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…
Today let’s talk about dinner invitations. More specifically, having accepted a dinner invitation, you then find that you can’t make it. For whatever reason. (Of course, the golden rule is that once you have accepted a dinner invitation, you MUST go. Unless you’re lying on a mortuary slab) Assuming that you have a really good reason for not being able to turn up to a dinner, a few things should be done: What do I mean by ‘sufficient’? Preferably, a…
The diplomatic world seems to have one of the most rigid rules-based system of any profession. Centuries-old protocol & etiquette guide the diplomat, from what they say, how they eat, whom they can meet, and even where they sit. The diplomat is taught there are certain things that should not be mentioned in polite company: a person’s medical condition, the children (or lack thereof), a person’s natural ‘endowments’, among the many. Then there is the fine dining etiquette – the…
This global pandemic has somewhat changed the way in which diplomats have conducted diplomacy. Where once there used to be daily receptions, dinners, lunches and other get-togethers, these days things have to be carefully orchestrated so that guests are limited, contact is minimised, and all necessary protocols (both diplomatic and health-wise) are adhered to. At the recent National Day of India, which had to be turned from a traditional reception to a sit-down dinner, there were quite a number of…
