India is considering introducing the teaching of Mandarin in state schools... According to Chinese diplomats, India responded tepidly to a proposal by Beijing to establish Confucius Institutes, which teach Chinese, in the country’s main centres of learning.

Saudi Arabia at Expo 2010 Shanghai

Twelve panda lovers from around the world are getting into their new jobs learning how to look after pandas at a world famous conservation centre in China's Sichuan province, before six will finally be chosen to become official 'Panda Ambassadors' - or 'Pambassadors'.

This year is the year of the Chinese language in Russia. It is quite natural that numerous events dedicated to the Chinese language and culture inspire the interest of Russians to China. How can you stay indifferent to that country after watching a slide show with beautiful nature, architectural monuments, attending a show of the Chinese circus and getting familiar with Chinese art?

"Given the cultural and religious commonalities between the two neighboring states, ties between Tehran and Baku will further develop," the minister added. Holding Azerbaijan Cultural Week in Iran is a significant step to develop ties, he said, adding that given numerous capacities of the two countries, the meetings will help promote friendship between them.

Canberra is often criticised for being a city of monuments. Mahatma Gandhi has been immortalised in bronze and perhaps most controversially, the late Labor-stalwart Al Grassby. Now there is one more luminary to add to the list - the long-dead but still influential Chinese philosopher, Confucius.

British Foreign Office Minister for the Middle East Alistair Burt met with Ambassadors from the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) states Thursday at the Foreign Office to discuss methods of developing ties between the two sides...
As Burt set out, the forthcoming "GCC Days in Europe Expo" (cultural event), which will take place in London on the 18-22 October, will be an excellent opportunity to exchange more ideas and build the relationship even further.

Juan Ignacio Vidarte, the director-general of the Guggenheim Bilbao, noted that cultural development can "improve the self esteem of a community" and that when developed in conjunction with local culture, "a new social asset is created." For many government planners over the past decade, that has been a compelling narrative...But Francesco Bandarin, assistant-director general for culture at UNESCO urged caution, noting that culture can also become a factor in conflict.