DiploNews – Issue 51 – 14 February 2003
Last Chance to Register – International Conference on Intercultural Communication and Diplomacy
Communication with other cultures has always been central to diplomacy. The essence of the diplomat's work lies in the relations between countries and peoples. Important decisions in international relations and related fields effect citizens of more than one nation, therefore the question of whether communication between people of different nations is effective and whether all parties emerge with the same understanding is of crucial importance. Lack of knowledge of another culture may confuse or even offend the people we wish to communicate with, making the conclusion of international or bilateral agreements difficult or impossible.
Building on our work in the field of language and diplomacy, DiploFoundation will host the international conference on intercultural communication and diplomacy, from February 20 – 23, 2003. With the help of participants from the diplomatic, NGO, academic and business communities we hope to uncover the interplay between diplomacy and intercultural communication; to learn what diplomacy can gain from and contribute to the field.
For more details and for conference registration information, please visit the conference website or e-mail Hannah Slavik at hslavik@diplomacy.edu.
DiploFoundation at the WSIS
The main focus of DiploFoundation activities in 2003 with be the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS). DiploFoundation will be present during the Second Preparatory Meeting for the WSIS in February 2003. We will be launching a Web Portal focusing on diplomatic aspects of the WSIS, and our training activities (courses on the Internet and diplomacy), research, publishing and other activities will all center on the WSIS process.
"Internet" vs. "internet"
We noticed that at the beginning of 2003 the Economist began spelling "Internet" with a lower case "i" : "internet". We are curious about whether this shift signals a change in perceptions of the Internet. Our readers are invited to send us any speculations about the reasons for this change at diplo@diplomacy.edu.
Crossword – Ministries of Foreign Affairs
Many ministries of foreign affairs are known by the name of the area/street/building in which they are located. For example Quai d'Orsay is often used as a reference for French diplomacy. See if you know the names used for the ministries of foreign affairs of various countries in this
issue's crossword.
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