Recently an interesting debate arose over the fundamental meaning of branding. [...] The project's founder, Simon Anholt, is known for the concept of “nation branding,” also known as “place branding,” which seeks to enhance the images of nations much the way companies try to bolster the reputations of their products. [...] “My belief, backed up by much research (nearly 400 billion data points from 10 years of the Nation Brands Index), has long been that there’s no such thing as place “branding” and that countries are judged by what they do rather than by what they say."

Representatives from Georgia State University, Kennesaw State University, and the University of North Georgia gathered in Jinotega, Nicaragua to attend Comunidad Connect’s Third Annual Health Summit. For 3 days, the invitees learned about Comunidad Connect’s model for sustainable development, grew in their understanding of health care delivery systems, and made connections with representatives from the Nicaraguan Ministry of Health, the Local System of Integral Health Care, the Red Cross, and other community development institutions working in the region.

This Sunday, Vancouver will, once again, hold the annual World Partnership Walk in beautiful Stanley Park to benefit the excellent work of the Aga Khan Foundation Canada, which works at the grassroots level in Africa and Asia to “tackle poverty on many fronts: improving access to quality education and health, increasing food security, creating economic opportunities for women and men, and building strong, resilient communities and local institutions”. The foundation engages Canadians from all walks of life, supported by the tireless devotion of volunteers. 

President Donald Trump's U.N. ambassador called Monday for the U.N. and aid agencies to shift focus in how they support Syrians in need by boosting support for roads, schools and hospitals in neighboring countries that have been overwhelmed by millions of refugees. Speaking in Jordan, host to some 660,000 Syrian refugees, Nikki Haley argued that lack of coordination among aid agencies has led duplicated efforts and inefficiencies after seven years of civil war in the Arab country.

A Seoul-based nongovernmental organization on Friday declared a massive global campaign to publicize South Korea's ownership of Dokdo, soon after the Japanese government approved revised education guidelines renewing its claim to the East Sea islets. VANK, or Voluntary Agency Network of Korea is a cyber diplomacy organization of 120,000 Korean and international members united under the purpose of properly introducing Korea to the world.

Johnson & Johnson’s office in Kenya will help coordinate the company’s global public health capabilities and resources to deliver sustainable, measurable impact against significant public health needs in the region. The team in Kenya will translate the company’s strategy into locally-executable programs that drive health impact in collaboration with local health delivery partners. 

The Cultural Exchange Programme, which is an annual initiative of the Youth Empowerment for Life (YEfL), a Tamale-based non-governmental organisation, and the Ghana Friendship of Denmark, is aimed at affording young people opportunity to learn and share various cultural perspectives.