One of the aims of RIFF is to project local folk music in a more contemporary and global setting. Part of the idea behind the five-day festival is to encourage musical collaborations across countries and genres.

Rather than seeking to change the Afghan uniformed services into clones of the Germans, the Poles or the Australians, it would be both cheaper and more effective to have such training carried out by a nearby military that shares several cultural and historical links with the people of Afghanistan.

American bilateral aid is essential to maintaining American influence through a soft-power, or "smart" power, approach. American cultural and economic influence grew throughout the Cold War, in large part because of bilateral American aid through the Marshall Plan.

After having won many hearts and minds in the Arab world, the Turkish prime minister continued to the Balkans and South Africa last week, presenting Turkey as a confident new player on the world stage. Read the international media coverage of these visits and you can see how big the impact is of this Turkish soft power offensive.

Turkish educational institutions in the Balkans have a longer history than Turkish state agencies, in both pre-university and university levels....The schools have managed to gain the confidence of both locals and foreigners by promoting peace and tolerance... In this way, these schools have become a number one choice of the people.

The financial crunch threatens to undermine a foreign policy described as “smart power” by President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, one that emphasizes diplomacy and development as a complement to U.S. military power.

New spheres of expression, long closed and forbidden to us, are now open. Reclaiming, defending and efficiently utilising these spaces to debate and promote our visions of the new Arab world will be our most immediate task.

Somaliland should use Public diplomacy by effectively communicating with Somali publics around the globe through the use of mass media and through dealings with a wide range of nongovernmental entities and influential individuals for the purpose of influencing the Somali public perceptions towards Somaliland.