Cultural Diplomacy as an Instrument of Communication in Image Building: the Case of Ethiopia
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Date
2018-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Cultural diplomacy plays an indispensable role in image building. These days, countries are using cultural diplomacy as an integral part of their diplomatic activities ever than before. It is being considered as an important aspect to cooperate, to create mutual understanding, to build trust, and ultimately to bring change in the economic, social, and political aspects.
The ministry of foreign affairs and the ministry of culture and tourism are selected for the study .A qualitative approach is used. Content analysis and interview method are employed in the study. Three directorates are selected because they qualify better for the study. Three directors and four directors are the interviewees of the study.
Efforts are being made by the Ethiopian government to build the image of the country abroad by using cultural diplomacy. Compared to the rich cultural potential of the country, the Ethiopian government does not fully use this cultural wealth to promote the image of the country abroad. The country does not get what it ought to get from its cultural wealth.
There seems to be a lack of coordination among different stakeholders of cultural diplomacy. There is a lack of an integrated policy direction which coordinates different stakeholders to make cultural diplomacy fruitful in building the image of the country abroad.
To make cultural diplomacy programs successful, trained manpower is needed. There is a lack of experts who are trained in cultural diplomacy. This has brought its own negative influence in using cultural diplomacy to build the image of the country abroad.
There is a lack of general integrated institutional framework which supervises the implementation of cultural diplomacy to build the image of the country abroad. There is no strong central authority which leads the progress and success of cultural diplomacy. There is somewhat a financial constraint to conduct cultural diplomacy programs .In fact as a country which is struggling to reduce poverty; finance limits the success of cultural diplomacy programsKey Words
Diplomacy
Foreign Policy
Culture
Cultural Policy
Cultural Diplomacy
National Image
Image Building
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Keywords
Diplomacy, Foreign Policy, Culture, Cultural Policy, Cultural Diplomacy, National Image, Image Building