Japanese diplomats say they are working hard to stop the decline in the number of British participants in the Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme (JET). They recognize the concerns of the UK-Japan 21st Century Group which recently highlighted the drop in the number of British JET participants since 2001...

Along with global initiatives such as development aid and promoting the Chinese language, these scholarships are not simply academic awards but part of a larger strategy by China to cultivate friends abroad and grow its soft power to match its burgeoning military and economic strength.

This partnership will help to increase global awareness of Istanbul and Turkey's unique cultural landscape - both historic and modern; as well as strengthening cultural relations between the UK/US and Turkey.

An international forum has heard that Australia needs to broaden its cultural engagement with Asia - and not be so ready to judge events in neighbouring countries. Michael L'Estrange, the former head of Australia's Foreign Affairs department, called for a more honest approach to relations with Asia.

Americans have taken to hummus with gusto, but should the flavour of the traditional Middle Eastern spread be tampered with?

Can breakdancing bring more tourists to South Korea? The Korea Tourism Organization seems to think so. And to prove its faith, it will be holding the annual R-16 KOREA 2010 event this weekend, which will this year, according to the Korea Herald, bring together ‘emerging DJs and hip-hop artists from 16 countries’ at the Olympic Park in Jamsil, Seoul.

While for many the idea of Indian cinema conjures up the colorful costumes and dance numbers of Bollywood, an Indian film festival launched Friday in Beijing hopes to reveal the diversity of Indian cinema by selecting multi-language films, produced in several different regions of India.