Zimbabwe's biggest outdoors UK festival returns for its 11th year at Raynes Park in London on August 27, organisers announced. The Zimfest, featuring sports, live music, business exhibitions and cultural exchange activities was moved indoors last year after the park where it is traditionally held became unavailable.

“It’s important because when I was first asked to spread goodwill through sport, I understood the meaning of it intellectually, but I didn’t fully understand it until I went to China,” Ripken wrote in response to a question asking why his envoy work was important to him.

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton met with Major League Baseball Hall of Famer Cal Ripken, Jr., 16 Japanese youth baseball and softball players, and four coaches participating in the U.S. Department of State’s first international sports exchange with Japan. The Secretary highlighted the role of sports to empower young people worldwide...

Over the summer, there were numerous instances of sports diplomacy in practice throughout the world.

Funding for the REAL New Zealand Festival music programme has come from the NZ2011 Festival Lottery Grants Fund, the international cultural diplomacy programme, local government festival organisers and private sector promoters.

Both in China and abroad, Li has the potential to transcend her sport. Her treatment after winning the French Open expedited her elevation to the status of a National figure in China. But more than Party endorsement, Li is an icon with a peculiar ability to touch to both eastern and western audiences. Finally China has a true soft-power icon.

Polio has all but been eradicated from the Earth, but not quite. So Bill Gates and the soccer club FC Barcelona are joining forces to push the effort past the goal line. They're calling it the "More than a Goal. End Polio" campaign...Barcelona plans to spread the message through in-stadium advertisements, announcements during matches, and via social media to the millions of followers worldwide.

Our relationship with PNG should be a foreign policy priority and requires much closer attention. Surely there is an opportunity to capture their enthusiasm for our sporting stars in a positive way that enhances our bilateral relationship. Sport has the power to transcend social, cultural and language barriers.