“A ‘citizen diplomat mindset’ means being intentional when interacting with individuals from a different country by believing that one of your roles is to positively represent the United States,” explained Jennifer Clinton, president of citizen diplomacy non-profit Global Ties. “Our reality today is that citizens around the world are having much greater influence on local, national, and international relations.”

In a move that sounds convenient and a little terrifying, international travelers to Australia may not need a passport by 2020. Officials say that the country is implementing a system to replace the standard paper ID with biometric technology that recognizes faces, irises and/or fingerprints. If all goes to plan, passengers from other countries will arrive in Australia and walk directly out of the airport just like a domestic traveler.

The airport presents visitors with a cherished consumer experience, such as convenience and hospitality. Beginning from the airport, ranked as third in Africa and 28th globally by Skytrax, a United Kingdom-based firm specialising in airline and airport research, everything appeared in order.

He suggested that the case could even be made that to travel is to do service for one's country. Travel and tourism, Whittingdale said, are a form of "soft power. Security is boosted by "greater understanding between countries," he observed. "The more people take advantage of the opportunity to visit other countries, and the more that [citizens of other countries] have exposure to visitors, that is a huge contribution."

In a new initiative, announced in London today, at the Leading Cultural Destination Awards, the SUN Program links with Leading Cultural Destinations and Lord Cultural Resources to establish a Soft Power Leaders Think Tank. [...]" The Soft Power Leaders Think Tank will help to deliver better understanding, governance, metrics and education through community lifestyle engagement.”