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The evolution of cultural diplomacy
Cultural diplomacy can be seen as part of the evolution of the diplomatic 
mission, whereby ambassadors and other diplomatic staff and their embas-
sies have developed a way of maintaining contact and influence with 
foreign allies and their courts. The system first consisted of a plenipotentiary 
or government spokesperson represented at court with the sole intention of 
influencing the monarch or leader. As diplomatic missions grew, over time 
ambassadors related to each other as professional colleagues, friends and 
rivals, and a parallel communication channel of ambassador to ambassador 
opened up, with allies working together to influence the government of the 
country in which they resided.
In the twentieth century, this communication channel and cooperation 
was extended to international NGOs working in the country, such 
as international charities, educational organizations and international 
organizations like the UN. A major change was the development of commu-
nication between the embassy and a limited, wider non- diplomatic public, 
such as business leaders and opinion formers, including the press and other 
parts of the media. It was a natural progression for embassies to extend their 
mission to the development of cultural diplomacy, often through special-
ized agencies, closely linked to and often carrying diplomatic status. At this 
level, diplomatic missions became more involved with the general public 
through activities such as language and cultural training, and the promo-
tion of cultural events and trade missions. They now have become engaged 
not only through radio and TV but through websites, emails and blogs. 
The final stage in this evolution has been the emergence of the embassies 

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supporting trade missions and of the foreign ministry as the coordinator of 
trade initiatives. In addition, embassies have been involved in many coun-
tries, together with companies, politicians, celebrities and nationals living 
and working abroad, in raising the international profile of the country as a 
whole. This overall process of evolution can be represented as below:
Ambassador to court.
Ambassador to ambassador.
Ambassador to opinion formers (outside the embassy).
Ambassador to general public (through cultural diplomacy agencies).
Nation to world (through all available channels).
In analysing this process, two stages in the progression are highlighted. The 
first is the development and implementation of cultural diplomacy, while 
the second is the recent development of nation branding to raise, enrich or 
update a country’s international profile.