Soft Power & Cultural Diplomacy Study Group Announcement

Dear friends,

We are excited to share with you news regarding the Future of Cultural Diplomacy initiative. On October 15th, I will have the privilege of leading the “Soft Power & Cultural Diplomacy Study Group”, co-sponsored by Harvard’s Belfer Center Future of Diplomacy Project and the Future of Cultural Diplomacy initiative. This study group is designed for anyone interested in learning more about these two topics in addressing U.S. foreign relations. Over the course of three sessions, participants will become familiar with the history of U.S. cultural diplomacy and will better understand how the power of the arts has repeatedly been deployed by the U.S. government to help achieve foreign policy objectives. We will also feature invited guest practitioners, policy makers and academics to speak about these topics. 

These sessions are free of charge and open to ALL! You can find the full course description and registration link here: 

The Future of Cultural Diplomacy (FCD) is the newest initiative of The Canales Project conceived by TCP founder and Harvard ALI Fellow, Carla Canales, in collaboration with Harvard Kennedy School Belfer Center's Future of Diplomacy Project. FCD seeks to provide a platform for leading policymakers, artists, creative industry executives, arts advocates and patrons to address the broad, urgent but seldom discussed set of policy questions regarding the diplomatic, economic, and cultural impact of the creative arts worldwide. In April-June 2021, we held the inaugural FCD seminar series in discussion with diverse guest speakers including Ambassador Nicholas Burns (Roy and Barbara Goodman Family Professor of the Practice of Diplomacy and International Relations), Nancy Szalwinski (Director of the Cultural Programs at U.S. Department of State), Ambassador Caroline Kennedy (U.S. Ambassador to Japan from 2013-2017), Dr. Joseph Nye (Harvard University Distinguished Service Professor, Emeritus, former Dean of the Harvard Kennedy School of Government) and Director General Audrey Azoulay (Director General of UNESCO). 

Please feel free to reach out if you have any further questions, and we hope to see you on October 15th!

Warmest regards,

The Canales Project


Carla Dirlikov