The U.N.-backed Alliance of Civilizations will strengthen its role through mediation and fostering of cultural understanding through sports, arts and music, the head of the initiative, which gives priority to defusing tensions between Western and Islamic worlds. “The Alliance can become a major soft power tool to diffuse tensions and conflicts, especially those which are ethnically or identity based,” the High-Representative for the Alliance, Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser, told reporters at UN Headquarters in New York on Thursday, while outlining his priorities for this year.

As part of its efforts to safeguard the country's heritage for future generations, the National Culture Fund (NCF) under the Ministry of Culture has organized a meeting here on March 15 to generate awareness about its role and the responsibility of the public and private sector in this regard.

China's political advisers have called for a well-coordinated system that would feature government taking the lead in promoting Chinese culture around the world, with private institutions playing a supportive role.

More money for young artists and indigenous languages, a new location incentive to increase the competitiveness of the local film industry, plus an overhaul of the Australia Council are among the initiatives in the much-delayed national cultural policy announced on Wednesday...The policy also points to the important of arts and culture in diplomacy, with a revamp of the Australia International Cultural Council, encouraging arts organisations to build international links.

An ancient Persian symbol of freedom, tolerance and coexistence has joined documents like the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights and the Emancipation Proclamation in Washington..."Exchange derives the history of values globally, and the social empathy that comes from cultural exchange is better than one thousand negotiations," Gopin said. Cultural exchanges are going on between the U.S. and Iran, even with the ongoing conflict over its nuclear ambitions.

The fictional archaeologist Indiana Jones has long enthralled movie audiences, taking on assorted villains in quests to find mythical treasures, with some limited help from the government. Minus any bullwhips, the real-life U.S. State Department works with other federal departments in a journey to protect important archaeological sites and ancient treasures in the face of conflict.

The Indian film Industry had grown on its own, adopting innovation and creativity at every stage of development. The industry needed to be appreciated for the role played by it over a period of 100 years through the cinematic portrayal of moving images which had contributed to India’s soft power said Manish Tewari, Minister for Information and Broadcasting.

Dr. Arshi Khan, Associate Professor of Political science at the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) today said that there is a need to look into the role of India and the Muslim world in a new perspective different from Western epistemological framework of understanding. Dr. Arshi Khan said both India and the Muslim world possess a good number of population, professionals and natural resources in addition to a long history of multiple patterns of relationships for centuries.