Public diplomacy: Write about a recent event or development which illustrates the importance or otherwise of public diplomacy in contemporary world po

To be able to have indirect influence on foreign governments, public diplomacy has been the best tool in contemporary world. The usage of British councils in commonwealth countries for example indicates how liberal democratic principles and values have been exported into these former British colonies. Having different style of operation and any kind of political agenda, British councils in commonwealth countries has not only exported liberal democratic values to these countries. It has also built mutual beneficial cultural and educational relationships between the UK and its former colonies. The sharing of cultural practices has enlightened commonwealth citizens. Dissidents in authoritarian countries have also been able to air their views to the global world through the council’s technologies such as providing free Internet for the citizens of the resident countries. Being detached from the regular high commissions, British councils are more approachable to residents and are probably to remain opened even if the regular high commission is forced to close. Its branches in Ghana for example have been providing anti terrorism literature's to school and educating students about the rise of radicalization by Muslim extremists. Such programmes indicate how terrorism is being tackled in the grass root level through public diplomacy.

A brand new 550 sqm Britian Council Building in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia