the European Union or its enlargement process. These include Russia, Belarus and Moldova. They maintain their own policy and social life, but can still be considered as part of Europe.

Diplomatic relations, which involve cultural activities have been in existence ever since the establishment of the earliest human tribes. All culture is in essence diplomacy. Understanding the other is and always has been a challenge to be mastered and an understanding of culture can be the key to both successful interpersonal and international relations. The term “cultural diplomacy” may have been established recently, but cultural diplomacy as a concept has existed for centuries. Cultural diplomacy can be defined as a “course of actions, which are based on and utilize exchange of ideas, values and tradition and other aspects of culture or identity”. It makes use of dialogue and cooperation to enhance global peace, poverty reduction, and the implementation of human rights. It exists on every level and can involve individuals, governments, their policies and practices, representatives of civil society such as NGOs as well as international companies and institutions. Art, music and sports enable interaction among communities; they bring people from different backgrounds together. Across Europe, many regions and cities consider culture and the creative sectors to be essential assets to boost their economic competitiveness and attractiveness. As an example, recent European Capitals of Culture have successfully invested in culture to create jobs, improve their social fabric and transform their image. The Council of Europe, the European Commission and the European External Action Service are the key organizations responsible for cultural diplomacy in Europe. “Agenda for Culture” was accepted by the Council of Europe in 2007 and is aimed at encouraging various institutions and national authorities to promote cultural cooperation, diversity, creativity, and innovation. In times when Europe’s economy is under pressure, cultural diplomacy takes on increased importance for inter- European as well as worldwide understanding and cooperation. Cultural diplomacy has a complex structure and covers numerous pillars including arts, music and sports, practices of national branding, creative economies and corporative cultural diplomacy.

Cultural Diplomacy in Arts, Music, Sports[edit]

The significance of cultural diplomacy was acknowledged by establishing the European Union National Institutes for Culture (EUNIC) which can be seen as a cultural network. A number of well-known institutions, including the British Council, Goethe-Institute, Alliance Francaise, Instituto Cervantes, operate to raise cultural awareness and provide people in countries across the globe with the facilities to learn about culture, establish libraries, organize language courses and cultural events events.

Education is a common sphere to practice cultural diplomacy. The best example would be educational exchanges that are implemented by universities. ERASMUS (open only to Europeans) and ERASMUS MUNDUS (open to non-Europeans) programs support students willing to go on a semester abroad to attain a life-long experience of living in a foreign country and understanding a different culture. On top of that, several foundations like Chevening in the UK and DAAD in Germany offer scholarships to students, researchers, and faculty members. A further popular and universal tool of cultural diplomacy is cinema. Through films, one can not only learn about other countries and cultures but also receive social messages that are directed towards to the audience, illustrating political situations and drawing attention to critical issues in society. European countries host numerous film festivals that bring together people from across the globe. The most famous ones are Berlinale, Cannes Film Festival, during which celebrities and movie stars gather to promote international and European cinema. Along with national and international festivals there are always many that are devoted to special causes. First of all, some are dedicated to promote the interests of other cultures, for example the Bollywood Film Festival in Prague, the Cinemaissí in Helsinki which specializes in Latin American and Caribbean films, as well as the Arab Film Festival in Rotterdam. Moreover, when considering the work of cultural exchange and diplomacy, one considers “culture” not only to cover national or ethnic belonging, but also as a means to address divisions and differences in class, location, gender, sexuality, age, whilst also in the construction of identities. The international musical contest “Eurovision” for almost 60 years brings together the singers from all over Europe to participate and share their culture since the emphasis of the performance should be made on representing one’s culture. Remarkably, the show is also broadcast in many countries outside Europe.

One can furthermore point towards sport as a source of cultural diplomacy. Especially in major tournaments, for instance in the field of football, it is possible to see members of numerous cultures meet and exchange. Programs such as Football Against Racism in Europe have also been successful as a way to educate and enlighten people about foreign identities and cultures.

Nation Branding in Europe[edit]

The following will provide an overview of nation branding attempts by countries in Europe. Overall, it can be said that nation branding aims at promoting a positive image of a nation state and its national products and exports. The practice can be seen as a form of soft power which has the potential to increase a country’s standing and attractiveness in areas such as tourism, trade and foreign direct investment. Often, practices of nation branding involve promoting the cultural traditions of a country in other third countries through the organisation of events or else the setting up of cultural institutes or organisations. In order to provide a more coherent and clearer idea of what nation branding might entail, the subsequent section will address examples of nation branding that have occurred in Europe. Beginning with Germany, which is listed as third in the 2013 Anholts Nation Brands index behind the United States of America, can be seen as very active in promoting its societal image. Programmes such as Perspective Germany and You are Germany, aim at promoting a positive image of Germany within the country. Externally, programmes such as Germany – Land of Ideas, which is aimed at promoting the idea of Germany as a hotbed of ideas and innovation, of quality and creativity, can be seen as attempts to improve the German image abroad. This initiative entailed the involvement of many leading politicians and German corporations and educational institutions. The fact that Germany has hosted numerous sporting events such as the FIFA World Cup in 2006 can also be seen as a way to promote awareness on German cultural and societal affairs.

When looking at the nation branding activities of Portugal, it can be said that this country has also been quite active in displaying a positive image. In order to promote the country as a tourist destination, Portugal set up the Investments, Commerce and Tourism Committee (ICEP). Overall, the programme has been a success although criticism regarding management and overall organisation has been registered. Finally, one can argue that Bulgaria has also used nation branding to improve a perceived negative image of its country. This initiative can be split up into two broad categories, namely the promotion of national unity and the use of social media and internet campaigns to promote tourism in the country. To attain a positive image of national unity, symbols such as the flag and the national anthem were purged of references of their communist past. On top of that, agencies such as the Ministry of Economic Affairs and its subsidiaries embarked on a holistic and wide-ranging attempt promote Bulgaria as a tourist destination on platforms such as tourism expos. Overall, the preceding paragraphs have shown that the practice of nation branding plays an ever more relevant role in the policies of European governments. Whether through promotion, the setting up of ministries or else the hosting of international events, numerous countries have launched attempts to improve their image abroad or else in their own country.

Creative Economies[edit]

A further point to be considered is the development of creative economies or industries within the region. Overall, it can be said that creative economy aims to use ideas such as interconnectedness and cultural heritage to improve economic performances. The field focuses on all sectors that are involved in intellectual property. Among other fields, this includes advertising, crafts, design, art, research and development activities, software and entertainment. Whilst many different definitions prevail, it can be said that creative economies or industries aim at promoting knowledge and the flow of information, whilst also retaining a focus on creativity as a source for economic advancement.

One of the latest strategies and initiatives of the European Union, approved is the new Creative Europe programme. This initiative introduced by the European Commission is focused on European culture in a bid to increase support and promote a potentially major source of jobs and growth. The strategy for 2014 to 2021, which includes a budget of €1.46 billion, was approved by the European Parliament and by the Council in late 2013. Representatives of the European Commission claim that Europe“ needs to invest more in its cultural and creative sectors as they significantly contribute to economic growth, employment, innovation and social cohesion“. According to the Regulation (EU) No 1295/2013, which established the Creative Europe Programme, the strategy should further increase bilateral and multilateral cooperation with third countries. A further example in Europe regarding creative economy is the project Interface 2013. Based on this project, Košice became the first Slovakian city to be awarded the prestigeous title of European Capital of Culture. Creative economy projects, that currently still have an impact even after the city passed on its title, helped transform Košice into a modern and economically active city. Support of programmes for small enterprises and start-up companies that are engaged in the realm of creative industry has been on the rise whilst international conferences and initiatives have been facilitated with the aim of promoting points such as tourism for Košice, as well as the entire Eastern region of Slovakia.

Corporate Cultural Diplomacy[edit]

This segment aims at explaining the connection between Cultural Diplomacy and non-governmental players such as international corporations. The importance of cultural diplomacy in the past years has grown tremendously, not only for the public sector. In light of globalizing processes, significant transformations in the world economy are underway with new economies emerging and old key players such as the USA and the EU losing their predominant role regarding the advancement of China, India and Brazil. Corporate cultural diplomacy can be seen as a possible solution in tackling the declining economic state of Europe and of the European Union members. Getting Europe back on track requires a healthy financial sector. Corporate cultural diplomacy activities are privately- funded programs that encourage the exchange of cultural practices and values with the ultimately goal being the promotion of inter-cultural dialogue and mutual respect. CCD activities cover a wide spectrum of fields and stakeholders. The expansion of a company has an impact not only on national frontiers in a region, but also on cultural borders, thus making a participation of a company in cultural activities natural. Moreover, a flourishing economy improves regional development, business efficiency in the local community and creates new business opportunities. A good example of such a company is Roche, with its policy of promoting innovation and economic, social and environmental sustainability. Among other aims, Roche aims to help vulnerable youth, primarily those in southern Malawi who have lost parents to AIDS. In 2012 Roche Philippines partnered with the MyShelter Foundation and Philippine Christian Foundation to reduce dependence on electricity and open-flame lighting for people living in Tondo, a shantytown in the Philippines. Shedding light on the dim and dreary shanties not only improves the living environment of families, but also allows children to do homework and read at home. Another example of how companies can tackle human rights issues is the German automobile organization- Volkswagen, which attempts to promote gender equality and women’s’ rights at the working place. They were one of the first large companies to introduce basic principles for promoting women, and since then have advanced efforts to establish a more family-oriented corporate culture.

In conclusion, this article has shown the importance and implementation of different sectors of cultural diplomacy in Europe. Europe and its culture are based on diversity. Cultural diplomacy is evident on many levels covering arts, music, films, and sports as well through creative economies and efforts of multinational corporations to engage in. In an ever changing, globalized world involving new technologies and an increasing role of mass media, cultural diplomacy is critical to foster global peace and sustainability in light of a high amount of social diversity. Through inter-cultural and inter-faith dialogue and cooperation, economic and political issues can be dealt with, whilst activism regarding human rights, the environment and gender equality is facilitated. Finally, Cultural diplomacy is a concept through which cultural and social bridges between people and institutions from different backgrounds can be built. All in all, one can say that cultural diplomacy fits ideally into the social fabric and diverse nature of European culture and can be facilitated to promote dialogue and cultural interconnectedness throughout the continent.