Presentation at the Warwick International Development Summit

For a two day conference in Coventry, the Director of Grassroot Diplomat Talyn Rahman-Figueroa had the honour to be invited at the Warwick International Development on 16-17th November 2012. The Warwick International Development is the largest student run development summit in the IS and is a unique platform that allows participants to engage with critical issues facing the field of international development.

On early Saturday morning, Talyn presented her case on the need for grassroot diplomacy in an era where more global grassroots movements are pivotally changing the nature of international diplomacy. In her presentation, the Director noted that the greatest challenge in our social structure is a clear lack of communication between political leaders and the citizens that they represent. She went on to further establish that the problem isn’t that we don’t have tools to communicate, but rather, people and governments have different outlooks on policy issues and governments, for the most part, forget that they are meant to serve a population whose basic needs must be met adequately.

Talyn spoke amongst high-profile speakers including World Bank Managing Director Mahmoud Mohieldin, Burma human rights activist Zoya Phan, and Jeffrey Sachs. Grassroot Diplomat also had the privilege of hosting a seminar in relation to the changing face of foreign policy where more than 50 students had participated on Talyn’s workshop.

We would like to thank the organisers of WIDS for this opportunity to participate and would like to congratulate the students for a wonderful experience. We hope that the students were inspired and we look forward to next year’s conference.

Director at Envision UK "We Are London" event

By Giulia Amparo Bruni Roccia

On Tuesday the 12th of November, the Director of Grassroot Diplomat Talyn Rahman-Figueroa had the honour and pleasure to be invited by Envision UK to speak at the "We Are London" event in Westminster.

She addressed students who had come from over 40 schools of London, to participate in activities, workshops and discussions, to share their knowledge about what they can accomplish in their societies with their skills. Very bright young people with a lot of potential attended the event, people who are hoping to start up their own businesses in the future.

Talyn shared her story about how she came to found Grassroot Diplomat, gave tips about the route one should take towards founding one’s own business, and urged the students to build connections, believe in their cause, and believe in themselves. “Dream big; aim high” as she emphasised.

To see her speech in full, click here.

Security in an Uncertain World

By Tamara Dias dos Santos

On Friday 28th September, Grassroot Diplomat participated in The Private Military and Security Conference organized by the Royal United Services Institute. RUSI united members from private military and security industries to discuss this complicated and unpredictable issue in the modern international system.

As diversified as it is, the security and defense industry has been facing an increasing presence in privatized services that once used to be monopolized by state-owned agencies. The concept of security has become a lot more sophisticated. The wars of the past decades highlighted an increasing need of a wide range of services that vary from logistical support, operational services, to armed military or security services. Given the number of issues involved, security operations have developed a wide debate within academia, media and civil society groups, thus the conference provided a wonderful opportunity for these actors to engage with private companies in a multidisciplinary discussion about issues currently pertaining to the functioning of security operations.

Since civil society is the most prejudiced in conflicts zones, Grassroot Diplomat provided clarification on current issues faced in conflict areas, as well as insights to how to engage with projects in conflict zones. It was a wonderful opportunity to enhance our business network and to meet potential sponsors, so that we can continue strengthening new and existing projects with the intention of building sustainable relationships with national or international government bodies and the business community.

Recent progress on reconciliation and development in Sri Lanka

On 20th September 2012, the Sri Lankan High Commission invited Grassroot Diplomat to visit a special one-day photo exhibition to highlight the renaissance of Sri Lanka after a long history of terrorism and war.

The photographic exhibition was divided in two parts examining the violence of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE, or more commonly known as the Tamil Tigers) and the reawakening after defeating 30 years of terrorism.

During the reign of the Tamil Tigers, many policy-makers and academics died during the civil war but the main victims of such atrocity were local people who were unable to escape. Methods of terrorism included public transport attacks, suicide bombers and the enrolment of child soldiers – all of such violence were depicted in this illustrative exhibition. The second part of the exhibition led to the hope that arisen from violence. The end of violence and commitment of the government to reconcile the communities are highlighted in particular.

The Sri Lankan Government has initiated several social economic and cultural programmes to uproot communal differences. The other challenge for the government is to wipe out misunderstanding cultivated by the LTTE among the international community and certain sections of the Tamil Diaspora. Nowadays, massive development projects are being carried out in the Northern and Eastern Provinces. These regions are the paths of physical and social development. Moreover, the country as a whole is becoming a single tourist destination with focus on urban and rural development and the reconstruction of infrastructure to facilitate this.

There are still many things to do and the communities are still in need of help to overcome their past. Legal practitioners at the exhibition expressed their concerns to this issue with Mr. Fritz Kodagoda, Barrister Mediator, talking about how local law centres are in urgent need of funding for development. In its goal to bridge the gap, Grassroot Diplomat is interested in focusing its connections in building better relationships between the people and government of Sri Lanka and will continue to pay close attention to developments made in this region.

An Evening with Liberia's Vice President, Joseph Boakai

Written by Natasha Dyer

On Saturday 15th September 2012, Grassroot Diplomat was invited by the Royal African Society and Fasken Martineau LLP to a talk by the Vice President of Liberia - Mr Joseph Boakai. During his talk, the Vice-President made it clear that agriculture is the key driver of GDP growth in Liberia, accounting for over 40% of GDP since 2008.  Rice and cassava are the staple food crops, while rubber, oil, palm and cocoa are the dominant export tree crops. Liberia also hosts some of the biggest rainforests in the West African region.

The Vice President linked agriculture production to the stability of the country, stipulating that economic growth is the best catalyst to achieving a stable and peaceful post-conflict society, after decades of civil war that left the economy tattered.

Mr Boakai talked of plans the government had put together to stimulate the growth of economy and said they had “achieved what they had set out to do” at the start of their term, with Liberia now being the fastest growing post-conflict economy in Africa. Now the minister is in London to attract investors to the country’s burgeoning agricultural sector.

His Excellency did admit, however, that true development in Africa was easier said than done, and stated that they had a long way to go, emphasising the need for a multi-faceted economy with a diverse range of coordinated activities.

Outlining Liberia’s 2030 vision for the agricultural sector, Vice President Boakai did not hesitate to mention the role of women. With 80% of Africa, and 50% of the world’s food produced by women, African economies are increasingly relying on women’s skills, hard work and efficiency levels. However, women in Africa own less than 5% of the land they farm, which the government has assured will work on laws to reverse the system and put an end to discriminatory practices included also in tribal laws.

With no resolution in sight, the conversation quickly turned to the importance of protecting natural resources and eco-systems in Liberia, to avoid the bio-diversity crises seen in much of Africa. These crises not only affect the economy and landscape of Africa, the Vice President stated, but hit the rural poor the hardest, and he emphasised their need to protect the most vulnerable people in the country and continent from the widespread challenges of rising food prices, water scarcity and lack of resources. This, he said, is where the investors come in. But why is Liberia seeking investment from the west instead of from African investors when logging companies have granted more than 60% of the country's rainforests since Nobel Prize winner Ellen Johnson Sirleaf became president in the six years?

The Vice President stated that the majority of the country’s investors were African with Liberia owning 45% share of forests and 43% of the land in the region. The government had earmarked protective areas and was not selling land to investors, only opportunities to invest in bio-diversity, meaning better livelihoods for the Liberian people.

Questions arose over the lack of diverse representation in the Liberian Parliament, with Matthew Plaut claiming that only 11 of the 447 MPs were not from the ruling party, plus claims of lack of transparency in oil contracts and extraction methods. The debate also mentioned diamonds and the ongoing appeal of convicted former Liberian President Charles Taylor on his crimes in Sierra Leone from 1996 to 2002. Mr Plaut suggested there had been a limited commitment from Liberia to comply with the Kimberley process with regards to the extraction of diamonds, but the Vice-President was adamant about the government’s commitment to the process after the damage caused by the diamond conflict to the Liberian people. 

The discussion was concluded with final questions over the future of Cote d’Ivoire, downscaling of UN presence in Africa, IMF and World Bank reforms, the clearing of national debt, the importance of education and job creation for young Africans.  The Vice-President’s overall message was that there needed to be “a clear break from the past” with better approaches to business partnerships and governance and emphasised the need for greater international collaboration. 

The discussion was lively and robust, and Grassroot Diplomat thanks the organisers for this insight into Liberia’s governance.   

Sir Patrick Stewart at the UNA Forum

If Jean-Luc Picard, the revered Captain of Star Trek had one maxim alone, it was to treat every person, alien (or sentient object) he encountered with equal civility.

On 14th July at the UK United Nations Association Forum, it was announced that Sir Patrick Stewart, who famously played Capt. Picard is to become the first Patron of the UNA-UK.

The Emmy-award winning actor addressed an audience of hundreds from around the world who had one thing in common: a deep-seated appreciation for the valuable work of the United Nations.

Sir Patrick’s impassioned words were described as ‘icing on the cake’ for a day that was filled with stimulating discussions about the role of the UN in the future, the challenges of a world population of 7 billion, and the relevance of universal human rights.

A debate on the Olympic Truce highlighted the value of sport in peace-keeping and conflict resolution. The Olympic ideal – whereby nations can temporarily set aside their differences and live together in harmony – asks that if they can do it for one day, they can do it forever.

Many of us are familiar with the story of the British and German fighters who laid down their guns and emerged from their trenches on Christmas Day to play a football match. There are countless other examples of sport uniting otherwise hostile groups, highlighting the potential value of sport as a peace-keeping tool.  

One of the most well attended sessions during the day was a seminar on ‘How to Work for the UN’ led by Dame Margaret Anstee - the first female Under-Secretary General, among others. Recounting experiences in the field in Philippines and as Head of the Mission to Angola, Dame Margaret presented a career that spanned the world and altered lives, whilst paving the way for women in a male-dominated institution.

The attraction to working for the UN, however, comes from more than just wanting to be part of an international organisation that changes lives. It is about being part of a vision of the world, where people are of equal worth, and humans stand side by side to support each other. It is a utopian vision, but one that comes closer to achieving day by day. For that reason, Sir Patrick couldn’t have put it better in his closing remarks when he said, “the United Nations and UNA-UK must live long and prosper”.

Arab Spring Opportunities for Women

Written by Isabel Whisson

There is no doubt about the pivotal role played by women in the uprisings in the Arab world in early 2011. However as political transition got underway the message being felt by women has increasingly been to “go home”.

Asserting the fact that opportunities that arise from the Arab Spring should benefit the whole of society, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and Women for Women International came together on 20th June to host a conference exploring the creation of economic opportunities for women since the Arab Spring.

Attended by over 150 people, the conference provided a comprehensive overview of the role of women and the many different ways they can both contribute to and benefit from the economy and wider society.

The notable line-up of panellists debated institutional and cultural barriers to female employment; discussed the success rate of micro-finance schemes; testified to the entrepreneurial appetite of women from the Arab world; and explored the key societal factors for gender equality.

Panellists also showcased practical successes including the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women’s mentoring programme; Womanity Foundation’s Nisaa 96 FM radio station for women in Palestine; and breakthroughs made by Women in Informal Employment: Globalising & Organising (WIEGO), a network of activists, researchers and policy-makers raising the profile of women in informal employment.

The event evoked a great deal of optimism evincing that with sustained momentum, the opportunities for women could significantly progress. During her keynote speech Zainab Salbi, the Founding Director of Women for Women International, emphasised that the ‘magnificent event’ that was the Arab uprising represented a crucial opportunity to champion the cause of women.

 “We are in that pivotal moment – do we capture it and move forward? Or do we regress?”

http://www.ebrd.com/pages/news/press/2012/120620b.shtml

Parliamentarians and Citizens Unite for Rio+20 Debate

Written by Isabel Whisson

On 21st May 2012 in the magnificent St Martin-in-the-Fields Church, over 500 people from all sectors of society joined the Environmental Audit Committee in a public debate on how to work towards a sustainable, green economy.

The event, which also launched photographer Mark Edwards’s latest project Whole Earth? was led and expertly chaired by Member of Parliament for Stoke on Trent North and Chair of the Commons Environmental Audit Select Committee, Joan Walley.

Kick-started with the presentation of Mark Edwards’s first photographic campaign ‘Hard Rain Project’ the audience were moved by powerful and emotive images illustrating the truly devastating effects of climate change set to the lyrics of Bob Dylan’s prophetic song ‘A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall’.

Members from a select panel of experts addressed the audience and committee on the tough questions urgently needing to be faced.

‘Does democracy help or hinder the green economy?’
‘Is Capitalism the cause and can it be the solution to climate change?’
‘How do we bring the vested interests of powerful groups under control?’

The debate drew several conclusions – amongst them that successive Governments in all countries need to make a sustained effort to prioritise environmental policy; and that there ought to be economic value in protecting our natural resources, not just using them for consumption. Caroline Lucas MP, the first and only Green Member of Parliament underlined the importance of framing the Green Economy as a positive change.

It was made clear that human beings have to change the way we live in order to avoid the existential threat of climate change.  Given the severity of this fact however, members of the audience did not leave dreading the inevitability of a destroyed planet. Instead the event brought hope.

It showed us that all people, from different backgrounds and professions, and in different ways could make a difference. In the words of soon-to-be Deputy Secretary-General to the UN Jan Eliasson, who joined the debate via video, “No one can do everything, but everyone can do something.”

The Rio+20 debate was a beautiful example of the value and constructiveness of political leaders joining forces with members of civil society and ordinary citizens. It also made one thing in particularly very clear – that grassroot diplomacy is at the centre of meeting the challenges of climate change.

For more information about the event please visit:
http://www.hardrainproject.com/public_debate_st_martins

Global Diplomatic Forum analyses challenges of modern foreign policymaking

Written by James Johnson

On 17 May 2012 a variety of delegates ranging from embassy representatives to civil servants gathered to examine and discuss the first two years of the British coalition government’s engagement with the world.

One of the key issues brought up at the conference was the need for the United Kingdom to maintain and continue to establish a global economic presence. Alex Ellis, Director of Strategy at the Foreign Office, pointed out that the government had opened 11 new embassies, 8 new consulates and a number of language centres across the world to aid diplomatic and trade links. In regards to the European Union, John Peet of The Economist, Adam Hug from the Foreign Policy Centre and Tomi Huhtnanen of the Centre of European Studies stressed the need for stability in the Eurozone, particularly pertaining to Greece.

In regards to the UK, differences between the coalition partners on the European issue were examined, as were the consequences of David Cameron’s December veto and his move away from the European People’s Party. On reaching out to the BRIC countries, the panel included representatives from Brazil and Russia and a variety of issues were discussed, including the effect of the Falklands on trading with Latin America and Ryzhkov Maxim’s argument for the Europeanization of the Russian polity. The consistent theme of these panels was the need for the UK to reach out to current and new trading partners, in order to open up the road for business to develop and invest in other countries - a key objective for politicians and diplomats alike.

The other dominant focus of the day was the approach the UK should take to assure international security and peace building. The Middle East and North Africa in the wake of the Arab Spring gained general consensus that Britain should be ready to work with Islamic political parties and the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt. Interventions from the floor were useful, with one delegate pointing to the dangers for women in the region. Potential reform of the United Nations Security Council was posited, as were solutions to the crisis in Syria. The central importance of the Israeli-Palestine conflict was consistently stressed, and Jeffrey Donaldson MP pointed to the lessons learnt from the Northern Ireland peace process in addressing this rift. In the final panel, Bernard Jenkin MP and Quintin Oliver, CEO of Stratagem International offered critiques of the Iraq and Afghanistan invasions, and the Deputy High Commissioner of Pakistan, Nafees Zakaria offered a staunch defence of Pakistan’s role in the fight against the Taliban. All in all, there was a desire for peace to be acquired through diplomacy with a realist analysis of the routes towards this objective.

Grassroot Diplomat found that many of the issues brought up at the event are linked to the merits of grassroot diplomacy. By connecting companies to governments, Grassroot Diplomat can make it easier for businesses to reach goals of international investment. Moreover, by fostering a healthy relationship between charities and governments across the world, those organisations that attempt to spread peace and prosperity in poverty-stricken countries will be stronger. What may seem like an out-of-reach and governmental decision actually relies on the efforts of those on the ground and the concept of grassroot diplomacy strives to achieve this vital participation.

As Younes El Ghazi, CEO of the Global Diplomatic Forum made clear in his opening speech, the conference was a good platform for debate and representation from many different countries and sectors.

The overwhelming view was that power has been decentralised and dispersed, and that the world has become more uncertain and less stable. Nevertheless, government and civil society alike has a role in overcoming these problems, whether economically or security orientated, and the Global Diplomatic Forum’s event was a fine way to explore such solutions.

4th Annual DIPLOMAT Awards Ceremony recognises Outstanding Contributions to Diplomacy

On the 24th of April 2012, Ambassadors and diplomats from over 100 countries gathered in London for the 4th Annual Diplomat Magazine Awards Ceremony. Hosted in the Langham Hotel’s Grand Ballroom, the beautiful room paid perfect homage to the centuries-old traditions of diplomacy.  

The Awards Ceremony, hosted by publisher of Diplomat Magazine Hugo de Blocq van Kuffeler, recognised different levels of diplomacy from consular services to ambassadorships of seven different regions. His opening remarks underlined the crucial importance of the work carried out by diplomats on behalf of the international community and the everlasting necessity for countries to maintain and build positive bilateral and multilateral relations.

As guests networked over champagne canapé, 12 Ambassadors, High Commissioners and Mission representatives were rewarded for their outstanding achievements and contributions to diplomacy.

Amongst the winners, the Diplomatic Academy of London - where Grassroot Diplomat Director Talyn Rahman-Figueroa received her diplomatic training - was awarded for ‘Distinguished Contribution to Diplomacy in London’. First Secretary at the Royal Thai Embassy Natthapol Na Songkhla was honoured as ‘Young Diplomat of the Year’, while the Ambassador of Macedonia Her Excellency Mrs Marija Efremova was recognised for her ‘Outstanding Contribution to Women in Diplomacy’.

Newly appointed High Commissioner of Sri Lanka Dr. Chris Nonis, was “deeply humbled” by his award for Diplomat of the Year from Asia, and transcended identity politics in his acceptance speech, “I am not Sinhalese, Tamil, Muslim, or Burgher, I am Sri Lankan, and I am proud to be Sri Lankan.”

With media attention often focusing on international conflict and diplomatic failure, this DIPLOMAT Awards provided a key reminder of the endless successes of diplomacy in London.

The event can be described as a huge success, and it was a real pleasure for Grassroot Diplomat, which places huge value on work done by diplomats on behalf of communities, to see their important efforts being recognised.

Grassroot Diplomat looks forward partnering with Diplomat Magazine in November this year to deliver Grassroot Diplomat Initiative Award. The Grassroot Diplomat Initiative Awards will give recognition to politicians and diplomats who have made exceptional achievements benefitting communities.

DIPLOMAT Award Winners and Categories:

Young Diplomat of the Year:

Mr Natthapol Na Songkhla – First Secretary from the Embassy of Thailand

Outstanding Contribution to the Press Corps:

Ms Cristina-Nacisa Nita – Press Attaché from Embassy of Romania

Outstanding Contribution to the Consular Corps:

Ms Zeina Hamad Al Khalifa – Embassy of Bahrain

Diplomat of the Year from the Americas:

His Excellency Mr Eduardo Medina Mora – Ambassador of Mexico

Diplomat of the Year from Europe:

His Excellency Dr Ion Jinga – Ambassador of Romania

Diplomat of the Year from Eurasia:

His Excellency Mr Fakhraddin Gurbanov – Ambassador of Azerbaijan

Diplomat of the Year from Africa:

His Excellency Mr Ernest Rwamucyo – High Commissioner for Rwanda

Diplomat of the Year from Asia:

His Excellency Dr Chris Nonis – High Commissioner for Sri Lanka

Diplomat of the Year from South America:

His Excellency Mr Mauricio Rodríguez-Múnera – Ambassador of Colombia

Outstanding Contribution to Women in Diplomacy:

Her Excellency Mrs Marija Efremova – Ambassador of Macedonia

The Distinguished Contribution to Diplomacy in London:

The Diplomatic Academy of London (Collected by Director, Professor Nabil Ayad)