We're co-designers, co-producers and co-consumers of public diplomacy.
Institut de diplomatie publique brings together scholars and public diplomacy practitioners from around the world in order to develop, strengthen and improve forward-looking approaches to new public diplomacy, focusing on the experiences, challenges, and achievements of underrepresented groups.
Our members come from across the various sectors with diverse and wide-ranging disciplinary backgrounds and skills- scientists, civil rights activists, journalists, economists, lawyers, engineers, environmentalists, culture specialists, researchers and academics, and policymakers, and more.
Our work carries a strategic objective to ensure the participation of poor populations, marginalized people, minority groups, underserved communities, and under-represented communities, in intergovernmental processes.
The systematic exclusion of poor populations and underrepresented groups from full participation in international relations and diplomacy foments violence and distrust.
Engaging the above groups and communities in international relations would not only ensure the implementation of policies and actions that effectively address their needs but would also allow excluded groups and communities to directly inform the identification and implementation of options that best suit their particular circumstances.
Currently, we are a collective project supported by over 200+ scientists (Doctor/Ph.D. members of the Institute), 300+ experts and professionals (Professional members), and observers.
About the Institute
INSTITUT DE DIPLOMATIE PUBLIQUE / INSTITUTO DE DIPLOMACIA PUBLICA
is an independent, non-partisan, volunteer-driven non-profit membership organisation registered in England and Wales under number 12623951 that acts as a global multi-stakeholder partnership in public diplomacy for sustainable development, mobilizing and sharing knowledge, expertise, technology and volunteer resources to support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals in all countries, in particular developing countries (SDG, 17).
What Makes Us Different?
Given the focus on new partnership models between international organisations and civil society, the Institute is positioned as an affirmative alternative to state-directed or government-sponsored public diplomacy models.
Self-Regulation
Our members join together to determine needs, plan ways of meeting and mobilize the necessary resources within the democratic system of value.
The Institute is not allied with any political organisation and does not wish to engage in any political, religious, or government controversy.
We are not a conflict-oriented community.
All members of the Institute are bound by the Code of Conduct.
Our self-regulatory mechanism is based on respect for different opinions; we reject any form of discrimination. We aspire to provide an exemplary model of respect for different nationalities, gender, language, faith and race.
Governance
The Director is ultimately responsible for the running of the Institute.
Members give support to the Director and his small, dedicated e-team.
Our work is underpinned by our dedicated volunteers who bring their experience to arrange a varied programme of events and activities throughout the year.
The Institute is an organisation with a decentralized and non-hierarchical structure.
The Institute oversees strategic vision and major decisions, while members work and guide their respective public diplomacy projects as fitting with the organisational objectives and vision within the limits prescribed by the law and agreed, established or recommended by the Institute, including relevant guidelines.
Vision, Purpose and Principles
We're co-designers, co-producers and co-consumers of public diplomacy.
The Institute helps make international action taken by non-state actors more visible in the international arena and improves the coherency of non-state actors’ response to global issues, respecting state sovereignty while seeking to improve efficiency through consultation and networking.
Our mission is to promote cutting-edge analysis and innovative advice on key issues, informed by a truly global perspective. This also includes raising awareness about major challenges of public diplomacy among the general public.
Our vision is a more equitable, peaceful and sustainable future based on inclusive and accountable states and international organizations (IOs), the rule of law and the empowerment of the individuals across borders and cultures.
The Institute, therefore, places particular emphasis on the improvement of the IOs and their mutual reinforcement with strong stakeholders.
Given the focus on decentralized partnerships between international organizations, business and civil society, the Institute is positioned as an affirmative alternative to state-directed or government-sponsored public diplomacy models.
At the Institute, we define decentralized collaborative partnerships as the creative activities among various stakeholders, who are involved in creating joint initiatives, programs, etc., through a decentralized process open to the broader public.
Our emphasis on multistakeholder initiatives, special consideration of underrepresented groups, and adherence to transparency is meant to draw a stark contrast with other public diplomacy models.
Our model complements intergovernmental processes without replacing them.
We created a unique model where public diplomacy does not compete with traditional diplomatic and international law approaches – it complements and strengthens it.
The Institute is not allied with any political organisation and does not wish to engage in any political, religious, or government controversy.
We are not a conflict-oriented community, we don't focus on change through appeals to authority (i.e., pressuring established power structures for desired changes), we don't create alternative systems outside of established power structures.
Our members join together to determine needs, plan ways of meeting and mobilize the necessary resource within the democratic system of value.
To ensure that public diplomacy is used to benefit under-represented, under-served communities and minority groups, we prioritise diversity and inclusion in all our public diplomacy activities.
This includes involving underrepresented communities in all development and policy processes, ensuring that data used in these processes is representative of diverse stakeholders, and actively working to address inequalities.
Strategic Priorities and Action Plan for 2024-2025
Our two-year Strategy (2023-2024) was developed in consultation with members and is at the center of a continuous improvement program for the Institute.
Through the multistakeholder partnerships (SDG 17), we work together to co-create action plans with concrete steps across a broad range of global issues.
Key elements of the partnership are the participation of multiple non-state stakeholders, shared responsibility and control over processes and outcomes.
This strategy ensures that the direct engagement of people acting as public diplomats has a deeper role in international decision-making.
The Strategy supports the first strategic priority of the Action Plan, the development of:
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inclusive public diplomacy ecosystem, by overcoming the barriers that stand between millions of people and public diplomacy,
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innovative mechanisms to enable non-state actors to assume a proper status and take on practical roles to achieve the goal of international law.
Priority Action 1- Strengthen the role the Institute can play in multilateral peer review mechanisms.
1. 1. Analyze the norms of all international conventions and operational guidelines to identify:
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rights,
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obligations,
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status and
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roles of non-state actors.
1.2. Identify and discuss within the Institute, partners and stakeholders the most salient problems regarding the involvement of non-state actors—particularly non-governmental organizations —in the
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monitoring and
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implementation of conventions
and develop new innovative mechanisms to engage non-state actors to respect the obligations outlined in treaties.
1.3. Develop and advance responsible public diplomacy policies and practices for non-state actors
More info
Self-Regulation
All members of the Institute are bound by the Code of Conduct.
They make the commitment on joining and renew this annually when they renew their membership.
Under the principles of the Code, members of the Institute agree to:
maintain the highest standards of professional endeavour, integrity, confidentiality, propriety and personal conduct;
deal honestly and fairly in business with other professions and the public;
respect, in their dealings with other people, the legal and regulatory frameworks and codes of all countries where they practice;
uphold the reputation of, and do nothing that would bring into disrepute, the public diplomacy profession or the Institute;
respect and abide by this Code and related Notes of Guidance issued by the Institute and ensure that others who are accountable to them do the same;
encourage professional development among members of the profession in order to raise and maintain standards generally.
The Institute believes that the quality of our insights and ideas depends not only on contributions from diverse disciplines and both political and national perspectives but also on the diversity of our community.
At the Institute, language should not be a barrier.
We strongly encourage and support multilingualism, please do not hesitate to suggest activities in any of the 6 UN official languages.
Despite the fact that the Institute is legally incorporated in the UK, for many members and website users, English is not a first language, so we created a space where scientists can talk about science in an inclusive way that does not exclude non-English speakers.
Our response to the increasing cultural and lingual diversity in the Institute is our zero-tolerance approach against any kind of linguistic discrimination.
Funding
Who Funds the Institute?
We do not receive monetary donations for our programs but depend strictly on our community's voluntary support.
Membership is free.
We are self-supporting through our volunteer work.
Any voluntary contribution, in the form of expertise, materials and innovative solutions will increase our capacity and resources to support non-state actors in undertaking the transformation required to meet the goals of the SDGs and carry out outreach.
The Institute will not accept funding from any source which may compromise the organisation’s impartiality, ethics, and independence.
Governance
In a global environment characterised by complexity, polarization, and short-term and siloed thinking, there is a need for interdisciplinary approaches to create a sustainable future. We seek diversity in professional backgrounds, skills, and employment history that is why the Institut aims to draw at least 65 per cent of its PhD members from professional backgrounds other than the public diplomacy field.
These scientists provide the expertise necessary to incorporate knowledge in a particular field into a wide variety of public diplomacy problems (e.g., healthcare- Health Diplomacy , education- Education diplomacy, etc.).
Scientific Council
An independent body composed by scientists and experts from across the globe, to equip the Institute with the best scientific advice to enhance further the science-sound perspectives. Members of the Council advise, update and inform our Working Groups and Director on relevant matters.
96 % of members have PhD degree.
Information on the current members of the Scientific Council can be viewed here.
Director
O. Weretelnik (PhD)
Annual Meeting
Registration for the virtual meeting opens in Jun 2024.
Director
O. Weretelnik (PhD)
The Institute is an organization with a decentralized structure where daily operations, authority, decision-making and responsibility are delegated by the Institute's management to various levels- to those who know best — since they’re closer to stakeholders and have relevant information available to them.
In other words, in the new model, each member possesses autonomy and self-determination to make decisions, decisions within the limits of competence coming from all levels towards the same goals.
The Institute oversees strategic vision and major decisions, while l members work and guide their respective public diplomacy projects as fitting with the organisational objectives and vision within the limits prescribed by the law and agreed, established or recommended by the Institute, including relevant guidelines:
What does the Director do?
Throughout the year, the Director strives to keep all stakeholders informed of on the intergovernmental negotiating process and global action through a variety of communication products, including the website and social media.
Annual Reports
It is with great pride that the Institute debuts its 2023 Annual Report.
The 2023 Report highlights new initiatives, new opportunities, new partnerships and a view of the future. What are new opportunities? Where are our members from? How can public diplomacy bring people together? How can you get involved? Discover this and more in the IPD 2023 Annual Report.
Awareness and openness to linguistic diversity is a critical aspect of our work.
Give Your Voice To Those
Who Cannot Speak For Themselves
Article 2 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights enshrines the right to non-discrimination based on language.
Although In international relations, English is the most commonly used language for communication, in some cases, English predominance excludes the non-English-speaking populace from contributing to public diplomacy activities.
How the Institute can help overcome the barriers that stand between millions of people and public diplomacy?
The Institute develops valid instruments, that may increase the representation of non-English-speaking members and stakeholders in public diplomacy and helps members with limited English proficiency by providing free language services.
Help us identify and minimize
all the barriers
that any public diplomacy practitioner might face.
