The Annual Conference on Cultural Diplomacy in the USA 2012
"Options on the Table": Soft Power, Intercultural Dialogue, and the Future of US Foreign Policy
(Washington D.C., January 9th - 11th, 2013)
http://www.icd-usforeignpolicy.org" rel="nofollow">LINK

In the wake of the recent U.S. Presidential Election, the strategy of America’s Foreign Policy has become an increasingly crucial issue, with the international community waiting expectantly to see how America's Foreign Policy approach will adapt to the new challenges confronting the international arena.

Over the past years, the international community has come to see soft power and Cultural Diplomacy play a more significant role within US Foreign Policy and International Relations in general, as it has been recognized and become apparent that these approaches can assist in creating a multi-lateral consensus, as opposed to confrontation. However, the challenges facing the international community within the context of globalization continue to deepen due to a fragmented international framework filled with mistrust, competition, and economic and political fragility.

The foreign policy goals and priorities of individual nation states will increasingly be required to take into account an interdependent, multi-polar, international environment, and balance the pursuit of national interests with the pursuit of global public goods. The Institute for Cultural Diplomacy has therefore dedicated its bi-annual conference on the US Foreign Policy to debate and explore the continuing concepts of soft power, intercultural dialogue, and Cultural Diplomacy, particularly as they relate to American Foreign Policy, and assess the role they will play in the next years.

Conference Participants >
Participation in the conference is open to governmental & diplomatic officials, academics & scholars, economists, journalists, artists, civil society practitioners, private sector representatives, young professionals, and students, as well as other interested individuals from across the world.

Participant Papers >
The Institute for Cultural Diplomacy encourages academic research and analysis of issues related to the goals of the conference. The ICD would therefore like to welcome the participants of our conference to submit a paper they would like to be considered for presentation at the conference, as well as to be included in the proposal document that will be issued following the conference which will be sent to all governments and leaders of the international community.

Conference Speakers >
The speakers during the conference will include leading figures and experts from international politics (including head of states and ministers), academia, the diplomatic community, civil society, and the private sector. These speakers will include a number of individuals from the ICD Advisory Board.

Speakers for the conference include:

• The Hon. Dr. Alfredo Palacio - President of the ICD Advisory Board; Former President of Ecuador
• The Hon. Dr. Ali Ahmad Jalali - President of the ICD Advisory Board; Former Interior Minister of Afghanistan
• Sir Anthony Russell Brenton - ICD Advisory Board Member; Former British Ambassador to Russia
• David Soul - Celebrated American Actor; best known for his Role as Detective Kenneth "Hutch” in the television program "Starsky and Hutch" (Video Lecture)
• The Hon. Dr. Emil Constantinescu - President of the ICD Academy for Cultural Diplomacy; Former President of Romania
• The Hon. Erna Hennicot Schoepges - Vice President of the ICD Advisory Board; Former Luxembourgian Minister of Culture and Religious Affairs
• Frank Ucciardo - UN Correspondent, CBS News "Up To The Minute"
• Ian Gillan - Lead Singer and Lyricist for Deep Purple (Video Lecture)
• The Hon. Sir James R. Mancham - ICD Advisory Board Member; Founding President of the Republic of Seychelles
• The Hon. Dr. Nazar Al Baharna - ICD Advisory Board Member; Former Foreign Minister of Bahrain
• The Hon. Nouzha Skalli - ICD Advisory Board Member; Former Moroccan Minister of Social Development, Family, and Solidarity
• The Hon. Paula Dobrianski - ICD Advisory Board Member; Former US Under Secretary of State for Democracy and Global Affairs
• Ribal Al-Assad - Chairman, Iman Foundation
• The Hon. Dr. Solomon Isaac Passy - ICD Advisory Board Member; Former Foreign Minister of Bulgaria
• Governor Steve Merrill - 77th Governor of New Hampshire; President, Bingham Consulting (Video Lecture)
• The Hon. Stockwell Day - Former Canadian Minister of International Trade (Video Lecture)
• The Hon. Yasar Yakis - President of the ICD Young Leaders' Forums; Former Foreign Minister of Turkey