At the stringing table, most of the women wear hijabs. Natives of Syria, Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan, they have been in the U.S. less than two years, arriving in Houston through Interfaith Ministries of Greater Houston's refugee services program. They speak Arabic, Farsi, Pashto or Dari. Which is to say, they sometimes speak with each other only slightly better than they can talk with me.

The UAE Soft Power Council, which will define a comprehensive strategy to reinforce the country’s position and consolidate its values of respect and appreciation with governments and citizens across the world. The UAE Soft Power Council will report directly to the UAE Cabinet and will introduce an integrated national strategy that consolidates the roles of both the public and private sectors in achieving soft power and conveying the nation’s history in a new way.

According to state media, the last high-level North Korean delegation to visit Algeria was led by then Foreign Minister Ri Su Yong who attended a conference of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) in mid-2014. But since then North Korea and Algeria have stepped up bilateral cooperation. In November 2016 the two countries signed a cultural exchange agreement and an agreement on friendly relations between North Korea’s Kim Il Sung University and Algeria’s University of El-Djezair No. 1.

Northeast students from different universities, colleges of the region gathered to witness the fusion of northeast diversified culture with the rich culture of Punjab. Besides, promoting the culture, traditional dresses and designs etc of the northeast region, the event also aimed at unifying students through cultural exchange.

The South Africa based Sylt Foundation and Myanmar online journal, Be Untexed, collaborated to lead the event which included an art exhibition, workshop and poetry reading. Han Lynn, the curator of the art festival and member of Be Untexed online journal said, “‘Violent Memories’ is the long-term project of the ‘Transformation and Identity, Trauma and Reconciliation’ which includes eight different countries.”

The PPEM will allow the two countries to exchange information, identify common objectives and strategies and create opportunities for people in both countries to benefit from the sharing of social, cultural and economic capital across government, academia, business and civil society.

Much has been made of Japan’s recent turn away from pacifism and growing military muscle, but Tokyo is also extending its global reach in more subtle ways. Japan is especially serious about increasing its soft power, the ability to win over global partners with cultural and diplomatic affinity rather than coercion and sheer heft.

The first China-themed library in Mexico was inaugurated on Monday in a bid to promote cultural exchange.Books on Chinese history, art, culture, traditional medicine and music, among other topics, as well as digital and video archives, can be found at the new Chinese Library at Mexico City's Anahuac University. Officials from China and the prestigious private university were on hand to inaugurate the 14th library of its kind worldwide, as part of celebrations marking 45 years of diplomatic ties between the two countries.