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 digital diplomacy, and Diplo!
- All
- Milestones
- Courses
- Events
- Conferences
- Publications
-
20Wednesday November, 2002
- DiploFoundation is born
DiploFoundation is established, dedicated to enhancing the involvement of small states in global diplomacy, improving global governance, and assisting in Internet governance. Through various activities, it has pursued these goals over the past two decades.
-
17Monday February, 2003
- Diplo supports the World Summit on Information Society (WSIS)
Diplo actively supports the World Summit on Information Society, collaborating since 2003 through training courses and research initiatives, emphasizing diplomatic aspects of the event.
-
20Thursday February, 2003
- Intercultural communication conference
In 2003, Malta hosted an International Conference on Intercultural Communication and Diplomacy with 70 participants from 36 countries. Over four days, 24 speakers discussed diverse topics in intercultural communication within diplomacy.
-
01Tuesday July, 2003
- Economic diplomacy portal
Ambassador Kishan S Rana and Dr. Valentin Katrandzhiev collaborated in July 2003 to establish an economic diplomacy portal focusing on modern economic diplomacy within international relations.
-
11Monday August, 2003
- Bilateral diplomacy course starts…
Diplo launched an online course in August 2003 on Bilateral Diplomacy to teach participants the basics of this essential aspect of international relations. The course, conducted online over two months, combined theory with practical examples from diplomatic practice.
-
01Monday September, 2003
- Internet governance workshop in Belgrade
In September 2003, a workshop on Internet governance was conducted in Belgrade by Diplo in collaboration with the Diplomatic Academy and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, preceding a larger event in Geneva later that year.
-
01Monday September, 2003
- Diplo and GCSP joint initiative on cybersecurity
Diplo collaborated with GCSP in 2003, contributing to a security course in Belgrade and Bishkek on information technology and negotiations. They co-organized a panel in Geneva on cyberwar, cybercrime, and cyberterrorism.
-
28Tuesday October, 2003
- New Diplo office
Diplo relocated to a new office at the Regional Building in Msida, Malta in October 2003.
-
01Monday December, 2003
- Trends and issues in cyberspace
In 2003, Diplo released The Information Society Library booklets to offer non-technical guidance on cyberspace issues for international affairs professionals, focusing on trends and key topics in the field.
-
09Tuesday December, 2003
- Capacity building in Internet governance (training – research – policy immersion)
Diplo's inaugural multistakeholder course on Information Society Governance ended in December 2003, encompassing training sessions in Belgrade, online learning sessions, and activities in Geneva to enhance diplomatic reporting skills. This course attracted participants from government, business, media, and civil society.
-
09Tuesday December, 2003
- Diplo at the World Summit on the Information Society
Diplo participated in the World Summit on the Information Society in 2003, offering capacity-building for diplomats from developing nations, hosting discussions, and creating the Information Society Portal for data access.
-
13Friday February, 2004
- Second International Conference on Intercultural Communication and Diplomacy
The second International Conference on Intercultural Communication and Diplomacy in Malta in February 2004 centered on organizational and professional cultures in relation to diplomacy.
-
01Monday March, 2004
- The 21st century ambassador
The book "The 21st Century Ambassador" by Ambassador Kishan S Rana, published in 2004, explores the modern role of ambassadors in the international system, focusing on their relevance, responsibilities, and potential.
-
01Tuesday June, 2004
- Intercultural communication and diplomacy
The publication "Intercultural Communication and Diplomacy" edited by Hannah Slavik compiles papers from conferences in 2003 and 2004, featuring diverse perspectives from authors of 17 nationalities and various professional backgrounds.
-
06Wednesday October, 2004
- Exploring how language works
Diplo launched a course in 2004, focusing on Language and Diplomacy to explore how language functions in diplomacy and international relations. Emphasizing the importance of language awareness, it aimed to enhance diplomatic and political skills. The course, conducted online for two and a half months, analyzed real-life examples like treaties and speeches to connect theory with practical application.
-
11Thursday November, 2004
- UN Working Group on Internet Governance
In November 2004, Secretary General Kofi Annan created the Working Group on Internet Governance to discuss the future of internet governance, comprising 40 experts. Dr. Jovan Kurbalija represented Diplo and the Global Knowledge Partnership in this group.
-
17Tuesday May, 2005
- Between two phases of the World Summit on Information Society
During the World Summit on Information Society, tutors Veronica Cretu, Ljupco Gjorgjinski, and Andrei Mikheyev presented papers at the event in Saint Petersburg in May 2005.
-
01Wednesday June, 2005
- First Internet governance capacity building programme
The text discusses the inaugural Internet governance capacity building program initiated by Diplo in collaboration with various partners. The program included an introductory phase followed by individual and collaborative online research activities from March to June 2005.
-
01Monday August, 2005
- The intricacies of multilateral diplomacy
In 2005, an online course on multilateral diplomacy aimed to educate participants on diplomatic interactions involving more than two actors, focusing on the complex United Nations system.
-
01Monday August, 2005
- Roma diplomacy
Roma professionals from Eastern Europe gathered in Bucharest in July 2005 for the Roma Diplomacy programme, enhancing skills in diplomacy, media, and writing. Ambassador Kishan S Rana led an online introduction to diplomacy afterward.
-
01Thursday September, 2005
- Internet governance research programme
The Internet Governance Research Programme in 2005, organized by Diplo in collaboration with ICANN and others, aimed to enhance knowledge and skills in Internet governance among participants from developing countries while fostering community-building across diverse groups.
-
01Tuesday November, 2005
- Internet governance DVD
A self-learning package on Internet governance developed by Diplo and Asia Pacific Development Information Programme, focusing on development-oriented Internet governance and specific Asia-Pacific topics, was created as part of the Internet Governance course.
-
01Tuesday November, 2005
- Bridging the digital divide
Discussion panel at the Commonwealth Peoples Forum focused on Internet governance for decision makers from resource-limited countries. Participants gained skills for global debates. Diplo's efforts helped shape the Commonwealth Action Plan on the Digital Divide.
-
01Tuesday November, 2005
- Internet governance issues, actors and divides
A booklet by Diplo and Global Knowledge Partnership explores Internet governance's impact on development, covering various aspects and the debate from the World Summit on the Information Society.
-
08Thursday December, 2005
- A challenge for European institutions?
In December 2005, Diplo and the European Roma Information Office co-organised the Roma Diplomacy conference in Brussels, focusing on the challenge for European institutions.
-
01Sunday January, 2006
- Multistakeholder diplomacy: Challenges and opportunities
The book "Multistakeholder Diplomacy – Challenges and Opportunities" explores the multistakeholder model's characteristics and mechanisms, as well as its relevance to modern diplomacy, international negotiations, the information society's development, and Internet governance.
-
10Friday February, 2006
- The way forward
In February 2006, Diplo hosted a conference in Malta, collaborating with various partners, to facilitate discussions on establishing the Internet Governance Forum.
