DiploNews – Issue 392 – 1 April 2020

In focus: The COVID-19 crisis

COVID-19 has brought the world to its knees. With almost every country and territory reporting cases of the coronavirus, the world is having to adapt to a new kind of normal. On our dedicated page COVID-19: A time to adapt, we bring together resources related to the coronavirus outbreak, our ongoing events, and more.

Upcoming COVID-19 live discussions

Thursday, 2nd April
How to ensure the functional continuity of global diplomacy in time of crisis
In times of crisis, global cooperation is essential. Yet, COVID-19 has grounded global diplomacy with the cancellation of meetings and negotiations. In our next live discussion on COVID-19, on Thursday, 2nd April 2020 at 12:00 UTC (14:00 CEST), we will discuss ways of ensuring the functional continuity of global diplomacy. Join us online.

Tuesday, 7th April
Multilateral diplomacy in times of COVID-19
For many around the world, the briefings of the World Health Organization (WHO) provided crucial information on the emerging COVID-19 crisis. In the WebDebate, we will take a look at multilateral diplomacy in the times of COVID-19 by unpacking the role of the UN system and the WHO in particular; discussing the role of multilateral diplomacy (is multilateralism failing us?); and, looking ahead – will we see elements of a new UN or a new multilateral system emerge after the crisis? Join us Tuesday, 7th April 2020 at 12:00 UTC (14:00 CEST). Join us online.

Thursday, 9th April
(Cyber)Security and the shift to online
The rapid shift to online work makes us more dependent on the critical Internet infrastructure and digital services. Do cybersecurity risks increase in times of crisis, or do they just change form? What are the specific roles (and responsibilities) of authorities, the private sector, and users and communities? What could be the post-COVID-19 consequences? Join us online on Thursday, 9th April 2020 at 12:00 UTC (14:00 CEST) as we revisit cybersecurity challenges during the COVID-19 crisis.

Recent online events: Our main takeaways

If you missed any of our live discussions on COVID-19, you can read our summaries and main takeaways, and watch the recordings.

Technology and human rights in times of crisis: What world will we live in once the crisis is over? In our live discussion, we talked about issues of human rights, privacy, freedom of expression, digital divide, and mechanisms for tangible measures in light of the coronavirus crisis. Access the summary and recording.

Could COVID-19 disrupt the Internet? In this discussion, we tracked the journey of Internet traffic from our personal computers to cloud servers. We addressed all the potential challenges to connectivity and what must be done by, for instance, national Internet providers, major regional Internet hubs, and tech platforms. Access the summary and recording.

How to organise and run online meetings: While virtual meetings may be nothing new, the recent outbreak of COVID-19 has brought online conferencing into the spotlight. Building on more than 20 years of experience in the organisation of webinars, online meetings, and e-learning, the team behind our Conference Tech Lab shared know-how and tips on how to organise a successful online event. Access the summary and recording.

From our blogosphere: Don’t miss…

As COVID-19 has been credited with catalysing a shift from individualism to collectivism, in her blog post: Has the coronavirus deprived us of choice?, Dr Biljana Scott analyses this narrative and the trap of reductive thinking contained within.

Use your time well: Take an online course with us

Online courses starting in May

Stuck at home? It’s the perfect opportunity to take an online course and learn a new topic or skill. Our next course sessions start on 4 May 2020. Register now to reserve your place in these popular courses:

• Bilateral Diplomacy
• Diplomacy of Small States
• E-Diplomacy
• Artificial Intelligence: Technology, Governance, and Policy Frameworks

Apply by 20 April 2020 for Diplo certificate courses. For further information or to apply, click on the titles of the courses above or visit our courses webpage.

Need financial assistance? Scholarships are available

Thanks to support from the government of Malta, partial scholarships are available for applicants from developing countries to attend upcoming Diplo online courses. These scholarships cover 30%–60% of course fees and can be applied to most online courses in 2020. Browse our course catalogue and contact us at admissions@diplomacy.edu for further information. You can also sign up for our courses mailing list to be informed about upcoming courses.