What is Diplomacy?

Honestly, there were so many interested things learned about diplomacy since the start of the module that is hard so say exactly what the main role of diplomacy is today. I admit in the first lecture when I was asked about the reasons why I have chosen the module, I was not confident about my answer, but today nearly at the end the module I would definitely tell that one of the main roles of diplomacy is to bring peace and dialogue between countries whether bilateral or multilateral diplomacy is used. Before we visited the Swedish Embassy, I would never guess the importance of embassies, because in my mind they are just involved on issuing visas for foreigners who want to visit their countries, issuing or renewing passports for their own nationals and representing their countries abroad. But when we were received by the Vice-Consul of the Swedish embassy who took his time to explain to us that the role of the embassy is more than just issuing visas and passports. For instance he told us that direct contact between personalities of two different countries is very important in the conduct of bilateral relations, meaning that technology is not the most important factor in diplomacy. He also explained how the embassy promotes their country’s brand abroad by working closely with their foreign investors. I understand know why Berridge argues that: ‘The resident embassy is still alive. It has survived the communications and transport revolutions... (Berridge, 2010, 123)’.
In short, I learned more about the embassy and the role played by their diplomats and that gives the envy to become a diplomat myself.
The second interesting factor that has really increased my knowledge in Diplomacy is without doubt the roles played by Non Government Organisations (NGOs). Before we start Multilateral Diplomacy, I could not weight how NGOs were important for states and how closely they were working with the United Nations (UN). This makes me stick to the argument of Ambassador Don Mills who says: ‘The right of NGOs to a presence during UN deliberations rests originally on provisions in Article 71 of the Charter, but the new situation goes far beyond the founders vision (Aviel et al, 2005, 34)’.
Before the module I was not aware that they were heavily involved the same way like the UN in Human Rights, Humanitarian Interventions, landmines etc...
Finally, I would say that the module has really motivated me to learn more about diplomacy and it has also makes me realised that we are all diplomats, to be conscious or not about it is something different.