Abstract:

Regarding cultural diplomacy, as a part of soft power's tools of attraction, the classical mode of action and observation has been focused on the promotion of national culture. Since the 1970s, France and Germany have progressively shifted their activities to a more modern approach of cultural diplomacy based on international cultural cooperation and bridging cultures. This move permitted not only tense collaboration between the two countries, for example, through an Elysee-fund to finance common projects abroad, but also the creation in 2019 of the Treaty of Aachen, establishing Franco-German Cultural Institutes in third countries. One of the nine new institutes is in progress in Bishkek and should open this coming year. It represents a promising new era in what I called transnational cultural diplomacy for European values in an increasingly competitive context of soft power, especially in Central Asia.

The aim of my communication paper is, first, to present the possible place for French and German soft power amidst American, Chinese, Russian, and Turkish influences in Central Asia, among others. It is not only about measuring the attractiveness of different countries, but also about understanding how different external influences interact, compete, or cooperate within the same space. Thus, my goal is to answer the question of what cultural niche exists for the European values of a Franco-German cultural institute in Central Asia. Second, I will observe the activities of the French and German cultural institutes in the region, focusing especially on binational cooperations and emphasizing the cultural activities of the Franco-German Cultural Institute project in Bishkek.

Based on interviews with the actors involved in Franco-German cultural diplomacy, I will here present the first results concerning the challenges of transnational cultural diplomacy. The first challenge is intercultural, or rather Franco-German, and calls into question the importance of multilingualism as well as the ability to navigate between different administrative systems. The second challenge is transcultural and concerns the projection of hypothetical Franco-German synergy at the local level. Indeed, the development of binational collaboration relies in part on the goodwill of local German and French players, particularly where there is a need to pool resources in difficult economic and political contexts, as well as in high-tension geopolitical areas.

Keywords: cultural diplomacy, transnational diplomacy, Franco-German, Bishkek, Central Asia, ICFA/DFKI