Plans for science collaboration in the Muslim world aren't working and need a major revamp. To turn things around...requires a reshaping of OIC science diplomacy to convince member states that through collaboration their collective science investment will be greater than the sum of its parts, and will result in greater credibility.

Returned Peace Corps Volunteers think their service helped foster a better understanding of the U.S. in the communities they served, and 93% think the Peace Corps has improved America's image globally. They responded that the least achieved goal was helping fulfill the communities' needs for trained workers.

Soft power is more welcome in the world than hard power. In Afghanistan, Turkey is there with military power, but the Turkish military in Afghanistan acts more with soft power -- in the construction of mosques, schools, construction of roads, and that type of things.

The Fukushima power plant crisis has clearly damaged Japan as a country brand. Many observers point to the need for a "national control tower" to coordinate and bundle Japan's branding activities. Japan and its people need to decide on a clear and simple national vision and stick to it.

With the globalization process deepening, the growth of public diplomacy not only meets the demand of opening up a new horizon of China’s foreign relations, but also meets the strategic needs of increasing China’s soft power and communications with other peoples in the world.

The 9/11 Commission charged by the U.S. Congress and president with investigating the “facts and circumstances relating to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001” and making recommendations for “how [to] avoid such tragedy” in the future had little to say about failures related to the nation’s diplomatic preparedness to combat ideological threats. In fact, the Commission’s conclusions about pre-9/11 diplomacy were summed up in its final report in one sentence:“The diplomatic efforts of the Department of State were largely ineffective.”

Deputy Minister Fransman and I have used the chief instruments of Public Diplomacy such as lectures, electronic media, publications etc. to put across and make known South Africa's engagements and thoughts on the Libyan crisis....I believe ours tonight is to make some reflections on and around the developments in relation to the crisis in Libya.

Working to strengthen economic partnerships between the United States and Africa, the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs announced today that 43 African women business leaders will travel to the United States September 19 through October 7 as part of the African Women’s Entrepreneurship Program.