Особливості, тенденції та перспективи розвитку інституційних та нормативно-правових засад культурної дипломатії України

Abstract

З’ясовано головні особливості, тенденції та перспективи розвитку інституційних та нормативно-правових основ культурної дипломатії України. Український інститут як головний орган цього напряму зовнішньої політики держави, незважаючи на свою відносно ефективну діяльність, потребує створення системи закордонних представництв, які зможуть суттєво посилити його контакти із закордонною аудиторією. Для стабільного розвитку української культурної дипломатії необхідно закріпити цей напрям зовнішньої політики в базовому законодавстві України.

Cultural diplomacy as a component of public diplomacy and soft power policy is one of the effective means of implementing the foreign policy strategy of any state that pretends to have a certain influence in the system of modern international relations. The author of the article studies the features, trends and development prospects of the institutional and regulatory foundations of Ukraine’s cultural diplomacy starting from the mid-2000s, when the first real steps were taken to provide this direction of foreign policy with institutional basis. Cultural diplomacy of Ukraine has not become part of a purposeful and systemic state policy during most of the period of independence. Cultural and information centers at the foreign missions could not become an effective institution for promoting Ukrainian culture in the world. The cultural diplomacy of Ukraine began to acquire features of a systemic state policy since 2016. This year, as part of the Public Diplomacy Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a department of cultural diplomacy was created. Its employees created a foundation for the concept of the Ukrainian Institute as a specialized state institution of cultural diplomacy. The Ukrainian Institute, which began its work in 2018, has proven its effectiveness and has good prospects for further development. (In order to increase efficiency) For efficient work, the Institute must have its own foreign offices (following the example of the British Council, the Goethe-Institut, the French Institute, etc.), which will be able to strengthen its contacts with foreign audiences and parties interested in cooperation (collaboration). For the stable and consistent development of Ukrainian cultural diplomacy, it is necessary to include this direction of foreign policy (as well as public diplomacy and soft power in general) into the basic legislation of Ukraine. Keywords: cultural diplomacy, public diplomacy, soft power, Ukraine’s foreign policy, institutional bases, normative and legal bases, the Ukrainian Institute.