The U.S. Department of State announced a new partnership with the Association of American Voices...Known as American Music Abroad, this people-to-people exchange will feature a wide variety of American musical genres through international cultural exchange initiatives that will reach more than 40 countries around the world.

State’s grander ambitions for a more robust presence...had to be scaled back as well. I’m concerned — no, convinced — that we’re setting the State Department up for failure. Its presence in Iraq will be just big enough to be a big target, yet not big enough to have much influence or ability to respond to the fast-changing environment.

As a projection of ”soft power“ to the world, culture is key part of China's comprehensive national strength. With the further development of the country's economic and political reforms, cultural institutions also need to be modernized.

Teaming up with the Gates Foundation isn't just a charitable move on the part of the Chinese government. The partnership is a perfect example of soft power--the spreading of influence through propaganda, public works, and cultural prestige.

The recent developments the world has been witnessing leave no room for doubt that Turkey is an exceptional and indispensable player on the regional and global stage. Turkey, with its vital geopolitical position, cultural and historical wealth, economic potential, secular democracy and political influence and efficiency, is among a few countries that can play such a critical role. In this global arena, one of the most important keys to Turkey’s success has been the country’s new foreign policy and public diplomacy strategies.

As part of its international cultural diplomacy, Indonesia will open cultural centers abroad, with Japan and the Netherlands already on the list. Cultural diplomacy is one of the five principles included in a blueprint for cultural development that is now being prepared by the ministry, along with different stakeholders such as sociologists and artists.

World governance in catastrophe is an element of global statecraft. But some disasters are more local, and then how an individual state responds shows its citizens, and the wider world, just how good it is at its core business of meeting basic needs. That is one reason why deciding whether to accept disaster relief is partly a matter of state self-confidence. But it is not just about bravado. Even humanitarian aid can carry a discreet price tag.

Lancaster alluded to the soft power of the Vatican, which panelists agreed plays a significant role in international affairs. She noted that in the modern world, military and economic power, while important, can play second fiddle to religion, which is traditionally seen as a soft power.