This past year, social media replaced traditional news outlets as an unrivaled source of information.The problem is, an unfiltered hashtag feed provides quality journalism in a haystack of foreign languages. So technically savvy outlets found that by editorially curating quality social media channels, they could cut out the noise associated with a raw Twitter feed and still relay key information at Internet speed.

The United States has increased its funding for the binational Fulbright Program to $8.5 million per year, making it one of the largest Fulbright programs in the world. The U.S. government has committed $15 million for a new five year Fulbright Indonesia Research, Science, and Technology Program – or FIRST Program - to support American and Indonesian students and scholars.

First outlined by President Obama during his “New Beginnings” speech in 2009, the Global Entrepreneurship Program supports entrepreneurs in Muslim majority emerging economies by linking them with mentors and access to financing. Indonesia is the second country after Egypt to implement the pilot, which officials say supports stable democracy by creating jobs and growing local economies.

Since 2008, under the leadership of the Obama Administration and direction of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the United States has actively advocated for a more networked society. The U.S. Department of State has coined this initiative, 21st Century Statecraft.

The reason we do it is it's part of who we are," Rudd said. "Part of America's great standing around the world since World War II is it's combination of hard power and soft power. ... U.S. aid given around the world helps their standing in the world. It's part of the American greatness that we've seen.

Heidi Wastweet is a Seattle sculptor and medallic artist, but one of her passions is to design money — coins, specifically...and now she gets to design the future of the United States' coins. Coins may be viewed as chump change, says Wastweet, but the image on a penny, nickel or quarter can influence the way we and the world view America.

More broadly, a default would leave America a global laughingstock. Our “soft power,” our promotion of democracy around the world, and our influence would all take a hit. The spectacle of paralysis in the world’s largest economy is already bewildering to many countries. If there is awe for our military prowess and delight in our movies and music, there is scorn for our political/economic management.

Tightened budgets in recent years all but pushed these sister-city efforts into obscurity, but thanks to persistence and local fundraising, the cross-cultural and cross-global friendships are enjoying something of a revival.