Malta’s cultural diplomacy

Abstract

Cultural diplomacy is the promotion of one’s culture while understanding that of others. It is more focused on building relations between communities of different countries while embracing the notion that every citizen can be the actor or recipient of cultural diplomacy. This diplomacy has been in practice in Malta for a number of centuries with a perfect example being the St John’s Co-Cathedral. Cultural diplomacy evolves with time and today, it is more focused on building cultural relations and strengthening mutual understandings rather than highlighting only the promotion of one’s culture. In this regard, this paper will analyse the work done by Malta, especially during the last six years, to enhance its cultural relations such as during the CHOGM 2015, the Maltese Presidency of the Council of the European Union-2017 and Valletta - European Capital of Culture 2018. It will also serve to highlight how Malta has been instrumental in serving as a cultural hub for foreign artists to promote their work in Malta. This paper will refer to interviews with several personalities involved in cultural diplomacy so as to provide a more in-depth analysis of the work done by the country. It will also suggest how Malta can enhance its cultural relations in a constantly changing world.