Global Conversations: Korean Culture and the Power of Cultural Diplomacy

Join museum director Chase Robinson for a fireside conversation with Nicholas Burns, former US Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China, and Kang Kyung-wha, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to the United States.

As the first program in our Global Conversations: The Power of Art, Culture, and Diplomacy: https://asia.si.edu/whats-on/events/event-series/global-conversations-the-power-of-art-culture-and-diplomacy/ series, this discussion will explore the role of museums and cultural institutions as powerful instruments of diplomacy, collaboration, and cross-cultural understanding. Using the remarkable global rise and influence of Korean arts and culture as a point of departure, Ambassadors Burns and Kang will reflect on their distinguished careers in diplomacy and public service, the role of cultural soft power in international relations, and the ways museums, exhibitions, and cultural exchange foster dialogue across societies. Moderated by Robinson, the conversation will also examine regional and global efforts to preserve and protect cultural heritage, the importance of international partnerships in advancing mutual understanding, and the enduring power of arts and culture to strengthen connections between Asia, the United States, and the wider world.

Image: National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Photo by Sonya Pencheva