While India has consciously sought to promote a ‘soft’ image, Pakistan, on the other hand, have spared no effort, deliberately perpetuating a negative ‘hard’ image of ourselves. As citizens strain under the daily task of survival and an incompetent government struggles to stay in power, the ‘soft image’ continues to elude us.

China's hardline political stance, as shown by its veto of a UN resolution on Syria, is increasingly clashing with its efforts to improve its image abroad. Actually, Beijing runs into repeated problems when national policy collides with improving China's image. It puts its national policy first including defence of 'core interests' and pays a price on the soft power side.

American Voices, incorporated as a nonprofit in 1993, has been operating summer youth performing arts academies, workshops and concerts in dozens of countries around the world. In St. Louis, this organization conducts "cultural diplomacy," which involves exchanging musical expertise between Americans and countries often hit hard by conflict.

Technological advancements are ushering in new forms of “government to people” and “people to people” engagement. The use of technology to encourage public diplomacy marks a pivotal shift in U.S. diplomacy and foreign policy — and should continue to play a greater role in supporting democracy and improving relations with countries around the world.

Brand USA, a non-profit, public-private partnership, is to launch a global advertising campaign next month, as part of the country’s concerted effort in marketing tourism to the world. As its core mission, the organization, created in 2010, is to “encourage and inspire travelers to explore America’s boundless possibilities.”

While Israeli leaders are sending warnings of potential strikes against Iran's nuclear installations, a group of Iranian-Israelis are transmitting a different message. RADISIN, a private Farsi-language radio station, airs Iranian music, poetry and current affairs shows aiming to spread peace between the Israeli and Iranian people.

The question of government involvement in the arts is hardly uncontroversial. Anxiety about competing with the West has made cultural matters a priority for China’s Central Committee, which has recently introduced measures intended to boost international awareness of Chinese culture and continues to invest in high-profile cultural production.