Can sports increase dialogue and cultural understanding between people around the world? The U.S. State Department believes so — and has tapped Salisbury University’s Dr. Dean Ravizza to assist. Recently, for a 10-day Israeli/Palestinian basketball program, the Princess Anne resident designed a series of lectures and activities emphasizing concepts such as negotiation, teamwork and group dynamics.

Pupils across East Renfrewshire will be getting a helping hand with their language lessons, thanks to the arrival of teaching assistants from Germany, France, and Spain. A number of foreign students will spend the next year helping youngsters in the Barrhead area get to grips with another language. The project is being supported by the British Council, which is the UK’s international organization for educational opportunities and cultural relations.