What Eastern European intellectuals and civic actors understood by civil society was not just the 18th-century concept of the rule of law, but also the notion of horizontal self-organized groups and institutions in the public sphere that could limit the power of the state by constructing a democratic space separate from state and its ideological institutions.

Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd will today launch a photographic exhibition, Through Australian Eyes, which recognises the significant contribution of Australian civilians working in Afghanistan. Mr. Rudd welcomes the exhibition, which emphasises the important role development assistance and diplomacy plays in the rebuilding of Afghanistan and the security gains being made in Afghanistan.

Hsueh Sheng Wang's Eurasia group plans to turn the port of Le Havre into a hub for trade between China and France.

While on the ground I have been meeting with various private and public sector officials to analyze the extent to which corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a priority for companies operating in Vietnam. Based upon the information gathered thus far, the answer appears to be yes, but with many shades of gray.

From all the terrible news typically coming out of reports from Israel and the West Bank, a March 15 article from Bloomberg Press, struck a happier note. For advocates of public diplomacy between Israelis and Palestinians, corporate diplomacy could be a key factor in restarting the peace process.

Mehrubon Ravshan is the Cat Stevens of Tajikistan. Ravshan is best-known for hit songs like "Az Mani" ("You Are Mine"), but now that the 30-year-old pop singer has become a more devout Muslim, he's changed his tune.

Addressing a conference in Hanoi on March 15 to review people-to-people diplomacy in 2010 and discuss activities for 2011, Truong Tan Sang...stressed the need for the diplomacy to focus on efficiency in external relations, particularly the ties with people in neighbouring and traditionally friendly countries and progressive forces around the world.

Three young Canadian Jewish women have helped to launch a new web portal – Omanoot.com – an English-language site showcasing Israeli arts. Quite possibly the first site of its kind, it encompasses all the arts of an entire country, including film, music, literature and visual art.