KATHMANDU: It’s time for Nepal to prioritize soft power to influence and create a global standing. Nepal may struggle to exert hard power, but its rich multicultural aspect could serve key asset in building soft power. Cultural facets such as art, literature, music, pop culture can be used as soft power to influence the global arena.

Various countries such as Japan, South Korea, China, and America have been busy wielding soft power. Since the late 2010s South Korean food culture and K-pop culture has been taking the world by storm till now. From the K-pop song “Gangnam Style” to the popular series “Squid Game”, Korean pop culture has come a long way in influencing and creating a global position. Bands like BTS, Blackpink, and Seventeen have earned popularity worldwide. This expansion of Korean culture has been known as the Korean Wave or Hallyu.

Japan initiated the “Cool Japan” concept as a major aspect of building soft power. This concept of cool Japan aimed to influence the world through games, manga, anime, Japanese Cuisine, and other high-tech industrial products. The Constitution of Nepal states in Article 3 that Nepal is a multi-ethnic, multi-lingual, multi-cultural nation.

As explicitly mentioned in the constitution, Nepal is rich in its folk cultures, traditions, music, arts and cultural heritages and it can be great way to introduce Nepal’s cultural beauty globally.

Today, states are hustling to create influence over the world through soft power in maintaining diplomatic relations. Multi-culturalism aspect could benefit for the whole country’s economic, social and political development. Soft power influence helps to call for investment, tourist and consumer on regional as well as international level.

During ‘Brand Finance Global Soft Power Summit 2020,’ Former UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon points out “in today’s era of increasing nationalism, uncertainty and transnational challenges, soft power is now more important than ever.”

Way Forward

Nepal can conduct cultural exchange programs that help to deepen cross-cultural relations, and international ties and promote the country’s value. Through the movies, public opinion regarding lifestyles, ideologies, and values can be shaped globally. Film festivals as well as food festivals can be conducted. Nepali local food products can be used to create greater influence worldwide.

Tourism campaigns such as ‘Visit Nepal’ can be conducted more often. Conducting global sporting events, language promotion, fashion, and design brands can be introduced to exert influence.

As soft power operates through effective influence and persuasion, it’s high time that policy makers of Nepal shift towards creating larger influence through art, culture, music, language and heritages.