Foreign Ministry promotes the arts via 'soft power', cultural diplomacy -- Zambry

KUALA LUMPUR, March 11 (Bernama) -- 'Soft power' and cultural diplomacy are among the foreign policies to increase influence on the international scene and promote culture at the global level, said Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir.

He said the 'soft power' policy popularised by American political expert, Joseph S Nye since 1980, contains instruments of culture, civilisation and art in influencing others.

"In other words, 'soft power' is an alternative for us to increase our 'visibility' and 'presence' on the international stage without marginalising the identity of a race and a country," he said when opening the PENA Poetry Reading Night 2023 and launching the Türkiye and Syria Earthquake Victims Fund at the National Writers Association of Malaysia PENA House here, yesterday.

Zambry in his speech touched on a number of things, as Foreign Minister who can contemporise the arts with the country’s foreign policy.

Besides that, Zambry said one of the policies developed within the framework of the country's foreign policy is cultural diplomacy in the ministry's efforts to help improve the ability to internationalise culture and language at a global level.

"Cultural diplomacy is not only about exchanging ideas and sharing views, but what is more important is being able to transcend bilateral relations between countries," he said.

In his speech, Zambry shared his experience with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim when visiting the earthquake area in Gaziantep, Türkiye.

"This short visit proves the close friendship between Malaysia and Türkiye and at the same time reflects the moral support and solidarity with  Türkiye," he said.

He also remembered when he was the Menteri Besar of Perak and had successful hosted the International Poetry and Folk Song Festival (Pulara) which was participated by many foreign participants and recorded in the world poetry map.

"The same is my hope for PENA's poetry organisation to penetrate the international arena one day," he said, adding that the Poetry Reading programme organised by PENA is one of the platforms and can be considered as cultural diplomacy that can be developed.

-- BERNAMA