The high-level training program on diplomacy and international relations “Soft Power and Geopolitics” was held in Vienna for First Ladies and Gentlemen. The program was organized by the Global Platform of the Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen at the initiative of the First Ladies of Ukraine and Austria, in partnership with the Diplomatic Academy of the Austrian capital.
Participants included the First Ladies of Ukraine – Olena Zelenska, Austria – Doris Schmidauer, Albania – Armanda Begaj, Estonia – Sirje Karis, Guatemala – Lucrecia Peinado, Serbia – Tamara Vučić, Finland – Suzanne Innes-Stubb, the First Gentleman of Slovenia – Aleš Musar, and the wife of the Prime Minister of Armenia – Anna Hakobyan.
The program consisted of four thematic sessions dedicated to modern public and diplomatic leadership. Participants discussed the role of soft power and public diplomacy, the practical importance of international protocol, current geopolitical challenges, and women’s participation in peace and security matters.
The program was led by experts, diplomats, scholars, and representatives of international organizations. Among the session speakers were:
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Ambassador Emil Brix, Director of the Vienna School of International Studies;
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Konrad Jagodziński, Place Branding Director at the British company Brand Finance;
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Barbara Zehnder and Daniel Senn from International Courtesy Competence Ltd;
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Former President of Slovakia Zuzana Čaputová;
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Dr. Robert Schuett, Chair of the Austrian Political Science Association;
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Melissa Dobner-Mujanayi, Specialist in International Crisis Management at the Austrian Federal Ministry of Defense;
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Ursula Gamauf-Eberhardt, Senior Program Manager for Peace Education at the Austrian Center for Peace and Director of the OSCE Summer Academy.
During the event, participants discussed tools for strengthening their countries’ humanitarian initiatives, fostering international cooperation, and contributing to the resolution of global issues through partnerships and knowledge exchange.
The aim of the high-level training program on diplomacy and international relations is to enhance the capacities of First Ladies and Gentlemen and improve their practical skills in public diplomacy, international relations, and understanding the role of gender in geopolitics.