2-3 Jul 2007
Should NATO open an office in the virtual world of Second Life? What are the key challenges in public diplomacy today? This and other issues were the focus of a NATO public diplomacy workshop in Brussels, 2-3 July.
The event brought together public diplomacy directors from national capitals, representatives of Delegations to NATO, senior NATO officials, as well as leading experts to discuss trends and opportunities in modern public diplomacy.
The sessions included a look at new tools, key trends and challenges, as well as ways of measuring the effectiveness of activities.
Some of the issues discussed included the importance of non-elite networks and civil society, non-linear communication, and the notion of issue-based public diplomacy.
While new media was having a tremendous impact and changing communication into a two-way dialogue with audiences, participants stressed that the content of public diplomacy was more important than the medium used for its delivery. To do so effectively, participants underlined that public diplomacy should be an integral part of policy definition as well as policy implementation.
Participants also emphasized the importance of being innovative and creative in order to communicate effectively in a world saturated with information-providers. Governments and international organizations like NATO should ensure they have the capacity to foster a stronger “entrepreneurial” spirit in their public diplomacy, several participants said.
During the event, public diplomacy leaders from France, Estonia and Canada presented their national approaches and experiences.
The event closed with a discussion of public diplomacy challenges and opportunities in relation to NATO’s mission in Afghanistan.
It was agreed that this kind of workshop should be held annually.
