Public diplomacy is a key pillar of a country’s foreign policy toolkit. (...) Indonesian leaders have tended to focus their attention on other foreign political elites through foreign policy initiatives like the Bali Democracy Forum and interfaith dialogues rather than promote cultural diplomacy.

Over 400 producers and chefs from all over the country have gathered for the Food Summit which is being run with Good Food Ireland at this year’s conference.  “What we are doing at the Food Summit is not just important for each individual business, but for the reputation of the whole country as a food island.”

For years, mainland China has thrown the big-budget movies of its most-heralded directors into the Oscars' foreign-language film race. (...) This season, China is trying something different — very different. It has selected a film directed by a Frenchman as its foreign-language candidate. 

Lao Deputy Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism Savankhone Razmountry, for his part, said the establishment of Chinese culture center is of great significance which will promote the friendly exchanges between the two nations.

Douglas McGray used the idea of soft power to describe the "Cool Japan" phenomenon. Cool Japan has become a program supported by the Japanese government and various companies that promotes modern Japanese culture such as anime and manga abroad.

Azerbaijani Minister of Culture and Tourism Abulfas Garayev has met Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto.  Peter Szijjarto said Azerbaijan and Hungary enjoyed strong relations in a variety of fields, including cultural one.

Iriana Widodo is our latest First Lady and since last Monday she began her new era as the Ibu Negara of the world’s third largest democracy. People say behind each great president, there is a great first lady – and behind her is a great team.