No longer content simply to build movie sets and provide extras in Hollywood films, Chinese studios are moving up the value chain, helping to develop, design and produce world-class films and animated features. They want a bigger role in the creative process, one that will allow them to reap more rewards, financially and artistically.

Cultural diplomacy is key to our national development. With the boom in Nollywood, there is a window through which we can reach the masses, a larger population of the country to focus their thinking on the role individuals can play in these events that surround us.

On a political level, it is clear that both the Americans and the Vietnamese have an interest in moving past the long ago war and strengthening areas of cooperation. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the normalization of formal diplomatic relations between the United States and Vietnam and the relationship is rapidly developing.

Touted as the biggest international showcase of Singapore art and artists, the festival is co-organised by the National Heritage Board (NHB), National Arts Council and France’s Institut Francais, and comprises a whopping 70 events of all shapes and sizes.

Turkey currently is building 18 large Islamic religious centers around the world. The projects include a mosque in Tirana, Albania which will holdmore than 4,000 worshippers. Turkey will also build mosques in the UnitedStates, Russia and Kyrgyzstan.

More than a century ago, Japanese authorities gifted Washington 3,000 cherry treesto brighten up the city's swampy Tidal Basin. It's still one of the most effective (and affecting) acts of public diplomacy to this day.

On Tuesday, the Limón company was announced as one of three companies selected for the fifth iteration of DanceMotion USA, an initiative of the State Department, produced in partnership with the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Joining the Limón company are Dance Heginbotham and Bodytraffic, a Los Angeles troupe.