Report Urges U.S.-Cuban Cultural Diplomacy to Improve Relations
A new report from the Brookings Institute released for the month of August introduces new policy recommendations for U.S.-Cuban relations during the Obama Administration. The focus is to be placed on increasing citizen to citizen interactions and contacts to ensure the future of friendly relations between the United States and Cuba. Although further dialogue between Washington and Havana would be desired, the Administration is being urged to implement a policy that encourages and promotes more citizen to citizen connections through cultural and citizen diplomacy programs such as study abroad, musical and cultural exchanges and professional research programs.
Today, the only license permitting citizens to travel to Cuba is one for educational and research/development purposes. Only approximately 2,000 are allowed to make this trip to Cuba annually which has been instituted since the Bush Administration in 2004. The objective is to increase the contacts between Cubans and Americans through a variety of avenues, including cultural diplomacy. Restrictions that hinder private citizens from traveling to Cuba and the United States should be eased and the allowance of more cultural programs that involve Cuban and American artists, athletes and tourists should be urged. Also, all categories for travel (professional, business, religious, family visits, tourism, humanitarian, journalistic, etc.) should be allowed licensure in order to increse the number of civilians interacting with each other as a result of heightened travel.
Unfortunately, the restrictions must be lifted by means of government agreement and cooperation between the U.S. and Cuba. However, the call from the U.S. government to start encouraging private citizen interaction through cultural diplomacy could be seen by the Cuban government as incentive to bring about positive change.
Read the report from the U.S.-Cuba Relations at Brookings.
Posted Tuesday, August 24, 2010