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Cultural diplomacy specifies a form of diplomacy that carries a set of prescriptions which are material to its effectual practice; these prescriptions comprise of the unequivocal recognition and understanding of foreign cultural dynamics and observance of the universal tenets that govern basic dialogue.

Milton C. Cummings Jr. draws out the meaning of these cultural dynamics in his description of cultural diplomacy as “....the exchange of ideas, information, art, lifestyles, values systems, traditions, beliefs and other aspects of cultures....”

Recognition
The initial prescription of cultural diplomacy requires each party to recognise the distinct cultural dynamics of the other; this recognition affords equal human rights on equal terms.

Understanding
Parties are also prescribed the study of foreign cultural dynamics in order to gain an understanding of the traditions, history, language and general way of life, pertinent to the engaging party.

During this process, parties may discover aspects of a foreign culture which they fundamentally disagree with or find abhorrent. These prescriptions do not require agreement with all aspects of a foreign culture, only for recognition and understanding.

Dialogue
A universal tenet of basic dialogue requires one party to listen while the other speaks and vice versa. Cultural diplomacy prescribes the observance of this tenet and for parties to draw on their accrued cultural understanding when engaging in dialogue. This dynamic facilitates a dialogue that easily lends to collaboration. Parties may choose to conduct this dialogue through an interpreter or by using a common language.

Non-verbal communication also plays an important role in this process; foreign interpretations of body language and other forms of non-verbal communication must be observed to avoid ambiguity during a dialogue.

There is another side to cultural diplomacy which lends to aggressive or unusual forms of dialogue, such as excessive intonation or decision to remain silent for long periods during a meeting. This form of cultural diplomacy shares a common platform with the collaborative form as its use is premised on a cultural understanding that calculates the likely effect of its employment.

Non-cultural diplomacy
The antithesis of cultural diplomacy occurs when a party fails to observe its prescriptions.

An example of this was demonstrated in the foreign relations dispute between Russia and the United Kingdom over extradition requests that resulted in the expulsion of diplomats by both countries.

In an interview with Russia Today News on 24 July 2007, at Zavidovo, the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, attributed the source of this dispute to a failure by the UK to adequately recognise Russian cultural dynamics and afford it equal rights on the same terms that it hoped to receive from Russia. Putin explained that the United Kingdom had failed to accede to Russian extradition requests on 30 previous occasions but could not accept the decision by Russia to refuse a single request, which was in line with the Russian constitution.

A second example is observed in the case of the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC or Chinese mainland) refusal to recognise the status of the Republic of China (ROC or Taiwan) through the implementation of a One-China policy that aims to ensure that Taiwan does not become a universally recognised independent nation, separated from the PRC. The PRC’s failure to recognise the distinct cultural dynamics of the Taiwanese people, whilst being rooted in political aspirations, makes cultural diplomacy an unfeasible target for both parties.

Purpose
The purpose of cultural diplomacy is essentially determined by the parties involved. The following segments present examples of the purposes that various parties may use cultural diplomacy for:


 * Union of nations: i.e. United Nations, African Union, League of Arab States, European Union. Cultural diplomacy plays an essential role in the operational integrity of these unions as they thrive on consensus through voting systems that determine a cause of action. The absence of consensus often leads to deadlock. Cultural diplomacy is often used to influence voting decisions that cover such matters as military action, border disputes and trade.


 * Individual nations: commonly use cultural diplomacy to improve international relations and secure agreements that cover issues like trade, investment, immigration and security.


 * Private and public enterprises: often employ cultural diplomacy to secure mergers and acquisitions or to resolve customer complaints. Institutional cultural dynamics are epitomised by corporate ethos, practices and conventions.


 * Non-Governmental organisations (NGOs): often employ cultural diplomacy to influence government policy for the benefit of a given cause. Humanitarian aid agencies may use cultural diplomacy to influence traditions and practices that work against efforts to reduce poverty and illness in local communities. This ensures that their work is sustainable.


 * Individuals: often use cultural diplomacy to build friendships or in discussions to influence opinion about a particular subject. The cultural dynamics of an individual are represented by personal beliefs, values and general way on life.

Practice
Cultural diplomacy can be practised by any number or combination of adherents. Owing to this nature, the roots of cultural diplomacy can be traced back to the very beginnings of human exchanges in dialogue. However, cultural diplomacy conducted by governments and rulers of nations often have the greatest effects on the lives of ordinary citizens and provide the most comprehensive records of its use.

Perhaps the most remarkable practice of cultural diplomacy to date was displayed by William Wilberforce MP in his associations with a campaign for the abolition of slavery. His campaign was spearheaded by a famous speech in the House of Commons on 12 May 1789.

Wilberforce engaged members of parliament and all who would listen in debates over the abolition of slavery, through a dialogue that recognised the distinct culture of a people who possessed an inherent human right to freedom, on the same terms as the rest of humanity. His understanding of the miserable nature of the slave trade and the cultural dynamics pertinent to African slaves was used to sow the seeds for a groundbreaking consensus in Parliament which led to The Slavery Abolition Act of 1833.

Today, cultural diplomacy is practised within the context of general diplomacy and alongside other generic forms. The art has grown to become a global industry with legal foundations and a comprehensive set of conventions, epitomised by The Vienna Convention on Consular Relations and Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. Most governments enshrine their approach to cultural diplomacy within a foreign policy document and appoint a foreign minister to lead its implementation. The foreign minister is normally supported by a network of ambassadors and full body of diplomatic staff.

The continued evolution of cultural diplomacy is dependent on the behavioural economics of its adherents, as people develop a better understanding of each other and new mediums of dialogue.

The development of new technologies has arguably had the most profound effect on the conduct of cultural diplomacy. The advent of multimedia technologies including telecommunication, electronic mail, VoIP and audio video conferencing has made it possible for adherents to conduct cultural diplomacy without ever meeting, in a physical sense.

Prevalent cultures
The level at which cultural diplomacy is practised can have a bearing on its quality and integrity. National governments often comprise of a prevalent culture and caste group among a wider group of sub cultures within a state. They carry the potential of marginalising some cultures when conducting cultural diplomacy on behalf of citizens. Furthermore, decisions that follow from cultural diplomacy are often the responsibility of one individual, i.e. a president or chancellor, whose values and belief set come into play during a decision making process.

Governments and rulers that fail to conduct cultural diplomacy in a manner that represents all the cultures within a state, carry the danger of fostering civil unrest which can lead to civil war.

Globalisation is another factor that has a bearing on the integrity of cultural diplomacy. The emergence of globalisation carries with it the emergence of what can be described as a prevalent super-culture which has the potential of eroding the cultures it comes into contact with. This cultural erosion directly affects the relevance of cultural diplomacy, as the establishment of a prevalent culture would remove the need for cultural recognition and understanding, if all people identified with a common culture.

Case study: African Union
The African Union (AU) was formed as a result of a declaration by African heads of state in Sirte, Libya, on 09.09.1999, to succeed the Organisation of African Unity; this declaration is commonly referred to as the Sirte Declaration. The inaugural assembly of the AU was convened at Durban in July 2002. The African Union is an ambitious undertaking to integrate the cultural, political and economic streams of an entire continent into a body that functions to secure peace and stability for the advancement of sustainable development. The AU functions more or less along the lines of the European Union, but, is a far more ambitious undertaking as it aims to integrate a membership spanning 53 nations.

The African Union fosters designs on a United Federation of African States that would confer a single currency, free movement of goods, people and services, amongst other features.

The endeavour of working to realise a fully functional Federation that integrates the multifarious assets and facets of 53 diverse nations is closely tied to the success of cultural recognition, understanding and dialogue among member states.

The achievement of every milestone along the path to a United Federation of African States requires the skilful use of cultural diplomacy between member states to secure agreements and between member states and citizens, as some states may wish to hold a referendum before transferring sovereign powers.

Recognition of the importance that cultural diplomacy plays in this ambitious undertaking is set out under Mission 4 in The Strategic Plan of the African Union Commission Volume 1; the primary blueprint for achieving its mandate.

Other definitions

 * Cultural diplomacy is a concept in political science describing the use and transfer of cultural ideas between different group to achieve rapport and understanding.


 * "Cultural diplomacy is a prime example of "soft power" or the ability to persuade through culture, value, and ideas opposed to "hard power" which conquers or coerces through military might." - Joseph Nye


 * Cultural diplomacy alludes to the official practice of governments conducting international relations (negotiating treaties, alliances, shaping policy, etc.) using soft power. For thousands of years, the use of violence has been the basis and ultimate sanction of power politics - the endpoint being war. Cultural diplomacy, by stressing soft power in politics, offers a potentially life-saving alternative