A brief history of Diplo
Diplo’s roots date back to October 1992 when Jovan Kurbalija established the Unit for Computer Applications at the Mediterranean Academy of Diplomatic Studies in Malta. After a few iterations, this unit became DiploFoundation on 20 November 2002.
This year, we celebrate 20 years of Diplo, as well as 30 years of research and education on the impact of digitalisation on diplomacy.
Join us on the journey through the evolution of both digital diplomacy, and Diplo.
- All
- Milestones
- Courses
- Events
- Conferences
- Publications
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03Monday March, 2008
- Internet governance capacity building programme
Diplo's Internet Governance Capacity Building Programme aims to support small and developing countries in effectively participating in policy processes shaping the future of the Internet since March 2008.
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10Tuesday June, 2008
- Multistakeholder diplomacy
A global conference on Multistakeholder Diplomacy took place in Malta in February 2005, with over 90 delegates attending. The event was organized by Diplo, in collaboration with the Maltese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other partners, opening with speeches by Dr. Francis Zammit Dimech and H.E. Prof. Guido de Marco.
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01Tuesday July, 2008
- A virtual closing ceremony
Students from the fourth generation of the Internet Governance Capacity Building Programme had a virtual closing ceremony in July 2008 at Diplomacy Island in Second Life with notable attendees like Dr. Jovan Kurbalija and Markus Kummer. A software bridge facilitated participation for students with weak bandwidth, connecting Second Life with Diplo chat rooms.
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09Wednesday July, 2008
- Online learning for diplomats from small island states
Diplo was selected to showcase its climate change training during a Special Event on Climate Change Diplomacy at the UN Headquarters in New York in July 2008, co-chaired by representatives from Malta and Switzerland, and attended by the President of the 62nd General Assembly.
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01Monday September, 2008
- Capacity building for India
Diplo organized a two-month Internet Governance Capacity Building course for 30 Indian students in September 2008, focusing on topics like Internet domain management, cybersecurity, and privacy.
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01Wednesday October, 2008
- Azerbaijan seminar
In October 2008, Olaph Terribile from the Maltese Ministry of Foreign Affairs conducted a well-received workshop on diplomatic protocol at the Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy. Azerbaijani diplomats and officials gained insights into organizing state visits, diplomatic gatherings, and etiquette. This successful session led to an invitation for Terribile to return for future workshops, strengthening the collaborative relationship between the Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy and Diplo.
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01Saturday November, 2008
- From 1848 to now
In 2008, Diplo collaborated with the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies to publish a collection of works by Swiss diplomats spanning two centuries.
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01Monday December, 2008
- Climate change diplomacy | Online course
In December 2008, 26 diplomats and officials from small and developing countries engaged in the online course on Climate Change Diplomacy organized by Diplo with the backing of Malta and Switzerland.
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12Thursday February, 2009
- Persuasion – the essence of diplomacy
Prof. Dietrich Kappeler, a seasoned diplomat with a 50-year career, was honored at a Farewell Symposium by Diplo in 2009. The event highlighted the theme of Persuasion – The Essence of Diplomacy, a concept he contributed to since Diplo's early days. Prof. Kappeler, previously a Swiss diplomat, also founded diplomatic training institutions. In 2013, a publication further delved into the theme of persuasion in diplomacy with insights from experts and practitioners.
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01Monday June, 2009
- 10 years of diplomatic Training
The Commonwealth Secretariat and Diplo collaborated for 10 years to provide diplomatic training for small and developing countries. Their joint publication shares success stories of program participants and highlights the impact of the training on individuals and their nations.
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25Thursday June, 2009
- Malta, Mexico and Switzerland promote online diplomatic training
Malta, Mexico, and Switzerland have teamed up to enhance online diplomatic training through an agreement signed in Geneva in 2009. This collaboration allows for joint efforts in creating online courses on global governance. Initially, two institutes, Diplo and the Matias Romero Institute, will be involved in implementing these activities.
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01Tuesday September, 2009
- Looking under the bonnet
Diplomats and journalists play key roles in international affairs, often leading to tension and conflict due to different perspectives. A 2009 workshop in Geneva aimed to bridge this gap by enhancing journalists' understanding of diplomacy, exploring procedures and professional cultures to shed light on how diplomacy functions.
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01Tuesday September, 2009
- ICT policy for Africa, Carribean, Pacific
In 2009, DiploFoundation initiated a Capacity Development Programme funded by the European Development Fund, targeting African, Caribbean, and Pacific countries to support their policy and Internet governance efforts.
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14Monday September, 2009
- EuroDIG 2009
At EuroDIG 2009, twenty graduates from Diplo’s European Capacity Building Programme, representing non-state entities, contributed to discussions, ensuring inclusion of Eastern and South-Eastern European countries in crucial Internet policy processes.
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22Thursday October, 2009
- Diplo among top 10 who are changing the world
Diplo recognized for impactful work in global governance and Internet participation by World e-Democracy Forum and PoliticsOnline in 2009 as part of Top 10 Changing the World list. Diplomatic training and policy support aiding developing nations in Internet governance highlighted at the event.
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23Friday October, 2009
- Professional development workshops
Professional development workshops in Malta in October 2009 covered Language and Influence, as well as Protocol and Business Etiquette, acting as the initial sessions of a series.
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01Sunday November, 2009
- Diplo at the 4th IGF
Diplo delegates participated in the 4th IGF in November 2009 at Sharm el-Sheikh. Efforts were made to include a wider range of stakeholders using Web 2.0 tools for remote participation, aiming to reduce costs and expand the community involvement. Despite a discrepancy between developed and developing countries, youth participation was significantly improved and more structured than in previous years.
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11Thursday March, 2010
- Opportunities for interaction
Diplo's Internet Governance Diplomacy workshop in Nairobi in March 2010 included participants from various sectors learning about Internet governance. They appreciated the interactive nature of the workshop and suggested the need for more similar events in their regions.
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27Saturday March, 2010
- Language and influence workshop
A workshop on Language and Influence held in Malta in March 2010 focused on understanding and utilizing language effectively to achieve goals. Participants gained a linguistic toolkit to address common language challenges like ambiguity and suggestion.
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14Wednesday April, 2010
- E-diplomacy event in Brussels
In April 2010, the E-diplomacy Initiative was launched in Brussels at the Permanent Representation of Malta, with Dr Jovan Kurbalija and Stefano Baldi as main speakers. The session emphasized using e-tools efficiently to work smarter, not harder, for diplomats. The event was a prelude to the International E-diplomacy Conference held in Malta in June.
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26Monday April, 2010
- E-diplomacy event in Washington D.C.
E-diplomacy event in Washington D.C. included presentations by Mark Miceli, Norbert Baerlocher, and Jeff Brueggeman. Dr. Jovan Kurbalija spoke about e-diplomacy, and tele-conferencing was highlighted at the state-of-the-art TelePresence facility.
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27Tuesday April, 2010
- E-diplomacy event in New York
An E-diplomacy event took place at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, organized by the Permanent Missions of Malta and Switzerland in collaboration with Diplo and other partners. Over 70 diplomats and officials were in attendance.
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29Thursday April, 2010
- E-diplomacy seminar in Baku
Diplo's Dr. Andrei Mikheyev conducted a two-day e-diplomacy workshop in Baku in collaboration with the Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy. The workshop focused on Internet trends affecting government activities, especially diplomacy, and emphasized the use of social media. The event attracted 29 participants, with 16 from the Azerbaijan Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Attendees learned about online tools to enhance their daily work through hands-on exercises, discussions, and student presentations.
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01Saturday May, 2010
- E-diplomacy event in Vienna
Diplomats and officials gathered in Vienna for an E-diplomacy event in May 2010, involving discussions on technology costs, e-government services in Malta, information management for diplomats, remote participation tools, and the impact of e-communication on language.
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13Thursday May, 2010
- Internet governance workshop in Ghana
Over 20 participants from Ghana and Nigeria showed great interest and attended an Internet governance workshop in Accra in May 2010. The workshop covered various aspects of Internet governance and its impact on local policies, with a special focus on international and regional processes.
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19Wednesday May, 2010
- E-diplomacy event in Geneva
Over 60 diplomats attended the E-diplomacy Initiative launch event in Geneva. The focus was on remote participation in meetings, highlighting its benefits like increased inclusivity via cost and time savings and reduced carbon footprint. The event emphasized that remote participation complements but does not replace face-to-face meetings.
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01Tuesday June, 2010
- Consular diplomacy
A new course on Consular Diplomacy was introduced by Diplo in June 2010. Consular diplomacy involves assisting a state's own citizens traveling abroad and foreign citizens needing visas or support, such as illegal migrants and overseas workers.
