The minister of Culture, Rosa Cruz e Silva, said Wednesday that the presence of Angola at 56th edition of the International Venice Biennale of Art is crucial to a functional cultural diplomacy characterised by cultural exchange, debate and fruitful dialogue with counterparts across the world.

On May 9, the European Union embassies in Washington open to the public as part of a programme known as "Shortcut to Europe". If you happen to be in Washington this Saturday, I would urge you to take a look at the programme, as it offers what are technically known in the art world as "hidden gems". 

One more important task of the pavilion is to present Kazakhstan as the host of EXPO 2017. Considering the difficulties that Milan faced while preparing EXPO 2015, Kazakhstan will take this experience into account in arranging for its exhibit in Astana and hold it at the highest level, said First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and the national EXPO commissioner Rapil Zhoshybayev.

Current President Xi Jinping has sought to make a mark for himself as an image re-maker; seeking to scrub clean his party’s reputation through a major ongoing anti-corruption drive. He’s also championed the power of art and film to increase China’s international influence, to make it a cultural as well as a political and military power. The official line is to 'send culture out into the world'.

On May 11, the Department of State’s Office of Art in Embassies (AIE) American Artist Lecture Series will feature noted artist Glenn Ligon in conversation with London-based designer and curator Duro Olowu at the Tate Modern in London. AIE’s lecture series, in collaboration with U.S. Embassy London and the Tate Modern, has featured artists Brice Marden, Maya Lin, Richard Tuttle, Spencer Finch, and Julie Mehretu.

India is likely to bolster its 'Look East Act East' policy with a good dose of Buddhism and project it as a cultural and civilisational bridge with the countries in South East Asia. Modi himself gave enough indications of this in his speech on Monday.

Plisetskaya’s U.S. debut came at a time when ballet made prominent headlines in America—in part because of its role as a tool of Cold War cultural diplomacy between the U.S. and Soviet Union—and dancers regularly became household names. The Bolshoi made the cover of Newsweek the week before we wrote about Plisetskaya’s arrival.

The Berlin Institute for Cultural Diplomacy has unveiled plans to support Nigerian youths get access to higher education opportunities. The Institute's Nigerian Representative said it has concluded arrangements to launch an international programme to enable access to educational/professional development opportunities and scholarships.