commonwealth games
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On the conflict between Australia's image abroad and the reality of the aboriginal communities on the ground.
![CC BY 2.0 XIX Commonwealth Games](https://uscpublicdiplomacy.org/sites/default/files/styles/275x168/public/uploads/rsz_27428062082_a535ae633d_k.jpg?itok=knnX-pKk)
Michał Marci Kobierecki looks at Great Britain’s use of sports diplomacy to foster relationships with former colonies.
Wednesday night's opening ceremony for the Commonwealth Games – with its inflatable Loch Ness Monster, giant kilts and rolling heather -- raised as many eyebrows as it did smiles. Nonetheless, experts agree that the event is likely to give "Brand Scotland" a much-needed boost. Some 1 billion viewers across 71 countries are estimated to have tuned in and watched the opening ceremony on Wednesday, which was held at the Celtic Park stadium in Glasgow.
The success of India's first Formula One Grand Prix stands in striking contrast to last year's Commonwealth Games fiasco...the Buddh International Circuit won high praise from race-car drivers and international media alike...India's ability to attract such international praise exemplifies its growing soft power.
What are your first thoughts about symbols of Chinese culture? The Great Wall, the Bird's Nest or Peking opera? A survey among 2,000 college students shows that Confucius, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), and former chairman Mao Zedong broke into the top 10 Chinese cultural icons among the 270 candidates.
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Welcome to the October issue of PDiN Monitor, CPD's electronic review of public diplomacy in the news. This issue focuses on the topic of Entertainment Diplomacy.