Public diplomacy - promoting international dialogue

Every country has its own spectrum of international relations activities. This will often  include programmes to promote better relations between the people of the different countries with which they are engaged. For the most part, these are developed at the diplomatic level, but have also taken place at the level of people-to-people links and exchanges, including specially tailored programmes to promote dialogue and understanding. Within the UK, the British Council has positioned itself within a spectrum of diplomatic relations from 'giving' to 'fighting' as follows:

International relations positioning spectrum

Aid Development	English Education Skills Qualifications International experiences	Networking Mutual understanding Relationship building Cultural exchange Listening Facilitation	Cultural diplomacy Showcasing Broadcasting	Messaging Advocacy Campaigns	Military action Sanctions Coercion
Giving	Helping	Sharing	Boasting	Shouting	Fighting
	British Council increasing skills and capacity to participate internationally. Developing skills and connecting aspiring talent worldwide.	British Council building engagement and trust for the UK. Connecting people of current and future influence to the UK and other countries, sharing agendas for mutual understanding and benefit.	British Council facilitating for the UK through culture and creativity. Creating spaces for diplomacy, creativity and business.

Source: British Council

Public diplomacy, a term first coined in the 1960s, is part of a country's international relations efforts and refers to governments and other international actors trying to inform foreign policy by influencing foreign audiences rather than simply governments.

We understand public diplomacy to mean the methods by which governments, private groups and individuals influence the attitudes and opinions of other peoples and governments in such a way as to exercise influence on their foreign policy decisions.

In the last 50 years, many different approaches have been put forward by governments and practitioners alike in an attempt to find the best way to ensure a lasting and effective influence on foreign audiences.

Cultural diplomacy flourished during the Cold War, a time in which governments had greater control over the disclosure of information. With the continuing rise of globalisation and the advance of information and communication technology, public diplomacy's operational strategy has had to be reassessed due to the increased participation of mass audiences in the international arena. Improved transport has also contributed to an increase in transnational networks which are partly beyond government control. This has given rise to a new public diplomacy which takes into consideration these global trends.

At the same time, many cultural organisations throughout the world have become increasingly popular in participating in a nation's public diplomacy efforts. As military and economic power ceases to provide a successful basis for international peace, the use of 'culture' as a diplomatic tool has been resurgent in recent years. Developments in international relations have led to new ways of engagement with foreign audiences. Two-way (dialogue) has often replaced the traditional methods of one-way flows (monologue) and many programmes have moved from uni- or bilateral to multilateral global projects. 

Public diplomacy in the UK

Three organisations are recognised as the UK's public diplomacy bodies: the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the British Council and the BBC World Service. The FCO is a direct government body, while both the British Council and BBC World Service operate at arm's length from government. These different positions in relation to foreign policy also strongly affect the ways in which these different organisations operate. Both the BBC World Service and the British Council receive funding from the UK government via the FCO. The BBC World Service is a broadcaster, while the British Council is mainly an educational and cultural organisation which works through building relationships based on mutuality and partnerships with foreign nations.

The British government has reiterated the way it understands public diplomacy in two major reviews over the last six years. In 2004, Lord Carter of Coles was asked by the Government to conduct a review of the current practice of public diplomacy in the UK and analyse its effectiveness and the latest progress and developments. In December 2005, the Carter Review updated the definition of public diplomacy for the UK and described it as:

'Work aiming to inform and engage individuals and organisations overseas, in order to improve understanding of and influence for the United Kingdom in a manner consistent with governmental medium- and long-term goals.'

This definition reflects the thinking and agenda of the UK government in 2005. It altered the definition provided five years prior to that. In 2002, the Wilton Review considered the public diplomacy work of the FCO, British Council and BBC World Service in the light of the events of 11 September and the growing role of public diplomacy in communicating the policies, values and achievements of a nation. This review described public diplomacy as 'work which aims at influencing in a positive way the perceptions of individuals and organisations overseas about the UK, and their engagement with the UK.'

Further information

Engagement: public diplomacy in a globalised world - This publication looks at the theme of engagement with publics overseas.

The British Council and its work in cultural relations and ICD are closely linked to the UK's public diplomacy efforts. For more information see the BC narrative section.