Added to this are images of celebrity diplomats and activists, including Bono, Angelina Jolie and Bill Gates, meeting with world leaders to discuss humanitarian issues of global significance.

Many may be sceptical about the "sincerity, substance and efficacy of such celebrity interventions" in the world of global affairs but Dr Andrew F Cooper, associate director and distinguished fellow at the Centre for International Governance Innovation in Canada, questions this scepticism and challenges what he views as "oversimplified critiques of celebrity activism and diplomacy".

Dr Cooper presented a lecture on the issue that drew on ideas from his recently published book Celebrity Diplomacy at an event hosted by the Canadian High Commission at the India International Centre yesterday.

Cooper, an expert in international diplomacy, says he explored the issue while following the G-8 Summit. "I did quite a lot of work on outreach and whether or not other countries could be brought into the G-8. The more I focused on that, I realised the Bono and Geldof were getting more attention than China, India and Brazil. The other thing was the Diana phenomenon and this idea that celebrities can make a big difference in terms of public vision," says Cooper.

"Celebrity diplomats exhibit some of the qualities of traditional diplomats such as temperance, negotiating and networking power," Copper says.

However, he argues that in an increasingly media and pop-culture saturated world, celebrities "are much more successful at reaching the masses with important political and normative messages".

"I think their big advantage is the use of media. Classic diplomats do not get on the same kinds of programmes. All of a sudden people, who don't spend a lot of time thinking about certain issues for whatever reason are exposed to them," says Cooper.

Although Cooper finds celebrity diplomacy an interesting and complex political phenomenon, he says "ambiguities, complications and potential for abuse of power and 'fatigue factor' ensue as a result of over-saturation".

Cooper says the future of celebrity diplomacy need not be the bastion of Hollywood but that it could be expanded into "celebrity rich cultures like India".