The Kremlin is backing an ambitious effort to make the B-sides of the Russian literary canon more accessible to a global audience. Is it a boon for cultural understanding — or propaganda? [...] They (U.S. and Russia) were joining forces to publish a treasury of Russian literature in English, at least 100 volumes strong, spanning three centuries and possibly more.

José Carreño Carlón, director of the Fondo de Cultura Económica, said the truck is meant to promote Spanish-language learning, especially among the children of Latin American families. [...] Jose Luiz Martinez, director of international affairs for the National Council for Culture and the Arts, said the book truck is an example of "cultural diplomacy."

The festival will run from 12 - 22 September 2015 at the world-renowned cultural institution La MaMa in downtown Manhattan. Wholly citizen-initiated and run by a committee of volunteers, Something To Write Home About (STWHA) will showcase the best of Singapore's arts and culture, featuring over 40 Singaporean artists from a wide range of disciplines, including visual arts, dance, music, theater, film, literary arts, and culinary arts.

Let’s move away from these products and focus on how soft power actually incorporates ethical standards of behavior and important societal norms that resonate with others in the world. These fundamental norms should not surprise us: liberal ideas of individualism, economic incentives, democracy and human rights. Implementing these liberal values over many decades has led the U.S. to our dominant global economic and political position.

The Santa Clarita Sister Cities Program is a proud member of Sister Cities International (SCI), a nonprofit citizen diplomacy network creating and strengthening partnerships between U.S. and international communities in an effort to increase global cooperation at the municipal level, to promote cultural understanding and to stimulate economic development. Currently, the City of Santa Clarita has international Sister Cities in Tena, Ecuador and Sariaya, Philippines.

Two musk oxen for a pair of giant pandas. Who would make that trade? The Chinese did, when President Richard M. Nixon was on his world-changing trip to China in 1972. [...] Panda diplomacy has had a long history, but before Ling-Ling and Hsing-Hsing arrived in the United States (not long after Nixon returned from his trip), there hadn’t been a giant panda here for more than 20 years.