On 21 February, Clingendael welcomed back 20 Dutch junior diplomats for a one day training programme. The groups participated in their 10-week initiation training at Clingendael in 2017. 

Scheduled to leave for their first embassy posting this Summer, the group returned to discuss personal effectiveness at the embassy and cooperation with other ministries abroad.

The day kicked-off with an exchange of practical tips on how to maintain existing and broaden networks at the embassy, how to get acquainted with their new dossiers and how to coordinate policy with The Hague. The group also discussed the keys of successful cooperation between various ministries through meetings with former attaches from the Ministries of Defense, Agriculture, and Economic Affairs and Climate Policy.

Together with the former DG for European Cooperation and Netherlands’ Permanent Representative at the EU, the group discussed the lessons the EU could draw from the Brexit negotiation process. Finally, during a visit to Heineken, they debated corporate social responsibility dilemmas faced by multinational companies, as well as public-private collaboration.