The seminar on youth diplomacy «Public diplomacy corps». It has already passed for the 7th time and 35 representatives from 10 countries: Russia, Armenia, Spain, Italy, Moldova, Kazakhstan, France, Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine, Azerbaijan joined it.
Forum lasted five days and included a rich and informative program for the participants: a meeting with the experts, panel discussions, visits to various agencies and organizations, training reflection «Public diplomat portrait», discussion «Youth attaché competence of the XIX World Festival of Youth and Student in 2017 «, participation in the X Convent of the Russian Association of international studies on the theme» 25 years of foreign policy of Russia» in MGIMO.
The participants visited the Russian Foreign Ministry, where they met with the head of the press center of the Information and Press Department — Artyom Kozhin. He spoke about the history of the Department, noting that Ministry of Foreign Affairs information activities celebrated its 210th anniversary. According to Artem Alexandrovich, the main task of the Department is to be in dialogue with the public opinion of other countries. Immediately, the press center is engaged in interaction with the foreign press and foreign journalists.
«When you work with the information, speed always plays the priority role! News live a few hours, comments on it should act immediately. Working with information is like being on a boxing ring. News are covering you as a continuous stream, and you should be able to beat them quickly»- he shared a professional secret with young diplomats.
The second part of the meeting was in a conversation format. The participants asked their questions: about the current situation in the international arena, about the possibility of interaction between department and their regions and organizations, about employment opportunities in the Department. Artem paid attention to everyone and expressed readiness for dialogue and cooperation.
They continued discussing the theme of cooperation with partners in the international arena in the State Duma, where the deputies met with the participants of the seminar. Chairperson of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs — Leonid Slutsky noted that in the image shaping of Russia abroad public diplomacy plays a very important role. In his speech, he told that international youth event World Festival of Youth and Students would pass in Sochi in 2017.
«I am very pleased that the festival will be in Russia. I believe that we need to hold such festivals as often as possible», — he stressed.
The deputy — Nikolai Valuev raised the importance of the theme of the festival: «I sincerely hope that each participant will not only find new friends there, but also will open up new forms of international youth cooperation. Festival year must become a year of great accomplishments for Russia! «.
The head of the National Preparatory Committee of WFYS — Grigory Petushkov talked about the preparations for the event and invited everyone to participate in it, saying: «We do not divide young participants, we look forward to everyone to join this great holiday!».
The deputy of the State Duma — Kuvshinova Natalia and First Deputy of the Head of the State Duma — Sergey Pospelov also talked with participants in the dialogue format.
Participants of the seminar on youth diplomacy were greatly impressed by its program.
«Public Diplomacy is in the scope of my professional interests. I found out about the «diplomacy corps» through the Facebook. The Gorchakov Fund (partner of the National Youth Council of Russia) I was told that this is a very interesting and useful program that gives an opportunity to expand my contacts and communicate with people who are directly involved in the implementation of public diplomacy, to prove myself and acquire new knowledges. Therefore, it turned out. I am very glad that I apply for it in time and participated in this seminar! «- shared her opinion Hadipash Marina (Moscow).
It should be noted that NYCR held the Public Diplomacy Corps since 2009. During this period, we trained more than 300 young people who today are part of a pool of active representatives of public organizations of Russia, the CIS member states, the Baltic States and the Caucasus, who have the knowledges and skills in the field of international communication and implementation of the international projects. The project is a part of the Framework program of cooperation of the Russian Federation and the Council of Europe in the field of youth policy in the period from 2014 to 2018. Nowadays, the Public Diplomacy Corps includes conducting educational seminars, expert meetings and plans to implement the project in other regions of Russia.
