The government is going ahead with plans for a state-owned and controlled internet radio station which will be available around the world, and is looking for radio experts to set it up and run it – on government instruction.

VisitBritain’s ‘GREAT Britain’ campaign also draws together major events, sporting achievements and commercial partners to promote the UK as a great country in which to live, study, invest and do business – as well as to visit. In my book, the GREAT Britain campaign is a real winner. So what can it teach those of us in branding and brand management about the principles of country branding?

On the occasion of the commemoration of the "United Nations Day", Mr. Mariano Fernández Amunátegui, the Head of the UN Mission for Stabilization in Haiti (Minustah) deeclared "UN is the only forum where we can learn from each other by working together, dreaming together the same dream, and to carry out these same hopes for the future generations."

Artush Mkrtchyan calls it cheese diplomacy. Others speak of informal, or “track-two,” diplomacy. By either name, it is all about building bridges between Turks and Armenians in the absence of formal, or “track-one,” diplomatic relations between their governments.

The Singapore Art Museum is hosting a major exhibition, "Thai Transience", featuring works by 25 Thai artists. Opening tonight, it's part of Singapore's Thai Festival, aimed at boosting friendship and cultural exchange.

PM-designate Bidzina Ivanishvili and his cabinet plans to carry out “large-scale reforms in all strategic directions” according to incoming government’s program... On conflict resolution issues, the program makes emphasis on public diplomacy, economic and joint business projects and on encouraging people-to-people contacts across “the dividing lines.”

A famous US Hip-hop, soul and spoken word artiste Charyse Bailey and her band, Mahogany Jones-Live, are in the country to share their music experience... The band's trip to Rwanda is designed to share America's unique contribution to the world of music and to promote cross-cultural understanding and exchange among nations worldwide.

The world’s most highly regarded countries continue to lead in global image, but the troubled world economy has also left its mark, with two-thirds of measured nations suffering declines in their reputation over the past year. These are among the results from the 2012 Anholt-GfK Roper Nation Brands IndexSM (NBI), an annual global survey from GfK Public Affairs & Corporate Communications.