For centuries, traditional diplomacy has designed international relations by seeking consensus or defusing conflicts. However, in such turbulent times, new ways emerge, such as soft policy (soft power), which chooses culture as an instrument to influence with solid arguments that generate empathy between people and their societies. This will be the subject of a dialogue between Arancha González Laya and Inmaculada Ballesteros.
González Laya is Dean of the Paris School of International Affairs (PSIA) at Sciences Po. She was Minister of Foreign Affairs of Spain (2020-2021). She was previously under-secretary-general of the United Nations (UN) and the International Trade Centre (ITC) from 2013 to 2019.
Inmaculada Ballesteros is an expert in cultural policy, institutional relations and digital transition. She advises national and international organisations and is director of Programming at Acción Cultural Española (AC/E), a key player in Spain's cultural development and promotion around the world.
