Lord co-wrote and co-edited Cities, Museums and Soft Power, a book of essays by prominent culture experts on the influence of museums and arts institutions on cities and citizens. While hard power is exerted by countries through weapons, war, sanctions and money, soft power creates influence through persuasion, agenda-setting and culture, Lord says.

In the nine short months that the Trudeau government has been in office, there has been a significant shift in the tone and frequency of Canada’s international development commitments. Marie-Claude Bibeau, the Minister of International Development is not afraid of doing things differently, a reason why we’re once again being recognized as a leader on international assistance and humanitarian issues.

Taiwan has staged a remarkable diplomatic comeback even without an embassy in Ottawa or an official consulate in Vancouver. It's been done with the help of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office, which has been employing soft power for many years to win the hearts of many Canadians.

A special cultural exchange programme that connected 17 state schools in Rio de Janeiro with schools in other countries around the world concluded with a special ceremony on Tuesday at the award-winning Art Museum of Rio. Launched in February this year by the Rio 2016 organising committee, the Conexão Transforma project has built lasting bridges between Brazil and schools in 17 countries.

On July 8-9, 2016, some of the world’s most powerful heads of state, as well as their foreign and defense ministers, gathered in Warsaw for the NATO Summit. NATO summits, convened every year or two, represent important public diplomacy opportunities for the Alliance. During these summits, NATO nations and partners meet in order to produce a communiqué, which outlines the Alliance’s priorities and initiatives. 

The Philippine Consulate General in Toronto capped its month-long commemoration of the 118th Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence this year with a series of events focused on food in the context of Philippine culture. These events were aimed at boosting the growing interest in Toronto, known for its gastronomic diversity, on the tastes and flavors of Philippine cuisine.