Cultural Approach To Bilateral Relations:
It is exciting to notice new age approach to international relations as “Old wine in New Bottle”.International relations over the last decade has been more about reaching the grassroots of a foreign society instead of policy driven campaigns with a specific focus. It’s been more about winning hearts of the people instead of agenda driven politico-diplomatic connections. The focus is seamlessness instead of a push strategy. Whereas traditional cultural relations are often thought of as a pretty straight forward (and undervalued) adjunct to inter-state relations, they now also include entirely new areas and social responsibilities. Thus the scope of international relations includes a plethora of tools of which the softer approach has been found to be most effective and everlasting.
With this understanding, countries have adopted a “look back in the past” approach and have started talking about cultural similarities and ways to integrate the fabric of two nations. More cultural centres, art, music, movies, dance, cuisine and lifestyle have been promoted with a local tinge. As it is widely believed that the new emphasis on international relations confirms the fact that the familiar divide between cultural and information activities is being eradicated with focus on cultural exchange which is not only "art" and "culture" but also communicating a country's thinking, research, journalism and national debate.
At IEFBCI, we intend to focus on the cultural similarities with a single goal and that is to work for the realization of the actual regional trade potential. For this to happen, “integration to the core” is indispensable which means impetus to soft power approach using art, music, literature and entertainment as the riders. It is imperative that people and therefore the governments in their unique democratic setups must relate their success and failure collectively and take a historic approach to relations. Such a regional bias would be socially sustainable, economically beneficial and as a nation, infallibility. With this consciousness, and sense of collectively, business and trade becomes seamless. Having a strong sense of Regional & Cultural Identity is as important as having a strong defense.
With the realization turning increasingly intense, the overlap between public diplomacy, approach to international ties and post-modern cultural relations is bound to grow, unless cultural relations practitioners return to a more limited concept on of their work.
Written by Santosh K. Verma
You may reach him on chairman@iefbci.org
