Presentation of the Book “The Art of Cultural Diplomacy – Soft Power in Foreign Policy” by Dr. Petros Kapsaskis
The presentation of the book The Art of Cultural Diplomacy by Petros D. Kapsaskis, PhD in Cultural Diplomacy and President of the Hellenic Institute of Cultural Diplomacy, took place on Wednesday evening in the “Giannis Marinos” Hall of the Athens Concert Hall. The event was organized under the auspices of the Friends of Music Society, and the book, published by Sideris Publications, was introduced by the publisher Andreas Sideris.
Following the introduction, speakers included Kostas Lavdas, Professor of European and Comparative Politics at Panteion University; Eugenia Arseni, PhD in Aesthetic Philosophy, director, and theater scholar; and Stelios Fenekos, Rear Admiral and President of the Papandreou Foundation. The discussion was moderated by Christos Pagonis, a journalist from ERT.
In his book, Dr. Kapsaskis presents a pioneering approach to cultural diplomacy in Greece. He examines the concept, tools, practices, and examples from various countries before focusing on the Greek case. The book highlights the challenges, gaps, and opportunities in designing and implementing cultural diplomacy in Greece, with particular emphasis on the role of religion as a key component of national identity and a tool in foreign policy.
The book, the result of long-term research, was praised by Professor Kostas Lavdas as a remarkable work that deserves translation into other languages. Dr. Kapsaskis, after thanking the contributors and attendees, poetically described his book as something that “will sing.” Accompanied by Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture, he urged the audience to decode the music, which tells the story of the French invasion and advance on Moscow.
The event featured musical performances by Melina Paxinos (saxophone/compositions) and Dimitris Verdinoglou (piano) during the opening. The closing was marked by Eleana Vasiou (soprano), Georgia Anastasi (piano), and Nina Patrikidou (violin). The evening concluded with a delightful surprise: a unique culinary creation by chef Lefteris Zafeiropoulos.
