gastrodiplomacy

Maximum India - a festival of India - will be held in Washington in March next year, showcasing Indian textiles, dance, music and cuisine to allow Americans 'experience' what US President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle experienced in India.

With funding from international organizations, a dairy farm in Tubas in the West Bank produces gourmet Italian cheeses with a little Palestinian spice.

Moscow’s sushi obsession is set to survive the current dispute between Russia and Japan over the remote Kuril Islands. While the authorities squabble of the wind-swept rocks, the ever-growing passion for Japanese cuisine continues apace.

Israel's foreign workers, who mostly comes from Asia, are introducing Tel Aviv's gourmet chefs to Asian cuisine, which has been wildly popular.

World leaders, who will visit Seoul for the G20 summit to be held in November, are likely to receive a very special gift from the presidential office at the end of the two-day session. A fancy book on Korean cuisine, tentatively titled “Nature of Korean Food by Kim Yoon-ok,” is part of the first lady’s pet project targeting foreign dignitaries that will be here.

A food fight seems to be brewing. In North America and Europe, the last few months have seen simmering disputes over halal food products, a major part of Muslim life.

The Commonwealth Games has been an occasion for the capital to seduce visitors with the country's soft power. And in the process, Delhiites have joined the celebrations in large numbers, in stark contrast with the empty stadiums.

Taiwan is on a culinary mission. They launched a more than $32 million dollar “gastro-diplomacy” campaign this summer internationally. For food tourists, it’s one more reason to head to the island and taste for yourself.

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