Soft power isn’t just about global image. It’s about local presence.
After a visit to UNESCO’s HQ in Paris, I saw how hosting is more than ceremonial: it shapes who gets to set the terms. France didn’t just benefit from UNESCO. It bent it toward its own language, customs, and influence.
This made me think:
India’s hosting global summits. But it’s not anchoring global institutions.
There’s a difference. And it matters.
In this piece, I explore how space creates power, why France plays the game better than anyone, and how India can learn to stop attending the table and start setting it.
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