FUTURE OF CULTURAL DIPLOMACY SEMINARS
The Future of Cultural Diplomacy has initiated through a unique partnership with The Future of Diplomacy Project of the Belfer Center at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. The inaugural events of this partnership involved 3 seminar discussion series. These discussions highlight ways in which cultural diplomacy can play a significant role in furthering U.S. foreign policy objectives and the Biden administration’s promise to “restore America’s global standing.” These conversations focused on understanding cultural diplomacy from the U.S. and multi-lateral perspective, discussing historic and current cultural diplomacy priorities for the United States, as well as how changing technologies, geopolitical trends, and recent events have led to new approaches, initiatives, and challenges
SESSION 1:
The Future of U.S. Cultural Diplomacy
A conversation featuring Nancy Szalwinski, Director of Cultural Programs, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State, and Ambassador Nicholas Burns, Goodman Professor of the Practice of Diplomacy and International Relations at Harvard Kennedy School
April 9, 2021
SESSION 2:
Soft Power and Practice of Diplomacy: A Conversation with Ambassador Caroline Kennedy
On April 26th, the Future of Diplomacy Project and Carla Dirlikov Canales hosted Ambassador (ret.) Caroline Kennedy, former U.S. Ambassador to Japan (2013-2017), and Professor Joseph Nye, University Distinguished Service Professor, Emeritus at Harvard for the second seminar of the Future of Cultural Diplomacy series. Ambassador (ret.) Nicholas Burns, Professor and Faculty Chair of the Future of Diplomacy Project at Harvard Kennedy School and Carla Dirlikov Canales, 2021 Harvard Advanced Leadership Fellow and Arts Envoy for the State Department, co-moderated the discussion.
April 26, 2021
SESSION 3:
Multilateral Cultural Diplomacy: A Conversation with UNESCO Director General Audrey Azoulay
In the third installment of the Future of Cultural Diplomacy Series, UNESCO’s Director-General Audrey Azoulay will offer her unique perspective on cultural diplomacy as the leader of one of the world’s largest multilateral agencies focused on education, science, and cultural issues. Director-General Azoulay will discuss UNESCO’s current priorities, including education, culture, gender equality, and freedom of expression, and how UNESCO has provided multilateral approaches to crises stemming from the Covid-19 pandemic. Carla Dirlikov Canales, Harvard Advanced Leadership Initiative Fellow and Arts Envoy for the U.S. Department of State, and Alison Hillegeist, Deputy Director for the Future of Diplomacy Project will moderate this discussion.
June 2, 2021