Introduction
Diplomacy as a tool of community diversification is a major ingredient that can be used to build amazing human relationships in a multi-cultural environment. The use of diplomacy dates back to the very olden days and it is presumed to be as old as the development of the human race (Freeman ix).
The term diplomacy is generally used to describe the efforts undertaken by a government to carry out its foreign operations and enhance its national interests to the advantage of its citizens. This is largely accomplished through communication with the foreign countries. Others define it as the profession of persuasion while for some c using art, musical performances, exchange programs, educational programs among to mention but a few.
A dynamic working relationship with other states is very important to the development of any nation whether socially or economically. No single nation is able to progress well in isolation. For most nations, the easiest thing to do is apply violence to influence decisions of other states or people to their favor.
Common sense dictates that this only brings about poor associations with others. A good use of diplomatic tactics will play a major role in alleviating any challenges being faced by the society today. The core of any diplomatic assignment is to perpetuate peace and not war. Numerous benefits arise from the use of convincing power rather than engaging in war. This is what is strongly advocated the diplomatic community.
For a very long time, the U.S. government has used diplomacy to meet its obligations both at home and internationally. The use of peaceful engagements has been greatly favored over war or the application of any form of force. This explains why President Barrack Hussein Obama is stopping at nothing to reach out to those assumed to enemies of development. The way diplomatic skills are used will determine whether or not a nation will advance economically.
For any nation, diplomats are their voice in the foreign lands. They are a resource at the center of any peace making missions between the states they serve and others. They would use any approach but war while dealing with any conflicts that arise. Diplomats with a wide range of skills and knowledge certainly give a state a very competitive advantage. At times, diplomats will work alongside spies and warriors to give advice and safeguard the interests of their states and help contain any rivalry by replacing it with cooperation.
Besides doing their best to protect the interests of fellow citizens abroad they will also assist to support international trade, investments and cultural exchange programs that are geared towards improving the economy. Relations nurtured by diplomats become very relevant when all that is left is for states to opt for war. Clearly, the work of diplomats is very critical to the wealth, power and growth of any nation throughout the world.
Background on Diplomacy
Official recognition of the use of public diplomacy by the U.S. government happened during the starting years of the 20th century. It was around this time, during World War I, that President Woodrow Wilson formed the Committee on Public Information to go ahead and circulate information overseas. This was later to be followed by a series of restructuring of foreign policies (Epsten 5).
As a result of the terrorist attacks, the U.S. government increased funding of its diplomacy activities. Many people, however, still want to see the U.S. government further increase their spending on diplomatic missions. Others have argued that as the world becomes more and more of a global village, it is important to really get alarmed about the attitudes of foreign populations towards America rather waste valuable time solidifying the U.S. military strength.
Public diplomacy activities of the U.S. government influenced the outcome of World War I and II, and helped to bring to an end the Cold War. Currently, the U.S. administration is employing the use of public diplomacy to fight terrorism acts by persuade the Muslim and Arab communities to think differently.
Despite all that has so far been done to strengthen foreign ties, there is a strong feeling that nations can do much better. According to the 9/11 Commission, to reach a deeper understanding between societies and to build long-term relationships and trust between the government officials, public diplomacy must be made a dialogue and not a monologue.
Washington DC’s Diplomatic Community
Diplomats in Washington DC highly value the benefits that result from networking and are doing their best they can, to create links that can later be used by fellow country men to advance their operations whether business or otherwise.
Diplomatic Connections, is news network that exists to facilitate the operations of the diplomats in Washington, DC. Business people have been able to grow their business by tapping on to the strengths of the diplomatic community and this is thanks to Diplomatic Connections (Diplomatic Connections LLC 1).
Diplomats and the business community within Washington, DC believe that diplomacy is a very precious marketing tool for themselves, businesses and fellow country men. The work of Diplomatic Connections in Washington DC is highly praised. Feedback received from the public shows that a lot has been done by the organization to help bring the business and diplomatic communities together. Individuals have been able to discover business opportunities and even gone ahead to venture into new grounds.
Social events have proved very helpful in as far as adapting to a new way of life is concerned. One can get to know who to approach when in need of help. The events have also served as marketing point for business making them known to the diplomatic community. Service providers also get a chance to interact with diplomats and international organizations and trough these forums; they are able to discuss and come up with solutions for any challenges faced.
Cultural Adaptation to Work and Community
A major challenge when moving to live in a foreign land is settling down and becoming part of the local community. Many times it is quite difficult for one to figure out the starting point in the journey to understanding the new setup. It is for this very reason that reliable diplomatic relations become a necessity.
With the help of diplomats, settling into a foreign land should happen with little or no stress at all. When it comes to working in a foreign land, many nations want to ensure that visitors have all the necessary documents before they can allow them to live and work in their land. Advice and guidance from the embassies should come in quite handy at this time in one’s life abroad.
Culture shock is a very common occurrence in a case where one enters foreign soil without prior preparations of what to expect. Thorough initiation into the sometimes strange culture is therefore a mandatory thing to do as one takes a move to a foreign state; one completely unfamiliar to them. Time should be taken to gather as much information as can be practically possible about where they are going.
Most embassies will request that any citizens from their countries be formally registered and stay in constant communication with the embassy. This is to ensure that incase of anything happening, contacts can be used to get in touch and offer help where needed. Embassies are also better placed to organize social events that bringing different people together with the aim of facilitating exchange of ideas and information. One can take advantage of such opportunities to gather valuable information that can later help them fit in well.
Influence on Local Community
Common to all states is the responsibility to take care of its citizens. Governments therefore have a major task of ensuring that its citizens live in a healthy and peaceful environment and that they are able to realize their dreams. Poor relationships with other states are thus considered to be hindrances to the achievement of goals set by a nation.
Without strong relationships with foreign states, a state and its people remain enclosed in their territory and end up missing opportunities to prosper. Good diplomatic tactics will create an enabling environment to meet the needs of citizens both at home and away from home.
Diplomacy at the local level will to a great extent help to nurture not only the need, but also the appreciation of inter-personal and inter-cultural dealings that later act as avenues of promoting socio-economic progression, conflict prevention, and a greater desire to be inclusive. It also helps to enlighten citizens on the need to be part of the diplomatic process locally.
Warm interactions in the end encourage the sharing of ideas leading to enhanced economic development. People are able to move between groups, exchange ideas and get exposed to opportunities to learn new ideas that later help to improve life, work and even the entire community. The local community will also gain knowledge on co-existing with those they perceive to be different from them.
Some diplomats living and working in the U.S. have involved themselves in diverse engagements so as to popularize their countries to the U.S. Part of what has been done by diplomats to market their respective countries and culture to the foreign missions include; show casing their culture through well organized events, establishing educational centers and organizing exchange visits. To a large extent, all these are meant to expose the American citizens to foreign countries and their way of life. The local people get a chance to learn more about these nations.
The expected result of such undertakings is to lure the local population into wanting to visit and probably do a further discovery on their own. The main idea is to bring their nations closer to the Americans citizens have a rich interaction with their cultures. With this in mind, you will find a good number of diplomats in Washington, DC trying out different options that will lead to them having a strong presence in the U.S.
Counter Balances, Racism / Stereotyping
Stereotyping has to do with the presentation of messages that associate people with character and values that are often held as undesirable, inferior or even risky. With these kind of behaviors one can expect a discouragement to the development of powerful diplomatic relationships.
Those affected by such acts are mostly looked down upon and even worse, they get separated from the rest of the community. Fitting into the local community becomes a real challenge as they have to often try to prove that they are not what the majority think they are.
Colored people have in many occasions been on the receiving end just because they are different from the rest. They are thought of as being inferior to others and at times due to their color; they have been identified with crime while others have been considered to be perpetrators of violence.
Another terrible association that affects the black race is poverty. The black community is often viewed as poorer. This, more than anything else, only creates negative mind-set and creates animosity among different groups of people.
Counter balances on the other hand require that the statesman clearly determines the kind of being dealt with opponent and the people’s national concerns before looking for ways of advancing his or her own state. The balance of national concerns is a key concern in measuring the importance of each of the matters in contention.
Among other things, it assists in measuring the probable resistance from each side to make any compromise. It regulates willingness to negotiate and also defines the threshold of defiance (Freeman 14). A major task of the diplomat will then be to try and harmonize the competing national interests without applying any force. It requires coming up with a solution that will favor the diplomat’s state but at the same time, be acceptable to the other party.
These arrangements are also meant to be tolerable to other states that may not party to any agreements reached. The diplomats will have to apply a wide range of knowledge and skills while relying on the full backing of their nations to come up with the best solution to the issues at hand. Another thing to probably think about here is the presence of counterintelligence. It is always prudent for a state to protect itself against any spying while spying on other foreign states.
Conclusion
From alleviation of the possibilities of war to the establishment of a strong financial base for the country, the importance of the role played by the diplomatic community cannot be overemphasized. Every nation would like to create an enabling environment to encourage its citizens to work hard for the benefit of the country.
A sound knowledge of the art of diplomacy will certainly go a long way to create a very healthy environment in which men and women from different nations and backgrounds will manage to explore their full potential. A nation’s good reputation will be a major boost for the different dealings of its people that involve neighbors. Investment in diplomatic relations is therefore very significant to the growth of every nation.
Works Cited
Diplomatic Connections LLC. Washington, DC: Diplomatic Connections LLC. 2010 Web.
Epsten, Susan B. “U.S. Public Diplomacy: Background and the 9/11 Commission Recommendations”. CSR Report for Congress. 2010. Web.
Freeman, Charles W. “Arts of Power: Statecraft and Diplomacy”. Wasington, DC: United States Institute of Peace, 2007. Print.