Kenya has been ranked among the top ten African brands by global valuation consultancy organization Brand Finance, in its latest survey which measures the impact of a country's reputation and image on investors.

The SHOUT campaign is a great initiative...However, this should be done through chords, bass lines and rhythms that are proudly South African. We don't see Australians importing music for "Australia Day", so why do we import their music for usage in what is a SA challenge?

By investing in a sporting event the magnitude of the FIFA World Cup as part of its public and cultural diplomacy exercise, South Africa was able to promote the country’s passion for an international game and to portray South Africa as a hospitable nation and host to the world.

We all reserve a special place in our hearts for Nelson Mandela. Many salute the gallant efforts of Thabo Mbeki to use soft power in influencing Africa’s renewal through the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (Nepad) and the related peer review mechanism.

During the Cold War, cultural diplomacy was a priority of U.S. foreign policy as a means of cultivating relationships with nations around the world through positive exchange. Since that time, there has been a marked decline in cultural diplomacy.

A small-scale but bursting-with-energy chamber ensemble, the quartet is the latest cultural exchange group visiting South Africa from America. J BROOKS SPECTOR spoke to the group after they performed for the students of Johannesburg’s National School for the Arts.