Michael Kahn Ackermann, former President of the Goethe Institute in China and now a senior consultant to the Confucius Institute, says a state's image cannot be built artificially, especially when it concerns culture. Countries naturally want to show their best side to the public, but Ackermann does not think there is any excuse for forming a "perfect" image that hides deficiencies.

Stating that CIKU has been playing an essential role in cultural exchanges and people to people relations by bridging the language barrier, Liang said that Nepalese people have been showing immense enthusiasm to learn the language as a result of which Chinese language has been included in the curriculum of many colleges in Nepal.

London may be the focus of public diplomacy attention and reap the greatest benefit; however, all countries are likely to seize and squeeze what public diplomacy mileage they can when the international spotlight shines in their direction. When you watch, watch for the cultural cues.

The Sydney International Food Festival (SIFF) is a huge month-long celebration in October showcasing hundreds of top chefs and their work. Back in 2009 branding and media agency TBWA boiled down the whole idea of the festival and created ‘flags’ of the participating nations out of the food that is distinctive to each.

Perception matters in international diplomacy, and even more so for the U.S.-China relationship. There are vast differences in political systems and institutions, social norms, historical and cultural legacies, and the ever-present information asymmetry. Mutual perceptions can get easily skewed, with real repercussions for policy. Though the U.S.-China relationship has proven surprisingly resilient, it is also colored by an unspoken unease, especially among elites in both countries.

When Israeli pop superstar Rita Jahanforuz told her friends she wanted to record an album in Farsi, they thought she must have gone mad. The 50-year-old Iranian-born, Jewish singer, who is usually known just by her first name, recalled: "'They all said, 'You want to record an album in the language of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad? Who will listen to it?' I didn't know why I had to do it, I just did. It's like someone lit a match. What's happening now is beyond what I ever imagined."

As part of plans to attract investment from Europe's economic powerhouse of Germany and harness the potentials of Diaspora Gambians based there, The Gambia government recently dispatched a strategically important delegation to Cologne, Germany.

Inviting young Pacific islanders to a two-week Taiwan study camp is very much in line with President Ma Ying-jeou’s cultural diplomacy started in 2010 to highlight Taiwan’s soft power. This was stated by the Director-General of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Mr James C.K Tien during his remarks to welcome 28 Pacific Islands’ participants that make up Taiwan’s allies from the Pacific at a welcome reception at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reception hall in Taipei.