Four years ago, Norwegian artist Tone Leksbo (right) spent nine months in Kunming studying Chinese. This July she returned for a summer residency at TGC Nordica, where she is presenting a solo exhibition through Sept 3.

The show, titled Changing Places, includes installation, photography and video. Reflecting over the rapid changes happening in the world today, images in the exhibition are from China, Vietnam, Germany, Norway and Mali. Leksbo is critical to the modern consumer society. In one of her main works Tone poses the question of what will happen to toys after they've been played with a couple of times.

During the exhibition opening earlier this summer, the Norwegian embassy says, a short ceremony was conducted in remembrance of the Utoya massacre on July 22 in Norway, with a short candelight vigil for the victims.

Director Geoffrey Andrews of the Western Academy of Beijing and Norwegian members of the staff visited Norway's embassy in Beijing last week to show their condolences in the wake of the tragedy at Utoya. Andrews presented the embassy with a huge card signed by teachers and students.

Andrews said that the tragedy had made a deep impact and that the academy considered it important to let the students contribute somehow. The school has also been flying a Norwegian flag at half-staff. Within the diverse student body of the academy are approximately 20 Norwegian students, and the school has several Norwegian staff members.

Afghanistan's Ambassador to China Sultan Baheen hosted several hundred guests for a reception at the Landmark Towers Hotel in Beijing last week to celebrate his country's National Day.

Denmark's Ambassador-at-Large for Trade and Investments with China, Ritt Bjerregaard, is visiting Beijing and Shanghai on a weeklong tour that ends Sunday.

Minister Counselor Soren Jacobsen welcomed her at an embassy reception that included around 100 CEOs from Danish companies in China.

"Both countries have a lot to gain from each other in terms of know-how, science and technology, and with the currently expected 19 percent export growth rate to China in 2011, I am confident, that Danish products are in demand in China," says Bjerregaard.

Her weekend in Shanghai includes meetings with Danish companies such as Grundfos and Paustian, the Innovation Center in Shanghai, European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, the Danish Chamber of Commerce in China and meetings with current and future Danish and Chinese business partners. Invest in Denmark has arranged meetings with Chinese companies Huawei and Shangtex to promote investment in Denmark.

To celebrate World Photography Day, the British embassy in China's website has posted a Foreign Office film by award-winning Brazilian photojournalist Andre Camara. See Britain Through My Eyes features people "from home and abroad talking about their experiences of modern Britain in the run-up to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. See the film at ukinchina.fco.gov.uk/en/.

Swedes in the capital are training for the upcoming Beijing Marathon with a 10-week running camp through Oct 16. There is a running activity in Chaoyang Park every Sunday from 10 to 11:30 am.

The Swedish embassy invites runners at all levels, from beginner to experienced. The camp consists of a joint warm-up, technique skills training, group running exercises and workshops to prepare for the Oct 16 race. Runners can choose if they want to run 5, 9, 21 or 42 kilometers, or just train with the group on weekends. The fee for the entire period is 300 yuan ($47), which includes gear and discounts from sponsors Li-Ning and Vitamin Water.

Embassy news can be sent to mike.peters.cd@gmail.com.