How culture and creative economy strengthen international relations in BRICS+

Cultural diplomacy is the soft power that deepens bond, helping to build a new global governance.

We live in new times in a multipolar world. Increasingly, international relations have moved beyond being based solely on economic agreements, military alliances, or traditional geopolitical influence. Instead, culture is gaining value as a diplomatic tool — a form of soft power capable of winning hearts, bringing peoples together, and building a new global governance.

Within the BRICS+ context, culture is recognized as one of the 15 priority areas of cooperation among the member countries. For the group, culture is a strategic pillar for sustainable development, promoting intercultural dialogue, and strengthening the identity of Global South peoples.

This commitment reveals a historic opportunity and a vast global pathway, enabling BRICS countries to enhance their global presence through creativity, culture, and diversity.

Brazil’s presidency of BRICS in 2025 reinforces the country’s dedication to leading initiatives that value culture as an instrument of social transformation and sustainable development, fostering cooperation among Global South nations.

What is “soft power” and why is it so powerful?

The term “soft power” refers to a country’s ability to win the sympathy of others through admiration and spontaneous adherence to its values, culture, and way of life.

Unlike “hard power” — which relies on military force, economic pressure, coercion, or imposition — soft power operates subtly and enduringly, naturally winning hearts.

In this context, culture takes center stage. Films, music, dance, literature, cuisine, design, fashion, and various cultural expressions have the potential to build bridges where walls once stood. Countries that understand this can, with intelligence, subtlety, and sensitivity, open doors around the world.

In short, soft power is like a universal “good morning” — a gesture of openness and goodwill that can precede political or commercial negotiations. It paves the way, brings people closer, connects, and creates genuine bonds.

Creative economy as a global strategy of BRICS+

Increasingly, countries around the world are adopting the creative economy as a public policy to expand their international presence. Through the export of music, film, literature, fashion, design, gastronomy, architecture, games, audiovisuals, and other cultural expressions, nations strengthen their identity and broaden their global reach.

BRICS+ countries possess rich and diverse cultural heritages rooted in millennia-old histories and the coexistence of diverse peoples, offering the world a genuinely multipolar artistic and cultural perspective.

Today, the creative economy is recognized as a strategic pillar — both economic and diplomatic. According to the 2025 Brazilian Creative Industry Map, the sector generated BRL 393.3 billion (approx. USD 80 billion) in 2023, accounting for 3.59% of Brazil’s GDP, and provided jobs for over 1.26 million people. The country stands out internationally for its vibrant culture, the result of a unique blend reflecting influences from every continent.

On the international stage, UNCTAD (2024) data shows that global exports of creative goods and services surpassed USD 2.1 trillion. This reaffirms the growing role of creativity as a driver of development, competitiveness, and global soft power.

With a combined population of about 4 billion people, BRICS+ countries represent nearly half of the world’s population. In a digitally hyperconnected planet, this population scale creates a vast avenue for cultural exchange, dialogue between civilizations, and the building of bridges of empathy and international cooperation.

By investing in public policies and cultural diplomacy, BRICS+ can transform their symbolic wealth into real influence, promoting sustainable development, mutual respect, and new models of global relations based on diversity, creativity, and inclusion.

Culture: a bridge in a multipolar world

As the world transitions toward a multipolar order — marked by multiple centers of influence and decision-making — culture emerges as a universal language capable of connecting nations with distinct histories, languages, and systems.

The BRICS+ countries play a pivotal role in this process. Cultural cooperation among emerging nations offers the potential for a new model of international relations — one that is more horizontal, collaborative, and grounded in mutual respect.

Culture thus enables the creation of deep and enduring bonds that transcend physical and ideological borders. When a Brazilian watches an Indian film, a Chinese listener discovers Brazilian music, or a South African reader engages with Russian literature, seeds of empathy, understanding, and mutual recognition are sown among peoples who once seemed worlds apart.

The subtle power of culture

As we have seen, culture has the power to evoke emotion, spark reflection, and humanize relations between nations. A film festival, a contemporary art exhibition, a fashion week, or a literature festival can often do more to foster international alliances than a formal diplomatic summit.

Cultural expressions build identity, a sense of belonging, and admiration. They boost tourism, attract investment, strengthen national brands, and encourage the exchange of knowledge. For the BRICS+ nations, advancing the creative economy as a pillar of cooperation means investing in the most human and enduring dimension of international relations.

Moreover, culture is inclusive: it amplifies the voices of historically marginalized communities, granting them visibility and protagonism — reinforcing social cohesion while showcasing to the world the vibrant plurality that shapes each nation’s identity.

In a world searching for new models of global governance, culture may well be the key to building consensus, inspiring trust, and shaping a more just, diverse, and cooperative international order.

Peace culture: new horizons for the 21st century

In an era marked by global conflicts, polarization, and geopolitical tensions, the world calls for bridges — not walls. Culture has the power to be that bridge. By fostering intercultural dialogue, respect for differences, and appreciation of others, art and creativity become diplomatic tools of profound strategic value.

Beyond mere entertainment, culture is emotional education, trust-building, and peace promotion. We can envision a world where nations export ideas, emotions, and stories; a world where cooperation replaces coercion. This is the powerful promise that the creative economy offers both the BRICS+ nations and the planet.

Culture will shape a positive future

The BRICS+ countries have the opportunity to lead not only in trade, energy, or infrastructure but in something far deeper: the creation of an international order grounded in culture, empathy, and solidarity.

Art and creativity are infinite assets  — the more they are shared, the more they grow. By investing in culture as a diplomatic cornerstone, the BRICS+ amplify their influence by fostering understanding, beauty, and peace.

In times of deep divisions, culture reminds us that we all belong to the same history — one that can be written together with greater harmony, humanity and hope.