The Anholt-GfK Roper Nation Brands Index is a major annual study which since 2005 has polled a sample equivalent to 60 percent of the world’s population on its perceptions of other countries. It shows that South Africa’s 2010 World Cup, although it was a resounding success, damaged the country’s standing quite severely.

As South Korea and the United States mark the 130th anniversary of establishing their diplomatic relations this year, South Korea plans to stage a month-long campaign to burnish its image among the American people, a related government agency said Sunday.

Poland placed 20th in the Top 100 Most Valuable Nation Brands prepared by the London-based Brand Finance, and showed the highest percentage growth rate in 2012 at 75%, the daily Puls Biznesu reported on Friday.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs is organizing, from 3-6 September 2012 at the Parliament Palace, Hall CA Rosetti, and at the MFA Annual Meeting of the Romanian Diplomacy (RADR). According to the press release sent by MFA, at this year will be attended by three special guests: Lamberto Zannier, Secretary General of the OSCE, Grigol Vashadze, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, and Oleg Efrim, Minister of Justice of the Republic of Moldova.

“We want to stage the parade as a token of thanks for people who have supported us from across the country," Japan Olympic Committee president Tsunekazu Takeda said. "It will be great if this will help boost the momentum of Tokyo's 2020 Olympic bid," he told Japanese media.

Brand Israel is a project to teach the truth about Israel – and makes it more than about day to day politics, but also about daily life. Teaching and reaching the young at the entry level stage of their career is a wonderful time to influence minds – before their minds are influenced by the other side.

China has outmaneuvered everybody else in the strategic calculations with respect to cultivating relationships with Africa. In the recently concluded fifth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) on China-Africa strategic partnership, President Hu Jintao pledged a US$20 billion of credit line for African countries in the next three years—double the amount of what China promised to lend Africa at the last joint forum three years ago.

That is why I emphasize welfare, the quality of life and a creative mind. It is time for Korea to keep up with the global trend and lead the way rather than to follow others. Korea is now one of the world’s most advanced economies and for the country to join the ranks of the top five powers, we should think differently.