Nelson Mandela International Day is an annual call to action for people around the world to make a difference in the communities where they live and work by taking time to serve others. The theme behind the Day – “Take action, Inspire change” – highlights the importance of working together to build a peaceful, sustainable and equitable world.

A FULLY fledged academy that will train officials in economic diplomacy was on track to being realised, International Relations and Co-operation Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane said on Thursday while delivering her budget vote speech in Parliament. As per the National Development Plan (NDP), the department would train all its officials in economic diplomacy through the academy as a core competency for their work abroad.

The South African Pavilion in Venice presents a mix of old and new works. There’s a video of Truth and Reconciliation Commission hearings and documentary footage from the Apartheid Museum – such as the sound recording of Nelson Mandela’s Rivonia trial speech, played over and over in a little booth – reminding us that the past is never far away.

How are states employing cultural diplomacy in an increasingly interconnected world in shaping understanding between societies while promoting preferential co-operation between nations? Observers of China-South Africa relations will have noticed the increasing reference to the 'China Year in South Africa' by officials on both sides.

One of Africa's leading economies and the world's largest developing country continue to forge even stronger trade, investment and cultural ties that will define the long-term relations of the two nations.