Letter of the Executive Director of UNITAR For the past 50 years, the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) has been developing capacities of individuals, organizations, and institutions to enhance global decision-making and support country-level action for shaping a better future. Within UNITAR, the Multilateral Diplomacy Programme (MDP) provides capacity-building training to diplomats, international civil servants, and other government of÷cials, alongside offering resources to strengthen their performance in multilateral working environments. After the Glossary of Terms for UN delegates in 2007, MDP published the Manual for UN delegates in 2011 and the Practices of Diplomatic Protocol in Geneva in 2015, all available in English and French. It is in line with its mandate and constant endeavor to provide its bene÷ciaries with the most up-to-date and innovative tools that MDP is now releasing its most awaited brochure: Public diplomacy. What it is and how to do it. Government endeavors to inøuence foreign publics have long pre-dated the concept of public diplomacy, coined in the 19 0s. The communication and technology revolution that signi÷cantly shaped the 21st Century gave a powerful impetus to this particular way of conducting international relations. Governments lost their quasi monopoly on the control of information to the bene÷t of public opinion and non-state actors. Who, then, does public diplomacy belong to" How is the task divided" What are the responsibilities of government of÷cials" What is the role of non-state actors" How to measure the power of the media? Understanding the challenges posed by our ever-changing world is the core of UNITARØs vision. Processing and delivering the most up-to-date material for adapting to these changes lies at the heart of its mission. Alan HuntØs Public diplomacy. What it is and how to do it represents a major tool for diplomats around the world to perform effectively in their working environment, as well as being a must-have for anyone willing to explore this area in depth.
Nikhil Seth United Nations Assistant Secretary-General Executive Director UNITAR
4
Public Diplomacy: What it is - and how to do it