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Tom Fletcher

Contributor

Soft power is about attraction rather than coercion

Real soft power flourishes when people are free to be creative and calls for nations to be magnetic

October 27, 2019

US President Donald Trump at last year's United Nations General Assembly. Jeenah Moon / Bloomberg

UNGA 2019 comes when co-operation and consensus are at their weakest points

The United Nations needs to rise to the challenges posed by technology and speak to a younger generation

September 22, 2019

Sir Kim Darroch, Britain's former ambassador to the US, resigned after his confidential cables were leaked last week. Victor Blue / Bloomberg

The Kim Darroch debacle shows that we need our diplomats to be honest more than ever before

As a former ambassador, I know how important it is that diplomats do not resort to vanilla platitudes to err on the side of caution, writes Tom Fletcher

July 13, 2019

Bridges, such as San Francisco's Golden Gate, are all about opportunity and innovation. Getty Images

Bridges will take us into the future, while walls will keep us trapped where we are

The world is becoming an increasingly divided place, but all around us valuable and courageous connections are still being made. Now we must all endeavour to do the same

February 19, 2019

A man looks toward the Spanish port of Crinavi from the deck of the migrant-rescue ship Proactiva Open Arms. AP / Olmo Calvo

The optimist's guide to 2019

While it may not have the most auspicious of beginnings, the coming year will present many opportunities to change the world for the better

January 1, 2019

Graduates queue to have their photograph taken after a graduation ceremony at Oxford University in England. Paul Hackett/Reuters

The university of the future will be inclusive, innovative and creative

Old models of academia have been overtaken by our fast-moving, networked world. It's time for radical change

October 28, 2018

The UN is not perfect but it might be the only tool we have for global co-existence. Julie Jacobson / AP

Beyond the protocol and the preening, the tedium and tantrums, what happens in the UN matters to all of us

The organisation might not be perfect but no one has come up with a better idea for global co-existence or the challenges facing humanity

September 23, 2018

US President Donald Trump waves as he disembarks Air Force One after arriving in Singapore June 10, 2018. Jonathan Ernst / Reuters

Why Trump should have studied Churchill before Kim summit

The success or failure of talks in Singapore may depend on the unlikeliest of matters

June 10, 2018

Fake news is intended to make individuals question everything that is put before them. Sean Gallup / Getty

In a digital age, can mainstream media match Silicon Valley's lure?

Ahead of The National's Future Forum tomorrow, Tom Fletcher asks how media outlets will stay ahead of the curve, retraining for the roles that robots cannot do

May 7, 2018

Casper Klynge, Denmark's tech ambassador, at The National's offices in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National National

How Casper Klynge is reinventing diplomacy as the world's first tech ambassador

Denmark's representative in Silicon Valley has met with scepticism since taking up his post, but he is convinced others must follow his country's lead

May 3, 2018

Avicii sent out his last tweet two days before his death last Friday / Sean Eriksson

Rest in tweet: the digital epitaphs that will live on after we're gone

We cannot imagine our lives without social media but will it start to become part of our deaths too?

April 22, 2018

Russian President Vladimir Putin is one of the foremost practitioners of old power, while other nations are handing more power to the people. Itar Tass / Reuters

There are fewer wars when you take power away from men in big castles

The best ideas now spread sideways. We need to build solutions together – it turns out our survival depends on it

April 9, 2018

The UAE showed its commitment to bolstering morale by appointing Ohood Al Roumi as the UAE's Minister of State for Happiness and Well-being in 2016. Reem Mohammed / The National

The pursuit of happiness is backed by science – happy people are more productive

There are proven links between happiness and achievement in schools and workplaces, writes Tom Fletcher

February 11, 2018

Donald Trump is compelling on social media because you know it is really his thoughts / AFP

It used to be said that you are what you eat. For today's leaders and diplomats, you are what you tweet

In some ways, Twitter is simply a return to the lively political debate of the Roman forum

January 29, 2018

There are more refugees around the world today than ever before. Here, Rohingya border refugees await rice deliveries. Reuters

Four things we have learnt about the world in the past 12 months

Tom Fletcher reviews some key emerging trends from 2017

December 28, 2017

Government

Houbara bustards are a vulnerable species. Pawan Singh / The National

Qatari royals arrested over illegal houbara hunting

Asia

Lebanese anti-government protesters burn tyres to block a road in al-Mina town in the northern port city of Tripoli on December 10, 2019. AFP / Fathi AL-MASRI

Corruption an ongoing issue across Middle East, new survey finds

MENA

Supporters of Lebanese Shiite groups Hezbollah and Amal wave flags in front of army soldiers in the capital Beirut, Lebanon, November 25, 2019. Shortly before midnight yesterday supporters of the Lebanese Hezbollah and Amal movements attacked anti-government protesters in Beirut, shouting insults and chanting in support of the chiefs of their groups before attacking some demonstrators, with army reinforcements intervening to diffuse tensions. / AFP / ANWAR AMRO

Iranian threat to ‘flatten Tel Aviv’ from Lebanon draws ire in Beirut

MENA

Boris Johnson has apologised for Islamophobia within his party.

Will British Muslims back Boris Johnson in the UK election?

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Tom Fletcher

Soft power is about attraction rather than coercion

UNGA 2019 comes when co-operation and consensus are at their weakest points

The Kim Darroch debacle shows that we need our diplomats to be honest more than ever before

Bridges will take us into the future, while walls will keep us trapped where we are

The optimist's guide to 2019

The university of the future will be inclusive, innovative and creative

Beyond the protocol and the preening, the tedium and tantrums, what happens in the UN matters to all of us

Why Trump should have studied Churchill before Kim summit

In a digital age, can mainstream media match Silicon Valley's lure?

How Casper Klynge is reinventing diplomacy as the world's first tech ambassador

Rest in tweet: the digital epitaphs that will live on after we're gone

There are fewer wars when you take power away from men in big castles

The pursuit of happiness is backed by science – happy people are more productive

It used to be said that you are what you eat. For today's leaders and diplomats, you are what you tweet

Four things we have learnt about the world in the past 12 months

Government

Asia

MENA

MENA

Europe

AUTHOR

Tom Fletcher

Soft power is about attraction rather than coercion

UNGA 2019 comes when co-operation and consensus are at their weakest points

The Kim Darroch debacle shows that we need our diplomats to be honest more than ever before​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Bridges will take us into the future, while walls will keep us trapped where we are

The optimist's guide to 2019

The university of the future will be inclusive, innovative and creative

Beyond the protocol and the preening, the tedium and tantrums, what happens in the UN matters to all of us

Why Trump should have studied Churchill before Kim summit

In a digital age, can mainstream media match Silicon Valley's lure?

How Casper Klynge is reinventing diplomacy as the world's first tech ambassador

Rest in tweet: the digital epitaphs that will live on after we're gone

There are fewer wars when you take power away from men in big castles

The pursuit of happiness is backed by science – happy people are more productive

It used to be said that you are what you eat. For today's leaders and diplomats, you are what you tweet

Four things we have learnt about the world in the past 12 months

Government

Asia

MENA

MENA

Europe

The Kim Darroch debacle shows that we need our diplomats to be honest more than ever before