Investing in soft power is 'a lot cheaper than the alternative', urges Edinburgh International Festival head

Investing in soft power is "a lot cheaper than the alternative", Edinburgh International Festival (EIF) chief executive Francesca Hegyi has said ahead of a summit in the city on how culture, heritage, diplomacy and technology shape global influence.

Archbishop Leo Cushley and Edinburgh's Lord Provost Robert Aldridge are among a line-up of speakers - alongside Ms Hegyi, who also sits on the UK Soft Power Council - set to attend a conference on the influence of culture as soft power.

The event, held in Edinburgh by the Royal Society of Arts (RSA) and entitled Soft Power: Challenges, Opportunities and Solutions, will consider how culture, heritage, diplomacy and technology shape global influence and explore the future of soft power in a changing world.

Ms Hegyi called for the UK and Scotland to follow in the footsteps of other countries to invest in culture as soft power.

She said: "At a time of heightened global tensions, the importance of soft power has to be more central in our thinking. Scotland and the UK have fantastic soft power assets in their cultural institutions – including the festivals. Other countries have long recognised this and have invested accordingly both here and at home.

Francesca Hegyi is chief executive of the Edinburgh International Festival. Picture: Ryan Buchanan

“Confident nations invest in the arts. The question for the UK now is how we nurture the platforms that project our global reputation but also facilitate deeper understanding between peoples. Investing in soft power is a lot cheaper than the alternative."

The programme will consider the growing influence of emerging powers, alongside the continuing role of European nations and international institutions. It will also examine how digital technologies, social media and artificial intelligence are transforming public diplomacy, creating new opportunities for engagement while raising important ethical and practical questions about influence, communication and trust.

It will also explore how governments, cultural institutions, educational organisations, heritage bodies and civil society can continue to shape international relationships and contribute to global dialogue.

The RSA said: “Soft power has traditionally been expressed through culture, heritage, education, science, tourism and the arts, with sport increasingly recognised as a significant source of international influence. As societies navigate rapid technological, political and cultural change, the event will explore how these foundations of soft power are developing and what this means for the future of international relations.”

Ann Packard, a trustee of the RSA who is behind the event, said: “I am an absolute believer in the the ability for soft power to enhance lives through generations and nationalities and for arts and culture to bring people together.”

The full day event at the French Institute of Scotland, on 14 November, will also feature Jerry O'Donovan, Consul General of Ireland and Stéphane Pailler, Consul General of France. Alison Turnbull, director of external relations and partnerships at Historic Environment Scotland and Professor Sophia Labadi, professor of heritage at Riyadh University of the Arts, will also speak.

Ms Packard said she had intentionally curated the programme to bring people together who did not necessarily have the same opinions.

She said: “People will hopefully be exposed to perspectives that they might not usually hear. My wish is to bring people together who might not always naturally meet.”