Chapter 5

Cultural  Diplomacy Initiatives in Civil Society

The following chapter will focus on the efforts of civil society in the field of cultural diplomacy. At the Institute for Cultural Diplomacy we feel it is important that this sector is included in our 2011 Outlook report because of both its importance in the present day practice of cultural diplomacy and the potential role the sector will play in the application of cultural diplomacy in the future. The civil society sector can be overlooked or undervalued, due to the lack of government or corporate involvement. However, civil society has had a substantial impact on the practice of cultural diplomacy worldwide in recent years, with numerous bodies operating in a multitude of different ways to promote cultural diplomatic approaches in dozens of states worldwide. Furthermore, this is a sector in which the practice of cultural diplomacy is very much on the increase. Therefore, the diversity of operations and the potential for future expansion into cultural diplomacy make the civil society sector a highly exciting area for observation and assessment.  In this report we have endeavoured to offer a representative insight into the various branches of civil society involved in cultural diplomacy worldwide.

Table of Contents

• 1. Introduction
  • 1.1 Research Methodology
• 2. Europe
  • 2.1 French classes 2011
  • 2.2 U40-World Forum ‚Cultural Diversity 2030‛
  • 2.3 Quatara.de - Dialogue with the Islamic World
  • 2.4 Stand Up for Future
  • 2.5 Florence European Festival
  • 2.6 CinEast
  • 2.7 Forde Festival’s Talent project
  • 2.8 The NOTA-project
  • 2.9 Minorities in Russia: Developing Languages, Culture, Media and Civil Society
  • 2.10 Project Harmony
  • 2.11 Buskers Festival Barcelona
  • 2.12 FCB Escola Campus in London
  • 2.13 Artists In Residence
  • 2.14 SWISSNEX
  • 2.15 Marshall Scholarship
• 3. America
  • 3.1 Vamos Pasantias
  • 3.2 Mercosur Cultural
  • 3.3 Centenary of Japanese Immigration in Brazil
  • 3.4 Guerreiros Da Luz
  • 3.5 International Aboriginal Youth Internships Initiative
  • 3.6 The Columbian Connect Project
  • 3.7 Music Voyager
  • 3.8 Guatemala & Mexico Cross Cultural Programme
  • 3.9 Government of Mexico Special Education Programmes Scholarship
  • 3.10 SmART Power
  • 3.11 The Fulbright Program
  • 3.12 The State Foundation for the National System of Youth and Children’s Orchestras of Venezuela
  • 3.13 The Center of Cultural Diversity
• 4. Asia
  • 4.1 Surf Life Saving Australia - ‘On the Same Wave’ Programme
  • 4.2 Australia-Indonesia Muslim Young Leaders Exchange Programme
  • 4.3 The Confucius Institute
  • 4.4 China Shanghai International Arts Festival
  • 4.5 Indonesian Arts and Culture Scholarship Programme
  • 4.6 Jakarta Berlin Arts Festival
  • 4.7 Student Exchange Programme
  • 4.8 Workshop for Korean Art Curators
  • 4.9 Cultural Season of Turkey in France
  • 4.10 The Balkan Express
  • 4.11 SANAD Development and Post-Production Fund
  • 4.12 Abu Dhabi for Traditional and Performing Arts
• 5. Africa
  • 5.1 Amazigh Film Festival 2011
  • 5.2 Workshop of Frescoes for Mosques
  • 5.3 Global Oregon Initiative
  • 5.4 Nature Culture Future
  • 5.5 West African Culture, History and Society for University Students
  • 5.6 Radio Programmes
  • 5.7 Morocco: Chicago Week in Casablanca
  • 5.8 Arts-in-Action
  • 5.9 Jazz Artists on the Greens
  • 5.10 Workshop on Nigerian Dress Culture
  • 5.11 Nollywood in Africa, Africa in Nollywood: An International Conference
  • 5.12 Exectuive Programme of Cultural Exchange and Cooperation (Mauritius-China)
  • 5.13 Culture Project’s Premiere of MoLoRa in New York
• 6. Conclusion
• 7. Acknowledgments
  
  

Introduction

Civil society is a phrase used more and more frequently by politicians, NGO’s and international institutions, and a movement with increasing importance to international relations. It is therefore important to make sure that, wherever possible, it is clearly defined. The World Bank defines civil society as:   “[…]the wide array of non-governmental and not-for-profit organisations that have a presence in public life, expressing the interests and values of their members or others, based on ethical, cultural, political, scientific, religious or philanthropic considerations. Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) therefore refer to a wide of array of organisations: community groups, non- governmental organisations (NGOs), labour unions, indigenous groups, charitable organizations, faith-based organisations, professional associations, and foundations”1.
Given the breadth of issues that civil society is involved in, over an unlimited geographical area, civil society is almost naturally given to being a vehicle for cultural diplomacy.

In order to represent the extent to which CSO’s are active around the world, and to offer a level of structure to this chapter, civil society will be assessed by continent; namely Europe, the Americas, Africa and Asia in turn. This chapter presents a comprehensive anthology of civil society initiatives comprising of linguistic tuition, musical collaboration, international exchanges and research projects among many others. It also reviews and evaluates key trends and themes that emerge across civil society at a cross-continental level, and observes how civil society offers a key opportunity for cultural diplomacy to take place.

Civil society, as is demonstrated through the examples that follow, has been phenomenally successful in bridging gaps between peoples and offering aid and cultural exchange where it would not otherwise be possible. Cultural diplomacy, which arguments the exchange of ideas, perspectives and traits between societies, also has a role to play in the spread of civil society and the implementation of its objectives across the globe.