Fresh economic initiatives, supplemented by cultural, educational and humanitarian exchanges, could encourage restraint by North Korea. Despite gunfire and nuclear construction, Pyongyang has continued to support North-South commercial cooperation through the free trade zone...

Pakistan and the United States have maintained a critical strategic partnership...Despite the tense political situations throughout the year, educational and cultural programs have continued in an attempt to bridge the differences through more personal interactions.

During Chinese President Hu Jintao's state visit in mid-January, Hu and his US counterpart Obama made it a priority to promote people-to-people exchanges to develop friendship between the world's two powers, identifying over 40 joint projects in education, science and technology, culture, women's issues, youth and sports.

The Global Partnership for Education has launched a three-year effort to put 25 million children in the classroom for the first time and train 600 thousand teachers in developing countries. It calls education one of the most important investments a country can make in its people and its future.

APDS Blogger: Anna Dawson

APDS Blogger: Hend Alhinnawi

Last month, the mayor announced that Los Angeles is grooming and recruiting students for a new program launched by President Obama called the 100,000 Strong Initiative. Being in Beijing on Monday, the mayor boasted of his plans to increase the number of American students studying in China the next four years.

Developing strong and sustainable relations with India should not be considered by Arab states as an option, but as a must. In addition to trade agreements, the two parties should consider other public diplomacy venues to develop substantial social and cultural exchanges, and boost larger people-to-people relations.