173rd issue of Culture Magazine is Published
June 7, 2022
The new 173rd issue of Culture Magazine, on the topic of “Culture and Diplomacy”, was published by the Institute for Cultural Development.
“Culture and diplomacy” thematic issue was edited by dr. Aleksandra Kolaković from the Institute for Political Studies, who underlined that “since spring 2020, when Covid-19 pandemic has closed the borders and significantly changed people’s lives in all countries of the world, culture and diplomacy have continued to overcome all obstacles imposed by the “new normality”. This has re-confirmed that these two segments of communication among people, nations and countries is significant and very much needed. Establishment, development, maintenance and improvement of foreign relations of a country by means of culture, arts, sport, science and education have brought about new tasks in new circumstances”. Cultural diplomacy as part of official diplomacy and the manner of growing ‘soft power’ in this context are especially significant for culture and for a country like Serbia.” Having in mind all of the above, this issue od Culture is dedicated to cultural diplomacy as part of public diplomacy that relies on objectives and priorities of the political, economic and the military-security components, with the underlying efforts of the state to influence its image in the world as well as bilateral and multilateral relations.
In this number of Culture, in addition to the theoretical and methodological approaches and new issues to be addressed by cultural diplomacy studies, examples form history were especially presented, with an intention of giving birth to new ideas by creators of foreign policy and cultural strategies. As EU-integration is one of the strategic goals of the Republic of Serbia, as a space where cultural cooperation is to be validated and developed, we have also recognised the need to start the issue with the paper that gives an actual and fresh overview. It is dedicated to the research of development of the EU cultural diplomacy agenda, from “culture in foreign relations2 to “inclusive cultural relations” and “a new spirit of the dialogue” as political narrative and institutional logic, which inspire us to think about the foundations for creating contemporary priorities in EU foreign cultural policy, its instruments and programmes. (dr. Aleksandra Kolaković, Introduction, Culture, issue 173).
