Bandaranaike International Diplomatic Training Institute

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From the orthodox ‘diplomacy’ to the new age of diplomacy; The requisite to apprehend the know-how of diplomacy.

In a world of a miscellany of living organisms, humans are renowned for their cognitive and mental capacity to form systems of inter-personal relationships that stretch way beyond the nucleus of the immediate family. There are ample of research that go to form the opinion that today human intelligence stems not to simply solve ecological problems but rather to promote the survival of humans in large and social groups. Henceforth the importance of understanding the thoughts and emotions of others, traits such as empathy, patience, theory of mind and primacy attributed to the use of symbols, tools and language have proven to be necessary for the flexible cooperation of humans in large numbers. With the orthodox belief that diplomacy solely aims to initiate cooperation during peace and war, it is also correct to be of the stance, that to assert your opinion or idea, to know how, when and where to say it without compromise to a relationship you share and without jeopardizing your affairs

Learn Diplomacy at BIDTI

Diplomacy is often interpreted by most only in the conventional sense – the art of statecraft. To the common man: the sensitive world of well dressed, serious men and women discussing matters regarding politics, international agreements or something of a similar nature. The first image that comes to mind are the dark suited officials who shake hands with some political figure or speak at an international forum like the United Nations. It isn’t entirely a wrong image – but there’s more to it than that. What most people don’t realize is that diplomacy is something we all employ on a daily basis. Humans, as the world’s most social creatures cannot avoid interactions with others. Regardless of whether it’s family, friends or complete strangers, we will interact. At home, school and work; or even on the road, we rely on diplomacy to bargain for a better outcome. Diplomacy is about being sensitive to the needs and expectations of another and acting with tact. It is about using one’s awar

As COVID-19 Intensifies in the Global South, so has Gender Inequality

A look into why gender-sensitive responses matter. Sahana 1 applies a thick coat of foundation over her blackened eye – a scarring reminder of her intoxicated husband’s – expected -- outburst last night. A continent away, Rafiya 2 holds on to the last few morsels of tinned fish for the week. Being a sex worker in her locality, food aid can be hard to come by. And with signs of infection on the cards, Valentin 3 grapples with the decision to loosen his chest binding; the odds did not work in his favour. A few borders away, a single mother, Geetha, begs to have her job back. The truth that COVID-19 impacts all genders is a seed that states and decision-makers find difficult to digest. Therein, it goes without saying that the need for gender-sensitive response mechanisms to fight a deadly pandemic has become palpably clear. Gender inequality is both universal and multi-dimensional. But the political, social and economic workings of gender between the global North and the glob

A perspective on Sri Lanka’s medical tourism and way forward

Introduction Medical tourism is defined as ‘travelling across international borders to receive some kind of medical treatment such as dental care, cosmetic procedures, elective surgical care, fertility treatments, etc. (Kelly, 2013). The Medical Tourism Association describes it as people living in one country travelling to another country to access better quality medical, dental and surgical care than they are receiving in their own country (Medical Tourism Association, 2014). The terms “medical tourism’ and ‘health tourism’ are used interchangeably in works of literature (Munro,2012). The term ‘health tourism’ has a broader concept than the term ‘medical tourism’, as it covers the three related domains are known as Medical tourism, Healthcare tourism and Wellness tourism (Chen et al., 2012). The quality and cost of medical care, personal preferences (Personal experiences, Income, etc.) as well as the technological, economic, political, socio-cultural and leg