10 Ways to Restore America’s Overseas Image
5. Expand Educational And Cultural Exchange Through Public Diplomacy
Enhancing the U.S. reputation overseas will require a multi-pronged strategy, at the center of which must be a carefully crafted public diplomacy component. Public diplomacy can be defined as coordinated attempts to shape perceptions and views of the United States in the rest of the world. Creating a successful strategy for public diplomacy will require rethinking some fundamental assumptions that have driven efforts over the last two presidential administrations.
The exercise of public diplomacy has changed in an environment where technology moves information quickly and the U.S. government is less trusted. A new strategy must rely less on traditional media, and the messengers cannot be people who are perceived as spokespersons for U.S. foreign policy. Crafting this strategy requires a thorough understanding of the role of cultural and educational exchanges, or what is commonly called citizen diplomacy.
