Good food is the way to winning people’s heart. And Italians are masters at winning hearts with their globally popular cuisine so much so that the authorities in Italy believe food can also be a powerful tool for diplomacy. Organising an Italian Cuisine Week in around 120 countries including Doha simultaneously, the Italian authorities aim to lighten up people’s mood with good food.

The Culture City of East Asia 2016, Nara project aims to make autumn a particularly eventful time. “Art Celebration in Nara: Beyond Time and Space” opened in September and runs until Oct. 23 and its lineup of art exhibitions features works by leading contemporary artists from East Asia, India, Iran, Syria and Turkey