Dear reader,
I started wherewordsfailblog.com in January 2015 at the same time as I was starting my business, League Cultural Diplomacy (LCD). It’s been a hugely rewarding journey and I’m proud of what both LCD and wherewordsfailblog.com have both achieved. Like anyone else starting a new business I’ve made my share of mistakes, but starting this blog wasn’t one of them, rather, it’s one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done!
Now, two-and-a-half years later, wherewordsfailblog.com has more than fulfilled the initial hopes I had for it; it has helped me develop an outstanding international network, attract partners and clients to grow my business, secure a considerable amount of research funding and promote my personal brand and values. All of this has been achieved while bringing attention to how cultural diplomacy can be used within corporate and government environments to build relationships and influence abroad or across cultures.
The blog has opened many doors for me; dozens of people have contacted me through the blog and I’ve developed some great friendships from it. I also love reading the comments on LinkedIn and following the discussions that develop. The site has received close to 20,000 visitors, and the posts have been read by business and government leaders, diplomats, event managers, students, arts and cultural workers, professional athletes and artists as well as leading academics.
But now I feel it’s time for the blog to change direction, expand, spread its wings and develop a life of its own. I want it to be less about me and more about cultural diplomacy industry and its related industries, the wonderfully creative and inspiring people involved with cultural diplomacy initiatives and how the tools of cultural diplomacy can be used to build outstanding relationships abroad or across cultures. I want other people working, or seeking to work in cultural diplomacy related fields, to share in some of the benefits that the blog has brought to me.
To achieve these aims, here are some of the changes that I intend to implement over the next year.
- Collaborators will be writing more posts and contributing in other ways. David and Paul’s first posts were fantastic so I’m looking forward to more from them and from new writers!
- wherewordsfailblog.com will have its very own social media accounts.
- Cultural diplomacy related events and initiatives from around the world will be featured, discussed and promoted so we can share our ideas, broaden awareness of our endeavors and increase participation.
- More workers from the cultural diplomacy and related fields (such as cultural engagement, cultural intelligence, sport or the arts) will be featured and interviewed to share their ideas and knowledge, build their professional profiles and give us some insight into the ways they build relationships, mutual understanding and respect.
- Art, in all its genres and disciplines will be highlighted. Let’s get away from pictures of suits shaking hands when we promote cultural diplomacy, and reflect our actions, not words, in the images we share and the way we actively contribute to culture and diplomacy.
- The blog will strive to develop revenue streams so that in the future we can pay contributors for their work and cover organisational expenses.
By collaborating with wherewordsfailblog.com you will gain, just as I have, the chance to strengthen your network, raise your profile, promote your events and initiatives, grow your social media following, and bring value to your network; all whilst helping to strengthen your industry. Your involvement might include writing posts, suggesting events to feature, interviewing people or reviewing books, art shows or other relevant events.
So if you are interested in contributing to the wherewordsfailblog.com project in any way, please get in touch with me.
Thank you for your support over the last two-and-a-half years. Without your patronage wherewordsfailblog.com wouldn’t have come so far!
Looking forward,
Founder of wherewordsfailblog.com and League Cultural Diplomacy.
photo credit: Rusty Russ Walking the City Lights via photopin (license)
where words fail 