Public Diplomacy Seminar for Swiss Ambassadors / Embassies

[Meike Eitel]

Gerlinde Manz-Christ, President of AP&P and Head of Communications, Government of the Principality of Liechtenstein, and Peter van Ham, Director Global Governance Research, Clingendael Netherlands Institute of International Relations and Expert Member of AP&P, spoke at a Public Diplomacy Seminar in Berne, Switzerland, on October 28 and 29, 2009.

The in-house seminar was organized by Presence Swiss, the Public Diplomacy Department in the Swiss Foreign Ministry. It was designed for Swiss Embassy personnel of all levels and fields who in their daily work use instruments of Public Diplomacy to communicate their country’s values and other key-messages to publics outside of Switzerland. For two days Ambassadors and Embassy personnel from 15 Swiss Embassies around the world came together in an informal setting to get insights into the latest scientific research and developments in Place Branding and Public Diplomacy, learn about and exchange experiences with the practical implementation of public diplomacy instruments, and learn about the power of public diplomacy as well as its limitations.

Peter van Ham gave an overview over the two disciplines of Place Branding and Public Diplomacy. Van Ham paraphrased Place Branding as „efforts to manage, if not necessarily wield, the social power of a geographical location … with the aim to achieve positive emotional relationships“. He regrets the fact that branding has a poor image, particularly with relations to a country, and that therefore a lot of other names have emerged for it, like image building, reputation management and others, all aiming at the same goal of creating a positive, credible image for a country or region.

Gerlinde Manz-Christ presented practical examples for the implementation of public diplomacy instruments, particularly in special situations. She stressed the importance of long-term instruments geared towards enhancing general knowledge about a country and creating a basic positive emotional relationship in bilateral relations. This can then be helpful in, albeit not avoid, difficult periods in these relations. Manz-Christ also stressed the growing importance of media diplomacy in an increasingly globalized world where transnational communication (communication between states) takes place more and more via media.

You can get in touch with Gerlinde right here on the platform if you are interested in more details.
Warm regards,
Meike :)