Culture as soft power

Article written by Mélinda Artal, student in the Culture stream at the School of Public Affairs

On March 29th, 2023, the doors of Sciences Po opened to welcome a Masterclass featuring two inspiring women: the violinist Marina Chiche and the President of the French Institute, Eva Nguyen Binh. Their discussion revolved around a topic as fascinating as it is fundamental: culture as soft power. 

Marina Chiche or the music in the service of society 

A talented and multi-award-winning violinist, musicologist and author, Marina Chiche was born in Marseille. She received her training at the Regional Conservatory of her hometown and continued her studies at the National Conservatory of Music and Dance in Paris at the age of 16. As a versatile artist, Marina Chiche works to promote French culture worldwide. She has been nominated twice for the Victoires de la Musique Classique, selected to join the Young Leaders program of the French-American Foundation, awarded the prestigious Marshall Memorial Fellowship from the German Marshall Fund, serves as an ambassador for the French Touch movement, and was honored among the 100 Women in Culture for 2022. This year, she is a resident at the Villa Medicis in Rome and the Villa Albertine in the United States. In addition to her musical achievements, she is involved in societal issues such as making classical music more accessible to a wider audience and advocating for women's roles in the field. She explores these topics in her column "C'est encore nous!" on France Inter and in her book "Musiciennes de légende" published by Editions First. 

Eva Nguyen Binh, for a renewing diplomacy 

A brilliant French diplomat, Eva Nguyen Binh has been involved in cultural diplomacy since 1994. She has served as Asia and Latin America advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, political counselor in New Delhi and Lisbon, Cultural Cooperation and Action Counselor in Vietnam, and ambassador of the French Republic to the Kingdom of Cambodia. Eva Nguyen Binh, who also held the position of Head of International Affairs at the Michelin Group and since July 2021, she has been the President of the French Institute. She is the first woman to preside over such an institution and is deeply committed to renewing relations with Africa. She advocates for gender equality in the cultural and diplomatic sectors while emphasizing the need for a virtuous diplomatic dialogue and joint artistic production with local stakeholders. 

Artists at the forefront of cultural diplomacy 

The first part of the masterclass focused on the role of artists as creators of value in cultural diplomacy strategies. For Marina Chiche, her experiences abroad have contributed to her understanding of cultural diplomacy as an artist. While she does not see herself as a representative of the government, she cites the example of the renowned Russian conductor Valery Gergiev, who organized a concert in May 2016 in the amphitheater of the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra. This event, far from insignificant, symbolizes a victorious Russia that, allied with the regime, expelled the jihadist group Islamic State. A world-renowned conductor, Gergiev represented his country through concerts held in war-torn or disaster-stricken locations. 

Eva Nguyen Binh, on the other hand, discusses the concept of soft power, which she contrasts with the concept of smart power, to question the ability to persuade others to adopt one's own values, as opposed to coercion. Preferring to speak of creators rather than artists - as cultural action includes writers, thinkers, and entrepreneurs as well - she emphasizes that their visibility abroad is crucial for promoting France's image. Through their reflections on the world and society, creators offer a certain image of our national identity while participating in the cooperation network. 

The necessary feminization of cultural and diplomatic action 

The second part of the discussion explored inclusion, gender equality and the role of women in the artistic sector and cultural diplomacy. While Eva Nguyen Binh has never faced gender discrimination in her work, she acknowledges that women were not as recognized when she began her career. Today, approximately 40% to 50% of French ambassadors are women.

Similarly, more women are applying to the French Institute, now representing about 75% of its employees. Despite many positive changes, she emphasizes that there is still a lack of visibility for women in this field. It is therefore necessary to remain attentive to parity and to discuss gender equality within the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs (MEAE). 

In her book "Musiciennes de légende" published in 2021, Marina Chiche notes that only 10% of women are present in classical music, despite gender parity at the conservatory level. Based on this observation, she decided to publish a work on this subject. Moreover, while a resident at the Villa Medicis, the violinist supported the #JamaisSansElles Association, launched in 2018, which commits to not participating in any public event if women are not included among the speakers. The MEAE is also involved, with around thirty ambassadors and consuls personally committing to this initiative. As for the French Institute, it works to promote gender diversity in French culture internationally and to make women fully visible in artistic sectors. 

Towards new models of cultural diplomacy 

The final part of the discussion focused on new models of cultural diplomacy in a context of critical discussions on post-colonialism and cultural rights. Eva Nguyen Binh mentions two notable developments. 

Firstly, there is a particular focus on language and the meaning of words. We remember the famous speech by André Malraux when the Ministry of Cultural Affairs was created in 1949, where he used the term "cultural radiance”. Eva Nguyen Binh emphasizes that this notion is now considered loaded and "influence" is preferred over "radiance." The very concept of cultural diplomacy is a complex one to consider. According to the President of the French Institute, cultural diplomacy is constantly evolving and it is difficult to define it precisely. At least, cultural diplomacy goes beyond simply promoting a country's culture and language. On the contrary, its goal is to establish cooperation links with other nations. 

The second evolution concerns the representation of cultural diversity. There has recently been a positive shift with greater visibility for artists of different origins, embodying various art forms and territories. Examples include the presence of Franco-Algerian artist Zineb Sedira at the Venice Biennale in 2022 and Martinique-born artist Julien Creuzet, who will represent France in 2024. This demonstrates a genuine recognition of cultural diversity and a strong desire to represent it abroad.

Lastly, Eva Nguyen Binh discussed how to promote French culture abroad while respecting other cultures. In some countries, the French Institute is the only foreign cultural institution present. Therefore, it is essential to emphasize that it does not seek to replace local cultures but rather to find a place for each culture. The French Institute also supports local artists and provides them with international visibility. While some critics in France question the budget allocated to these projects, Eva Nguyen Binh maintains the important idea of supporting local creation without exerting control over it. 

This meeting thus opened the way for a profound reflection on how culture can shape international relations while highlighting the crucial roles of artists and women in the field of diplomacy. New models of cultural diplomacy seem to be emerging with essential stakes: insisting on the importance of representing France's cultural diversity abroad while contributing to the development of cultural rights.

learn more

• The Culture/Cultural Policy and Management stream at the School of Public Affairs