Today, as the world struggles with fragmentation and polarization, I was reminded of my 2022 article On Social Diplomacy in The Hague Journal of Diplomacy.
There I argued that diplomacy is not only the business of states. Civil society, cities, universities, communities – all can act as social diplomats. Their mission is not just conflict resolution, but the creation of goodwill and constructive relationships as a social good.
Three years later, this idea feels even more urgent. How can we broaden our understanding of diplomacy to include social actors? What new forms of dialogue and engagement are needed today?
Alisher Faizullaev 