Public and Cultural Diplomacy in a Multipolar World

Public diplomacy dominates much of the current academic debate about 21st century diplomacy. A major challenge for governments is the development of effective public diplomacy. This course aims to analyse public and cultural diplomacy, the evolution of their practice, and their current challenges.

Topics

SDG
2030 Agenda
SDG16: Peace, justice and strong institutions
SDG17: Partnerships for the goals
Subject
Public and cultural diplomacy
Keywords
best practices
communication
crisis communication
cultural diplomacy
diplomacy

This on-line course aims to provide participants with an idea of the strategic significance of public and cultural diplomacy in the past and future. The crucial project steps of campaigns, media relations and other public and cultural diplomacy tools are analysed, discussed and summarised in a very practice-oriented manner. Legal and human resource questions complement the material to be applicable in many environments.

Current practice in the field of public and cultural diplomacy will be analysed, along with the varied institutional arrangements in key countries. Finally, there will be an examination of public and cultural diplomacy as conducted in multilateral fora.

The course includes 6 interactive training modules, defined as follows:

  • Module 1:Introduction to Public Diplomacy in the 21st Century
  • Module 2: Introduction to Cultural Diplomacy in the 21st Century
  • Module 3: Tools and Techniques of Public Diplomacy
  • Module 4: Cultural Diplomacy Practice
  • Module 5: Public and Cultural Diplomacy Campaigns and Evaluation
  • Module 6: Exchange of Best Practices

The course is internet-based, moderated by senior international experts, asynchronous, and places emphasis on online discussions and self-paced learning. The participants will be primarily responsible for their own learning over the three-week span of the course. The course will consist of the following components.

Download Syllabus

Target Audience

The course is designed for mid to senior-level government officers in ministries preparing public diplomacy strategies and tools on a variety of topics. It also targets entry-level and mid-career diplomats working in a multilateral setting. Private sector specialists and students whose work or studies are related to this subject are also encouraged to apply.

Learning Objectives

At the end of the course, participants should be able to:

  • Define and discuss the basic concepts of public and cultural diplomacy and how its practice is evolving;
  • Explain the relationship between public diplomacy and cultural diplomacy;
  • Explain the distinction between public diplomacy and related activities such as nation branding, propaganda, cultural relations, public relations and lobbying;
  • Demonstrate knowledge of the skills and techniques required by public and cultural diplomacy practitioners vis-à-vis the media and other stakeholders;
  • Design strategic media plans and public and cultural diplomacy campaigns by using modern and conventional tools.

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