The Turkish and Armenian Youth Orchestra is gathering for peace in Turkey. A total of 70 people will come together for three concerts. This is not diplomacy or football, it’s young people meeting in an international environment based in music, says the orchestra’s conductor, Nvart Andreasyan.

Minister of Tourism Stas Misezhnikov said, “The increase in incoming tourism... is the result of massive investment in marketing activities around the world with significant budgets, especially against the background of the public diplomacy challenges that Israel is facing."

Asako Kato, one of the volunteers serving as a teacher at the Kimironko-based centre, said that the event particularly targeted local communities interested in understanding the relationship between the Rwandan and Japanese cultures.

Great Britain, France and Germany are the most active in promoting their cultural relations with Georgia, according to The Financial’s study. British Council, Goethe-Institute Georgia and A. Dumas Centre conducted the majority of cultural awareness events since 2008. Germany generally spends the most.

The MoU seeks to encourage exchange of visits by the cultural, art and literature delegations. To promote cultural relations on heritage, including archaeology, museums and conservation of the ancient monuments.

This week the United States will welcome South Asian teenagers to the State Departments under the “Seeds of Peace” programme... Founded in 1993 by journalist John Wallach, Seeds of Peace describes itself as being dedicated to empowering young leaders from regions of conflict...

For years, Bollywood’s producers and directors have favored the pristine backdrop of Switzerland for their films... In the process, they have created an enormous curiosity about things Swiss in generations of middle-class Indians, who are now earning enough to travel here in search of their dreams.

I discovered that the same soft power of science has a huge influence in building bridges between cultures and religions – and has the potential to do so with the Muslim world.