The group will cement their bond today at a ceremony in Council Bluffs formalizing a friendship between Afghanistan’s third-largest city, Herat, and the Bluffs. The two cities will become “sister cities” as part of a decades-old citizen diplomacy program called Sister Cities International. The program pairs up cities from different countries to promote mutual understanding. 

The smear campaign against the Romanian Cultural Institute (ICR) has deepened and worsened.... which may soon result in a shift of political control over ICR from being overseen by the Romanian Presidency to the Romanian Senate, a new communiqué...is accusing ICR of “financial and legal irregularities” as well as “dysfunctional aspects,” without actually offering any tangible evidence.

New Delhi, Jun 26 (IANS): The cultural cooperation between India and Africa is moving beyond traditional exchanges to focus on education and capacity building initiatives which can become "a part of the national idiom", says Suresh Goel, director general of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR).

Seib is the author of Real-Time Diplomacy, a study of politics and social media that will be published in April. He says that stories about ordinary people have a real impact on foreign policy...

Internet users trying to access a new U.S. "virtual embassy"' from Iran on Wednesday said they were redirected to a Web page offering links to Iranian news, cultural and religious sites. The United States launched the site on Tuesday, saying it wanted to promote understanding between the two countries.

During the past three decades China has made great advances in public diplomacy and it is emerging as a vital tool for the country... But the financial crisis in Europe and the United States means there is a need for urgency in boosting China's public diplomacy.

“By using soft power to understand a people and their culture, you will gain a better understanding and appreciation of your partners,” Athavale said. During the three-day discourse with the junior officers, both sides were given ample opportunities to talk amongst themselves.