We all know that protocol dictates the leader of a State should be photographed in front of the flag of the State. But what happens when (as is normally the case) two leaders meet? Which flag should be on the right, and which on the left? And how do you determine which is left and which is right? All these might seem very basic, common-sense questions. But sometimes, in the frenzy of handling visits, these are the things that slip…
We have all been urged to read voraciously – whether it is an X feed, or a text excerpt, or even an old-fashioned book – reading is always a good thing. Reading, they say, opens the mind and expands your horizons. I won’t disagree with this. What I would like to add to the discourse about reading is that there is also a necessity to READ ALOUD. The usual benefits to reading aloud include: the opportunity to correct one’s pronunciation,…
Like any other speech, text, or piece of writing, diplomatic parlance also comes in various types. We often attribute the use of niceties and layered nuances as ‘diplomatic talk’ or ‘parlance’. This is the most common form. However, one of the less-used types of diplomatic talk is direct diplomacy, where you just say it as it is. This is often employed only by those who: have nothing to lose by being as honest as possible; or are very secure in…
People’s perception of a country is one of the more important things in diplomacy. In high politics, the perception of being powerful enough to do what YOU want to do, is what deters other countries from taking advantage of you, fearing retaliation. In diplomatic networking, the perception that a particular person is a ‘do-er’ rather than just a ‘talker’ will result in people gravitating towards the person. Never mind if the perception is not real – it is always the…
Taking The Floor One of the more frustrating things when dealing with new delegates / representatives at international negotiations is the idea of ‘taking the floor’. Many will just freeze up when they have to say something in public, much less argue an unpopular point of view. This happens to the even the most seasoned representatives, and is an aspect of diplomacy that can be overcome, with practice and with one constant reminder. The reminder is to self – that…
Not everyone who works in an embassy is a diplomat. Most embassies are staffed by what is known as “locally-recruited staff” (LRS), meaning that the individual lives in that country and applied for a job at that particular embassy. The LRS holds no diplomatic rank, and do not get assigned to another embassy in another country. I often say that it is the LRS that provide the institutional memory of an embassy; while diplomats come and go, the LRS remain…
A courtesy call is an appointment normally made by someone of a lesser rank, upon a much higher ranking person. For example, the first meeting between a new ambassador and a foreign minister will be termed as “Courtesy call by Ambassador (name) of (country) on the Minister of Foreign Affairs”. In some cases, you are not even sure who ranks higher, so in order to be safe you would also call that first meeting as a ‘courtesy call’. At other…
This time I am just going to post an image. The story behind table settings will be tackled in another post.
