With instruments made of bamboo, plant-based face paints, and skirts woven from local fauna, groups at Guinea Bissau's Carnival dance competition displayed the biodiversity of their country […]"I think when you protect your culture, you are protecting the environment [...] There's a strong connection between the environment and the culture of this country" [...] said Rita Le, a spokeswoman for the carnival committee

Pakistan’s Ambassador to the UN, Dr Maleeha Lodhi said the concert is an effort to project Pakistan’s soft image and present the country’s rich culture. ‘Public diplomacy is the most effective way to win hearts and minds’ and this aims to do just that.

The South Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism is teaming up with the Korea Foundation for International Culture Exchange (KOFICE) to provide Myanmar with free Korean television content. [...] they are meant to foster a positive view of South Korea–and maybe even spark demand for Korean products.

“Real change” was Justin Trudeau’s campaign slogan last year. While these are still early days, the change – in both style and substance – has already been palpable. [...] Justin Trudeau is rebranding Canada as an open, progressive, plural society.

What do you think of when someone says, “Ireland”? Shamrocks, Guinness, Irish whiskey, castle ruins, and a rousing drinking song. Maybe you think of rain, craggy cliffs and crashing waves, and Riverdance. And, of course, there are the requisite leprechauns and pots o’ gold. One thing is for sure: everyone has a firm mental image of Ireland.

She was taken out of primary school at the age of 12 to marry a man in his 40s whom she had never met before. […] Today, that illiterate girl who didn't even know how to boil water and who [...] was finally sent back to her father's house in disgrace, has become one of northern Nigeria's most well-known writers and the first female Hausa-language author to be translated into English.

On one of Russia’s most beautiful springtime holidays, the country’s top female diplomats reveal some interesting secrets of their profession, which was considered the exclusive domain of men.

A Saudi Arabian sociologist aims to counter stereotypes about her country with a coffee table book profiling successful Saudi women [...] "We are facing challenges but we are succeeding," said [Mona AlMunajjed] at the book signing for her work "Saudi Women: A Celebration of Success." The large-format book features her interviews with 40 Saudi women from a variety of fields, alongside their photographs.