Special Report: Culturefix: Advancing Inclusive Democracy and Diplomacy through Arts and Culture by nshanklin

SPECIAL REPORT

CULTUREFIX ADVANCING INCLUSIVE DEMOCRACY AND DIPLOMACY THROUGH ARTS AND CULTURE

ABOUT MERIDIAN INTERNATIONAL CENTER Meridian International Center is a nonpartisan, nonprofit diplomacy center founded in 1960 with the vision that greater understanding and collaboration between the United States and the world leads to a more secure and prosperous future for all. Headquartered in Washington, DC, on a four-acre campus with two historic properties, Meridian has long served as a place where global leaders gather, future leaders are found, and international collaboration thrives. We believe we are stronger at home when globally engaged, so our mission is to strengthen engagement between the U.S. and the world to find solutions on shared global challenges. We do this by partnering with the U.S. government, the private sector, and the diplomatic community on three core pillars of programs: Global Leadership: Building the next generation of global leaders empowered to create change through exchange and training programs Culture: Increasing understanding of the United States and other countries through shared interests in art and culture Collaboration: Strengthening policy decisions and outcomes by accelerating collaboration across borders, industries and sectors

INTRODUCTION FROM OUR CEO From podcasts with artists to world-class traveling art exhibitions, artist exchanges, dance diplomacy, culinary diplomacy, sports diplomacy and beyond, Meridian gives arts and culture prominence on the world stage. Through the work of the Meridian Center for Cultural Diplomacy, we have witnessed firsthand the power of arts and culture to help solve global challenges faced by people, communities, and the planet. Our cultural programs advance diplomatic goals by providing a common language that breaks barriers and unifies the public through shared interests and values. We use the arts and culture as diplomacy tools to connect people worldwide and bridge divides. We work in partnership with the U.S. Department of State, our American embassies abroad, and the diplomatic community here in Washington, DC, to develop and curate exhibitions, exchanges and programs ranging from film screening to mural arts programs to hip hop music performances. Our programs have reached millions of people in more than 95 countries worldwide. During rising global tensions, these programs unite cultures through shared interests, create positive impressions of the U.S. and help dispel common misconceptions. To borrow some of the words of For Freedoms Founder and Cultural Diplomacy Awardee Hank Willis Thomas, “Art is the best expression for democracy. It is the sharpest tool we have for transformational love and community”. These are traits that underpin and drive the success of all international movements that build justice, peace, and prosperity: the very mission of the Meridian Center for Cultural Diplomacy. Indeed, when values-based government leaders and policymakers join forces with values-based creatives, nothing can stop us from building a better future.

THE HONORABLE STUART HOLLIDAY

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, MERIDIAN INTERNATIONAL CENTER

TABLE OF CONTENTS Cultural Diplomacy is an Essential U.S. Strategy

Why the U.S. Return to UNESCO Matters for Global Competitiveness

Dive Deep: Watch the Culturefix Sessions On-Demand

50 Years of Hip-Hop. 50 Countries with Global Hip-Hop Diplomacy

Her Excellency Dame Karen Pierce, Ambassador of the United Kingdom to the U.S. (left) speaks to Her Excellency Oksana Markarova, Ambassador of Ukraine to the U.S. (right) at Meridian's 2023 Cultural Diplomacy Awards Dinner and Gala.

Photography courtesy of Jess Latos and Stephen Bobb

Originally published in The Hill on July 19, 2023

CULTURAL DIPLOMACY IS AN ESSENTIAL U.S. STRATEGY By The Honorable Fred P. Hochberg, Chair of the Meridian Board of Trustees

he Senate’s recent investigation into the Professional Golfers’ Association’s merger with Saudi-backed LIV made it clear — the Saudis have the upper hand. In the words of Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), head of the investigation, “the PGA tour will be dominated in this agreement.” The near downfall of the 107-year-old PGA at the hands of a foreign government is but one example of America’s waning cultural influence. Even with their deep pockets, it is hard to imagine the Saudis making this attempt a decade or even just five years ago. There are other signs U.S. cultural influence is ebbing. Hollywood studios, Disney theme parks and the NBA have all come under fire for making concessions to Chinese censorship. Young Americans are just as likely to encounter content from Chineseowned TikTok as from a U.S. movie or TV show. And Korean pop music, or K-pop, now has a good claim to being the most popular music in the world. As the world realigns in the post-Cold War era, our cultural influence is a key factor that will help to determine whether we can build a new international system aligned with American interests. We need to use every resource we can to give our soft power a boost, including state support — something for which there is plenty of precedent in diplomatic history and U.S. policy. On the defensive after Napoleon’s defeat in 1815, the great diplomat Talleyrand used French cuisine to entice Prussia, Russia and England to the table

— quite literally. Begging for support from Paris to his embassy at the Vienna peace conference, Talleyrand is said to have quipped, “Sire, I need saucepans more than written instructions!” Talleyrand got his saucepans, and the result was a treaty that stabilized Europe for a century. At the Cold War’s start, it was Eisenhower himself who added “American” to the name of the Ballet Theatre in New York, creating the ABT, which still tours the world. At the same time, MoMA began to mount touring exhibits of Abstract Expressionist painting to showcase American creativity, which Kennedy later formalized as the Art in Embassies program. Now, the Art in Embassies collection has work by 20,000 artists.

"AS THE WORLD REALIGNS IN THE POST-COLD WAR ERA, OUR CULTURAL INFLUENCE IS A KEY FACTOR THAT WILL HELP TO DETERMINE WHETHER WE CAN BUILD A NEW INTERNATIONAL SYSTEM ALIGNED WITH AMERICAN INTERESTS." Up to now, the U.S. has largely kept pace with our rivals. Yet in the Belt and Road project that extends through Africa and Southeast Asia, the Chinese government is promoting the arts and academic exchanges alongside infrastructure. The global Russian propaganda machine is relentless, as are their systematic attempts to destroy Ukrainian culture. That the majority of countries in the Global South do not agree with the U.S. policy in Ukraine

AP/Julio Cortez. Fireworks are seen behind an American flag in New Jersey.

suggests that something about the Russian influence strategy is working. Right now, our cultural diplomacy is anchored in the State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, which does outstanding and essential work with only about $770 million of funding. By contrast, as of 2017, it is estimated that the Chinese government spent $10 billion. We need more financing and to expand our horizons. One way forward is to capitalize on our existing strengths, like education. The State Department in the past has estimated that 300 current and former heads of state were educated in America. Education is a service export, creating jobs here at home and influencing the next generation of leaders around the world. Yet the recruitment of foreign university students is not guided by any long-term strategy. There is also a rich opportunity in public-private partnerships. Why not incentivize a world-famous museum like MoMA, which already partners with private companies and international artists, to open branches in other nations, as the Louvre has done in Abu Dhabi? The same could be said for The Getty, the Smithsonian and The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, all among the top 10 most-visited museums in the world. Some branches of the Smithsonian — in particular the National Museum of the Native American and the National Museum of African American History and Culture — could be a great way to showcase the breadth and richness of American culture, a unique strength of ours.

It has been a long time since Talleyrand’s saucepans. Cultural diplomacy now has many digital tools available to it. To make use of them, we can launch hybrid or virtual artists exchanges, or recruit foreign students to U.S. online educational programs. American performing arts companies and museums still struggling to rebuild post-COVID could become “digital touring companies,” mounting live-streamed performances geared toward specific foreign audiences. With the explosion of AI-enabled internet, online gaming, new social media platforms, and augmented reality in the near future, there are unlimited options for what a digital cultural diplomacy policy could look like. The challenge is to expand our efforts to experiment early, to be ready for whatever medium scales next. All of these new efforts rest on an old truth: that alliances are not built only on shared economic and military interest. There are always flesh-and-blood human beings on the other side of the negotiating table. It is only by consistently displaying the best of America that we can keep them there. The Honorable Fred P. Hochberg served as chairman of the United States Export-Import Bank under President Obama from 2009 to 2017. He is the author of “Trade is Not a Four-Letter Word: How Six Everyday Products Make the Case for Trade.” He is currently chair of Meridian International Center. This was originally published on The Hill.

WHY THE U.S. RETURN TO UNESCO MATTERS FOR GLOBAL COMPETITIVENESS By Ambassador Stuart Holliday, Chief Executive Officer, Meridian International Center and Deborah Lehr, Chief Executive Officer of Edelman Global Advisory

Irina Bokova, Former Director-General for UNESCO addresses Dr. Richard Kurin, Smithsonian Distinguished Scholar and Ambassadorat-Large at the Culture in the Crosshairs: Protecting Cultural Heritage in Conflict Zones panel at Meridian's 2023 Culturefix Conversations.

fter an absence of nearly five years, the United States flag was proudly raised again at UNESCO, the Paris-based U.N. cultural organization. Dr. Jill Biden, during the ceremony, emphasized the importance of global collaboration and peace, recognizing that the challenges of our time cannot be solved in isolation. The renewed U.S. engagement with UNESCO marks a significant moment in advancing cultural diplomacy and reinforcing the nation’s commitment to democratic values, equality, and human rights globally. This marks a pivotal change in the cultural diplomacy landscape as the U.S. aims to reclaim its leadership role. Like many U.N. institutions, UNESCO has been both a key platform to advance U.S. interests, but also one which the U.S. has disagreed with both on policy and management grounds.

The Honorable Lee Satterfield, Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs accepts the Meridian Cultural Diplomacy Award with members of the U.S. Department of State's Cultural Heritage Center.

And in a competitive global environment, it’s essential for the U.S. to engage in multilateral institutions where decisions that shape standards in education, science, and technology – including AI – take place. While not perfect, UNESCO has long been an vital instrument for promoting peace and international cooperation. During Meridian’s Culturefix panel on cultural heritage, former Director-General of UNESCO Irina Bokova highlighted the crucial role of cultural heritage preservation in the peacebuilding process, stating, “Culture alone is not enough to build peace, but without culture, peace cannot be lasting.” In 2017, the U.S. departed UNESCO after President Donald Trump claimed that the organization held anti-Israel bias after the U.N. declared the city of Hebron a Palestinian World Heritage Site. Before it's departure, the U.S. was UNESCO’s single

largest donor, contributing 22% of its funding. This departure was the second time the country left UNESCO – the first time in 1984 under President Ronald Reagan and rejoined under in 2003, under President George W. Bush. By pooling our resources with like-minded nations, the U.S. can have a far-reaching impact, surpassing what could be achieved individually. In today's interconnected world, international cooperation has become imperative to navigate complex issues effectively. UNESCO is one multilateral framework that aims for global collaboration on shared foreign policy objectives and national security priorities like youth education, technology regulations and more, especially in regions, like Ukraine, that are crucial to American interests. This U.S. commitment to reinvigorate America’s role in cultural preservation and cultural diplomacy builds on the existing work of the U.S. Department

communities is a long-term priority for the government. “And so, cultural preservation projects overseas, whether they involve a site or whether they involve a museum collection — or even intangible heritage such as traditional crafts or traditional music or dance — those projects can engage the women and the youth and these other communities that I described earlier,” he said. “Because, in many ways, they are the bearers. They are the keepers of that heritage and of those traditions.” Private corporations, too, have played a significant role in preserving cultural heritage and promoting peace. Uber’s involvement in transporting refugees and conservators in Ukraine and financial support from institutions like the Rockefeller Foundation and Bank of America showcase the potential for public-private partnerships in advancing cultural diplomacy. These success stories underscore the impact of joint initiatives in preserving cultural heritage and promoting cross-cultural dialogue.

"BY POOLING OUR RESOURCES WITH LIKE-MINDED NATIONS, THE U.S. CAN HAVE A FARREACHING IMPACT, SURPASSING WHAT COULD BE ACHIEVED INDIVIDUALLY. IN TODAY'S INTERCONNECTED WORLD, INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION HAS BECOME IMPERATIVE TO NAVIGATE COMPLEX ISSUES EFFECTIVELY."

of State’s Educational and Cultural Affairs Bureau. Earlier this summer, Assistant Secretary Lee Satterfield accepted the Meridian Cultural Diplomacy Award on behalf of the Department’s Cultural Heritage Center (CHC), which leads the U.S. government’s global efforts to preserve and protect cultural heritage worldwide. The 2023 Award honored the CHC for its work to support the protection and preservation of cultural heritage across Ukraine in the wake of Russia’s brutal war through the Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation program. In the CultureXChanges podcast, Dr. Martin Perschler, Program Director for the U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation highlighted the broader implications of cultural preservation in global diplomacy. For instance, engaging with women, youth, and marginalized

The U.S. rejoining UNESCO symbolizes a new diplomatic engagement and competitive era. It reaffirms America’s commitment to fostering peace and understanding globally, but most significantly, returning is not a wholesale endorsement of everything UNESCO or other member states do, but a recognition that it is better to be in the arena to fight for our values and have global influence. Deborah Lehr is Chief Executive Officer of Edelman Global Advisory, a strategic business consulting firm. In addition, she is the Executive Director of the Paulson Institute. Ambassador Stuart Holliday served as United States Ambassador for Special Political Affairs at the United Nations (2003-2005) and is Chief Executive Officer of Meridian International Center.

Hank Willis Thomas (left) and Nekisha Durrett, DC Artist with For Freedoms, speak on The Role of Art in Democracy panel at Meridian's 2023 Culturefix Conversations.

DIVE DEEP: WATCH THE CULTUREFIX SESSIONS ON-DEMAND CULTURE IN THE CROSSHAIRS: PROTECTING CULTURAL HERITAGE IN CONFLICT ZONES War and conflict have long impacted culture, and international protections and protocols aim to safeguard cultural heritage and historic sites. Despite these efforts, culture—and by extension, peace and security—is regularly targeted and destroyed. How do governments and the private sector protect cultural heritage in war and conflict zones? Deborah Lehr, CEO and Managing Partner of Edelman Global Advisory (Moderator) Dr. Kateryna Smagliy, First Secretary, Public and Cultural Diplomacy, Embassy of Ukraine to the U.S. Dr. Richard Kurin, Smithsonian Distinguished Scholar and Ambassador-at-Large, Smithsonian Irina Bokova, Former Director-General, UNESCO CULTURAL APPRECIATION VS. APPROPRIATION IN FASHION Despite increased awareness in recent years of what constitutes cultural appropriation, the confusion differentiating appropriation from appreciation persists. This conversation analyzes instances of cultural appropriation in fashion and the fine line that separates these two practices. Natalie Jones, Executive Vice President, Meridian International Center (Moderator) Vanessa Friedman, Fashion Editor, New York Times Patricia Michaels (Taos/Pueblo), Native Designer and Project Runway Finalist Aba Kwawu, Founder and President, TAA PR ART FOR INCLUSION AND IDENTITY This conversation goes beyond representation, discussing presentation, reception, and expectation in the art world. It also addresses themes of inclusion and identity and the various intersections of these topics through the first-hand experiences of pioneering cultural practitioners. Marianne Boesky, Gallerist (Moderator) Marilyn Minter, Artist Dr, Jonathan D. Katz, Founding Figure in Queer Art History, University of Pennsylvania Claudia Gould, Director, Jewish Museum Tuliza Fleming, Curator of Visual Art, National Museum of African American History and Culture THE ROLE OF ART IN DEMOCRACY This discussion examines how art and music worldwide spur change and promote civic engagement and democracy. This discussion also explores broader themes and takes time for the speakers to share personal experiences. Eric Gottesman, Co-founder of For Freedoms (Speaker Introductions) Nolen Bivens, President and CEO, Americans for the Arts (Moderator) María Fernanda Garíca Velazco, Cultural Attaché, Embassy of Uruguay to the United States Hank Willis Thomas, Artist and Co-founder of For Freedoms Nekisha Durrett, DC Artist with For Freedoms

Dancers from the Next Level Barbados residency practice for their final performance.

50 YEARS OF HIP HOP. 50 COUNTRIES WITH GLOBAL HIP HOP DIPLOMACY. By Terry K. Harvey, Vice President, Meridian Center for Cultural Diplomacy

ifty years ago, hip-hop developed into it's own fully fledged musical genre in New York City, evolving into a global cultural phenomenon that transcended borders. Today, it resonates with artists, educators and people, like the youth in Iran and the Middle East, offering a powerful form of self-expression amid tensions. Iranian rap, born in the early 2000s in Tehran, led by rapper Soroush Lashkary, the godfather of Iranian rap, mirrors its American counterpart, often addressing social and political issues. Despite its status as an illegal Iranian music genre, many artists, including Toomaj Salehi and Saman Yasin, who were arrested in Iran last October, continue to pursue their passion for hip-hop and use it as a protest language, embodying its revolutionary spirit. We even see the global influence of hip-hop expand systemically with the 2024 Summer Olympics introducing breaking as a new sport. This decision, as reported by the official Paris 2024 Olympics website, is a testament to the genre's unique blend of music, dance, and athleticism that has captivated audiences worldwide. Breaking and hip-hop are inextricably linked as the dance form originated during the initial block parties in the Bronx with Kool Herc. People started dancing when the rapping and lyrics stopped. Eventually, those breaks grew longer, allowing people to develop specializations in different forms, such as power moves, downrock (the more acrobatic style), or toprocking (foot movement performed while standing, sometimes used during transitions.) Hip Hop dance is a more encompassing term that includes different styles, such as breaking, popping and locking, waacking, and more. However, there is great concern within the hip-hop and breaking communities if its addition is authentic and encompasses their values. Stories like this are not uncommon and highlight ongoing cultural tensions and the power of music, specifically hip-hop, as a form of resistance, self-expression and conflict transformation.

Since it emerged in the 1970s, hip-hop existed as a form of conflict transformation. When DJs and beatmakers battle, they transform physical conflict into sonic conflict; when b-boys and b-girls (breakdancers) challenge each other, their aggressive moves replace fistfights with dance; when MCs diss each other, they release their anger into rhyme; when aerosol writers create murals, they claim territory through art rather than force. The recently passed Peace Through Music Diplomacy Act by the U.S. Congress empowers the U.S. Department of State to use music to improve international relations. This development, coupled with the U.S. rejoining UNESCO, could provide more opportunities for cross-cultural exchange and mutual understanding, potentially influencing hiphop's global trajectory. But hip-hop has been used as a tool of diplomacy for a tenth of its history. Beginning in 2013, the State Department's Cultural Programs Division called on non-profit organizations to create the Next Level Hip Hop Diplomacy program: "Programming to engage young people and effectively convey conflict resolution strategies through hip hop and urban arts." Beyond that, Toni Blackman became the first hip-hop ambassador to the U.S. State Department. As the first Hip Hop Cultural Envoy, she traveled worldwide to share the power of hip-hop as a diplomatic tool. These music diplomacy initiatives put conflict transformation into practice through writing exercises that allow participants to express their struggles in rhymed rap or dance routines that sublimate aggression or through consultation with conflict experts and developed group exercises that foster thoughtful reflection and productive discussion about the nature of conflict in everyday life. As we celebrate 50 years of hip-hop, the potential of music to foster peace and understanding has never been more relevant. We can unequivocally harness its power to bond people and their communities over the next half a century.

Next Level Global artists from Bangladesh, India, Bosnia, Serbia, Senegal and Zimbabwe make music in UNC’s Beat Lab. April 2015. (Photo via Mark Katz)

AMERICAN EXPORT: HIP HOP X HARMONY PODCAST EPISODE FROM CULTUREXCHANGES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES

Next Level Founding Director Dr. Mark Katz joins us to discuss the History of Global Hip Hop. Next Level is an initiative of the U.S. Department of State, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Meridian International Center meant to use hip hop music, dance, and art to foster cross-cultural creative exchange in diverse communities. On this episode we are going to discuss the Hip Hop arts and culture movement, which originated among Black and Latinx communities in New York and took the world by storm in the 1970s. We will also dive into how Hip Hop, in its various art forms, has contributed to cultural diplomacy and what role Next Level plays in that. Keep reading or start listening:

"What lies beyond democracy? The artist is at the center of it. It offers a demonstrated way to have conversations about unfinished democracy wherever we may be." - Nolen Bivens, President and CEO, Americans for the Arts

"Sometimes the best art comes out of struggle and strife. The thing about culture is it allows you to build resilience, build community and be creative again." - Dr. Richard Kurin, Smithsonian Distinguished Scholar