Like many Japanese compatriots of his age, Eiji Hattori, 66, turned to volunteer work in his hometown of Kani in Gifu Prefecture after retirement in 2009. But last month, the former drink factory manager jumped on a plane to South Korea, drawn by his newfound interest in an ancient Korean kingdom that was once close with Japan but now is little known beyond its borders.

As Nigeria celebrates 50 years of independence, BBC reporters look at the impact Africa's most populous nation has had on countries around the continent - from its movie industry and peacekeeping efforts to its notoriety for ingenious scams.

College students in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' International Youth Ambassador project shared their cultural exchange experiences Sept. 29 at Taipei County’s Fu Jen Catholic University. The MOFA sent 21 student teams from 13 universities to visit the nation’s allies, where they participated in summer camps with local youth for two to three weeks.

A Gandhi topi, a traditional Nigerian riga robe, a Baluchi turban, Inuit (Eskimo) stone sculptures from northern Canada, Bengal’s “pata chitra” and rare snapshots of historic Delhi are some of the highlights of the collective soft power of Commonwealth arts and culture on display in the capital.

Co-Author: Sam Schneider

Hundreds of visitors came to the exhibition from where they not only had a brief knowledge of the history of the diplomatic relationship between China and Bangladesh, but also felt the confidence that China and Bangladesh relations will have a bright future.

"The whole world knows about the Silk Route, the Amber Road, but what about the Galleon Trade? For more than 250 years, the Philippines was the center of the world, with Asian, European and Latin American goods being traded on its very soil," the [National Commission for Culture and the Arts] said.

Former Ewha Womans University President Lee Bae-yong on Tuesday was named the new chair of the Presidential Council on Nation Branding. The 63-year-old former aide to President Lee Myung-bak was appointed to the minister-level post to replace Euh Yoon-dae, who had to leave the post after becoming chairman of KB Financial Group Inc. in June.