The International Symposium on Cultural Diplomacy 2009
"The Role of Soft Power in the International Environment"
Jorge Sampaio
United Nations High Representative for the Alliance of Civilisations, Former President of Portugal (1996 – 2006)
Jorge Sampaio served two terms as President of Portugal, during which time he oversaw the return of Macau to China (1999) and campaigned for the independence of East Timor. His Presidency was characterised by prudence and moderation, and was notable for its focus on cultural and social issues. Since finishing his Presidency, Mr. Sampaio has concentrated his efforts on international peace and security, and he was appointed to the position of United Nations High Representative for the Alliance of Civilisations by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon in 2007. The initiative aims to improve cooperative relations across people from different national, cultural, and religious backgrounds, and is co-sponsored by the President of Spain, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, and the Prime Minister of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Trained as a Lawyer, Mr Sampaio has been involved in Portuguese politics since 1979 and prior to being elected as President has served as Mayor of Lisbon (1989-1995) and was a member of the European Commission of Human Rights (1979 – 1984). [Read more]
Joaquim Chissano
Former Chairperson of the African Union (2003-2004), Former President of Mozambique (1986-2005)
Joaquim Chissano has dedicated his life and career to improving international and intercultural relations on the African continent and ensuring Mozambique's development as a stable, peaceful, multi-ethnic country. His long and diverse career to date includes time spent as a freedom fighter during the Mozambique independence movement, serving his country as Foreign Minister, Prime Minister (during the transition government), and President. He has also held the position of Chair Person of the African Union and, more recently, United Nations Special Envoy to Northern Uganda and Southern Sudan. Throughout his life, Mr. Chissano has won praise for his commitment to peace on the African continent and for showing strong governance in his different roles and he was recently awarded the "Prize for Achievement in African Leadership" by the Mo Ibrahim Foundation. [Read more]
Dr. Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga
Former President of Latvia (1999 – 2007)
Dr. Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga served for two four-year terms as the first female President of Latvia, during which time she successfully guided her country to EU and NATO membership. Throughout her time in office President Vīķe-Freiberga had an approval rating between 70 and 85 percent, and she is widely praised for her active involvement in a number of councils and organisations and her knowledge of Latvian folklore and culture. In April 2005, President Vīķe-Freiberga was appointed by the United Nations Secretary General at the time, Kofi Annan, to promote the comprehensive UN reform outlined in the report “In Larger Freedom”. In December 2007 she was appointed deputy chairman of the “Reflection Group” on the EU’s long-term future. A clinical psychologist by profession, Dr. Vīķe-Freiberga earned her PhD in experimental psychology at McGill University in 1965. [Read more]
Cassam Uteem
Former President of the Republic of Mauritius (1992 - 2002)
Cassam Uteem is the longest serving President in the history of Mauritius having held the position for nine years. He came under the international spotlight in 2002 when he refused to sign into law a controversial anti-terrorism bill that would have allowed police to hold suspects for longer periods of time without charging them. Mr. Uteem resigned as a result of this incident, leaving the position just three months before his term expired. Drawing from his experience in the multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-lingual country of Mauritius, since his presidency, Mr. Uteem has become very active in international public politics, notably in promoting parcipitatory democracy and cultural rights. He has had a lengthy political career, having served multiple terms in the Mauritian parliament since 1976 and held the positions of Minister of Employment, Social Security and National Solidarity, as well as Deputy-Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and Industrial Technology. A graduate of Paris VII University (BA in Art, MA in Psychology), Mr. Uteem has been highly praised for his commitment to peace and democracy, and is a member of the international jury for the UNESCO Prize of Education for Peace. [Read more]
Dr. Vasile Puşcaş
Romanian Minister for European Affairs
Dr. Vasile Puşcaş is a Romanian politician, author, and international relations scholar who, as Romanian Chief Negotiator with the European Union (EU) from 2000-2004, was seen by many as the architect of Romania’s accession to the EU in 2007. A Deputy of the Romanian Parliament for two terms with the Social Democratic Party (2000-2004, 2004-2008), Dr. Puşcaş was appointed to the position of Head of the European Affairs Department in December 2008 by Premier Emil Bloc. Prior to his political career Dr. Puşcaş’s positions included Chairman of the Institute for International Studies at Cluj Napoca (1999-2000), Professor of International Relations at Cluj Napoca (1995-2000), and Dean of the Faculty of Political Science at Bogdan Voda University (1998.2000). He has also served Romania as Councillor Minister and Deputy Ambassador at the Romanian Embassy in the United States.
Ints Dālderis
Minister of Culture of the Republic of Latvia
Mr. Ints Dālderis, Minister of Culture of the Republic of Latvia, was born in 1971 and studied at Latvia’s prestigious Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music before joining the Latvian National Orchestra in 1999. He became director of this institution in 2005, a post he held for four years. In 2006 he joined the Council of the State Culture Capital Foundation as well as becoming a member of the National Board of Culture. On March 12 this year, Mr. Dālderis was appointed Latvia’s Minister of Culture. [Read more]
Dr. Erkki Tuomioja
Member of Finnish Parliament, Former Finnish Foreign Minister (2000 - 2007)
Politician and author Dr. Erkki Tuomioja is one Finland's most widely read and influential politicians of the last two decades. As Finnish Foreign Minister during Finlandís presidency of the European Union in 2006, he held the position of spokesperson on European foreign policy and was one of the first to call for an immediate cessation of hostilities in the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict. Recognised as having a strong anti-war stance, Dr. Tuomioja is also a celebrated author of 18 books and his account of his grandmother and her sister, "A Delicate Shade of Pink", won the Finnish non-fiction Finlandia Prize in 2006. Dr. Tuomioja has been a member of the Finnish parliament since 1991, a position he also held from 1970-1979. [Read more]
Professor Dr. Joseph S. Nye Jr.
(*by recorded video lecture)University Distinguished Service Professor and Sultan of Oman Professor of International Relations, Harvard University
Professor Dr. Joseph S. Nye Jr. is a renowned political theorist who developed the concepts of "soft power" and "smart power" and, together with Professor Dr. Robert Keohane, co-founded the neoliberalism theory of international relations. He currently holds the position of University Distinguished Service Professor at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, where he has been active since 1964, and his previous positions include Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs under the Clinton administration. Through his books, which include "Power and Interdependence" and "Understanding International Conflicts", and his positions on the editorial board of Foreign Policy and the Board of Directors for the International Council on Foreign Relations, Prof. Dr. Nye can be considered one of the most influential scholar on American Foreign Policy over the past two decades. Prof. Dr. Nye will be delivering a video lecture on the role of "soft power" in today's multipolar international environment. [Read more]
H.E. Mr. Ahmada R. Ngemera
Ambassador of Tanzania to Germany
His Excellency Mr. Ahmada R. Ngemera is the current Ambassador of the Republic of Tanzania in the Federal Republic of Germany. He was assigned to this post from the Tanzanian Ministry of Trade and Industry, where he had spent a large part of his career and held numerous positions including Director and Permanent Secretary. Ambassador Ngemera has also held the position of Deputy Secretary General of the East African Community, an intergovernmental organisation comprising Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda.
Dr. Gunter Pleuger
Former German Ambassador to the United Nations (2002-2006)
Dr. Gunter Pleuger served as Germany's Permanent Representative to the United Nations from 2002 to 2006, during which time he represented Germany as an elected member in the United Nations Security Council (2003-2004). Whilst sitting on the UN Security Council, Dr. Pleuger gained public recognition as the representative of Germany's position against the planned invasion of Iraq by the United States. Having begun his career in the German Foreign Service in 1969, Dr. Pleuger has served as State Secretary, Political Director, and Head of the Political Division of the Federal Foreign Office. He has also worked as an advisor to the Foreign Minister on all operative political issues. Dr. Pleuger is the President of the Europa Universität Viadrina in Frankfurt (Oder), Germany. [Read more]
Professor Dr. Cynthia Schneider
Distinguished Professor in the Practice of Diplomacy, Georgetown University
61st Ambassador of the United States to the Kingdom of the Netherlands (1998 – 2001) - (ICD Advisory Board Member)
Prof. Dr. Cynthia Schneider served as Ambassador of the United States to the Kingdom of the Netherlands under the Clinton administration. During this time she launched a number of important scientific and cultural initiatives, including an international conference on biotechnology (2000), and a millennium project between Dutch Students and World War II survivors. A graduate in Fine Arts from Harvard University (BA, Ph. D), Prof. Dr. Schneider currently teaches Diplomacy and Culture at Georgetown University, and leads the Arts and Culture Initiative within the Saban Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution. An expert on cultural diplomacy, Prof. Dr. Schneider focuses in particular on relations with the Muslim world. [Read more]
John Holden
Visiting Professor, City University London
Associate and former Head of Culture, Demos
John Holden is a Visiting Professor at City University London and an Associate at the independent British think tank Demos. A former investment banker with a Masters Degree in law, Holden left a job in the city to pursue a career in arts management and study for an MA in Design History and Material Culture, before joining Demos in 2000. His interests are in the development of people and organisations across the whole of the cultural sector. He has addressed issues of leadership, education, cultural policy, creative industries, technology and evaluation, and in addition to his positions at City University and Demos is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and a member of the Strategy Board of the Core Leadership Programme.
Samuel Jones
Head of Culture, Demos
Samuel Jones is head of Culture at the British think-tank Demos. He is the co-author of a number of influential publications including "Cultural Diplomacy" (2007), "It's a Material World" (2008), and "Knowledge and inspiration" (2006), and spoke at the International Council of Museums (ICOM) conference in Shanghai on the role of culture in international and intercultural dialogue (2007). His research focuses on culture, the arts, and international and intercultural communication. A graduate of Cambridge University (BA in History) and the Courtauld Institute of Art (MA in History of Art), Jones also sits on the UK Executive Board of the ICOM and has worked with the BBC to investigate TV art audiences. [Read more]
Professor Dr. Gudrun Doll-Tepper
Vice President for Olympic Education at the German Olympic Sports Confederation
Prof. Dr. Doll-Tepper has played a key role in the theoretical and practical development of the field of sports science and sport in Germany over the past two decades. Professor of Sport Science at the Free University Berlin, she has authored and co-authored over 300 publications focusing in particular on the areas of Olympic culture and education, the societal values of sports, the effects of the globalisation of sport in developing countries, and sports for people with a disability. Parallel to her academic influence, Prof. Dr. Doll-Tepper has been extensively involved in the management and development of sport in Germany and has been awarded the Distinguished Service Cross of the Federal Republic of Germany.
Professor Dr. Christian Armbrüster
Judge, Berlin Court of Justice (Kammergericht Berlin)
Professor of Law, Free University Berlin
Prof. Dr. Armbrüster has been a professor in private law since 2000. After teaching at Brucerius Law School in Hamburg for four years, he became guest professor at the University of Paris in 2004, and at LUISS University in Rome in 2005. Since 2004 he has been at the Legal Studies Department of the Free University in Berlin, where he lectures in, amongst other areas, citizenship law, trade law, and civil law. Prof. Dr. Armbrüster also sits as a judge at the Berlin Court of Justice.
Dr. Gerlinde Niehus
Head Corporate Communications, NATO
Dr. Gerlinde Niehus leads the Corporate Communications Section within NATO’s Public Diplomacy Division. As such, she oversees NATO’s corporate publishing, image-building and marketing efforts, and also acts as Editorial Director for NATO Review, NATO’s online magazine on current transatlantic issues. Gerlinde Niehus started her professional life as a TV and radio editor for public broadcasters in Germany (WDR and Deutschlandfunk). She then moved to policy analysis, focusing on international relations and development cooperation for a German think tank. This work brought her to the European Commission in Brussels, where she built up the information and communications programme EU – NIS, and subsequently developed a communications strategy for the European Commission’s Directorate General Information Society. In 1999 she joined NATO, and in 2008 assumed her present position. Gerlinde Niehus holds a Ph.D. in International Relations from Muenster University, Germany.
Professor Dr. Bassam Tibi
A.D. White Professor-at-Large, Cornell University
Dr. Bassam Tibi is a renowned political scientist and professor, famous for his analysis of international relations and the introduction of Islam to the study of International Conflict. He is a pioneer of the controversial concepts of European Leitkultur and Euroislam for the integration of Muslims in Europe. A graduate of Frankfurt University (Ph.D.), Dr. Tibi held the position of Professor for International Relations at Göttingen University from 1973 to 2009. During this time he held a number of visiting professorships at, amongst other institutions, Harvard University (Bosch Fellow), Princeton University, and the University of Michigan/Ann Arbor. Born in Damascus, Tibi has lived in Germany since 1962 and was decorated with the Cross of Merits First Class by then President of Germany, Roman Herzog, in 1995.
Professor Salah S. Hassan
Chairman and Professor of Marketing at the School of Business, George Washington University
He received his Ph.D. in 1984 from Ohio State University. As a consultant, Dr. Hassan completed over fifty national and international consulting assignments and executive development programs for organizations such as: The World Bank, The Smithsonian Institute, Winrock International, GW Solutions, Porter/Novelli, USAID, and the Fulbright Commission. Recently, Dr. Hassan led a Global MBA delegation to the UAE that included executive briefings and site visits to international business operations in Dubai & the UAE in general. Dr. Hassan is recognized internationally for his research on globalization of consumer markets, strategic brand positioning, and international market segmentation. As chairman of the Marketing Department at the GW School of Business, Dr. Hassan provides visionary leadership to encourage excellence in innovative research, teaching and services. Furthermore he designs, implements and reviews programs with a view to advance professional development of faculty, staff and students.
Dr. Arpad A. Sölter
Head of Division “Strategy and Evaluation” at the Headquarters of the Goethe-Institut in Munich
Dr. Sölter spearheads and coordinates the strategy and international initiatives of the Goethe-Institut. Through internal cooperation with the board of directors and the president, advisory boards, and staff, and externally with the Foreign Office, agencies, governments and businesses, Mr. Sölter works to position and forward the Goethe-Institut’s strategic international goals in areas such as: partnership development, recruitment, student and staff mobility and alumni relations. A widely recognized expert in international cultural policy and diplomacy, Mr. Sölter has held a number of senior leadership positions in Toronto, London, and Munich. In addition to degrees in German, Cultural Anthropology, Sociology, and History of Art, Mr. Sölter holds a doctorate degree in Philosophy from the University of Köln with distinction. He has published widely on Critical Rationalism, the Frankfurt School, Habermas and Critical Theory, on intercultural communication and international cultural policy and diplomacy.
Professor Gert Weisskirchen
Member of the German Parliament, Spokesperson of the Social-Democratic Parliamentary Working Group on Foreign Affairs
Since 1983, Prof. Weisskirchen has worked with dissidents and civil rights activists in the CSSR, DDR, Poland, Hungary, the Soviet Union and in particular Belarus. In addition, he was a member of the executive committee of the Helsinki-Citizen’s-Assembly, which was founded by Vaclav Havel and is an umbrella organization of peace and civil rights movements. In 1992 he became Chairman of the Federation for the German-Czech and German-Slovakian community. The Forum for Democratic Socialism made Dr. Weisskirchen their director in 1994. As his function in the German Parliament he also chairs the parliamentarian group for German-Russian relations. Dr. Weisskirchen is an honorary professor for Cultural Studies at the University of Applied Science in Potsdam where his area of expertise is cultural and social change.
