Marta Christina SUCIU1, Mina FANEA-IVANOVICI2, Christian NĂSULEA3, Diana Florentina NĂSULEA4
Abstract. This paper analyses Romania’s cultural diplomacy between 2021 and 2025, focusing on the Romanian Cultural Institute’s (RCI) role in promoting national culture amid post-pandemic recovery and geopolitical shifts. Using RCI reports, Eurostat data, EUNIC documents, and Facebook engagement metrics, the study examines budget trends, institutional strategy, digital presence, and diaspora outreach. Key findings highlight Romania’s leadership in EUNIC, grassroots cultural support, and challenges such as underfunding and limited inclusivity. A comparative perspective reveals modest investment relative to European peers. The paper recommends boosting funding, embracing digital tools, and involving marginalized communities to strengthen Romania’s international cultural influence.
Keywords: cultural diplomacy; Romanian Cultural Institute; soft power; diaspora engagement; public cultural policy.
1 Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Piata Romana 6, Sector 1, 010374 Bucharest. Senior researcher, Romanian Academy, National Institute of Economic Research Costin C. Kiritescu, Center for Complexity, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2665-0920. email: christina.suciu@economie.ase.ro
2 Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Piata Romana 6, Sector 1, 010374 Bucharest. mina.ivanovici@economie.ase.ro
3 University of Bucharest, ORCID: 0000-0002-2396-9899, Christian.nasulea@unibuc.ro
4 Institute for Economic Studies Europe, d.nasulea@ies-europe.ro
PUBLISHED in Journal of Knowledge Dynamics, Volume 2, No2