For those of us committed to using cultural diplomacy as a significant force in advancing the national interest, that kind of condescending view is aggravating and we always welcome solid evidence that it is wrong.Such evidence comes now from the British Council...

A so-called brand ranking of countries, which was held recently by the UK Brand Finance company, shows that Russia, among other BRICS countries, is still very popular with foreign businesspeople as an object for investments.

The jubilee is meant more as a unifier than a pacifier, and the national broadcaster is entrusted with gushing appropriately, often when nothing is happening but a bout of rain-washed punting. But the project of British propagandising looks like falling apart under examination.

The chain of light began long before darkness reached the UK. As twilight fell across the Pacific, New Zealand, Tonga and Australia took turns to start the relay of 4,200 beacons lit to mark the Queen's diamond jubilee.

Nearly everyone likes cultural diplomacy in principle, but some remain skeptical about its value. It is seen by many as soft power at its softest, safe and fuzzy, with more aesthetic rewards than diplomatic ones.

For those of us committed to using cultural diplomacy as a significant force in advancing the national interest, that kind of condescending view is aggravating and we always welcome solid evidence that it is wrong.

Painting pandas on central London taxies is the latest campaign to raise awareness of the endangered Chinese animal. The campaign is jointly run by London Taxi Advertising and the Chengdu Association for Cultural Exchange with Foreign Countries in Chengdu, Sichuan province, which is home to more than 80 percent of the world's panda population.

Not for nothing has Her Majesty been described as the world’s most effective weapon in the projection of “soft power.” Americans would be quick to salute the victories she has won for peace and goodwill, most recently by going to Dublin and – so it seemed – just watching with mild interest while a man poured a pint of stout.

And what better year to promote the advantages of British-made products than 2012, which is exactly what the people at kitchen appliance company Stoves thought when they decided to launch their Made in Britain campaign.