Art of Cultural Diplomacy as Aesthetic in the Academic Research -Art/Theatre Interface

Cultural diplomacy "refers to the exchange of ideas, information, art, and other aspects of culture among nations and their peoples to foster mutual understanding." (Cummings, 2003, p. 1). However, how can we interpret cultural diplomacy and act upon it in and outside academia? How can universities harness the potentiality of cultural diplomacy to transform societies? These are among others the leading questions discussed in the international panel on "the art of cultural diplomacy: cultural diplomacy in and outside academia" linked to international students as 'students as global citizens'. This discussion panel took place in 2017 May, the 26 in the framework of the 4th Transatlantic Dialogue titled "Creating Human Bonds Through Cultural Diplomacy." The panel gathered and focused on diverse engagements and activities of international students and student a airs professionals from all continents of the world as potential agents of the art of cultural diplomacy in and outside academia. Our analysis builds on these questions and the objectives of this panel. It discusses from a combined perspective of an academic research-art interface the art of cultural diplomacy as an aesthetic and a means of intercultural awareness and cultural interactions and reciprocal knowledge transfer between academia and the society or the general public.