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"Attract and co-opt rather than coerce", this is the key of soft power. This concept developed by Joseph Nye at Harvard University rests on three resources: Culture, Political Values and Foreign Policies. Culture is, in our opinion, the most intriguing soft power. It is the most promising communication tool of this century. Museums and Art Institutions play today a significant role in international relations. But then, it is true that this role is not really new. We know the importance of government-affiliated institutions such as the Alliance Française for France or the British Council for the UK.The former was founded in 1883 and its network extends to 1038 locations in 136 countries.The latter was founded in 1934 and its network extends to 233 locations in over 100 countries.The recent agreement between France and the Emirate of Abu Dhabi to build a Louvre Museum in the Persian Gulf is a perfect example of soft power.That project is a cultural one, but has also major economic and strategic implications. It even strenghtens the legitimaty of the French military presence in this region.European countries know they can easily increase their influence in the world through culture.And when the State as in Italy, no longer has the means to fulfil its cultural ambitions, private investors come to its rescue. The leading manufacturers of luxury products are restoring the Coliseum in Rome or the Uffizi Gallery in Florence.According to the Monocle Magazine the 2013 soft power ranking by nations is:1.Germany. 2.UK. 3.US. 4.France. 5.Japan. This clearly means that the attractiveness and influence a country has within the world does not only rely on its GDP.Today, all the major nations are seeking to increase their visibility and influence bringing their cultural heritage to the fore and exporting round the world their cultural models and contents.This appears to be the best way to strengthen their international positions without using their muscles.

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