“At this critical time in our country’s history, hosting an international teen is the best and purest form of public diplomacy the United States has,” Doty said.

It's not size of your sports diplomacy that matters, it's what you do with it. This is why we can all learn a lesson from Sarandon, who at 64 has lost neither her looks nor her charm, when she informs the audience today that she is "a ping-pong propagandist" - while flashing a beautiful smile.

Trips to Turkey for Americans organized by the Turquoise Council of Americans and Eurasians and the Atlas Foundation are more than just another vacation. These US-based organizations strive to provide a deeper, more accurate understanding of Turkey by offering foreigners a unique cultural immersion experience.

Canadian-based Native American group Tribal Vision recently came to Turkey to present their distinguished songs and dances to people on the occasion of Canada Day (former Dominion Day), which is celebrated by Canadians around the world on July 1 to mark the establishment of Canada as a dominion, on July 1, 1867.

The Vail Valley Foundation staff had received a call that the Bolshoi Ballet Academy, in the midst of its first U.S. tour, had to cancel its shows scheduled for Texas. Would Vail be willing to host the world-renowned ballet company's first U.S. performance instead?

Egypt has approved of setting up a cultural bureau in China's capital Beijing as part of its efforts to enhance cultural exchange with China, Egyptian state news agency MENA reported Sunday. Egypt's Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Amr Salama said the bureau aimed at stronger relations between the two countries in cultural, scientific, and educational fields.

Uniting families and promoting cultural exchange by ensuring opportunity to travel for all citizens should become a priority for all nations. Less political posturing and more "people to people" interaction through tourism is good for the future of humanity.

...[There] are a few faces looking less than confident about what comes next. Barbra Taylor, from Hawaii, and Terry Goldsmith, from Bury, Greater Manchester, are two of them. They're not Muslim, but guests for nine days. This is part of "Muslim for a Month" - a programme from social enterprise group The Blood Foundation where participants get to "test-drive" a religion.