Soft power emerged as a significant theme throughout the dialogue. It was repeatedly stressed that soft power – defined broadly as attraction, legitimacy and normative influence – remains a critical means of fostering trust between societies. However, participants warned against the risk of underutilising soft power assets and falling behind more assertive soft‑power actors.
The evolving nature of soft power
As soft power now operates within a crowded global marketplace in which for example China, South Korea and Middle Eastern actors invest heavily in cultural outreach, digital media and education to shape global perceptions, particularly amongst global youth. Against this backdrop, there was clear emphasis on the UK and US being strategic, confident, adaptive and agile in how they deploy their strengths. For example, the UK could consider ways to best engage youth and minority audiences in the US who do not possess a natural affinity with the UK.
Broadening participation and inclusion
Discussions highlighted the need to reach audiences beyond traditional elites. For example, UK programmes such as the Marshall Scholarship, while impactful, might benefit from complementary pathways for vocational, community‑based and regionally diverse participation. The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme was proposed as an example of a successful inclusive youth programme with potential for scalable expansion in the US, drawing on its foundations in the UK and increasing international reach. There was also an opportunity for the UK and the US to reassert their leadership in disability rights in the face of competition (and increasing financial support) from China and the Middle East.
Cultural and digital ecosystems
While UK soft power strengths lie in classical cultural exports such as film, theatre, heritage and academia, there were calls for the UK to also embrace contemporary cultural sector such as gaming, digital creation, diasporic communities and sports fandoms. In the US context, discussions stressed that the future of soft power lies in engaging the everyday cultural experiences shaping how younger Americans understand the world.
Funding, sustainability and institutional pressures
Soft power institutions face severe fiscal pressure. Universities, cultural bodies and public diplomacy organisations are managing rising costs, uncertainty around international student flows and fiscal uncertainty. Participants warned that without renewed investment in its soft power institutions and innovative financing models, the UK risked losing long‑term influence in the US.