Abu Dhabi: The Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy (AGDA), the UAE’s premier organization that trains the nation’s current and future diplomats, recently organized a panel discussion, titled ‘Public Diplomacy Tradecraft.’
The event which had eminent diplomats in attendance, shed light on how public diplomacy became a key component of a country’s foreign policy and how ministries communicate with a foreign audience in the 21st century. Students and Academics at AGDA as well as members of the diplomatic community in the UAE attended the panel discussion.
The session which was moderated by Mr. Nickolay Mladenov, Acting Director General of AGDA, hosted dignitaries such as;
- Omar Saif Ghobash, Assistant Minister for Culture and Public Diplomacy, Office of Public and Cultural Diplomacy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MoFAIC)
- Ingrid de Beer, Head of Public Diplomacy and Foreign Audiences, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and
- Paul Kruchoski, the Director of the Office of Policy, Planning and Resources, at the U.S. State Department.
In the 21st century, diplomacy is not only confined to quiet negotiations between professional diplomats. It is increasingly about engaging the public both domestically and across borders. For aspiring diplomats, it is essential to learn the art of public diplomacy in order to serve their country effectively and develop the tradecraft they need to function in a world in which the lines between information and disinformation are increasingly blurred.
Mr. Nickolay Mladenov observed while speaking about the significance of the session and public diplomacy.
Meanwhile, Mr. Ghobash remarked that, “For the UAE public diplomacy is about building bridges of cooperation and understanding between people and nations, for the purpose of increased global prosperity and peace.”
For his side, Ms. Ingrid de Beer stated that, “Public diplomacy is about creating partnerships. We have to work together to solve the global challenges of our time.”
Mr. Kruchoski put forwarded his view about the matter by commenting that, “The foundations of peace and international cooperation start with people, and with the listening and dialogue that are central to public diplomacy.”