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DiploNews – Issue 413 – 16 February 2021

Upcoming study opportunities

May 2021 online courses

Our next course session starts on 10 May 2021. Register now to reserve your place in our popular courses:

Apply by 8 March 2021 for University of Malta accredited courses and by 5 April 2021 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 2021. Browse our course catalogue and contact us at admissions@diplomacy.edu for further information.

Sign up for our courses mailing list to stay informed about upcoming courses.

Upcoming events

◆ 6th Geneva Engage Awards (18 Feb.)

The annual Geneva Engage Awards recognise International Geneva actors in their social media outreach and online engagement. This year, the 6th Geneva Engage Awards will also consider the innovative and effective use of the internet for conducting online meetings. The top 10 for each category have been announced, with more information coming soon! Join us on Thursday, 18th February, 12:00–13:00 UTC (13:00–14:00 CET). Register here.

◆ [Briefing #72] Internet governance in February 2021 (23 Feb.)

What were the main internet governance updates in February 2021? How will recent updates influence the developments in the upcoming months? Join us for our next monthly briefing on Tuesday, 23rd February, at 13:00 UTC (14:00 CET), for a round-up of the major global IG and digital policy developments. Register for IG Briefing #72.

◆ Webinar: [Diplomacy and technology: A historical journey #2] Prehistory: The birth of diplomacy and early ‘technologies’ (25 Feb.)

In our introductory January session, we set the course for our journey through the history of diplomacy and technology. Our next stop is the prehistoric world, very different from the world we know today. Yet, today’s social patterns were set long ago. The emergence of social organisations, such as clans and tribes, led to the interaction between these groups in both wartime and peacetime (via conflicts and cooperation). Join the Masterclass with Dr Jovan Kurbalija on Thursday, 25th February, at 13:00 UTC (14:00 CET). Register here.

◆ Discussion with experts: ‘2021: The emergence of digital foreign policy’

All countries, albeit with differences in emphasis depending on their circumstances and capabilities, recognise that digitisation plays a role in foreign policy. In the age of digitisation, diplomacy is shifting and adapting. During this event, we want to assess the current situation, share lessons learned, and enter into a discussion with practitioners. We will bring together high-level practitioners and expert researchers to unpack the emergence of digital foreign policy. The event will be opened by Federal Councillor Mr Ignazio Cassis (Head, Department of Foreign Affairs, Switzerland) and Mr Houlin Zhao (Secretary General, ITU). It offers the chance to enter into a discussion with a formidable group of cyber and digital ambassadors and digital diplomacy practitioners.

Join us on Tuesday, 2nd March, at 13:00–15:30 UTC (14:00–16:30 CET). Register here.

Main takeaways from our recent events

◆ WebDebate #45: Visual storytelling for diplomatic practice

Diplomats need to be aware of the power of images, and need to have a sense of best practices and potential pitfalls when it comes to visual storytelling. With the help of our speakers, we took a closer look at how world leaders used images and visual storytelling in last year’s opening of the 75th UN General Assembly (UNGA). How have countries utilised this opportunity for visual communication and storytelling? What does a further analysis of the videos reveal? What are some other details that are worth paying attention to? Read the summary/watch the recording.

Blogs and publications

◆ [Interview with Prof. Frans de Waal] What can diplomacy learn from primates?

As part of our new Diplomacy and Technology: A historical journey series, Dr Jovan Kurbalija interviewed Prof. Frans de Waal, one of the world’s foremost experts on primate behaviour, to find out more about the ‘diplomatic practices’ of primates, and how and when they negotiate, compromise, and mediate. Listen to the podcast and read the interview.

◆ Digital Watch monthly newsletter, Issue 56 (January 2021)

In the 56th edition (published 2 February), we presented our digital policy predictions via 10 keywords for 2021, looked at the digital policy priorities of US President Joe Biden’s administration, and took a deeper look at elections in the digital age. Read the Digital Watch newsletter.

Don’t miss…

◆ Paper: ‘Addressing the Digital Divide in the Joint Statement Initiative on E-Commerce: From enabling issues to data and source code provisions’

Diplo’s Marília Maciel (Digital Policy Senior Researcher) is the co-author of the paper Addressing the Digital Divide in the Joint Statement Initiative on E-Commerce: From enabling issues to data and source code provisions. The paper looks into the evolution of the concept of the ‘digital divide’ and whether it has been fully reflected in the discussions on e-commerce at the World Trade Organization (WTO), particularly in the 1998 Work Programme on E-commerce (WPEC) and in the Joint Statement Initiative on Electronic Commerce (JSI). Read the paper.

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