The end of September brings with it the kickoff of autumn, pumpkin-spice madness, and, of course, the latest edition of the Meridian Center for Cultural Diplomacy’s Soft Power: The Monthly Roundup. The following selection highlights nine notable cultural diplomacy projects that took place around the globe this month. Continue
Past Forward: Contemporary Art from the Emirates is the first and largest touring exhibition of Emirati art in the United States. Michiganders can find it on display at the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum on-campus at Michigan State University through October 18. This exhibition offers visitors perspective on the impact of rapid economic development in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the rich heritage of the Emiratis, and the struggle to maintain a balance between seizing a bright future and honoring traditional roots. Continue
As August, and consequently summer, sadly comes to a close, the Meridian Center for Cultural Diplomacy is back to round up some of this past month’s soft power events. The following selection highlights cultural exchange through community engagement in the globalized world. For the summer season, this interconnectedness means lots of festivals, so read on to see how diverse communities are coming together to celebrate around the world.
August 12th International Youth Day. It was first designated by the UN General Assembly in 1999 with the goal of serving as an annual celebration of young women and men as essential partners in change, and an opportunity to raise awareness of challenges and problems facing the world’s youth. Continue
Stemming from a long history of marginalizing women, mainstream media and international leaders rely heavily on the categorization of issues as “women’s issues” when discussing problems such as inequalities in education, inclusion of women in decision making, and gender violence. In the same way as women, societal problems that are categorized as “women’s issues” are considered of secondary concern to the growth of society. “Women’s issues” should be framed human rights issues because they are the manifestation of deeper structural and cultural inequalities that affect the entire population and often result in violence. While mainstream media portrays women as...
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