Peace cannot be taken for granted. The ongoing border skirmishes between Thailand and Cambodia are challenging the very essence of ASEAN's existence - a no-war policy between its member states.

After two years of trying, human rights activist Abdelaziz Dahhassi realized his dream late last year of setting up a think tank to find new ways to fight ethnic and religious discrimination in France.

India needs to do more to leverage its formidable strengths in 'soft power' abroad and exploit its capacity to provide global leadership in the area art of culture, according to Congress MP Shashi Tharoor.

Egypt has revolutionized revolutions. As Harvard University Prof. Joseph Nye wrote in the Huffington Post recently.

Militarily stretched and economically strained. That's America, superpower with its hard power dented. But there's yet-unmatched American soft power, right? Democracy and Disneyland, Madonna and McDonald's, American ideals and American idols.

A fully funded foreign aid budget is essential to prevent the political instability and violent conflict that harms American security.

Egypt's revolution is momentous. In 18 days, a broad-based, nonviolent social movement overcame an entrenched, autocratic government. However, we are still in the first act of a long play.