Ali Güreli, the founder and chairman of the Contemporary Istanbul art fair, emphasizes the importance of contemporary art and speaks about new projects and how to better circulate Turkish contemporary art internationally.

“This is part of one of the most important things that we do, which is cultural diplomacy, and we have a programme already in the embassies which brings together a very robust and dynamic partnership between US embassies and missions around the world and artists and galleries and cultural institutions,” she [Leaf] said.

A highly-anticipated appearance in Beijing by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s favorite girl band was abruptly cancelled Saturday, hours before the group was set to perform and with no official explanation given. [...] the group — which was accompanied by an army orchestra, the State Merited Chorus – arrived in Beijing on Thursday and was expected to stay until next Tuesday on what the North Korean official news agency KCNA described as a “friendship visit” to China.

With an eye on giving impetus to neighborhood first policy amid thaw in ties with Pakistan, India will host South Asian Games (SAG) in Guwahati and Shillong from Feb 6-16 2016. Delhi hopes that the Games will enhance people-to-people and youth links among eight South Asian countries in the spirit of Modi government's importance to neighboring states. 
 

Players as pawns in political games is not always a bad thing. Major League Baseball is about to visit Cuba on a "Goodwill" tour that marks the Dec 17 meeting last year between Barack Obama and Raul Castro when the two presidents agreed to start to "normalise" the relationship between the countries.

In an effort to broaden international understanding of the contemporary Native art experience, the Institute of American Indian Arts recently collaborated with the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Art in Embassies to produce a limited edition print series showcasing the art of IAIA alumni.

The one-year anniversary of the US and Cuba restoring diplomatic ties is coming up on Dec. 17. Akin Gump, which launched its Cuba practice a few months ago, recently held a reception with the Ambassador of the Republic of Cuba, Dr. José Ramón Cabaña.