Tjanara Talbot will be travelling to Canada this month as part of an artist residency program between Parramatta and Montreal called the Urban Indigenous Artist Exchange Program. She will stay at the Darling Foundry in Montreal for three months, fully paid. To date, three artists have taken part in this work program which developed with the idea of expanding Indigenous artistic practice internationally.

‘Cultural diplomat’ awarded writing residency in Hawai‘i Former diplomat, magazine columnist, Pacific historian and poet Leilani Tamu from Auckland will spend three months in Hawai‘i writing about "Cultural Diplomacy" for a book of the same name, as recipient of the 2013 Fulbright-Creative New Zealand Pacific Writer’s Residency.

The students are members of the volunteers in the program to promote the use of English among Thais, and students from the Thai - New Zealand cultural exchange program. The premier expressed her admiration in the students' enthusiasm in learning the Thai language and cultures, while thanking all the Thai foster families for welcoming and taking care of their Caucasian guests.

The exchange was comprised of several activities testing their interoperable command, control and communications capabilities, including naval gunfire support procedures, helicopter deck landing procedures, vessel boarding, search and seizure techniques. “Engagements such as these are critical to our strong international partnerships,” said Lt. Cmdr. Morgan Roper, response department head at Coast Guard Sector Guam. “These activities allow us to learn the procedures and capabilities of our defense partners, and develop the plans which guide real-world responses.”

The two Narromine residents are part of a 28-person exchange program to all parts of New Zealand. This is a cultural exchange program that has been running for 24 years and the program has been used by several Narromine students during this period. Local Rotarian and mentor for the students, Geoff Smith, said the students would attend school as part of their exchange and they would be exposed to several experiences only available in New Zealand.

The US plans to expand its diplomatic and public diplomacy platform in the Asia-Pacific region, with an additional $US25.9 million ($NZ31.44m) for programme and supporting costs.

“Gangnam style,” Brazil’s burgeoning status and Turkey’s increasing global outreach have all combined to push New Zealand out of a new ranking of the world’s top 20 “soft powers.” In 2011, New Zealand ranked 17th largely on the basis of two things – rugby and Hobbits. This year, the ranking has dropped to 21st, with only the Hobbits featuring.