Tomorrows Youth Organization is living proof of the effectiveness of smart power. American initiatives around the Middle East, and especially in Palestine’s poorest areas offer American youth the chance to teach disadvantaged children drama, arts, athletics, music, computers and earn the love and trust of the Middle East one country at a time.

Following the success of its Russian Basketball Sports Visitor Program, the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs SportsUnited Office will host a delegation of Russian youth in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, for a swimming program July 16-30, 2010.

Fifteen students from Peking University in China started a 10-day sightseeing tour around Taiwan by bicycle Tuesday. Chairwoman of the Sports Affairs Council Tai Hsia-ling fired a starting pistol to launch the 832 kilometer ride that was organized by the council as part of a cross-strait student exchange program.

Chinese people are familiar with the slogan of "Let Chinese culture go abroad". However, there seems to be some misunderstanding, with many mistakenly thinking that "Chinese culture" only means traditional Chinese culture.

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.