Report of the Advisory Committee on Cultural Diplomacy

US Department of State, September 2005

CULTURAL DIPLOMACY: THE LINCHPIN OF PUBLIC DIPLOMACY (http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/54374.pdf)

Through culture, can a nation truly and honestly promote itself and reflect its values and ideals to the outside world. Cultural diplomacy can do what many other efforts are unable to do, namely secure national interests and security with a lasting effect. The ‘war on terror’ has turned the world against the US, viewing it as more of a danger for the rest of the world more than anything else. The trust and credibility previously enjoyed by the US has been lost and needs to be regained, military and economic matters will not be enough, but through the promotion of culture as the way forward. During times of war, cultural diplomacy has always been considered essential, but as soon as wars are over, cultural diplomacy is moved to the backseat, and therefore the Advisory Committee highlights the need and importance of employing cultural diplomacy and to make it last in the long-term, and realize the importance of cultural diplomacy on US national interests. Cultural diplomacy is important for many reasons, namely because it can provide for ‘a foundation of trust’, counter stereotypes and promote understanding, creates bonds between people that are lasting but also gives American citizens the chance to get to understand other cultures as well and avoid misunderstandings. The Advisory Committee therefore made recommendations of the measures that need to be adopted to the Secretary of State, which included most importantly funding, which needs to be increased for public and cultural diplomacy in general and the need for the expansion of international cultural exchange programs in persons, skills and knowledge. ‘Winning the hearts and minds of people’ won’t happen overnight, but it needs to be consistently applied in the long-term. This needs to be a central effort of US diplomacy in the 21^st century.

The Advisory Committee notes that there has first of all been a lack of adequate funding for cultural diplomacy, but also a lack of understanding the importance of it. It is hugely important to listen and react to how the world and other cultures view American culture. US policies have ‘damaged America’s credibility and power to persuade’. A survey conducted in 2003 and 2004 revealed that for a large part, people ‘view George W. Bush as a greater threat to the world order than Osama bin Laden’. Influencing world opinion about the US cannot be done militarily, but through culture and ‘cultural engagement’ applied consistently, that will make a difference in the end. An extremely important element must therefore be listening, and through that understanding for cultural diplomacy to be effective, as it is a ‘two way street’. Cultural diplomacy is also important to balance the policies that have influenced public opinion in the world, and the Committee stressed the fact that right now, there is ‘no cultural counterweight to our foreign policy’.

US cultural diplomacy in the era of the ‘war on terror’ would have been extremely essential. Many people lost the ability to distinguish between policies and people, and since there was nothing to balance out the effects of the policies on world opinion, hostility towards the US was inevitable. The US made the mistake of not listening, and giving the impression of complete disregard for all others and cultures and values, highlighting and imposing its own as the only way to go. The way to ‘win hearts and minds’ is to listen and understand others, and through mutual understanding, it is only possible to overcome issues. Basically, the report highlights the need for a ‘permanent structure’ for US cultural diplomacy especially during the ‘war on terror’ but also beyond, for the future, since it has never existed but only during times of war has cultural diplomacy been applied. Cultural diplomacy needs to be made an essential effort for the future, because it is so important in today’s world to advance mutual understanding by listening and understanding others as well, and only through this to better be able to influence and be a part of the global debate.