Educational seminar within the framework of the educational project “Public Diplomatic Corps of the Member States of the Commonwealth of Independent States” (archive event)

From December 22 to 25 an Educational seminar on the development of International Youth Cooperation and public diplomacy for representatives of youth organizations and youth leaders was held in Moscow in person as a part of the educational project “Public Diplomatic Corps of the Commonwealth of Independent States”.

Participants were 35 people: 

• young representatives of socially oriented NGOs, 
• young representatives of public diplomacy and international youth cooperation, 
• young representatives of student organizations, 
• young parliamentarians and members of youth parliaments.

The Public Diplomatic Corps is a pool of active representatives of public organizations of Russia, the CIS Member States, compatriots living abroad who had knowledge and skills of international communication, who were well versed in international relations and were ready to implement international projects aimed at developing public diplomacy and the formation of a positive image of Russia, the CIS Member States abroad, at the dissemination of Russian culture and language in the world.

The Public Diplomatic Corps is a part of the Action Plan for 2018-2020 for the implementation of the Strategy for International Youth Cooperation of the Member States of the Commonwealth of Independent States for the period up to 2020.

Purposes: 

• Activation of the institutional role of youth in the international environment, 
• Formation of an objective image of Russia and the CIS abroad through youth participation, 
• Consolidation of young representatives, socially oriented NGOs, participants in public diplomacy and international youth cooperation, student organizations, young parliamentarians, members of youth parliaments, 
• Strengthening participants’ knowledge and improving competencies necessary for the successful implementation of socially oriented projects as well as for the professional participation of their NGOs in public diplomacy programs at the national and international levels.

Tasks:

• Providing a platform for discussing public diplomacy in Russia and the CIS and the role of youth leaders in its implementation (youth diplomacy), 
• Training of NGOs representatives in basics of international relations, diplomatic activity, international work and public diplomacy, 
• Conducting lectures and seminars for current politicians, journalists and political scientists from Russia and from other countries, 
• Conducting trainings on following issues: intercultural communication, competencies of youth leaders, successful public speaking, negotiation process, 
• Work with the Strategy of International Youth Cooperation of the Member States of the Commonwealth of Independent States for 2021-2030.

Project directions:

1. Theoretical block: teaching NGO representatives the basics of international relations, diplomatic activity, international work and public diplomacy. 
2. Practice block: studying the development system of International Youth Cooperation, international youth organizations such as Youth Council of the CIS Member States, Youth Inter-Parliamentary Assembly of the CIS Member States, Advisory Council on Youth Affairs of the Council of Europe, European Youth Forum, World Youth Assembly, World Federation of Democratic Youth, youth UN platforms, «SDG Youth Ambassadors in Russia» Program, cooperation between youth of the Eurasian space, the Baltic countries, the Black Sea region, the BRICS countries, the SCO, etc, programs of the UN Youth Models, G20, etc, 

• Acquaintance with grant-giving structures, 
• Development and writing of international social projects, 
• Ensuring the participation of representatives of Russian youth NGOs in public diplomacy projects, 
• Preparation of issues submitted for consideration by international youth organizations.

1. Multiplication of the experience gained: development and implementation by participants of projects aimed at developing friendly, partnership relations with public organizations of foreign states, with international and intergovernmental institutions. 

Results: 

35 people were trained in basics of international relations, diplomatic activity, international work and public diplomacy, 

Participants developed skills and competencies in the field of International Youth Cooperation and also made proposals within the framework of International Youth Cooperation of the CIS Member States.