Soft Power: The Monthly Roundup (February Edition)

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This month features a food industry-themed exhibit, an African film festival, Iranian Jazz and the beauty of diversity.

This is the seventh installment of the Meridian Center for Cultural Diplomacy’s Soft Power: The Monthly Roundup, a compilation of unique cultural diplomacy initiatives from around the globe. We’re excited to share with you these seven cultural diplomacy efforts from the past month: 1. Latin America: A Peak into Contemporary Art Zona MACO – Latin America’s most important contemporary art fair – brought collectors, specialists, and galleries from every part of the world together in Mexico City from February 3rd-7th. Founded by Zélika García in 2002, Zona Maco has established itself as one of the most notable platforms for selling,...

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The “Spark” of Euromaidan and Meridian

Posted under: Center for Global Leadership By /

Mr. Mustafa Nayyem receiving the 2014 Ion Rațiu Democracy Award at the Woodrow Wilson Center for International Studies.

When I meet international visitors, most of which are participating in one of Meridian’s exchange programs, I often talk about the impact of these exchanges on the lives and careers of previous participants. I often mention Meridian alumni who went on to shine in the global spotlight. Some are very well-known: Nicolas Sarkozy, Mikhail Saakashvili, Romano Prodi, Hamid Karzai, Margaret Thatcher. A few are better known locally: Alvaro Arzu Irigoyen, President of Guatemala, Norovyn Altankhuyag, Prime Minister of Mongolia, Egypt’s former President Anwar Sadat, Finland’s current President, Sauli Niinisto, or Ehud Olmert, former Prime Minister of Israel. In total, some 168 current or former heads of state have stepped through Meridian’s doors mostly as participants in the U.S. Department of State International Visitor Leadership Program.

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