The institute for cultural diplomacy is an international independent non-profit and non-partisan organization focused on cultural diplomacy with our headquarters in the United States and Germany. The institute is at the center of a global network of public sector, private sector, and independent partners. Our goal is to implement cultural diplomacy to educate, enhance and sustain relationships between civil societies around the globe.

Our work is divided into two main areas:
a) Research and analysis of the best practices of cultural diplomacy; and
b) The integration and application of this research in programs that we have created to serve as new forms of cultural diplomacy.

icd's Philosophy and Mission

The programs of the institute for cultural diplomacy are designed to educate, enhance and sustain relationships based on dialogue, understanding and trust between cultures and countries around the world. icd believes that access is the main divisive element in the world between peoples as well as being the one human right that everyone deserves. Access to food, access to education, access to medicine, and access to peace are only a sampling of the basic needs and desires of humans. icd’s mission is not to provide these specific human rights to the global community, but rather to strengthen the relationships that allow for this access: relationships between governments, relationships between cultures, relationships between generations, and relationships between civil societies at the local, regional and global level.

At the core of any conflict – whether international or interpersonal – is a lack of understanding, and a failure to compromise when different interests or agendas are in conflict.  By encouraging open, two-way dialogues and sharing, people, states, societies, and civilizations, one can begin to develop insight into the way others view the world and thus create sustainable relationships between cultures and nations.

The institute for cultural diplomacy's philosophy is that in order to have a stable relationship between two or more people, cultures or countries three components are essential: dialogue, understanding, and trust. Only when these three elements are fused together is it possible to have true cooperation in the economic, political or social sense. It is precisely these three elements which unfortunately are most often missing from the global arena of international relations in the twenty-first century.

The mission of icd is to tackle these tough issues of human interaction that so often seem incompatible and exclusionary. Through programs that educate, enhance, and sustain relationships of dialogue, the unfamiliar becomes familiar, allowing empathy to develop, which therefore prepares people to be in situations where compromise is possible. We believe that we are all equal citizens of a common globe. Our research and new applications of cultural diplomacy serve as a first step toward breaking down the barriers that separate us and prevent us from thinking as a single and united global community.


icd's Methodology

icd's work is realized through the following methods:

Virtual, Interactive Communication Venues. Currently, icd uses virtual forums so that participants of its Young Leaders’ Forums from around the world are able to communicate with ease. Beginning in 2007, icd will additionally offer a virtual forum known as the icd Access Program (www.culturaldiplomacy.org/access). Through this soon-to-be-released web-based portal, icd would like to provide access to anyone across the globe to a wealth of resources that will help to educate, enhance and sustain relationships between cultures and countries around the world. The online portal will: provide information, articles, and links where visitors can learn more about cultural diplomacy and civil society initiatives around the world; provide access to an interactive forum where visitors can read and write blogs, take part in online discussions and even participate in live videoconferences and events; and serve as a navigation system to the world’s local, global and regional civil society organizations and initiatives so that global citizens around the world can easily find organizations to get involved with, learn how to start their own organizations, and/or learn from or partner with other organizations that already exist. This powerful access will hopefully assist in solving global challenges ranging from poverty to global warming, since one of the largest challenges to global citizens getting involved is merely getting access to the information and the partners they need in order to realize substantial projects and start new initiatives.

Worldwide Sustainable Networks. Since its origin, icd has been dedicated to supporting and strengthening the next generation of leadership around the world. In addition to organizing one time and series of linked events, discussions, and initiatives, we have also developed sustainable networks of motivated, experienced individuals and organizations that then continue to develop and work together over many years. Also included in these networks are the participants of icd’s Young Leaders’ Forums, such as “Canada Meets Germany – A Forum for Young Leaders”. These participants are typically between the ages of 28 and 38 with between 3 to 5 years professional experience and demonstrated leadership abilities in their field (from all fields, such as cultural, economic, academic and political). Through the integration of these young leaders with their more experienced counterparts, we are able to strengthen and empower all involved, enabling them to solve their respective communities’ problems through collaboration.

Events and Programs. The icd events can be broken down into two groups: The first, called the High Profile Network, focuses more on senior experts and decision makers; The second, known as the Global Community, is open to the public, bringing together local and regional communities to discuss issues of global importance, allowing them to contribute to the solution-finding process in their own "backyard."

High Profile Network
By invitation only, approximately forty cultural, business, government, and academic leaders from around the globe convene for 1 to 3 days to explore and work on specific issues of international significance (such as cultural diplomacy, poverty, demographic change, or the world’s energy crisis). This kind of international and interdisciplinary gathering of leaders is always a noteworthy event and produces discussions and results so unique that one can never fully anticipate the complexity and direction of the outcome in advance. By keeping parts of the discussions off-the-record, icd creates an engaged environment in which a powerfully diverse mix of participants feel comfortable being spontaneous, straightforward and honest in their interactions, leading to true innovation and creativity among a diverse group of leaders.
icd's academic work of the high profile network engages world-class experts and results in ground-breaking publications such as “Searching for a Cultural Diplomacy” co-edited by Mark C. Donfried, Director and Founder of icd, and Prof. Dr. Jessica Gienow-Hecht from the University of Frankfurt am Main, to be published in 2007.
In the coming years, we plan on posing questions to our high-profile network such as: What is the potential of sports servings as an innovative form of cultural diplomacy to bridge cultural and national tensions? How can the fund and investment sector help assist in ending global poverty? How can civil society community groups and initiatives work together to end global warming?

Global Community
icd insists that one must think both globally and locally - and act accordingly. Therefore, icd has created community outreach programs allowing the local community to engage in diplomacy that has global impact. icd’s global community provides an arena where people can become a part of the diplomatic process in their own backyard. icd hosts regular roundtable discussions where regional leaders and cultural diplomats lead groups through discussion on specific issues that influence local and international communities. icd’s monthly "Stammtisch" meetings in local cafes and bars are thematically informal and open gatherings, focusing on intercultural exchange. In addition icd runs, in collaboration with Lexia International, a German-English Tandem Program, and hosts periodic guest lectures where exceptional individuals such as leaders, writers, artists, and cultural diplomats discuss their work with the local community.
icd's town hall discussions and its public conferences develop informal relationships with individuals out in the communities in which we operate, making it possible to empower those individuals to solve the challenges that they face locally, and yet have global impact.
All of this is possible through our strong network of partnerships with governments, foundations, non-profits, corporations, and individuals.

The institute for cultural diplomacy: A Brief History

Recognizing a lack of regard for cultural matters in international discourse and policy, icd was envisioned as a vehicle for initiating a more sustained dialogue between countries and, most importantly, between cultures. The idea for icd emerged from a conversation between four individuals: Pierre Buhler (former head of the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in NYC, and diplomatic advisor to the French Defense Minister), Prof. Dr. Robert Paxton (Columbia University), Prof. Dr. Thierry de Montbrial (director of institut français des relations internationales), and Mark C. Donfried (who would proceed to become founder and director).

From that initial idea, icd has expanded into two offices in Berlin, Germany (an official tax exempt German “gemeinnütziger Verein” not-for-profit organization) and New York City, USA (a legally separate official tax exempt US not-for-profit 501c3 organization).

The institute for cultural diplomacy has focused in the last years on the research and analysis of the significant evolution of the science of international cultural diplomacy. We are proud to also now be successfully running many of our own programs of what we call civil-society-based cultural diplomacy, such as our programs bringing young leaders together in sustainable bilateral and multilateral networks and those reaching out to local and regional communities that find themselves within a newly emerging “global community.” We are non-partisan and not-for-profit; we are international and we are striving to be as neutral as possible in every sense. icd has been bringing experts and practitioners together for years with a modest goal: to determine if we are asking the right questions concerning cultural diplomacy. Now in our fifth year of operations the questions are clearer; however, the more questions we ask the more we have, and the answers are constantly evolving. Fortunately, our network has expanded to every continent and beyond the academic field to include the political, cultural and economic. We have partnerships with governments, universities, NGOs, and private sector companies around the world; as we gather experience each year, so too do we gather momentum and strength. Our mission is not to single-handedly change the world, but more unassuming, we hope to help build the sustainable bridges between civil societies that will provide communities with access to the resources they need to improve their own situations, with their own hands.

We would be grateful if you would take this opportunity to join us with your country, your company, your institution or your individual resources and so that we might be able to more effectively educate, enhance, and sustain these cultural relationships. Only with your help and support will icd be able to assist the international community and to consider new and different ways for global communities to interact and communicate more effectively with each other.

Cultural Diplomacy

Definition

The science of "Cultural Diplomacy", according to Milton C. Cummings Jr., is “the exchange of ideas, information, value systems, traditions, beliefs and other aspects of culture”—such as art, sports, science, literature and music—with the intention of “fostering mutual understanding.” It was initially defined by national governments, says Joseph Nye, as “a prime example of ‘soft power,’ or the ability to persuade through culture, value, and ideas, as opposed to ‘hard power,’ which conquers or coerces through military might.” Some examples of official twentieth century institutions of governmental cultural diplomacy include the Goethe-Institut, the British Council, the Alliance Française, or academic exchange programs such as Fulbright and DAAD programs. Some examples of civil society based cultural diplomacy would include Seeds of Peace and the institute for cultural diplomacy.

Historical Overview

The origins of diplomacy as a practice can be traced back to ancient Mesopotamia, Greece and Rome. In this historical period, “diplomacy” consisted of a small group of “ambassador” soldiers who traveled ahead of the army to meet with their counterparts from the opposing force in the hopes of negotiating an alternative to the looming battle. If one was found, peace would rule the day; if not, blood would be spilled. Thus, the office of the ambassador was born, and importance was placed on first seeking peaceful solutions to disputes.

In addition to centuries of informal “ambassadors” traveling the world (like travelers, pioneers, conquerors, mediators, artists, etc.), in the twentieth century, the global community witnessed the birth of a new form of diplomacy in which not only the identity of the ambassadors changed, but also their methods and tools. Official state-sponsored cultural diplomacy was born in the first quarter of the twentieth century with the 1921 creation of the formal cultural department of the German Foreign Office and the 1935 founding of the British Council in England, whose stated missions were to foster their countries image abroad. The Americans were not far behind: A dramatic increase in the use of the tools of cultural diplomacy during the Cold War revolutionized the country’s ability to “tell America’s story to the world” through institutions such as the “Amerika Häuser” in Germany. Additional examples of unilateral efforts by governments to represent and promote their cultures abroad can be found post-WWII, including the previously mentioned Goethe- Institut and Alliance Française.

With the exception of some excellent and very beneficial academic and non-academic exchange programs, the missing link in cultural diplomacy during the twentieth century was a neutral bridge over which sustained two-way cultural dialogue and exchange could take place. The primary reason for this is that it was very difficult for governmental entities—whose existence is grounded in a need to safeguard the rights of the citizens of the country—to “listen” to what other countries of the world had to say, rather than simply “telling” their own story abroad. In fact, governmental agencies have been too strictly limited by their individual national policy agendas to sustain the bilateral and multilateral relationships of true understanding and trust that are essential for intercultural and international dialogue. However, the civil societies of these nations—meaning non-state related institutions such as NGOs, religious organizations, trade unions or professional associations—are perfectly suited to carry out this task. Parallel to the development of governmental cultural diplomacy, the global community fortuitously witnessed the birth of civil societies during the twentieth century made up of a myriad of NGOs, charities, and institutions dedicated to doing exactly the work which governments were not well suited to do. Where governments were unable to accomplish their stated goals, civil society organizations demonstrated fortitude by bearing the torch when governments could no longer do so effectively. Where governmental officials were unintentionally hindered by the bureaucracy of the state in realizing their well intended initiatives, civil societies were free to pursue their mission statements, at times idealistic, at others pragmatic. The legitimacy of the cause fluctuated at times when ill-suited individuals exercised control over an otherwise capable government, whereas legitimacy remained with civil society institutions as they slowly and organically grew from the bottom up, rooted naturally and with integrity in the people for which they were designed to serve (see for example: www.newtraditions.de).

Cultural Diplomacy Today

We find ourselves today in a situation where national governments are realizing the significant restraints of their traditional models for cultural diplomacy as the neutrality of their initiatives and their legitimacy are being questioned. It might be asked whether these governmental initiatives are true efforts to build dialogue, understanding and trust or just a way of promoting a national or political agenda. The diminishing effectiveness of governmental cultural diplomacy is taking place simultaneously with the escalating urgency for cultural diplomacy. In a post September 11th, 2001 world where the fear of and reaction against extremism and fundamentalism extends across the globe, there is now a greater need than ever for stable and sustainable relationships between cultures and nations. Today it is often asked whether there is a viable model that can be applied to cultural diplomacy, but very few are offering viable solutions. This is the task of the institute for cultural diplomacy: to investigate these questions and to help find and create viable models for cultural diplomacy in the twenty-first century and beyond.

icd's Board

The Advisory Board is comprised of twenty eminent international leaders. Board members were instrumental in icd’s inception, and continue to act as vital components in aiding icd's mission. The Advisory Board members include:

ADVISORY COUNCIL FOR THE INSTITUTE
Prof. Dr. Peter Awn	Dean, Columbia University, School of General Studies, New York
Prof. Dr. Ruth Bereson	Assistant Professor Arts & Humanities, Teachers College Columbia University
David Black	Executive Director French Institute Alliance Française, New York
Prof. Dr. Ulrich Brückner	Professor, Freie Universität Berlin, and Stanford University, Berlin
Prof. Dr. Chuck Cogan	Professor, Former Head of the CIA, Paris Bureau
Carter Collins	President, Imagine Inc., San Francisco, CA
Prof. Dr. Maryse Condé	Professor, Columbia Univeristy, New York
M. Jean-René Gehan	Head, Cultural Services of the French Embassy, New York
Prof. Jessica Gienow-Hecht	Professor, Center for North American Studies, University of Frankfurt
Jan-Philipp Goertz	Director, Governmental Relations, Lufthansa AG, Berlin
Prof. Dr. Victoria de Grazia	Professor, Columbia University, New York
Prof. Dr. Stanley Hoffmann	Professor, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Joel Kramer	CEO & Chairman of the Board, Kramer Promotions, Inc., New York
Prof. Dr. Richard Kuisel	Professor, Georgetown University, Washington, DC
Prof. Dr. David J. Leech	Skelton-Clark Post-Doctoral Fellow, Department of Political Studies, Queen's University
Prof. Dr. Thierry de Montbrial	Director, Institut Français des Relations Internationales, Paris
Prof. Dr. Robert O'Meally	Director, Center for Jazz Studies, Columbia University, New York
Eric W. Ormsby	Director, La Maison Française de Columbia Univeristy, New York
Dr. Guillaume Parmentier	Head, Centre Français des États-Unis, IFRI, Paris
Prof. Dr. Robert O. Paxton	Professor, Columbia University, New York
Amb. Paramjit S. Sahai	Former High Commissioner to Malaysia, and Indian Ambassador
Amb. Prof. Cynthia P. Schneider	Georgetown University, former US Ambassador to the Netherlands
Amb. Dr. Immo Stabreit	Former German Ambassador to the US, France, and South Africa
Raoul D. Stöhlker	President of Stöhlker & Partner GmbH
Murat Ünal	CEO, Funds@Work, Former Head of Investments, Citibank Europe, Frankfurt
"Detroit" Gary Wiggens	Jazz Saxaphonist and Cultural Diplomat, Berlin

ADVISORY BOARD FOR CANADA MEETS GERMANY - A FORUM FOR YOUNG LEADERS (CMG)
Amb. Marie Bernard-Meunier	Former Canadian Ambassador to Germany, CMG Honorary Chairperson
Amb. Paul Dubois	Canadian Ambassador to Germany, CMG Patron
Amb. Matthias Höpfner	German Ambassador to Canada, CMG Patron
Dr. Karsten Voigt	Coordinator for German-American Cooperation, German Foreign Office, CMG Honorary Chairperson

ADVISORY BOARD FOR GERMANY MEETS POLAND - A FORUM FOR YOUNG LEADERS (GMP)
Amb. Andrzej Byrt	Former Polish Ambassador to Germany
Dr. Heike Dörrenbächer	Managing Director, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Osteuropakunde, Berlin
Prof. Dr. Krzysztof J. Kurzydlowski	Secretary Deputy, Polish Ministry for Science and Higher Education
Kai-Olaf Lang	Expert for Eastern Europe, Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (SWP), Berlin
Markus Meckel	Member of the German Bundestag, Chairman of the German-Polish Parliamentary Group
Amb. Dr. Marek Prawda	Polish Ambassador to Germany
Dr. Witold Pronobis	Polish Historian
Prof. Dr. Gesine Schwan	President of the European University Viadrina, Coordinator for German-Polish Intersocietal and Cross-Border Cooperation, Frankfurt/Oder, GMP Patron
Amb. Dr. Reinhard Schweppe	German Ambassador to Poland
Prof. Dr. Rita Süssmuth	President of Deutsches Polen Institut (DPI), President of the OTA University of Applied Sciences, Berlin
Olga Tokarczuk	Polish Writer, Winner of the NIKE Literature Prize
Prof. Dr. Robert Traba	Director of the Centre for Historical Research , Polish Academy of Sciences, Berlin

ADVISORY BOARD FOR GERMANY MEETS TURKEY - A FORUM FOR YOUNG LEADERS (GMT)
Baki Irmak	Director of Communications, DWS Investments
Cem Özdemir	Member of the European Parliament, Green Party
Alper Üçok	Head of TÜSIAD Office, Berlin
Murat Ünal	General Manager and Founder, Funds@Work, Frankfurt

COMMITTEE AMERIKA HAUS BERLIN
Wolfgang Brandt	Deputy Chairman, Friends of Amerika Haus Berlin
Mark Dillen	Consultant, institute for cultural diplomacy, Berlin
Dr. Jackson Janes	Executive Director, American Institute for Contemporary German Studies (AICGS), Washington D.C.
David Knutson	Chairman, BridgeBuildersBerlin, Berlin
Alexander Longolius	President of the Board, Checkpoint Charlie Foundation, Berlin
Udo von Massenbach	President, American-German Business Club Berlin e.V.
Heinz-Gerd Reese	Chairman, Friends of Amerika Haus Berlin
Carol Scherer	Resident Director, Lexia International, Berlin
Loring Sittler	Director, fischerAppelt Kommunikation, Berlin
Steven E. Sokol	Vice President, American Council on Germany, New York

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