Week 1

International communication has always been a strong tool for States throughout history. With advancement in information communication technologies (ICT), it has played role in maintaining and strengthening relations between states, traders and ordinary people. In the past, communicating internationally was basically created for specific purposes such as: trades, wars, spreading religions and ideologies, and proving imperial sovereignty. Therefore, it has been essential for economic and political functions. Whereas today communication has become the value its self in that head of states and various strata within communities try to maintain strong ties with their counterparts in other states. In the past, the advancement of communication channel was only the device that helped meeting specific needs. But today the continuous, and rapid development of communication technologies lead communicating internationally on a larger scale; such as, social, cultural, educational and lifestyle. It freed international communication from the state monopoly that was limited to economic and political reasons. It has become centered on people and individuals and growing towards society, and state.

Nowadays that people are exposed to information from around the globe with relatively little control, domestic and international communication must be open, transparent and credible or it will fail. Today’s audiences are interactive and aggressive; that is why international communication has become more challenging for states. In fact, governments spend fortunes on public diplomacy to draw the image about their states as seen in the international arena; and many pay effort to do internal reforms in order to maintain their relations with other states.

International communication has become integrated with many other factors rather than the communication procedure its self. Therefore, it requires extensive analysis and critical vision not only from the political and economic aspects but also social, educational and other ones that are concerned about individuals and states as well.

Noor Hameededdin