Chinese animation can act as a vanguard for the export of Chinese culture, said Leng Song, general secretary of the world media research center of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. Animation is rarely affected by cultural barriers and can be easily understood and accepted by the general public, Leng said.

A soft-power campaign that included documentary films on Russian television and denunciations by Russian officials of human rights violations preceded the uprising in April 2010 that overthrew Kurmanbek S. Bakiyev, a corrupt autocrat who had sometimes thwarted Russian interests, particularly regarding the American base, which the Russians wanted shut down.

Lancaster alluded to the soft power of the Vatican, which panelists agreed plays a significant role in international affairs. She noted that in the modern world, military and economic power, while important, can play second fiddle to religion, which is traditionally seen as a soft power.

American Voices works in countries emerging from isolation or conflict, said John Ferguson, the founder of the organization...“In many cases, we are the first Americans people have seen who are not diplomats or soldiers,” Ferguson said.

Students can function as citizen diplomats... and collectively contribute to strengthen shared values between cultures. This year, nearly 100,000 Indian students are enrolled in American colleges... but only 3,000 American students are studying abroad in India.

Grassroots Chinese students' associations are taking it upon themselves to bridge the gap between the United States and China at Harvard University. "Representing China today shouldn't be only dumplings and Chinese-style dresses because people from outside China know it already,"

How will the core group of America, Pakistan and Afghanistan work alongside the bilateral effort that Pakistan and Afghanistan have supposedly been working on?...It is about time to start implementing the reconciliation process... but the path forward is not as clear as public diplomacy might suggest.

These are all of value in America’s war against poverty, hunger and premature death in the developing world. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has said that America should extend its influence by the use of “soft power” – hospitals, education, agricultural development, all things Israel can be helpful in.