...Nigeria should use cultural diplomacy as a means of leading the way in projecting all that is good in us and Africa. By our share size, we should be able to use our arts, music, literature and drama to project our culture and emphasise the uniqueness of African culture.

I had the privilege of seeing CNN hero Doc Henley speak at the National Speakers Association Influence ’11 event on Monday...A former bartender, Doc began his first fundraiser to help provide water to the people of Darfur after reading a statistic that moved him deeply...

CPD Director Philip Seib was interviewed on PRI's The World this week about the power of media coverage to make the public act upon current issues.

Every day, in rural areas across Africa, millions of women and girls walk for hours to fetch water. An American woman is also walking for the same reason. Amy Russell hopes her 12,000-kilometer, two-year long trek across Africa will raise money for and awareness of the need for clean water.

Bruce Wharton... said that by inviting the four presidents to Washington, the Obama administration is highlighting the importance of "holding credible elections, building strong democratic institutions and fostering economic development."

Initiated by the International Marketing Council (IMC) of South Africa... the summits aim to increase provincial participation in the nation-branding effort and encourage active citizenship – which, in turn, will help position the country as a top investment and tourism destination.

Meanwhile, we must all ask ourselves, as individual citizens, how we can help. This might mean private donations, as in previous humanitarian emergencies in Indonesia after the tsunami or Haiti after the earthquake, or it could mean pushing elected representatives toward a more robust response.