Cultural diplomacy has avid supporters partly because this facet of public diplomacy usually is not controversial and has a high feel-good quotient. Sending an orchestra to China or a dance troupe to Algeria has value because each such venture opens doors and minds. Reflexive resistance to cultural diplomacy is far less than occurs when more blatantly political efforts are undertaken.

Prof. Alexander Alexiev, Bulgarian Director of the Confucius Institute in Sofia, told Xinhua he and prof. Gu Weiping, the new Chinese Director of this institute, have decided to introduce this gymnastics in Bulgaria..."Ideally, this gymnastics should be practiced twice a day, like a person brushing his teeth: the same way one has to do exercises in order to be healthy," Alexiev said.

These are safer, portable alternatives to the crude stoves used by hundreds of millions of women in the developing world at grave risk to themselves, their children and the planet. Not long after becoming secretary of state in 2009, Clinton took up the cookstove cause, which she describes as one of the "smart power" issues - though sceptical veterans of American foreign policy tend to deride them as soft more than smart.

After disagreement over how to deal with the issue at a summit in Phnom Penh on July 13, where ASEAN leaders failed to release a joint communique for the first time in the group's 45-year history, Indonesia’s foreign minister Marty Natalegawa has circulated a proposal for six principles on resolving disputes in the South China Sea. The principles emphasize implementation of a code of conduct, having self-restraint without the use of force, and the seeking of peaceful resolutions.

“Why do American Presidents not like Chinese?” This profound question came from the mouth of a 12 year old girl, Hannah Liu, in the Hunan province during a visit last summer. From public statements by Obama and Romney to dozens of political ads released during the 2010, 2011, and 2012 election cycles, China is receiving the message of U.S. public opinion loud and clear.

One of the main weaknesses of the European Union's projects in the field of relations with its eastern neighbourhood is the lack of a specific offer that would help the ordinary citizen of a neighbouring state understand and feel the benefits of European integration. This is especially evident in the case of Ukraine, the biggest and the most significant country in the EU's Eastern Partnership initiative.

To meet the challenges of the 21st century, the approach to public diplomacy will increasingly focus on smart networks of influencers who can convene, connect and mobilize communities. This collaborative approach will support and aggregate the impact of smart, committed individuals around the world. Secretary Clinton’s article in the New Statesman articulates the art of smart power, recognising the ‘novel range’ of tools required when facing complex problems.

What is the point of Kiev's international biennial? When this latest addition to the bloated international art circuit was announced earlier this year, it felt like an extreme example of "soft power", with the Ukrainian government exploiting its more appealing assets, such as its cultural heritage, to improve its standing in the international community.