What propels Islamist terrorism and attacks against France is more than an academic debate: The answer shapes policy toward blunting the threat. So it is no inconsequential matter in a culture under attack, and one that so cherishes its intellectual debates, that France’s two leading scholars of radical Islam — former friends — have turned bitter rivals over their differing views.

“A World in Crisis—How Can Smart Power Make a Difference?” will focus on the diplomacy tools countries can use to improve international stability, [...] “It’s the cluster of things which make up soft power,” he said, “whether that’s public diplomacy, cultural diplomacy, cultural relations, nation branding—whateever you want to call it—and how it can be used effectively.”

In November last year, artists from India and China got together at Diggi Palace in Jaipur for a week-long art residency project called ‘Maitri’. It was a cultural dialogue to promote peace using art as a tool.