Program Theme Spotlight: Foreign Trade and investment

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Three visitors at a family-owned “pop-up” camper business in Sacramento, where they discuss the with the owners the company’s global marketing strategy.

With the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) and other pending trade agreements in the headlines, and as states across the country compete with one another for foreign investment and global export markets, IVLP projects in these fields are on the rise.  The increase of projects on this theme is a reflection of U.S. foreign policy interests and a recognition that global commerce has an impact on a myriad of domestic policy issues. In preparing proposals for projects about trade and investment, Meridian and its implementing partners consider a number of policy priorities that are affected by the globalization of commerce.

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Soft Power: The Monthly Roundup (July edition)

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Featured projects last month happened in Africa, Singapore, New York, Cuba, and Brazil, among other locations.

Welcome to the twelfth edition of the Meridian Center for Cultural Diplomacy’s Soft Power: The Monthly Roundup, a feature that aims to explore unique cultural diplomacy initiatives from around the globe. With the temperatures peaking and summer in full swing, this post travels to nine cultural diplomacy events and celebrations that took place in the month of July:

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Perception Is Power: Why Russia Is Missing Out at the G7

Posted under: Center for Global Leadership By /

Heads of State from the G7 spent their time together discussing issues such as climate action and combatting violent extremism. Credit: https://flic.kr/p/uiGeW7

Russia was arguably the least popular world power in 2014. According to new data from the Gallup World Poll, Russian leadership has a median international approval rating of 22 percent and a 36 percent disapproval rating, the highest of any country. This is cannot be a surprise following the annexation of Crimea, covert intervention in Eastern Ukraine, and assassination of opposition leader Boris Nemtsov. As a direct result of international disapproval, Russia’s membership in the G8 was suspended in March 2014, further isolating the country during a time of economic hardship. Negative perceptions of Russian leadership are immediately affecting...

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Foreign Policy Matters: How Diplomacy Impacts Americans

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Deputy Assistant Secretary of State David Duckenfield launches the Foreign Policy Matters initiative along with Dr. Carla Freeman and me.

“Foreign Policy” – the term itself sounds like an intangible, rigid set of rules and regulations by which governments, ambassadors, and other high-level officials abide. Distant and far removed from everyday life, and sometimes, foreign policy can seem to be just that – especially with the closed door discussions that characterize much of the field. At best, the public only sees these high-level diplomatic meetings, summits, and conferences in the media; at worst, they see cocktail receptions and junkets. Regardless, they very rarely feel as if they participate directly. The fact is nothing could be further from the truth....

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