The cultural center is called @america – a name chosen because diplomats in the world’s most populous Muslim country thought it would appeal to the technical savvy young people, while conveying a measure of respect.

Yet, it is this role that allowed her [Michelle Obama] to come to South Africa as the president’s proxy on the ‘soft power’ pilgrimage that was surely intended to bring her country closer to South Africa.

China also began to actively practice soft power around the world, making investments in Africa, Asia, Australia and Latin America. Those investments not only made economic sense but also benefitted the local economy and made friends with a vast number of people.

That ran counter to early efforts by the Pentagon to dispel the notion that Africom's establishment was intended as an American power grab on the continent. American diplomats and military commanders painted Africom's mission as one to advise and assist African militaries and work to build partnerships.

Our nation's successful investment in fighting global AIDS has also been a powerful tool of public diplomacy... Giving people a chance at a healthy and productive life is among the most tangible contributions our nation can make to promote development and build stronger relationships with the U.S.

A petite blond Midwesterner, who is not Chinese and only began studying the language five years ago, became an iconic translator of American slang for pop-culture-hungry Chinese fans. The popularity of the show, called “OMG! Meiyu” and produced by Voice of America, has not escaped the notice of the agency’s executives, who recognize that hip and eccentric programming is vital to connecting with youths.

"All public diplomacy is moving away from the idea of a single voice toward an emphasis on coalitions, especially cooperation with [nongovernmental organizations]," says Nicholas Cull, a fellow at the Center on Public Diplomacy at the University of Southern California.

In the lead-up to next week's UN General Assembly in which he was scheduled to speak, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad allowed NBC's Ann Curry to shadow him in Iran for a feature entitled, "A Day in the Life of Iran's President."