Cultural Diplomacy: An Analysis of National Film and Cultural Policy of Pakistan

Abstract

Culture plays a significant role in projection of the soft image of any nation. Themodern world has shifted itself from traditional mode of diplomacy to lessaggressive one which is also known as cultural diplomacy. The nations tend to playsafe these days by not involving into conventional diplomacy tactics to influenceother countries like promotion of film industry and cultural sites. The study analysesthe case study of Pakistan and its first ever national film and cultural policy incomparison to India’s cultural policy. The study is based upon the proceedings of National Artists Convention 2018 in which veteran Pakistani artists from the filled of film, television, drama, dance, theatre, music and visual arts gathered to propose anational strategy to exert and project the local talent, rich cultural traditions, wonderful archaeological sites and breathtaking landscapes to establish a soft imageof Pakistan before the international audience. To what extent, the policy and goalswere practical and achievable? and how did it manage to enact or function later? isdiscussed in the study along with the case study or model of the cultural policy of theneighboring country, India. The approach is critical and analytical. To conduct this study, official declassified reports, documents, articles, books, interviews andrelevant primary sources have been consulted