In today’s world, track two diplomacy and multi-track diplomacy are well recognized for their role in establishing peace. Now, numerous degree granting programs, NGOs, government agencies, and the United Nations have emerged as important agencies to reduce violent conflicts.

The itinerary of Pakistani football team’s proposed tour of Palestine in a few months time has generated a controversy among Islamists and political leaders who fear the tour will be used as cover up for another back channel secret diplomacy between Islamabad and Tel Aviv.

America's companies, products, universities, and philanthropists are active in every corner of the world. When we think of American foreign policy, we should think not only of what the government does, but what Americans do, whether through dot.gov, dot.com, dot.org, or dot.edu entities. America's footprint around the globe is far greater than that of the State Department.

As we all know by now, Israel has lost the battle for public opinion in the west. Even the Israel government is now acknowledging this fact. Israel and its defenders have been outclassed and outmanoeuvred in a war of the mind being waged on a battleground it never even acknowledged it was on.

What started as international elections and campaigning work soon branched out into providing more foreign governments, leaders and bodies, such as tourism and investment authorities, with international communications counsel and ultimately what is now known as "country branding."

Giving a twist to the much-touted race between the Indian elephant versus the Chinese dragon, an eminent expert on 'nations branding' says although China's economy may be far bigger and its military superior, Brand India may just win the game as the world identifies with its values of plurality, diversity and tolerance.

Any defining moment of a year is usually an analysis in past tense. Rarely ever is it a judgment in future tense. But that’s exactly how it is in the case of Qatar successfully bidding in 2010 to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup. While winning the bid is victory enough to become a defining moment for the present, the real impact lies in what this success could do for the Gulf in general and for Qatar in particular over the next decade and beyond.