Instead, she will be a great power through building her own strength and capabilities and continuing to show wisdom and good sense in her choice of engagements abroad. [...] I am convinced that India will be a great power if she continues on her present course. This will not be through her soft power.

As the new Minister of Foreign Affairs, His Excellency, Godffrey Onyema, assumes office at the Tafawa Balewa House, Abuja  expectations are high on the future of the nation’s foreign policy and diplomacy. Nigeria needs a new foreign policy direction to remain relevant  both in Africa and on the world stage in the fast changing sphere of international diplomacy.

In Southeast Asia, President Barack Obama has taken a softer tone on human rights and corruption in a part of the world that rights groups claim is rife with abuses.

His presentation—followed by a question-and-answer session facilitated by Elliott School of International Affairs Dean Reuben E. Brigety II—focused on “smart power,” which Mr. Devane described as a strategy that employs cultural diplomacy, public diplomacy and forward engagement.

Repeatedly, Trudeau explained this past week that these were promises that he made to get elected, which were based on listening to Canadians. [...]"We are already seeing that soft power, not hard power, will define Mr. Trudeau's global security policies and international engagements."

The show, called 'Sapno ki Baraat', was organized by the Society for Peoples' Awareness, Care & Empowerment (SPACE), an organization dedicated to working for the marginalized sections of society. [...] "LGBT rights are a part of the Netherlands' commitment to human rights. To this end, we support this program, which, we hope, will help improve things for the community in India," he said.

KP Oli should realise by now that flirting with Chinese oil diplomacy is not in Nepal’s long term interest either. Our public diplomacy has been even more disastrous. Instead of asking the Indians to #Backoff or cribbing against #IndiablockadesNepal, had the media and civil society collectively pressured government to reach out to the dissenting groups while opening diplomatic channels with New Delhi things would not have deteriorated to this extent.

Art can help to steer impressionable young people away from religious radicalization, says the director of the Canada Council for the Arts. Simon Brault also says that a new government on Parliament Hill understands that Canada must restore the art and cultural arm of its international diplomacy, if it wants to have meaningful relationships with other nations.