This week’s episode examines how cultural diplomacy can be one of the most effective tools for international relations, despite often being downplayed in favor of displays of hard power. We meet jazz legend Herbie Hancock and basketball superstar Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
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Hancock was named a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador in 2011 for the promotion of intercultural dialogue, which put him on the world stage to spread messages of peace and unity. Hancock is not only a jazz icon, but, as the chairman of the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz, a mentor to the next generation of jazz greats.
Abdul-Jabbar holds the NBA’s scoring record with an impressive 38,387 career points. For Kareem, it’s no longer about winning the game, but rather about applying the values he learned on the court to the next chapter in his life — and sharing those lessons with the world through his role as a U.S. Cultural Ambassador.