The Thai government has been educating diners about its country's cuisine for years. In fact, an initiative called Global Thai was launched in 2002 to encourage an appreciation for Thai cuisine around the world.

Dismissed as low-grade by most Westerners, Nollywood productions are very successful across English-speaking Africa. They are in stark contrast to “embassy films,” African-made movies financed by the French government that rarely reach African audiences.

The Kung Fu Panda series does not boast remarkable plot lines. In fact, to many critics, it is a plain story coming straight out of the US film assembly line. Its success sheds a light on how to commercialize cultural elements and increase so-called soft power.

The ubiquitous Housing Board flat, home to the majority of the population in Singapore, has become part of the art of a contemporary Japanese artist. In Akira Yamaguchi's book, Singa-planet, HDB blocks are seen as historical monuments sprouting out of their green natural setting.

There are 82 Confucius Institutes and 39 Confucius Classrooms in 31 countries and regions in Asia. Despite great achievements, Confucius Institutes still face serious challenges. For example, there is the question of how to help Chinese volunteer teachers better adapt to the foreign environment, especially the living environment in developing countries.

South Africa’s Deputy Minister Dina Pule said that branding South Africa was not a matter of choice but of necessity. The International Marketing Council of South Africa (IMC) can only achieve its goals if all stakeholders collaborate in positioning South Africa as a globally competitive nation.

As Kabul has begun to get back on its feet, returnees like anthropology student Siddique Ahmed, his two band mates and their like, have brought an infusion of new and old musical influences to the city of their birth and have begun forging a growing music scene.

It is designed to be the creative hub that catapults local film-makers towards the heights achieved by Hollywood animation giants such as Pixar and DreamWorks. China has opened a $4.5bn yuan (£420m) facility in Tianjin, near Beijing, aimed at producing films that can compete with the best of the west.