Diplomats as Writers

Welcome to the Diplomats as Writers space, a platform dedicated to exploring diplomats’ substantial and often overlooked contributions to the world’s cultural heritage. Your hosts, the esteemed Egyptian Ambassador Amr Aljowaily and esteemed Italian Ambassador Stefano Baldi will guide you through this unique corner. Navigating the nuanced corridors of diplomacy requires not only strategic acumen but also a depth of knowledge in culture, history, language, and literature. These attributes naturally shape diplomats into compelling writers whose works offer fresh perspectives, insight, and understanding, inextricably linking diplomacy to the broader cultural narrative of our global society.

Here, we delve into the rich tapestry of prose, poetry, memoirs, and more penned by diplomats worldwide. We share their exceptional literary output and the stories behind the stories—revealing how their diplomatic careers have shaped their writing and vice versa.

Whether you are an aficionado of diplomatic history, an aspiring writer, a cultural explorer, or simply curious, we invite you to embark on this fascinating journey with us. As we turn the pages of diplomatic literature, we uncover the intricate link between international relations and cultural discourse, providing a richer understanding of our shared human heritage.

Let’s together uncover the profound ways diplomats, through their written words, have helped weave the world’s cultural fabric. Welcome again to the Diplomats as Writers space, where every word has a story, and every story reflects the world.

Books on Diplomats Writers

A number of books on diplomats writers have been published in various countries. Below a list of titles that our research has uncovered so far. Some books are freely available online.

FRANCE
* Laurence Badel – Gilles Ferragu – Stanislas Jeannesson – Renaud Meltz, Écrivains et diplomates. L’invention d’une tradition XIXe-XXIe siècles, Armand Colin, Institut Français, Paris, 2012, pp. 416.
* Diplomates-Écrivains XIXe-XXe siècles, Catalogue de l’exposition, Ministère des Affaires étrangères et européennes, 2011, pp. 104.

GREECE
* Διπλωματία και Συγγραφικό Έργο [Diplomacy and Writing], Υπουργείο Εξωτερικών – Κέντρο Ανάλυσης και Σχεδιασμού, 2002, pp. 198.

ISRAEL
* Moshe Fox, I remember the days of old. Memoirs, Diaries and Writings of Israeli diplomats, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 1998, pp. 52 + XII.

IRELAND
* Angela Byrne, Ragnar Deeney Almqvist, Helena Nolan (eds.), All Strangers Here. 100 Years of Personal Writing from the Irish Foreign Service, Arlen House, Dublin, 2021, pp. 384. [info]

ITALY
* Stefano Baldi – Pasquale Baldocci, La penna del diplomatico. I libri scritti dai diplomatici dal dopoguerra ad oggi, FrancoAngeli, Milano, 2004, pp. 160.
* Stefano Baldi – Pasquale Baldocci, Through the Diplomatic Looking Glass. Books published by Italian Diplomats since 1946, DiploFoundation and Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Geneva, 2007, pp.176.
* Stefano Baldi, Il diplomatico su carta. Repertorio dei 1200 libri pubblicati da diplomatici italiani (in servizio dal 1946), Ebook, 2018, pp. 130.

PORTUGAL
* Diplomatas Escritores 1852-1983, Palácio das Necessidades. Lisboa. 1983, pp. 66.