TechGirls, a new State Department program, will fly 25 Middle Eastern teenage girls to the United States this summer for an immersion course in U.S. tech culture and all things nerdy. The program is a perfect example of cultural diplomacy--participants build ties to American firms and return home (hopefully) preaching the virtues of Silicon Valley.

The growing ranks of other Korean American performers recruited by management companies like SM Entertainment and JYPE in U.S.-based talent searches — aren’t just a random act of globalization. They’re the secret weapon in Korea’s next push for worldwide youth-culture domination.

"Europe was taking the United States for granted in providing defense and filling military capability gaps. It has become so enamored with soft power that it has stopped investing in hard power. In terms of hard security, it makes Europe a free rider. Europe should start investing in its military and building an effective military that can provide leverage on its soft power.”

President Obama has designated Ambassador D. Kathleen Stephens as the Acting Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs pending the Senate’s confirmation of the President’s nominee, Tara Sonenshine. Ambassador Stephens will begin work on February 6, 2012, and will exercise all of the authorities of the office during this designation.

The U.S. government’s public diplomacy institutions are running on autopilot. Political leaders' attention is focused elsewhere: the budget deficit, the economy, the presidential election, etc. People who should be advocating for public diplomacy and think about its strategic role in U.S. foreign policy are simply not in place, so much-needed leadership in this area is lacking.

...I think the Colombo Plan is an exemplary example of public diplomacy where a whole generation or more of young people, the best and brightest from our region, were given an opportunity to undertake study in Australia. And many of those student are now leaders in government and in the public and private sector, in countries in our region. And this exchange of ideas and understanding is invaluable.

Australian Rules Football (AFL) is looking to bring its own sport, a strange-looking hybrid of rugby and football, to the rest of the world, specifically China. “We see China as an important and growing market for the game, and this purpose built AFL oval will enable more Chinese people to play and enjoy Australian football and showcase their talent."

Miami collector Ella Fontanals-Cisneros...said she's planning to send around 85 pieces from her vast art collection to be exhibited in Havana's National Museum of Fine Arts in May. Collaborations between Cuban museums and collectors from the Miami diaspora are rare, but Ms. Fontanals-Cisneros said she wanted to "build bridges" with Cuba's art lovers and give them a chance to see "art they rarely have access to."