4.3 DiploNews
DiploNews
Issue #57 - October 02, 2003

1. Call for Abstracts: International Conference on Organisational and Professional Cultures and Diplomacy The practice of diplomacy increasingly involves handling not only differences in national cultures, but different organisational and professional cultures at the same time. The Second International Conference on Intercultural Communication and Diplomacy (Malta, 13-15 February, 2004) will focus specifically on organisational and professional cultures and diplomacy. Diplomats today function in an increasingly multilateral environment: more often than in the past they are required to interact with a multitude of international organisations, ranging from the UN down to specific interest lobby groups. Simultaneously, diplomats are more and more involved in communicating directly with the domestic public; again with a multitude of groups.

Professor Geert Hofstede, author of Cultures and Organisations: Software of the Mind, and Cultures Consequences: Comparing Values, Behaviors, Institutions and Organizations Across Nations will make a keynote presentation at the conference, on “Diplomats as Cultural Bridge Builders”.

We welcome the submission of abstracts for papers to be presented at this conference. Please check the suggested presentation themes and use the online form available on the conference website or e-mail conference@diplomacy.edu for further information. 2. Belgrade Course on Information Society Governance – Report

DiploFoundation, in cooperation with the Diplomatic Academy in Belgrade and with the support of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, held the introductory workshop of the Belgrade Course on Information Society Governance in early September, 2003. The course will continue with an online phase, until December this year.

This course forms part of our series of activities related to Information Society Governance, leading up to the World Summit on the Information Society in December in Geneva. Look for more information on other Information Society related activities (IS 0Dictionary, IS Portal, and more) in upcoming issues of DiploNews.
3. Call for Applications: Postgraduate Diploma in Diplomacy

DiploFoundation's online Postgraduate Diploma in Diplomacy focuses on a broad spectrum of issues relevant for today's diplomats, including the position of diplomats in a globalised world, new topics on diplomatic agendas, and the use of the Internet and other information and communications technology (ICT) tools for diplomatic activities.

This year the program will coincide with the follow-up to the first phase of the World Summit on the Information Society, or WSIS (Geneva, December 2003) and preparations for the second phase (Tunis, November 2005). Participants will acquire the necessary knowledge and skills to take part in events such as the WSIS. Through negotiation simulation exercises participants will learn about the influence of ICT on diplomacy and international relations, and keep up-to-date with new developments in the field.

The program consists of an introductory workshop of 10 days in Malta and 10 months of online learning. Upon successful completion, participants will receive a postgraduate diploma in diplomacy awarded by the University of Malta.

4. Application deadline: October 31, 2003

Click here for more information or to apply, or e-mail admissions@diplomacy.edu.

DiploFoundation Success Stories

In recent years, participants from DiploFoundation training programs, courses, conferences and other activities have used their skills and ideas for a variety of interesting, innovative and inspiring projects. We have added a “Success Stories” page to our website to feature these accomplishments. This month’s success story is about Economic Diplomacy and Sustainable Development in Albania, a seminar organised in the city of Shkodra in Albania, by Zemaida Mozali, a current participant in our Postgraduate Diplomacy Course.
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