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LECTURE 

Soft power et diplomatie culturelle. Les dons diplomatiques offerts par les États de la région Moyen-Orient/Afrique du Nord aux organisations internationales genevoises 

Silvia Naef and Joan Grandjean 

28.2.24, 12:15-13:45 pm, University of Geneva 

 

The Geneva headquarters of the United Nations and its related agencies house rich collections of works, including originals, copies or artefacts of various types that have been donated by Member States or artists between 1920 and the present day. This collection has been little studied so far.  
The research project, with the title "Cultural diplomacy at the Palace of Nations. A Study of Donations and Gifts from MENA Member States to the United Nations Office and International Agencies in Geneva", is an examination of a specific category of such donations, namely those made by States in the MENA region.  
In the context of the crises shaking this region, as well as the largely negative international perception it produces as a result of wars and terrorist acts, it seemed particularly interesting to analyze the image that the various states that make up the region want to convey to the international community through these donations, which can be considered as cultural diplomacy, to the international community. As recently developed, the notion of “cultural diplomacy”, which approaches international relations through cultural exchanges, shows how “soft power” – the cultural influence that a country exercise – can have a considerable impact on how it is perceived at the international level and thus facilitate its political and economic projects.