November 6 and 7th, 2025
This conference brought leading public diplomacy practitioners and scholars together to celebrate IPDGC and examine the future of the field.
In 2001, the Public Diplomacy (PDI) was established at George Washington University, renamed the Institute for Public Diplomacy and Global Communication (IPDGC) in 2009. This academic year (2025/6) marks the 25th anniversary of IPDGC’s founding. This conference, titled “The Future of Public Diplomacy”, celebrates this important milestone while also looking ahead.
The conference comes at a time of notable upheaval and change in the practice of public diplomacy, marked by deep cuts in the public diplomacy budgets of some countries, continuing investment and growth in others, and significant transformations in global media consumption and technology. This is clearly an important time to reflect on the state of the field and think about its future.
The conference brought together many of the people who have been a key part of IPDGC over the past 25 years, but also many leading scholars in the field of public diplomacy who will help us map the future of the field.
Keynote & Panel One:
Photos by: Bruce Guthrie
The conference kicked off with a keynote by Dr. Bruce Gregory on the founding history, principles, and vision of the IPDGC, which has its roots in post-Cold War US public diplomacy. Dr. Gregory discussed the tension of the IPDGC as both an academic institution and a center of public diplomacy expertise for the media, practitioners, and governments. In discussing the Institute’s past and future, Dr. Gregory pointed out that we are uniquely positioned to address the issues of polarization and the failure of diplomacy that today plague liberal democracies.
Read Dr. Gregory’s keynote address
Following the keynote presentation, a panel of IPDGC’s previous leaders got together to share insights on the past, present, and future of the Institute. They highlighted that the IPDGC has a role to play in shaping the future of the field, especially by encouraging students and young professionals to keep pursuing public diplomacy. The audience came away with an understanding of the visionary thinking from which the IPDGC sprouted, as well as many fascinating stories from its history.
“The broad range of topics addressed by thought leaders and practitioners demonstrated that diplomacy is more deeply rooted in complex state-society interconnections within and across borders, and the centrality of public diplomacy in everyday diplomatic practice. This was not the case when IPDGC was founded. The Institute played an important role in the quarter-century trajectory that led to this systemic change, and it is poised to shape future study and practice.” – Dr. Bruce Gregory, Affiliate Scholar, IPDGC
Panel Two:
Photos by: Bruce Guthrie
This panel, composed of current and recent practitioners and academics of U.S. public diplomacy, discussed the realities of the field in an era of increasing skepticism in Washington about the value of public diplomatic efforts. The panel itself demonstrated that there remain many incredible and dedicated people in this field. Each panelist has contributed to the practice of public diplomacy, and each has evinced a full faith in the continued power of relationship building as a tool of international statecraft.
“It’s not just about connectivity but also diversity. US public diplomacy may need to listen more closely to the larger global conversation. It’s no longer about “leading” others but “joining” with others. Public diplomacy is no longer about connecting the dots—it’s recognizing the dots are already connected. Building coalitions of the “like-minded” is a US strength. In a connected yet diverse global dynamic, US public diplomacy’s strength will lie in using diplomacy to collaboratively join the global conversation of diverse voices and perspectives.” – Dr. Rhonda Zaharna, American University
Keynote Two:
Photos by: Bruce Guthrie
The second keynote of the day, given by Dr. Ben O’Loughlin of the University of London, was a fascinating look inside the uses of strategic communication by different governments. By presenting the global perspective of public diplomacy, this keynote showed that the field is alive and well as a deeply iterative process. Dr. O’Loughlin’s recommendations to the U.K. government to focus on building strategic narratives undoubtedly made an impact both in the room and in Whitehall.
Read more from Dr. O’Loughlin here.
“…Most of the rest of the world is getting on with using soft power and articulating strategic narratives about where they want to go, and the US has chosen not to. I came away from the conference with a sense that the US academic, journalist, and policy worlds have a very divided sense of who and what the US is, its status, how others view it, and its power. As a non-US participant, it was very enlightening.” – Dr. Ben O’Loughlin, University of London
Panel Three:
Photos by: Bruce Guthrie
Though the panelists billed their program as the ‘gloomiest, most depressing’ topic of the conference, student interest in this panel was among the highest seen during the conference due to its timely nature. The panel focused on many of the challenges in the modern information environment, especially relating to AI and other emerging technologies, and discussed how public diplomacy practitioners can break through with narratives that are truthful and powerful. By understanding the darker side of state communications, the audience was better able to appreciate the value of public diplomacy as a tool of truth and genuine connection.
See a filmed interview on the theme of public diplomacy with Karl Stoltz, one of the panelists. here.
“It was an honor to be on a panel with esteemed colleagues, including Steven Livingston, Carrie Goux, and Karl Stoltz, for an engaging conversation on Information Manipulation, Democratic Backsliding, and Public Diplomacy. What I found most energizing was the corrective steer our discussion produced in framing the problems of democratic backsliding and information manipulation not as a ‘technology issue’ but as a huge structural political and economic transformation that has implications both for the United States’ reputation and the long-term challenges facing public diplomacy. I argued these challenges will have a long tail; even if funding for U.S. public diplomacy were prioritized again, it would take years to rebuild. Therefore, the most impactful public diplomacy must come from outside government – from journalists, educators, artists, civic networks, and the public. It is they who must carry America’s democratic voice and values forward: telling real stories, connecting across borders, and showing the world what they really stand for.” – Dr. Emma Briant, University of Notre Dame
Panel Four:
Photos by: Bruce Guthrie
This panel examined the public diplomacy efforts of China, Russia, middle powers such as Turkey and Sweden, and smaller countries such as Kosovo, with each panelist bringing a unique set of expertise. The panel demonstrated that outside of the US, significant investments continue to be made in public diplomacy, and that US adversaries are benefiting from the withdrawal of US PD efforts, especially in global media. Furthermore, the panel highlighted how middle and smaller powers are often building their brand through association with global problem-solving on issues such as peacebuilding and climate action.
“My panel, in particular, offered a valuable window into how different states conduct public diplomacy, what sets them apart, and what connects them. What struck me most is that while the methods and approaches vary significantly, the core objective remains consistent: to shape how others perceive who you are and what you represent, each in their own way.” – Dr. Jeta Abazi Gashi, Visiting Scholar, IPDGC
Ambassador Panel with Frank Sesno:
Photos by: Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C.
Ambassador Romualdez of the Republic of the Philippines and Ambassador Crespo-Sancho of Costa Rica came together for a panel on how their nations conduct public diplomacy in the United States. The panel was moderated by Frank Sesno and drew the largest crowd of the whole conference, as many students came to better understand the international perspective of the two ambassadors. The Ambassadors shared valuable perspectives on meeting their American audiences where they are, speaking on strategies including nation branding, technology cooperation, and security cooperation.
“The Ambassadors made the compelling observation that while they can easily spot adversaries using AI to create negative impacts (e.g., disinformation), they had not discovered a successful path to positively using AI to improve their own communication or trust-building. This suggests a significant, unexplored gap in leveraging AI to positively counter false narratives. To address this gap, any future redesign of public diplomacy must prioritize a verifiable technological response.” – Kaitlin Bell, Student, GWU
Panel Five:
Photos by: Cecilly Francisco
On the morning of the second day of the conference, three former directors of the IPDGC came together for a panel moderated by two current students, reflecting on the history and evolution of the program. Many in the audience had participated in that history themselves, which made for a lively discussion examining how the IPDGC has changed and adapted for a rapidly shifting world. A key theme of the discussion proved to be how IPDGC has grown as both an academic institution and a place for students to enter the world of public diplomacy, and how those two mandates continue to run in parallel.
“While I was aware of GW’s graduate school of media and public affairs, and the diplomatic fellows program, I did not know the history of IPDGC or have much background on its programs. The conference underscored for me the importance of having robust academic study of public diplomacy, in addition to practical training, if we’re to continue advocating for and developing and improving the public diplomacy arts and sciences.” – Alyson Grunder, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Policy for ECA
Panel Six:
One important arena of public diplomacy is exchange programs, both in the academic and professional realms. In this panel, America’s long history of hosting and encouraging such exchange programs was explored, as the panelists shared thoughts on how that legacy must be continued in the current era. One notable takeaway was the visible impact American exchange programs had created in the room: panelists and audience members alike were the proud products of educational exchanges.
Read the thoughts of Rick Ruth, a former Director at the State Department and one of the panelists, here.
“What stood out most from the conference was how everyone – regardless of their topic – ended up returning to the same idea: genuine, human connection was, is, and will be the foundation of effective public diplomacy. I would even take it a step further. Right now, we need these connections more than ever. We are living in an era of political volatility, doubtful legitimacy, and over-reliance on technology. It is time to re-imagine US public diplomacy in a human-centric, relationship-centric manner. We should invest in people – investment should go toward rebuilding long-term relationships – regional networks, exchanges, and trusted local partnerships – rather than more broadcasting or automation. Technology can assist, but the work that matters most still happens in the last three feet between people.” – Dr. Efe Sevin, American University
Panel Seven:
Photos by: Cecilly Francisco
Diving deep into the crucial discipline of cultural diplomacy, this panel of experts and practitioners shared the ‘sunny side’ of the public diplomacy field. Notably, each panelist had deep wells of personal experience to draw from, which they demonstrated by sharing stories big and small of cultural diplomacy in action. From Romanian film to American dance, these panelists were committed to spreading cultural products abroad and held the firm belief that a people’s most precious export is their art. Audiences learned about new and surprising ways personal connections are being formed by programs such as the ones the panelists represented, and came away with a deeper understanding of cultural diplomacy as itself something of an art.
Read panelist Robert Ogburn’s thoughts on cultural diplomacy here.
Read a blog post by Mark Taplin, who moderated the panel, here.
“Despite the contemporary climate of post-truth, polarization, resurgent militarism, and cyber aggression, cultural diplomacy retains strategic significance precisely because it addresses what instruments of hard power cannot. While costly and often intangible in outcome, cultural engagement operates on a different temporal and psychological scale from traditional diplomacy. Cultural diplomacy preserves a sense of immediacy, concreteness, and togetherness that can be lost in today’s hyper-mediated environment. In a world saturated with digital noise, where images circulate without context and narratives can be manipulated with ease, the shared presence of artists, audiences, and ideas acquires renewed power.” – Dorian Branea, Romanian Cultural Institute
Keynote Three:
Photos by: Cecilly Francisco
On the afternoon of the second day, Dr. Kathy Fitzpatrick of the University of Southern Florida presented the final keynote presentation of the conference. Appropriately, Dr. Fitzpatrick presented a roadmap for the future of the field, delivering recommendations on how to bring the conference’s theme into the real world.
“Dr. Fitzpatrick’s presentation highlighted how we, as a community of scholars and practitioners, should be thinking about rebuilding our field. As a corollary to the theme of the conference, this keynote shone a light on the future of public diplomacy, leaving us hopeful for a future in which the values of cooperation, communication, and mutual exchange once again reign supreme.” Dr. Babak Bahador, Director, IPDGC
Panel Eight:
Photos By: Cecilly Francisco
When planning the future of public diplomacy, one necessary consideration is the role that emerging technologies and forms of communication, including AI, will play. That’s why this panel, one of the most timely of the conference, got together to break down what they saw for the future of both public diplomacy and communication itself. A key takeaway the panelists could agree on is that emerging technologies are changing not only how we communicate, but how we connect on deeper levels, speaking to the panel’s relevance to anyone seeking to succeed in a communication-based field.
“Concerns about disinformation and AI-driven influence campaigns persist, but there might be a silver lining: a renewed appreciation for human connection and authentic, people-to-people engagement — the very essence of public diplomacy. Its strength lies in its humanity — its power to connect, listen, and rebuild trust when it’s needed most — and we will need to resuscitate and mobilize our public diplomacy resources to be able to engage constructively with the world again.” – Dr. Yelena Osipova-Stocker, School of Media and Public Affairs
Panel Nine:
Photos by: Cecilly Francisco
The conference ended with the convening of an extraordinary panel of U.S. government media practitioners. Reflecting on the past year of budget cuts and legal battles, the panel shared an optimism for the future of America’s narrative abroad, along with practical ideas for improving the way the U.S. runs its government media. They were met with enthusiasm by the gathered crowd.
“One of the biggest questions I brought to the conference was whether leaders doing the work of public diplomacy could see a future for the field. These panelists, all of whom are facing intense pressure in their roles, were incredibly candid about the challenges they face every day. Yet, my biggest takeaway was that with leaders like these still fighting for U.S. global media, the future, though strange, is still bright.” – Hawkins Nessler, Graduate Student, IPDGC