The initiative, a key diplomatic effort by the State Department, aims to engage young girls and women on how success in athletics can develop important life skills and improve academic achievement. It also is designed to increase cross-cultural understanding between international participants and Americans.

Not long after becoming secretary of state in 2009, Clinton took up the cookstove cause, one of what she describes as “smart power” issues — though skeptical veterans of American foreign policy tend to deride them as soft more than smart.

An initiative of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Center Stage brings compelling contemporary artists from Haiti, Indonesia and Pakistan to the United States to engage Americans in cultural diplomacy as a way to create opportunities for greater understanding.

Amazon will be responsible for upgrading software and enabling a text-to-speech capability on the Kindles. That latter requirement is aimed at integrating the Kindles into embassy-supported English teaching programs...Content on the Kindles will be sorted into “collections identified by the Office of the Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs.”

Sports diplomacy builds on Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton’s vision of “smart power,” embracing the full range of diplomatic tools—in this case, swimming—to bring individuals together and foster greater understanding.

Just two months into her tenure, the savvy social media under secretary can be found on Twitter @Tsonenshine. Using @StateDept with hashtag #AskState or @USAenEspanol using hashtag #AskUSA, interested followers can ask Sonenshine questions about the State Department and her responsibilities.

Ms. Kwan is attending the event as the Public Diplomacy Envoy for the President’s Council on Fitness, Sport and Nutrition.

Eight participants were involved in an intensive five-day performance arts programme in the YES! Hip Hop Academy held in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah recently.