Initiated by ASEF in 2013 in collaboration with DiploFoundation and the National Centre for Research on Europe (NCRE), the Asia-Europe Public Diplomacy Training Initiative provides practical skills-oriented trainings on public diplomacy to young, junior-level diplomats from Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Partner countries working on Asia-Europe relations in their respective ministries. The Initiative has so far benefited more than 190 participants from 49 ASEM Partners, including the ASEAN Secretariat and the European Union, and is now entering its 5th training phase.
From 3 July – 8 September 2017, 28 Asian and European diplomats took part in the 5th Public Diplomacy Online Course where they learned about the concepts of public diplomacy and how to create innovative public diplomacy strategies in the context of Asia-Europe relations. Following the successful completing of the Online Course, all participants will go on to participate in the 5th Face-to-face Public Diplomacy Training on 9-13 October 2017 in Indonesia, hosted by the Directorate General of American and European Affairs and the Centre for Education and Training of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia. Over the course of 4.5 days, they will further strengthen their practical skills to design, develop, and deliver effective public diplomacy activities tailored to their respective national or regional circumstances, building on their knowledge acquired from the Online Course.
Interested to learn more about public diplomacy in Asia and Europe? Click here to download a copy of the ASEF Public Diplomacy Handbook: How to Win Hearts and Minds. Published in 2016, the Handbook provides diplomats and civil society actors with a theoretical foundation and practical tools to construct a successful public diplomacy campaign in the context of Asia-Europe relations.