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AKFC and thePanel present Digital Diplomacy
novembre 19, 2015
November 19, 2015 – Digital diplomacy, or what some call “Twiplomacy”, is using the medium of digital technology to directly connect with a foreign population to achieve international objectives. With more than 1 billion people using Facebook, Twitter, Qzone or Snapchat daily, digital connectivity has made the world smaller and, in the process, changed the daily lives of billions of people; linking rural farmers to markets in Bangladesh, offering e-health services to women and children in Tanzania and improving access to information to hold government accountable to citizens worldwide.
These developments have not been limited to individuals. State and non-state actors are increasingly using these platforms to speak directly to citizens. Some target direct action, such as international NGOs like the International Committee of the Red Cross using Twitter hashtags to direct donations to specific humanitarian crises. Other forms of digital diplomacy are broader, speaking more to general foreign policy positions, such as the Government of Canada’s direct engagement of the Iranian people through Twitter.
There is no denying that connectivity and the use of digital diplomacy is ushering in an era of social change. This is not without its consequences, as the diffusion of ideas, thoughts and sentiments has led to social unrest, violence and radicalization.
Is digital diplomacy truly the game changer some say it is? What are some of the latent risks posed by such an open approach? What benefits does it offer? And, how might Canada successfully use it to forward our foreign policy goals?
Event details:
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Check out thePanel’s blog on digital diplomacy.
John Stackhouse
Senior Vice President, Office of the CEO, RBC and former Editor-in-Chief of the Globe and Mail
Taylor Owen
Professor of Digital Media and Global Affairs at the University of British Columbia, Senior Fellow at the Tow Center for Digital Journalism at the Columbia School of Journalism, and Founder of OpenCanada.org
Martha McLean
Co-founder, Digital Diplomacy Coalition, Ottawa Chapter and Deputy Director, Online Communications and Engagement, Global Affairs Canada
Sébastien Beaulieu
Executive Director, Middle East Relations, Global Affairs Canada and former Canadian Ambassador to Tunisia
Moderator: CTV’s Mercedes Stephenson
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Refreshments were provided through funds from ticket sales and not from any of our financial supporters.
