Cultural Diplomacy’s Effectiveness in Boosting Mutual Understanding

Abstract

Movements of people and products across borders have always been accompanied by the flow of ideas and ways of life. This implicitly implies that intercultural encounters constantly take place. Cross-cultural interactions can go on smoothly if people understand each other’s differences, but misunderstandings are likely to happen when people are not familiar with each other’s cultural differences. Intercultural competence is needed so that people can avoid cultural misunderstandings. New players are gaining more ground internationally since international relations are no longer a purely political matter. Person-to-person encounters have become very important to strengthen relations among people who belong to different cultures. Cultural diplomacy has a great role to play in connecting nations and avoiding misunderstandings. Cultural diplomacy practices are designed for the mutual benefit of both participants. Hence, attraction and persuasion have become crucial concepts in contemporary international relations. Promoting a positive reputation overseas is not a new practice, but the ways and instruments once relied on have dramatically changed.