Public Diplomacy Winning The Hearts And Minds Of People

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Image from, with caption: Crossed-Flag-Pins South-Korea-Papua-New-Guinea

Winning the hearts and minds of people is the emerging trend in today’s public diplomacy.

This was a key message delivered by one of South Korea’s distinguished diplomats and current director of UNITAR Cifal Jeju, Young-sam Ma, during the recent Partnership Training for Diplomats in Jeju Island, Republic of Korea.

The program was run from November 19 to December 2 and saw a total of 32 participants from around the world, including Papua New Guinea.

Mr. Ma highlighted that in the past, the concept of public diplomacy was centered on government’s activities to promote its national interest through understanding, informing and influencing foreign audiences.

“In today’s recent trend, peoples’ power through participation in various activities such as education, sports, language, arts, and cultural exchanges are ways to promote a country abroad,’’ he said.

Traditionally, the concept of public diplomacy since 1965 was seen as a one-sided communication or propaganda where the government was the main actor trying to influence foreign audiences.

This has changed since the 1990s with interactive communication, public relations and cultural exchanges between fellow countrymen, foreigners and global citizens.”

Mr. Ma said there has been a paradigm shift from the old notion of public diplomacy from hard power, through the use of military force and economic payments, to soft power, which is attraction and persuasion to smart power and a cogent and usable diplomacy.

Papua New Guinea has a rich culture and tradition, and diverse flora and fauna that can be used to promote its image abroad.

In order to make this happen, collaboration is needed between all citizens, NGO’s, enterprises and local governments.

More importantly, involving the media as a stakeholder in all aspects of public diplomacy is the way forward for a better Papua New Guinea.