Cultural diplomacy as an emergent and uneven process: The cultural olympiad in the veneto dolomites ahead of Milano cortina 2026

Cultural diplomacy in the context of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics emerges as an uneven and emergent process, shaped by local governance, grassroots capacity, and the ability to engage external audiences. While over half of initiatives are led by community-based organizations, only 35% of stakeholders plan new Olympiad-related activities due to fragmented coordination and limited funding. The study, conducted through territorial mapping, policy analysis, and stakeholder surveys in Belluno—a peripheral Alpine province and UNESCO World Heritage site—reveals that diplomatic functions remain indirect and weakly institutionalized, largely embedded in territorial promotion. This research contributes to debates on subnational cultural diplomacy by highlighting the conditions and limits of such efforts.

Peli, A., & Tonin, S. (2026). Cultural diplomacy as an emergent and uneven process: The cultural olympiad in the veneto dolomites ahead of Milano cortina 2026. Journal of Cultural Management and Cultural Policy, 12(1), 261–280. https://doi.org/10.1177/27018466261449823