Southeast European and Turkish diplomats sharpen skills at Clingendael

Between May and June, 14 diplomats from the Western Balkan and Türkiye followed a four-week diplomatic training at the Clingendael Academy. During the training, the diplomats worked to improve their knowledge and skills that are vital to their careers in the diplomatic field. 

The programme kicked off with a series of workshops on essential diplomatic skills, including debating, presentation skills, negotiations, and intercultural communications. Next, the programme took a deep dive into the principles, foundations, and practicalities of the European Union. Due to the participants’ proximity and significant importance to the EU, topics such as EU decision-making, engagement with the EU, and especially EU accession were at the centre of this programme. This included a two-day working visit to Brussels, where the participants visited various EU institutions. In the final week, the focus turned to international climate governance and economic diplomacy. The group also visited the World Horti Centre, highlighting the collaborations between various Dutch public, private and educational actors to accelerate innovations in horticulture. On the last day of the programme, the diplomats presented their individual learnings and plans to continue their development when back in their offices. 

Throughout the training, the diplomats discovered the Netherlands and a cohesive network developed between the participants. We look back on the successful completion of the programme and are grateful for the diplomats’ contributions to each other’s learning experiences.