As the realm of diplomacy increasingly engages the public at large, culture is being writ large in the vocabulary and method of foreign affairs experts around the globe. One of the major tasks of diplomats is mastering the art of public diplomacy, employing the allures of visual art, music, literature and performing arts, in a world increasingly interconnected culturally. 

CSIAF is a month-long torrent of public performances, exhibitions, workshops, and arts classes for the masses, as well as a forum and performing arts fair geared toward the international arts community, taking place in theatres and conference rooms throughout Shanghai. “Some 750 people from nearly 50 countries are attending the forum this year,” CSIAF vice president Li Ming said. 

India’s soft-power reach out is undergoing a makeover to meet the challenges of the resource-crunch in spreading its art, culture, culinary traditions, as well as entertainment and spiritualism overseas. Compared to countries like China or the UK, what India has been spending on leveraging its soft-power to win friends overseas remains negligible. Soft-power plays an important part in winning friends and goodwill abroad.

It's a unique cultural exchange as Indian and Iranian artists gather together to revive age-old creative links between the two countries. And for some, on the Iranian side, it's an eye-opening experience. Iranian calligrapher Ali Kheairi, who is visiting India for the first time, is happy as he gets a chance to discuss and explore his craft with people from another country.

The 2016 Chinese-Egyptian Culture Year drew to an end successfully as some 150 various kinds of cultural activities were held in both countries, which is seen as a breakthrough. In January 2016, the Egyptian Ministry of Culture and the Chinese Embassy in Cairo launched the 2016 Sino-Egyptian Culture Year which marks the 60th anniversary of joint diplomatic relations.

In the Foreign Service, career officers are warned about the dangers of “localitis” or the development of so close an attachment to the place of assignment that one loses one’s nationalism or patriotism. [...] what can be called “collectivitis”: an inclination that later grew into something like a passion for collecting memorabilia of the history and culture of the countries we lived in or visited to take back home. 

The Polish embassy and the cultural centre are making efforts to connect and collaborate with India through cultural exchange. And visual artists seem to strike the right chord to have creative conversations across cultures. Mutual ignorance is a major constraint on stronger bilateral cooperation between Poland and India. 

The exhibition would not only bring the rich Buddhist archaeological treasure of Pakistan to Republic of Korea but also help attract religious tourists to Pakistan, according to a press release of the Pakistan embassy in Seoul. The exhibition starting from March next year, would be held in two cities of Republic of Korea for six months.