Since the founding of the United Nations, poor governance and corruption have been cited as the primary reasons for Africa’s lagging economies. While this may still be a factor, after limited progress for nearly seven decades, this approach seems to be beating a dead horse. It is time to consider additional routes to addressing Africa’s plight as the second largest – yet poorest – of the seven continents. However, one way to help the continent grow would be through cultural intelligence.

Certainly the impressive exhibit and its scholarly catalog aim to “open people’s eyes” and broaden Western recognition of the Kano painters. On the other hand, Fischer noted “even the Japanese have never seen some of these (fragile) works,” making the Philadelphia show even more consequential and significant.

The US government has used hip-hop as an unlikely foreign policy tool to reach youth and promote democracy abroad. In the mid-2000s, as the United States faced ongoing challenges in the Middle East, the State Department launched hip-hop tours and workshops throughout the Muslim world.

For the first time, a Taiwanese TV drama will be aired in the Latin American region in an effort to promote bilateral exchanges in the field of pop culture, Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Saturday.

Surpassing France, China has become the third largest destination for international students in 2014. According to the latest figures from the Chinese Ministry of Education, there are over 337,000 international students studying in the mainland, which account for 8 percent of all international students across the world.

Linthicum's Alicia Canterna, a professional dancer, will make an historic trip with her dance company, Company E, when it travels under the auspices of the State Department to Cuba to perform in the Old Havana Dance Festival from Sunday to April 22.

The creation and love-child of two multi-talented persons, Roberto Ruta and Lisa Chiari, to call MENOW just a film festival would be a gross understatement. This is a meeting of minds, a salute to all the great arts and culture that the Region has to offer, complete with delicious food tastings, exclusive concerts and yes, of course, stunning new films.

Whatever happened to real cultural diplomacy with Iran? In April 1976, as part of a celebration of the bicentennial of America, I was officially invited to Tehran along with several other runway fashion models to present the collections of 16 of America's top designers.