Cultural exchange takes on many forms. In Cloquet, the pulp and paper mill’s viability as an employer is intact because of its willingness to travel and learn what the rest of the world’s mills offered. So, there’s that. There’s also this: without cultural exchange, Adam Kangas may have gone a lifetime believing Swedes drove on the left side of the road. Why not? It’s a common assumption all Europeans drive on the left side.

Eight wheelchair basketball athletes and four coaches from Turkey were able to engage firsthand in the disability sports culture in the United States, inspiring greater understanding of inclusion rights in sports. This wheelchair basketball exchange taught the Turkish athletes and coaches about equality for persons with disabilities in the United States, as well as the importance of teamwork and leadership skills.

Blatter was speaking at the start of a two-day conference on sports, media and economy set up by German great Franz Beckenbauer in Austria. FIFA later verified the comments were accurate. The Confederations Cup, which was won by Brazil, angered citizens who are upset with the billions of dollars spent on the tournaments while they endure underfunded schools and hospitals. Protesters aired a wide spectrum of grievances, including the high cost of hosting the 2016 Rio Olympics.

The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) announced today that youth and coaches from Brazil will be in Chicago, Illinois this week for a sports exchange program. In partnership with WorldChicago, 12 athletes with disabilities and eight coaches, with and without disabilities, will participate in activities on inclusion and equality for persons with disabilities.

Holy Stoked, a small collective based in Bangalore, is working to create a community of skaters in a country where many people have never even seen a skateboard. Parks are important to any young skate scene—especially in places without great street spots—so Holy Stoked cofounders Shake and Soms reached out to Levi’s about teaming up to build a park in Bangalore. Lo and behold the jeans giant agreed to help.

Getting schools and hospitals built to the same standard as World Cup stadiums was one of the main demands made by protesters on the streets of Brazil last month. But just days after FIFA, football’s governing body, handed the national stadium in Brasilia back to its owners following the Confederations Cup, a warm-up tournament ahead of next year’s World Cup, it appears that the problem is not just overspending and late delivery. It’s also management.

Football, contrary to many other banned fun activities and hobbies, was one of the most popular sports and was played all over the country even during Taliban government. The teams played nationally and regionally. After the collapse of Taliban rule, sport in general, but especially football, began to flourish and significant achievements in football were made both nationally and at international level.

What happens when the domestic public seemingly overtakes a country’s public diplomacy agenda? Brazil looked like it had scored a double goal when it secured the bid to host the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics. A massive promotional campaign to garner world attention was well underway. And then came the massive protests by the Brazilian public.