Page 21 - IDFR-Diplomatic Voice Vol 2 2014

FORUM NEWS 21st century, the internet has encour- aged instantaneous communications, making communication between the headquarters and missions abroad, easier and accessible than it was before. As the saying goes, speed is everything, and speed has made the diplomat’s work even more demand- ing. Hence, it is vital for those involved in diplomacy to provide feedback or response with immediacy. Globalisation and the advancement in communication have also made In the context of ASEAN and globali- Overall, His Excellency shared his issues and events to become inter- sation, he highlighted that as an experience in a very realistic and open connected. Such conditions have ASEAN diplomat, one must continue manner. It was an insightful session demanded diplomats not to compart- to embody the ASEAN spirit. That is, which drew analysis and anecdotes mentalise issues or events, as was while preserving one’s national from his personal experience as a previously done in the past, due to the interest, one should also be mindful of career diplomat. In a nutshell, diplo- interdependency between issues, the interest of ASEAN. He provided an mats must be able to think clearly, people and countries. Advancement example whereby in the realisation of articulate well and write succinctly in on the means of communications has the ASEAN Community by 2015, order to depict the bigger picture of also called for diplomats to increase ASEAN Members should adopt an diplomacy. With the trends of globali- their engagement with the public, integrated economic framework, in sation in the 21st century, it is impera- given the greater participation of line with the existing ASEAN Free tive for diplomats to look at the bigger stakeholders in various international Trade Area (AFTA). This would be picture, in the scheme of international issues. Hence, this justified the greater important to ensure ASEAN adapts to relations. significance of public diplomacy. the dynamics of globalisation. Training Courses Intermediate and Advanced Speech were conducted in a series of interac- The third series of the SPKM: Writing Courses tive lectures, individual and group Pre-Posting Orientation Course for work and in-class speech writing Home-Based Staff and Spouses was Two Speech Writing courses for exercises. Among the course modules held from 19 to 30 May 2014. The officers of the Ministry of Foreign were; The Art and Craft of Speech course was attended by 76 partici- Affairs Malaysia were recently Writing, Skills, Techniques and Strate- pants from various ministries and concluded. The Intermediate Speech gies in Speech Making, Analysis of government agencies under Sistem Writing Course was held from 16 until Best Speeches, Organisation of a Pentadbiran Kerajaan Malaysia di Luar 18 April 2014 and attended by nine Speech and The Use of Metaphors, Negara (SPKM). The participants Principal Assistant Secretaries. Mean- Repetitions, Rhetoric and Contradic- comprised of 41 officers for grade 41 while, the Advanced Speech Writing tions in Speech Writing. and above and 35 spouses. Course was organised from 28 until 30 April 2014 with the participation of Both sessions were facilitated by Mr. The main objective of the course was seven Undersecretaries. Simon Lancaster, who is one of United to prepare the participants prior to Kingdom’s top speech writers. He has their first postings abroad in aspects The objectives of the course were to written speeches for world leaders related to foreign policy, administra- increase understanding on the princi- and CEOs and trained hundreds of tion, management, finance, culture, ples of successful speech writing; professional writers over the years. diplomacy, security and etiquette. expose the participants to the skills, Focus was also given to topics techniques and strategies in speech SPKM: Pre-Posting Orientation relevant to promoting Malaysia from writing, and enable the participants to Course for Home-Based Staff and the points of view of tourism, invest- evaluate their strengths and weak- Spouses Series 3/2014 (Grade 41 ment, products and culture. As for the nesses as speech writers. The courses and Above) spouses, the course exposed them to DIPLOMATIC VOICE 21