Cultural and Sports Diplomacy

Cultural and sports diplomacy is the exchange of sports, ideas, information, art, language, and other aspects of culture among nations and their peoples to foster mutual understanding.

Showing 1–10 of 19 results

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    2010 World Cup Vuvuzela

    A vuvuzela is a type of horn popular at sporting events in South Africa. During the 2010 World Cup for Football/Soccer, which was held in South Africa, the U.S. Embassy in Pretoria distributed vuvuzelas like this one with the goal of raising awareness of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the country and helping…

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    Autographed Grand Ole Opry Guitar

    In November 2019, country music star Dolly Parton celebrated 50 years of being a member of the Grand Ole Opry, a famed music venue in Nashville, Tennessee. During a visit to Nashville in October 2019, Secretary of State Michael Pompeo was given this commemorative Grand Ole Opry acoustic guitar, which had been…

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    Ambassador Harper’s Moccasins

    In 2014, Keith M. Harper became the first Native American to be named a U.S. ambassador to the UN Human Rights Council. A citizen of the Cherokee Nation, Harper served as the U.S. Permanent Representative to the UN Human Rights Council until 2017. These moccasins were a gift to him from his…

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    Autographed First Pitch Baseball

    In the mid-1940s, an American named J. Robert Fluker was living in Afghanistan and teaching at Habibia College in Kabul. Fluker, whose teaching position was funded by the U.S. Department of State, decided to introduce the game of baseball to his students. In 1946, during the opening game, the Prime Minister of…

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    Souvenir Wooden Eggs

    These decorated wooden eggs were given to participants in U.S. Embassy Moscow's 3rd annual "Spring Egg Roll" in 2000. This annual event was modeled after the White House Easter Egg Roll, a tradition in Washington, DC dating to 1878. The family-focused event brings children and their families together to celebrate Spring and…

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    Women’s Soccer Jersey

    This U.S. Women’s National Team away jersey was personalized for Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and given to her on June 6, 2011. That day, Secretary Clinton made remarks at an event at the State Department launching the Women’s World Cup Initiative and marking the 40th anniversary of Title IX in the…

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    Ancient Tongan Royal Tombs Painting

    The ancient royal tombs in Lapaha are central to Tonga's cultural heritage. The most ancient of these tombs were built around 1200 AD. They are considered the most important historical and archaeological monument in the South Pacific. This painted depiction of the tombs was a gift to a Foreign Service Officer who…

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    Commemorative African Headrest

    The Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) is a Department of State-sponsored effort to invest in the next generation of African leaders. Launched in 2010, YALI supports young Africans’ efforts to generate economic prosperity, strengthen democratic governance, and enhance peace and security across Sub-Saharan Africa. YALI includes a fellowship program, an online community,…

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    Amy Purdy's Carnival Costume

    In 2017, U.S. Consulate General Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, invited dancer and Paralympian Amy Purdy to represent the U.S. as a cultural envoy during the annual Carnival celebrations. Amy is a double amputee who danced in the opening of the Paralympics, won a snowboarding bronze in 2014, was a runner up in…

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    Kerosene Slide & Film Projector

    This kerosene-powered projector from the U.S. Embassy in Singapore is an unusual device dating to the 1950s. It was used by diplomats, particularly those focused on public diplomacy efforts, to show slides or film strips to groups of people in areas with limited or no electricity.