We’ve been telling you for years to take the plunge and start that business. The world is ready and, armed with our Entrepreneurs Guide, so are you.

When it comes to peace treaties, where there’s a will there’s a Norway. The peace and reconciliation unit in Oslo is involved in 20 such projects around the world – and one of the most prominent has brought the Colombian government and Farc rebels to the table.

In diplomatic schools across the globe a fresh generation of young thinkers are learning how to improve international relations from the institutions that spawned today’s political heavyweights.

South Korea’s Ministry of Unification is adamant that not only would the reunification of the Korean peninsula be a positive step but that it’s also a realistic goal. Monocle paid a visit to try and establish the source of such relentless optimism.

Despite being heavily patrolled, business across the US-Mexican border is more fluid than it appears. Monocle visits companies making all the right waves.

Our relationship with cities is symbiotic – and as we evolve, they do too. Today companies can take a proactive approach to their home towns and transform them into places to serve their communities, help the environment or just add to the local character.

Japanese whisky giants are world famous but it’s an upstart distillery, Chichibu, that’s winning all the awards and showing how to blend Scottish know-how with local ingredients.

The MBA has always been a target for executives looking to rise up the ranks. But be it globalisation, economic instability or the tech boom, the business world is constantly shifting in both its fortunes and its focus. How are MBA programmes — and the business schools that design them— expected to keep up? Here, we talk to three schools about how they stay relevant.

Monocle gets behind the scenes of Brunei’s first-ever commercial feature film as local artists look to establish an indigenous movie industry to rival their Asian neighbours and make a splash on the international stage.

From the socialist designs of modernist Havana to sharp minds surrounded by cutting-edge architecture in New York, plus a little bit of rural England thrown in the mix, we look at how art, music and philosophy are being taught in spaces that mirror their subjects.

The new Ace Hotel in east London is intended to not only meet the usual criteria of offering rooms for guests but also provide non-paying local-neighbourhood residents with a place to gather and creative businesses with some much-appreciated opportunities.

The enamelware coming out of the Noda Horo factory in the Kanto region of Japan hardly has time to sit on the shelves before it flies off them again. Meet the family firm that has forged a reputation for quality and creativity.

A city of 11 million, São Paulo is not an easy place to design a substantial residential building that affords both privacy and space. But with his award-winning 360º Building, architect Isay Weinfeld has done just that.

The view from Germany's campaign trail, why crossing the Russia/Baltics border just got easier and an interview with a key figure in the Turkish protests.

The airline setting up in China's second cities, Seoul's push for greener transport and Japan's tourism drive.

Improvements in Providence, pedalling in Portland and exporting education from Brazil.

Why the president of the Central African Republic favours a uniform, why Turkish trade with Egypt is on a roll and why Kenya has a symbol solution.

Australia's tough political scene, saving the kangaroo and striking gold in the New Georgia Sound.

Chuck Hagel's motorcade, Ethiopia's dam trouble and Europe's new war games.

We meet Lebanon's ambassador in London and report on other news from the diplomatic world.

A contemporary Asian art auction in Singapore, a new gallery in Hong Kong and an interview with Canadian dentist-turned-collector Kenneth Montague.

A new venture by Swiss daily NZZ and a Q&A with the co-founder of the School of Life, Alain de Botton.

The music, films and books to keep you entertained this month.

Projects and products, from a residence in Tokyo to a new coat rack from Philadelphia.

Our tasty round-up includes tomatoes from the Isle of Wight and a café in Bangkok

A master who was making Tour de France bikes in the 1980s and an apprentice with a background in skateboarding – together they are ensuring that the renowned Zullo name lives on for cycling aficionados around the world.

John Jay helped make the Portland-based advertising agency Wieden + Kennedy a global creative force through work for Nike, Uniqlo and others. With his own spin-off, GX, he plans even bigger coups – by starting small.

As artistic director for the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), Cameron Bailey watches 700 films a year. But with midnight meetings, hectic schedules and nervous producers, it’s not all fun and games for Toronto’s Michael Corleone...

A slice of US-style modernism deep in the heart of the Caribbean, Puerto Rico’s El Monte provokes an almost messianic zeal among its adherents. To them, El Monte is not simply a home but an experiment in how to live.

Eye-catching crockery and gadgets for the oenophile to help you wine and dine are just some of our specially chosen products this month.

Restaurant firm Monsoon Group is busy turning Iran’s capital into a feast for the senses – with an emphasis on taste. Its latest effort is Divan, where creativity can be found on the menu and on the walls. Elsewhere, discover a Slow Food classic in Milan and a private island in the Maldives.

An influx of entrepreneurs has given East Austin a new lease of life, filling the border town with an artisan scene that’s disproving many of its myths.

Patrick Blanc, the botanist who pioneered vertical gardens, eats his ‘last meal’ at Pershing Hall, a Parisian hotel featuring one of his stunning creations.

Thinking of setting up your own business? Here are three cities that are startup friendly and that could make your life easier.

A trip to the shops sells editor-in-chief Tyler Brûlé on the notion that the future of retail lies at the heart of communities.