The Russian media constantly reports about growing government interest in increasing Russia’s soft power. Existing public diplomacy instruments reach a permanently growing global audience, but Russia’s international image does not seem to be improving. The problem may be that people around the world understand Russia’s values but still disagree with its policies.

The previous Culture Post concentrated on the popular individualism and collectivism dimension. Individualism privileges the individual perspective, goals and actions. Collectivism emphasizes the perspective, goals and activities of the collective or larger group.

The Department of State sponsors Fulbright-mtvU Fellowships to promote music as a global force for promoting mutual understanding. Fellows are chosen through a multi-tiered, merit-based selection process including reviews by U.S. and foreign academic leaders and area experts. The final selection is made by the presidentially-appointed J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board.

South Korea has spent billions in promoting its "nation brand" via its technology and other attributes. But what has driven up the country's soft power across the world as much as anything is "Gangnam Style," the Korean rapper PSY's galloping horse dance, hipster wannabe clothes and tongue-in-cheek attitude, offset by an irresistible and simple hook that even a three year old could mimic.

Kris Kam, a 28-year-old advertising executive in Singapore, tells me, for example, that when his mother asked him to buy her a new smartphone, she requested a Samsung Galaxy S3 “just like the white one she saw in her favorite Korean drama, My Love, Madame Butterfly.”

Through strategic planning and investment in research and technology, strong political will, and effective governance, Singapore has emerged from water insecurity to become a global hydrohub.

APDS Blogger: Sarah Myers

Committee members heard from Vladimir Yushkin, Director of the Baltic Center for Russian Studies in Tallinn, communications consultant Raul Rebane and Security Police High Commissioner Martin Arpo. He said that the importance of media in this respect was declining and said that information could more effectively be delivered through cultural events, youth camps and other direct contact.