Australian Rules also requires good communication and teamwork—skills often not abundant in the Middle East. The Palestinians chatter to each other in Arabic, while the Israelis often rely on Hebrew or English. When discussing tactics in the dressing room, there's an interpreter.

In celebration of His Majesty the King's 84th birthday, AMI Events and the Australian Embassy present the Hucky Eichelmann and Anthony Garcia Thailand Tour 2011: Music from Thailand, Australia and the rest of the world.

The Victorian government is now establishing a Victoria-Jiangsu Chinese Language Scholarship Program. This program will involve up to 50 Victorian higher education students and young professionals a year, involving intensive Chinese-language study at a Jiangsu-based university.

Penrith deputy mayor Jim Aitken said the exchange was a great opportunity for both sets of students to experience another culture. "In today's global society, it is important to recognise opportunities to learn from one another and it's a great way to put Penrith City on the global map," he said.

The Australian government is to post on YouTube images of so-called boatpeople being turned away and sent to Malaysia, in an effort to deter asylum seekers. The video will show arrivals at Australia's offshore detention centre on Christmas Island being expelled and boarding aircraft. Asylum seekers remain a politically sensitive issue in Australia.

The term “citizen diplomacy” includes an imperative distinction in that it inherently denotes the use of sensitivity and tact in interactions with others to be considered a good “diplomat,” versus simply being a “citizen,” where the only requirement is a birthright.