Unrealized Potential of Cultural Diplomacy: "Best Practices" and What Could Be, If Only.

The lack of a coherent, public-private, interagency strategy for cultural exchange and cultural diplomacy, symptomatic of a general marginalization of arts, culture, and media by policymakers and the philanthropic community, limits the potential of existing programs. It may be that in order for cultural diplomacy to thrive, it should be housed in an organization indirectly linked to the State Department but operating at an arm's length (as is the case with the British Council). If fully funded, and part of an interagency, public-private coordinated strategy, such an entity might be able to demonstrate to the world that the U.S. understands that "civilizations don't clash, they interact," and that it is important that we facilitate these interactions.