Prime Minister Narendra Modi seems to be combining a well-calibrated soft power push with his visit to China, leveraging social media, Bollywood and yoga to reach out to ordinary Chinese citizens.

Festival of Indian Culture in Russia represents cultural exchange and contributes to stable strategic relations between Russia and India, President of India Pranab Mukherjee said on Sunday at the opening ceremony of the festival. Nine Russian cities will hold the Namaste Russia festival that will last from May until November 2015.

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.