Crisis, Conflict, and Imagined Futures in North American Cultural Diplomacy

The Institute will take place in Toronto, with all sessions streamed online.

Attend online: Register for Zoom Webinar

Co-organized by Sarah Smith, FIMS Associate Professor and CRC in Art, Culture and Global Relations.

If you would like to attend the Toronto event in person, please reach out to sarah.smith@uwo.ca to request registration.

Event Description: How can cultural diplomacy help navigate the shifting dynamics of North American relationships? As Canada, Mexico, and the United States confront an era of rising nationalism, transactional politics, and the fraying of the liberal international order, cultural diplomacy emerges as a powerful tool for dialogue and collaboration.

This two-day NACDI Institute brings together an interdisciplinary group of scholars, cultural leaders, practitioners, and students to explore how embracing a cultural relations approach to diplomacy can respond to contemporary challenges and reimagine the future of North America. Cultural diplomacy scholarship has largely focused on Cold War superpower dynamics, privileging the United States as a locus of activity and marginalizing “middle powers” like Canada and Mexico, as well as their links. Addressing shifts away from the dominant order since the Cold War, as well as contemporary issues such as the upending of the trade system, the challenge to democracies, and the emergence of China and other powers, this Institute will examine how cultural relations and diplomacy can foster new connections and shared visions for the region.

Join us as we discuss the role of culture in shaping North American futures in a multipolar and fragmented global landscape. This event continues the conversations started at the inaugural NACDI Institute held in Mexico City in 2025, hosted by Universidad Iberoamericana, Universidad Panamericana, and Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana.

To view the presentation schedule, visit the NACDI event website.