Lithuanian cultural diplomacy: an ambitious foreign policy instrument or a theoretical policy concept?

Cultural diplomacy is a recent phenomenon in the area of international relations, unique for its principles, specifics, content and expression in the context of various interstate relations. This work aims to analyse Lithuania’s case study and evaluate process of cultural diplomacy, phenomenon’s main institutional and practical aspects. Conducted study also seeks to explore and explain existing ties between cultural diplomacy and country’s foreign policy agenda. Main objective of the analysis is to investigate whether Lithuania’s policy-makers are using cultural diplomacy as a useful foreign policy tool or rather it is a vague institutional ad hoc practice that is more likely elaborated on theoretical and discourse level rather than conducted practically in relevance with formulated foreign policy goals. Object of research is Lithuania’s cultural diplomacy, it’s conception in country’s strategic agenda and political vocabulary, role in Lithuania’s foreign policy and forms and principles of it’s manifestation. Aim of research is to determine the mechanisms by which Lithuania’s cultural diplomacy is formed and what role it plays in wider process of Lithuania’s foreign policy formation, focusing not only on the principles and content of phenomenon expression, but also on it’s conceptualization in strategic policy agenda. While analysing a broad theoretical base of cultural diplomacy studies, analysis of scientific literature is performed. Seeking to identify, how phenomenon of cultural diplomacy is reflected in main policy documents and strategic policy agendas, analysis of foreign policy formation process and set of selected official documents is conducted. Qualitative analysis of official institutional documents is performed, seeking to determine main characteristics of Lithuania’s cultural diplomacy. It includes mapping of institutional network of cultural diplomacy, evaluating institutional-level procedures of implementation of cultural diplomacy and focusing on the content of the phenomenon that is transmitted to foreign target groups. In order to identify not only the declarative perspective of cultural diplomacy and additionally seeking to conceptualize phenomenon from foreign policy agenda’s perspective, semi-structural interviews with representatives of various cultural diplomacy’s institutions are conducted. Case study of Lithuania’s cultural diplomacy prove that despite the fact, that in strategic policy level political attention towards phenomenon is limited, the perception of cultural diplomacy’s value and importance for country’s implemented foreign policy is widely appreciated and declared. Yet, in Lithuania’s case phenomenon of cultural diplomacy lacks of clear legal conceptualization, is marked with inter-institutional tensions between Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Culture and need for a better inter institucional coordination. Both policy-makers from culture and foreign policy spheres articulate and indicate an important and strategic role of culture in relevance with country’s realization of political agenda. Without support in highest political level, Lithuania organically lacks a decent amount of financial and human resources to support an ambitious cultural diplomacy program