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.  

The Mosaic Taiwan 2016 program ended successfully recently with remarkable singing, dancing and instrument performances by program fellows, new diplomats and youth ambassadors, according to a press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). MOFA Secretary General Wen-liang Chang awarded completion certificates and five recognition awards. The friendly interaction between young leaders from Taiwan, the U.S. and Canada was a perfect ending to the event, said MOFA.

Foreign policy was once the bastion of the elites. In military, diplomatic and humanitarian affairs, nation-states and the small group of individuals and institutions that governed their actions used primarily kinetic and broadcast channels to influence the actions of others. Control was largely exerted through hierarchical structures, and collective action through industrial organizations. Digital technology has radically shifted this reality by flattening the operating environment in which global affairs is conducted.