Nearly 200,000 students are now choosing to spend a year abroad as part of the European Union's Erasmus programme, one sign of increasing integration across the EU, new figures show.

Gifts in the forms of dance and films and literature are coming from Spain and Japan... It is truly interesting to see these two countries make use of soft diplomacy, as cultural exchanges and presentations are sometimes described.

Yes, I’ve read the mixed reviews about the USA Pavilion at the Shanghai 2010 Expo. The major complaint as I understand it is that the pavilion is too commercial – that it does not promote US values and society to the degree it should.

[But] Turkish television has given the soap a fresh twist by making the connivers, kidnappers and canoodlers Muslims. And it is Arab audiences, even more than Turks, who have been swept off their feet...Through the small screen, Turkey has begun to exercise a big influence at Arab dinner tables, in boardrooms and bedrooms from Morocco to Iraq. Politics and culture go hand in hand, here as elsewhere.

Visiting Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping was at the Australian National University (ANU) Tuesday, donating books to the university's new center on China education and research. He said the ANU has strong academic achievements on China study, which played a positive role in enhancing all-rounded understandings of China by all walks of life in Australia and promoting more cultural exchanges and cooperations between the two countries.

Sister cities since 1979, Shanghai and Milan share not only strong cultural and artistic traditions but are also their country's economic and financial hearts. For more than 30 years, this relationship has facilitated cultural exchange, served as a platform to share best practices and build stronger economic links.

Haitians love Brazilian soccer like almost nothing else, a half-century-old histoire d'amour that even smoothed the way for Brazil-led U.N. peacekeepers to help quell political unrest in 2004. With Haitians badly needing a release from tension and misery of the post-quake year, the 2010 Cup and Selecao mean more than ever.

The United Arab Emirates is playing an active role in the events of the next edition of Morocco's Asilah Arts Festival, which will be held July 10-28. The UAE has been chosen as the Festival's guest of honour by the organizers. This is because the Gulf state has been experiencing a massive increase in its distinguished cultural and literary activities, both in the region and the world.