Participants in a conference held by the Central Commission for External Relations in Hanoi on April 19 emphasized the importance of people-to-people diplomacy in relation to State diplomacy and Party external relations.

"Welcome to Seoul Namsan Gugakdang, where classical music is lively breathing." So reads the greeting on the Web site of one of three South Korean concert halls where the Philadelphia Orchestra will perform during its Far East tour.

With classrooms of pupils from all corners of the globe, the Allee High School in Hamburg recognizes the importance of cultural understanding. In that vein, it's using the global environment to improve its own.

Panelists asserted that even in the face of severe government repression, the vibrancy of Iran’s blogosphere is offering the international community opportunities to develop citizen diplomacy and people-to-people connections with Iranians.

Yuli-Yoel Edelstein, the Israeli minister of information and diaspora, arrived in Boston on Sunday for a three-day visit to promote a new campaign to educate Israeli citizens in diplomacy. The campaign, which was launched in February, aims to teach Israelis how to improve their image abroad.

As South Africa prepares to host the FIFA 2010 World Cup, international organizations and local non-governmental organizations are warning the event will bring with it a huge increase in human trafficking. But a recent study indicates that while the problem is severe it may not be as extensive as has been suggested.

"Our primary concern is to make an easier road for overseas Chinese students who want to go back to China, but we also want to make it easier for those in China who wish to study in the U.S.," says [Chinese Returnees International] member Sue Wang, a graduate of Michigan State University.

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