The Future of US Foreign Policy:“The Revival of Soft Power and Cultural Diplomacy?”

International Conference,January 4th-6th, 2011, Washington DC

icd - institute for cultural diplomacy

www.culturaldiplomacy.org - Institute for Cultural Diplomacy

icd - institute for cultural diplomacy

The Future of US Foreign Policy:“The Revival of Soft Power and Cultural Diplomacy?”

The Future of US Foreign Policy:

“The Revival of Soft Power and Cultural Diplomacy?”

International Conference,January 4th-6th, 2011, Washington DC

“It is time to stop pretending that Europeans and Americans share a common view of the world, or even that they occupy the same world. On the all-important question of power - the efficacy of power, the

morality of power, the desirability of power - American and European perspectives are diverging.”

~ Robert Kagan, 2002

Two decades after the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of the Cold War, the foreign policy goals and priorities of individual nation states will increasingly be required to take into ac-count an interdependent, multi-polar international environment, and balance the pursuit of national interests with the pursuit of global public goods.

Two years into the new US administration and following the mid-term elections, American citizens and the international community wait expectantly to see how America’s foreign policy approach will adapt to the new challenges confronting the Obama administration. Over the past two years, the interna-tional community has come to see soft power and cultural diplomacy play a more significant role within US foreign policy and international relations in general, as it has been recognized that these approaches can assist in creating multi-lateral consensus as opposed to confrontation. However, the challenges fac-ing the international community within the context of globalization continue to deepen due to a frag-mented international framework filled with mistrust, competition and economic and political fragility.

The Institute for Cultural Diplomacy has therefore developed The Future of US Foreign Policy: “The Revival of Soft Power and Cultural Diplomacy?” to explore the concepts of soft power and cultural diplomacy and assess the role they currently play in U.S. foreign policy. The program will then consider the potential for these strategies in the future and will provide clear recommendations for policy makers in the U.S. and internationally.

Speakers »The speakers during the Seminar will include leading figures and experts from international politics, academia, the diplomatic community, civil society and the private sector, from across the world. These speakers will in-clude a number of individuals from the ICD Advisory Board (for further information about the Advisory Board please click here).

Participants »The participants will include young professionals & students, academic scholars, political and diplomatic repre-sentatives, civil society practitioners, journalists, and individuals from the private sector from across the world.

www.culturaldiplomacy.org - Institute for Cultural Diplomacy

icd - institute for cultural diplomacy

The Future of US Foreign Policy:“The Revival of Soft Power and Cultural Diplomacy?”

Conference AgendaThe program will pursue the following specific aims:

To identify the key challenges and opportunities facing US Foreign Policy for the next two years, as well as in the context of the next two decades To review the results of the first two years of the Obama Administration’s approach to soft power To assess the relevance and potential of soft power and cultural diplomacy in today’s international environ-

ment To explore the application of soft power and cultural diplomacy in contemporary U.S. foreign policy, and con-

sider their potential use in the future as a method to improve the US image abroad To provide clear recommendations for U.S. policy-makers towards international cooperation on the key issues

of trade, security and the environment

The Conference will focus on the following issues:

The foreign policy activity of the new U.S. administration over the past 24 months (Focus: Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, North Korea, Russia, China and the E.U.) The future of U.S. Foreign Policy over the next two years and the potential roles of soft power and

cultural diplomacy (Focus: NATO, EU, China, Russia, Middle East, Latin America, IRAQ-Iran-Afghanistan-Pakistan) The role of cultural diplomacy and soft power in strengthening dialogue and understanding be-

tween different religions (Focus: Islam & Christianity, the Middle East) The application of soft power and cultural diplomacy in combating international terrorism

(Focus: public diplomacy, civil society, international crime) The 2019 Cancun Climate Change Conference and the current and future role of soft power in ad-

dressing climate change (Focus: From Copenhagen to Cancun, the role of civil society and green technologies) The national and international debates about immigration, migration, and integration

(Focus: European Union, USA, and Canada) The potential for economic bridges to strengthen dialogue and understanding between cultures

(Focus: Corporate Social Responsibility, micro-financing, Socially Responsible Investment)

Conference Diploma - Certificate of AttendanceAll conference participants will be awarded an official certificate of attendance at the end of the program. This certificate will confirm attendance and provide details of the speakers who took part during the program and the topics discussed.

Sustainable NetworkConference participants will become part of a growing international network of people from across the world with different fields of interest and levels of experience, who share a commitment to intercultural exchange. Participants will be able to remain in touch with each other through the ICD Online Network. This network repre-sents a medium through which members can exchange information on research, related events, and coordinate their own cultural exchange initiatives. The ICD will help to support the participants in their future activities by providing guidance and advice on possible research topics and helping to support members who plan to organize their own cultural exchange initiatives.

Institute for Cultural Diplomacy (ICD)Kurfürstendamm 207-208 - D-10719 Berlin, Phone: +49 (0)30 2360-7680, Fax: +49 (0)30 2360-76811

E-mail: usame@culturaldiplomacy.org, Website: www.culturaldiplomacy.org