The Olympics have a long history of countries and participants using the games as a platform to build soft power, promote propaganda, advance diplomacy, and highlight political causes. These efforts can take hopeful forms, such as the 2016 creation of the Refugee Olympic Team and the role of the 2018 Olympics in boosting diplomacy between North Korea and South Korea. Sometimes, these events can be very dark, such as Nazi Germany's shrewd use of propaganda while hosting the 1936 games and the 1972 terrorist attack on the Israeli Olympic team. Throughout the Cold War, the United States and the Soviet
Using the 2026 Winter Olympics to Build Soft Power
The Olympics have historically served as a platform for countries to exercise soft power and advance political agendas, ranging from positive efforts like the 2016 Refugee Olympic Team to darker examples like Nazi propaganda in 1936 and the 1972 terrorist attack on Israeli athletes.
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