USC Center on Public Diplomacy Holds Summit on City Diplomacy

LOS ANGELES—As technology brings the world closer together, cities are increasingly taking the global stage to foster economic development and address concerns from climate and trade to immigration and cybersecurity. On March 30-31, the USC Center on Public Diplomacy (CPD) will convene its Third CPD Summit on City Diplomacy to explore the growing role of subnational actors in international relations, the convergence of sports diplomacy and city diplomacy in cities’ effective delivery of mega-events, and how city diplomacy is evolving in light of the pandemic, geopolitical instability and economic uncertainty.

On March 30, the Summit will assemble city leaders, practitioners and scholars from around the world to share the latest knowledge and practices for navigating global policies and forming mutually advantageous networks for greater impact on the world stage and on behalf of their constituents. Participants will include current U.S. Ambassador to India and former Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, former Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan, Consul General of South Africa Thandile Babalwa Sunduza, Consul General of Brazil Marcelo Dantas Loures Da Costa, Consul General of Thailand Tor Saralamba and city policymakers.

Highlights will include a panel on sports diplomacy through the lens of how cities can most effectively deliver such mega-events as the Olympic and Paralympic Games, which Los Angeles will host in 2028. The program will also spotlight the increasing prominence of California as a superpower in international engagement as subnational diplomacy encompasses a multitude of local actors—from cities to states.

Other topics will include growing networks for public diplomacy, how consulates can adapt and succeed through city diplomacy, and research insights on how to apply analytical tools to better understand the drivers, mechanisms and impacts of city diplomacy.

“Our cities have come to the forefront of positive actions that form networks to address global issues from a local perspective,” CPD Director Jay Wang notes. “The CPD is a leader in research and convenings that advance the theory and practice of city diplomacy, and our latest summit will add vital insights in seeking better ways to connect local communities for a more peaceful and prosperous world.”

The Summit will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on March 30 and can also be attended online. For more information, contact César Corona, assistant director of engagement, at [email protected].

An invitation-only City Diplomacy Roundtable—a private workshop for city officials to discuss funding, policies and strategies that support city diplomacy—will be held on March 31 to conclude this year’s Summit.

About the Center on Public Diplomacy

Established in 2003 at the University of Southern California, the USC Center on Public Diplomacy (CPD) is a research, analysis and professional training organization dedicated to furthering the study and practice of global public diplomacy. Since its inception, CPD has become an ambitious and productive leader in the public diplomacy research and scholarship community and plays host to robust discussions about the future of public diplomacy. To learn more about CPD, please visit USCPublicDiplomacy.org.

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