And the Gulf state of Qatar — an obscure patch of sand in 1971 — is emerging as an international sports giant with a relentless appetite for headline-grabbing events, including hosting an updated edition of table tennis-as-political icebreaker.

Public diplomacy received considerable attention, given that Al Jazeera’s creation was a public diplomacy effort by Qatar’s rulers to increase international recognition of the country’s aspirations in the Arab world and beyond.

DOHA --- On November 1, the Al Jazeera Network celebrated its 15th birthday with splendor – a party for about a thousand people attended by the Emir of Qatar, the young Yemeni woman who recently won the Nobel Peace Prize, and the mothers of Arab Spring martyrs Khaled Said and Mohammed Bouazizi. The celebration was well deserved; the channel that began broadcasting six hours a day in 1996 has become one of the world’s most important media companies.

An interesting blog post from the U.S. Center for Citizen Diplomacy discusses Creative Learning, an organization that encourages Americans to become “unofficial Ambassadors” to different Islamic nations. Another blog...demonstrates the impact social media can have on public diplomacy and how the use of the internet makes public diplomacy very effective in its distribution.

Through WaterCredit, we have explored the application of microfinance to water and sanitation needs. The potential of microfinance to democratize access to capital is paralleled by the potential of technology and social media to democratize access to information.

French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo has named the Prophet Muhammad as "editor-in-chief" for its next issue to mark the electoral victory of Islamist party Ennahda in Tunisia. The publication's editor-in-chief and cartoonist Charb said they were not trying to be especially provocative.

Conditions within Iran, from rising inflation to widespread unemployment to economic stagnation, suggest that Tehran could still go the way of Tunis, Cairo and Tripoli. Against that backdrop, renewed “engagement” with the Iranian regime wouldn’t just be futile; it would be fatal to prospects for real grassroots change within Iran.

The BBG brands...face intense competition from...emerging media choices as well as the challenges of censorship and extremist voices. To address these challenges and advance the nation’s strategic priorities, BBG’s plan features innovative initiatives: to create a global news network; to leverage new delivery technologies...and to devise sophisticated new means of countering Internet blocking and other forms of censorship.