The Cultural Development Trust (CDT) is hosting a theatre production from Brazil, Favela-Força from 7 to 19 December 2010. The theatre production consisting of five actors plus the art director is visiting South Africa as part of a cultural exchange programme between CDT and IBISS Brazil, a non-profit organisation that works with youth in the Favelas (townships in Rio de Janeiro).

How might the Republic portray itself to European audiences as a dynamic global city through arts and culture or forge relationships through cultural diplomacy? With Finger Players' puppet theatre skits, Royston Tan's film 881, Peranakan artefacts and a Singapore Chinese Orchestra performance, among others.

It is a blow to Syria’s soft power as well as its fledgling entertainment industry. With an extremely small theater and cinema scene, the Muslim dramas are the country’s primary cultural export. They have sparked debate at home and are enormously popular across the whole Arab world, broadening Syria’s cultural reach.

As a whole, the [California International Theatre Festival] is an excellent example of cultural diplomacy towards American audiences as presented by various countries such as China, Ireland, Canada and Mexico, among others.

This past weekend, I had the privilege of attending a performance at the California International Theatre Festival in Calabasas. The annual festival offers an array of presentations meant to broaden “cultural understanding by means of community outreach, student training and cultural exchange through the performing arts”.