Cultural exchange takes on many forms. In Cloquet, the pulp and paper mill’s viability as an employer is intact because of its willingness to travel and learn what the rest of the world’s mills offered. So, there’s that. There’s also this: without cultural exchange, Adam Kangas may have gone a lifetime believing Swedes drove on the left side of the road. Why not? It’s a common assumption all Europeans drive on the left side.

A group of teens in Yemen’s capital taught themselves how to perform various styles of ‘street dance’ through videos they downloaded off the internet. Having no formal training or a place to rehearse, the group dances in various open spaces around Sanaa. The teens refer to their group as ‘Da TNT Crew’. Founded two years ago, the crew now has 13 members between the ages of 12 and 21. Ali al-Slami, one of the group’s founders said their goal was to blend modern and break dancing with traditional Yemeni culture.

We’ve heard of the Grammys, the BRITs, the VMAs and the MOBOs, but now there’s an awards show to spotlight a different kind of talent. A groundbreaking new awards ceremony, The Music of Muslim Origin & Media Awards 2013 (the MOMOs), will celebrate the achievements of Muslim artists, entertainers and media professionals later this year. With categories such as “Best Nasheed” (Islamic vocal music), “Best Muslim TV Show” and “Best Muslim Presenter” the awards will put a spotlight on global Islamic talents.

In partnership with the International Youth Foundation (IYF), the Youth:Work project is working in eight countries in Sub-Saharan Africa to assess the needs and aspirations of young people, the hurdles they face in seeking employment, and the opportunities that can help them improve their lives and prospects. This holistic mapping exercise, called Youth:Map, is developed through interviews with business, community, government, and youth leaders.

A young African boy came to China to look for the flying heroes he had seen in kung fu movies. He did not learn to fly, but other lessons had made him a hero in his own homeland, and an ambassador in China, where he has stayed for the last 30 years. He Na finds out the details. Children often have big dreams, to stand in the limelight in front of the cameras, the football field, or even in politics, but perhaps Luc Bendza had the grandest dream of them all. He wanted to fly

An Auckland-based Samoan Tongan poet has been awarded a Fulbright scholarship to write creatively about cultural diplomacy for three months in Hawaii. Leilani Tamu is this year’s recipient of the 2013 Fulbright-Creative New Zealand Pacific Writer’s Residency. She told Sara Vui-Talitu her inspiration for the residency will be to write about one of the last heirs to the throne of the Kingdom of Hawaii, Princess Kaiulani.