Each year over 400 American and international teachers travel abroad to learn from their peers, share their own knowledge, and experience other cultures through programs sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, and still more travel through other governmental and private programs. The State Department estimates that upon their return these 400 educators reach over 65,000 students in just one year.

Monday, August 1st, was “J Day,” during which international students and other exchange visitors fan out across the United States to engage in community service and celebrate American culture. This celebration comes right after the recent party conventions where divergent philosophies on immigration and other global issues were on display. Those differences could over time negatively impact the general public’s views of international exchange programs. 

Taiwan has staged a remarkable diplomatic comeback even without an embassy in Ottawa or an official consulate in Vancouver. It's been done with the help of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office, which has been employing soft power for many years to win the hearts of many Canadians.

The Hà Nội Ensemble is a group of young artists and lecturers from the Việt Nam National Academy of Music, which was established in 2010. Members of the group have studied in Việt Nam and other prestigious conservatories of music around the world. They have won many reputable music awards, as well as participated in concerts, music festivals and cultural exchange programmes both domestically and internationally.
 

A stunning mural featuring a medley of cubes and symbols, painted on a backdrop of red and blue, now graces the Swansea Recreation Center, on the wall next to the swimming pool. It’s more than a colorful addition to the building — it’s the work of a group of artists from Kosovo who joined forces with local artists to show the power of reconciliation and kinship.

An event will take place this week to help students from South Korea and Japan better understand each other's culture through dancing. The organizers -- the Soorim Cultural Foundation and the Japan Global Cultural Exchange Foundation -- on Sunday said they will hold a cultural exchange program titled "Seoul-de Dance, Dance, Dance" from Thursday to Monday.

Nine students and two chaperones headed off July 12 for Miyoshi City, the official “sister city” of The Dalles. [...] The objective of the visits is “to build and sustain cross-cultural connections and mutual understanding with our sister cities and the larger global community,” read an excerpt from the mission statement of the Sister Cities website.