Public Diplomacy of Russian Border Regions: Local Assessments in Three Regions

The article presents the results of evaluation of the activities of international organizations and foundations in the field of public diplomacy. It is revealed, public diplomacy is gradually beginning to take its place in Russian foreign policy, but a number of existing problems (lack of regulatory framework, financial and institutional support, effective tools for non-profit organizations involvement in international processes) reduces the efficiency of the use of this tool. Moreover, one of the most serious problems is the low demand for regional capacity-building of public diplomacyAnalysis of the activities in the field of public diplomacy organizations and funds allowed us to determine that most of the initiatives and projects in this area is realized in Moscow organizations and is not focused on the periphery of Russia. At the same time, it has now created a large number of regional and international organizations willing to contribute to the realization of important public diplomacy projects. The study of the views of the population of border regions of Russia led to the conclusion that the inhabitants of border areas, often are members of a number of processes of cross-border international communications, ready to take an active part in the processes of public diplomacy, key actors which they define non-profit organizations and foundations. It concludes in this regard that the formation of an effective model of public diplomacy must be based on all available resources, including the potential of Russian regions. The potential of the non-profit sector in public diplomacy is of particular importance in border regions, which is defined as a community of cultural and historical development of Russia and neighboring countries, and the willingness of experts and the public borderland develop and implement interstate integration projects, as well as to participate in public processes diplomacy.

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