Set piece events are being replaced by
media, over 1000 people. We’ve done a
démarche, involving tens of thousands,
more fluid, open interaction with the
virtual dinner, live streamed to involve
will be more effective than the traditional
people whose interests we are there to
thousands of Lebanese, and the first
démarche.
represent. I ask colleagues who are not
‘tweet up’ between an ambassador and
convinced about the power of these tools
a Prime Minister. One of our blog posts
I think, like the best traditional diplomacy,
to imagine a reception with all their key
reached 1 in 10 Lebanese citizens.
iDiplomacy comes down to authenticity,
contacts. You would not delegate it, stand quietly in a corner, or shout platitudes
But the most important
about warm bilateral relations. You would
thing social media does
be in the mix, exchanging information.
for us is that, for the
With or without the Ferrero Rocher.
first time, it gives us the means to influence the
Tweets should be about changing the world.
Some practical examples. We’re aiming to
countries we work in on
use online dating technology to link UK
a massive scale, not just
producers with one of the world’s most
through elites. This is exciting, challenging
engagement and purpose. It is raw and
powerful trading networks - the Lebanese
and subversive. Getting it wrong could
human. People are more likely to read
diaspora. Crisis/contingency preparation
start a war: imagine if a diplomat tweeted
your material if they know something
now relies increasingly on social media.
a link to an offensive anti-Islam film.
about you. We need to interact, not
We judge that it is not now worth doing
Getting it right has the potential to
transmit. Our followers will be a mix of the
a speech unless it is reaching, via social
rewrite the diplomatic rulebook. A digital
influential, curious, eccentric and hostile.