Sports diplomacy is one of the few available ways North Korea is able to pursue public affairs diplomacy. In fact, Hong was photographed embracing American gymnast and current Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles during an international competition in 2014.

New ABC managing director Michelle Guthrie has outlined plans to renew an international expansion into overseas markets like China as part of a “soft power push” to influence Australia’s standing on the world stage. Two years after the controversial Australia Network was shut down because the government did not believe the ABC was meeting its contractual obligations, Ms Guthrie has foreshadowed a new offensive. 

The Middle East remains of a major geostrategic importance. Global powers found in the recent developments an opportunity to chart their way into the region; sending troops and reinforcements, rebuilding alliances and restoring old relations. Amidst this chaotic environment, a number of regional forces opted to adopt a different approach: soft power. 

As part of 2016's Year of China-Latin America Cultural Exchange, an exhibit showcasing contemporary Chinese art has opened in Panama City. [...] featuring a selection of 50 works of art by some 20 Chinese artists working in a wide range of media, from sculpture to video installations, and themes, from traditional landscape paintings to abstraction.

The United Nations’ adoption in 2014 of an International Yoga Day was remarkable for many reasons. [...] No International Day resolution has been co-sponsored by so many countries or has been passed in such a short timeframe. It was definitely a remarkable achievement for Indian diplomacy. It has also been hailed as a demonstration of India’s soft power.

A Syrian group is using the Pokemon Go craze to call attention to the plight of children in their war-torn country. The Revolutionary Forces of Syria media office has tweeted a series of photos of children holding photos with Pokemon Go images and signs with messages like, “I am in Syria. Save me. 

Pak-China cultural streets should be established in different cities of Pakistan to promote cultural harmony between the two friendly countries”. The idea was floated by President Pak-China Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Shah Faisal Afridi. He said that the lack of cultural contacts between the two countries was one of the key challenges for a durable economic relationship between Pakistan and China.

Soft power – broadly a country’s ability to persuade other nations to cooperate without recourse to force – has long been a tool of Western foreign policy,  but in recent years Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has introduced his own much less benign variant of the initiative.