Tim Unwin is UNESCO chair in ICT4D; emeritus professor of geography at Royal Holloway, University of London; chair of the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK; and honorary professor at Lanzhou University in China. He was appointed CEO (now Secretary General) of the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation in September 2011. Of the CTO's six themes of work, Professor Unwin leads on ICTs for people with disabilities and ICTs in education, focusing on skills development and entrepreneurship. He has recently been appointed to the International Advisory Board of IMPACT, the International Multilateral Partnership Against Cyber Threats. 44 D emo c r a c y : R u l e o f l aw, r e p r e s e n t a t i o n a n d p a r t i c i p a t i o n common good, and thus communal interests and values. A shift in focus to there being greater attention paid to the responsibilities of individuals and states to each other, although not easy, is thus a fundamental requirement for enhanced cultural diplomacy within the Commonwealth. 4. Wise leadership at all levels. All the evidence in the literature on partnerships emphasises the critical importance of strong and wise leadership at all levels. For the Commonwealth to flourish as a true partnership, such leadership must be present. It is here that the instance of the President of The Gambia’s recent decision is so pertinent. To be sure there are some vestiges of reticence, resistance or even denial throughout the Commonwealth over the harm done through European colonialism, but there does now seem to be a much more mature understanding that if we reject imperialism today it is a new and different ‘we’, a concern about present and future, not just the historical record. One of the reasons why the UK as the former metropolitan power does not play a stronger role in the Commonwealth may well be because of the sense of collective guilt over its imperial past that has permeated its education system and imbued many of those taking decisions about its engagement with other countries across the world. This has meant that the UK has often been surprisingly reluctant to engage more closely with Commonwealth countries and indeed somewhat reticent in promoting the Commonwealth more widely amongst its citizens. Those involved in the Commonwealth must all learn from the past but work with present realities if the Commonwealth is to survive as a viable entity. 5. A lack of understanding of the potential of the Commonwealth. No organisation should survive unless it continues to deliver effective benefits for its stakeholders. It is crucial that these are clearly articulated and promoted, and cultural diplomacy plays a very significant role in so doing. Despite the problems associated with the themes of the Commonwealth Charter, the shared values adhered to by millions of people across the Commonwealth, in large part through the legal and educational systems touched on above, are a uniquely worthy foundation; but their value remains considerably underplayed. For the Commonwealth to survive, it must continue to champion these values, especially among the young, many of whose lives are shaped primarily by economic agendas, the material and the virtual, as never before. Practical actions for the future In conclusion, there are five very practical ways through which cultural diplomacy can be enhanced more effectively in the interests of the Commonwealth. Commonwealth Governance Handbook 2013/14 First, much more effort needs to be placed on the development of shared understanding, especially on the importance of cultural agenda, and the need to counter increasingly dominant individualistic economic agendas by placing greater emphasis on the common weal that lies at the heart of the Commonwealth. Second, greater focus needs to be placed on the recognition of the mutuality of interests and benefits that can accrue from the unique set of partnerships that comprise the Commonwealth. Both the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission and the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation have very much sought to emphasise this mutuality in their activities in recent years. Third, effective cultural diplomacy does not just happen. It requires considerable care and financial support. Appropriate resources must be put in place to ensure that such benefits are delivered in the interests of all, and the real economic benefits that can result must also be clearly articulated. Fourth, education plays a central role in delivering the shared understandings, particularly among the young, that are so important for building the Commonwealth and ensuring that its values are maintained. Digital technologies, when used effectively, can play a powerful role in supporting such collaboration between young people, schools and universities across the Commonwealth, as can scholarships that bring people face-to-face with those living and working in other cultures. Finally, great care and skill is necessary in balancing the many tensions between the forces tending to enhance either diversity or uniformity within the Commonwealth. Ultimately, our challenge is to recognise and celebrate the value of diversity in the interests of the common good. Endnotes 1 This thought-piece builds on a presentation given at a conference organised by the Institute for Cultural Diplomacy in London in July 2013. 2 http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/10/02/us-gambiacommonwealth idUSBRE9911AA20131002. 3 Held, D. (2006) Models of Democracy, Cambridge: Polity Press, 3rd edition.
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