The first thing Kevin Smith did was call Amy Klobuchar. Could the senator help if Smith pursued this wild idea he had in January, to take the Minnesota Orchestra to Cuba and become the first major U.S. orchestra to play there since President Obama announced his desire to normalize relations? Klobuchar, of course, said yes. The Minnesota Democrat is leading legislation that would lift the 53-year U.S. embargo on trade with Cuba.

Diplomats are replaced every three or four years. However, this relatively fast departure and arrival of old and new faces, respectively, have little impact on their countries' cultural links with Korea because a group of dedicated people, such as the Seoul Garden Club, who help smoothen the transition.

A first-ever centre dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi in China will be opened next week on Saturday when Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits Shanghai, the last city on this three-day tour to China. The centre for Gandhian studies will be launched by PM Modi on Saturday afternoon at the prestigious Fudan University in Shanghai, shortly before the prime minister concludes his visit with a community reception.

Aimed at enhancing China’s cultural exchanges with foreign countries, an international dance fest will kick off in July in the autonomous region of Xinjiang. According to the region's government, the fourth edition of the festival will showcase talents from Xinjiang, other Chinese provinces and other participating countries.

A first ever centre dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi in China will be opened next week on Saturday when Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits Shanghai, the last city on this three-day tour to China. 

From 15 to 23 May, German institutions in Nairobi and Kenya will celebrate the "German Week" with our German and Kenyan partners. A German Cultural Week is a chance to showcase examples of our 'culture' and to make it interact with the art and culture of our host country Kenya.

An event to celebrate the cultural exchange between Beirut and Berlin, two cities which have clearly positioned themselves as creative and artistic hubs in their respective regions, kicked off Thursday. 

Six visiting Maori clay artists, as part of a 10-day cultural exchange organized through Clatsop Community College, have spent this week on the North Coast touring, meeting with local dignitaries, bonding with Chinookans and even trying to pique the interest of local high school students about their backgrounds and art.