Cultural Diplomacy, Identity, and the Diplomacy of Healing
The Young Cultural Diplomacy Forum (YCDF) Bangkok 2025, in four days of intensive engagement examining culture as a methodology for diplomatic transformation rather than mere soft power projection. Organized by the Center for Strategy and Cultural Diplomacy (CSCD), the forum brought together emerging cultural practitioners and diplomatic professionals from across Southeast Asia and beyond to develop alternative frameworks for international relations grounded in healing and resistance to colonial narratives.
Distinguished from conventional cultural diplomacy initiatives through its explicit commitment to decolonizing narrative construction, YCDF Bangkok positioned Thailand’s unique historical trajectory—never formally colonized yet deeply influenced by colonial-era power structures—as a critical case study for understanding contemporary nation identity negotiations. The forum’s seven modules addressed fundamental questions of cultural representation and power, from examining Thailand’s mythologized heritage in “Siam’s Fantasy” to exploring spiritual wisdom applications in international relations through “Zen and Strategy.” Participants engaged with locals, cultural practitioners, and institutions including the Thailand Creative and Design Centre (TCDC) to understand how aesthetic choices carry political implications and how traditional narratives evolve into contemporary cultural influence.
This forum represents a paradigmatic shift in how we understand culture’s role in international relations. We’re moving beyond nation branding toward healing-centered approaches that address historical traumas while imagining alternative futures. A groundbreaking module examined emotional economies, using Bangkok’s position as a global wellness and spiritual tourism destination to analyze how healing narratives become commodified. This critical lens extended to examining regional cultural connectivity through ASEAN frameworks and the evolution from traditional epic narratives like the Ramakien to contemporary cultural phenomena.
The forum employed participatory methodologies integrating artistic practice, critical analysis, and strategic planning. Participants developed policy proposals that integrate critical cultural analysis with practical diplomatic applications, addressing contemporary challenges while remaining grounded in sophisticated understanding of power dynamics.
Success metrics focused on participants’ ability to articulate alternative frameworks for cultural diplomacy and their capacity to implement transformative approaches in their respective contexts. The forum establishes ongoing platforms for collaboration, resource sharing, and peer learning, with insights contributing to curriculum development in cultural studies and international relations programs.
YCDF Bangkok 2025 demonstrates that youth-led, critically informed cultural engagement provides essential insights for navigating interconnected yet unequal global systems, offering diplomatic practice that serves human flourishing rather than advancing national interests through cultural manipulation.
