Bandaranaike International Diplomatic Training Institute

  Figure 1. Regional Cooperative mechanisms in place for Indian Ocean Today’s global geo-strategic environment is based on maritime activity; and matters maritime are embedded from economies to governance. Thus, as islanders it is indeed   important for the population to   understand the need of   navy in today’s global context. The above figure 1. illustrates   some of the regional cooperative mechanisms of global scale available in the Indian Ocean region and it is pertinent to note that the Sri Lanka Navy (SL Navy) is directly or indirectly involved as a   partner in   these maritime cooperative mechanisms. In today’s geo-strategic posture and in diplomacy , the Navy is  continuing to be an integral and valuable component. Naval prowess is in fact a deciding criterion of  diplomacy, and Gunboat Diplomacy is a terminology that originated through this necessity. During the cold-war era it was the naval might that flexed muscle  to carry...

The preface of Acharya’s book underscores the principal assumption driving his argument: that regions are socially constructed. In other words, the policymaking elite’s desire for a Southeast Asian regional identity coupled with “intraregional patterns of interaction, play a crucial role in the making of Southeast Asia as a region” (p. xi). The book builds on the first edition published by Oxford University Press under the title The Quest for Identity: International Relations of Southeast Asia in 2000 . The second edition contains two new chapters, one of which (chapter 2) draws upon secondary (historical and anthropological) literature and the second (chapter 8) explores several non-traditional security threats facing the region. To complement this lengthy text, Acharya also adds an interesting collection of historical pictures interspaced in different sections of the book. This brings the book to a hefty 410 pages divided into nine chapters.  The book begins by addressing the el...

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,        soc...

To become successful and to stamp your mark on the modern dynamic and highly connected world, one requires skills and a perspective of the world which goes beyond what one has learned at ones undergraduate degree or field of work. Geo-political situations such as Brexit , Belt and Road Initiative and developments in the field of national security has an immense impact on our lives though most of us do not have the right set of skills to analyze these   situations and to hedge for problems and to take up opportunities. I too was oblivious to the field of diplomacy before setting foot on the grounds of the BIDTI. As a medical undergraduate of the University Of Colombo Faculty Of Medicine, my scope of study seemed far removed from the sphere of diplomacy. But having being a Prefect at school and represented Sri Lanka in many forums abroad I was interested in world affairs. I came upon the advertisement by the BIDTI on their website and applied for the course. Though I was very e...

In the present-day context, it is pretty much impossible for someone to live in complete isolation. The advancements in technology, specially that to the information and communications field has had remarkable impact on human networks and connectivity. The formidable geographical barriers of the world have largely been bridged as a result of such technology to a point where everything is just a few words and click away. It is something that you and I witness everyday when we use online social network platforms. In such a context, the importance of physical presence has somewhat diminished. You might be far away from the audience or issue you address. Whether on your computer well settled at home or on your phone on the way to or from work, the words you utter, have so much more meaning and impact in the present-day context. So much so, it might even have an impact on a global scale. It can be that you may not even realize that you are having such an impact. Individualism has ...

I first stepped into the lecture hall of the BIDTI with a lot of excitement and eagerness for as it was the first time I was learning in detail, things outside the borders of our island that mattered to the country. Every day was a new topic, a new expert and obviously a whole sea of information, ideas and food for thought that triggered our minds. The quality and standard of the course was such that, the syllabus was updated constantly. It was definitely not the traditional classroom where age old theory is taught out of a text book. In fact, within the walls of the BIDTI, we learnt the significance of a firm hand shake. We learnt that we should tilt the soup bowl away from us to sip the last bit. We learnt how transitional justice helps to develop our island in the North and East. We learnt how to make use of Sri Lanka’s strategic location to be a leader in emerging Asia. At the convocation, apart from being officially declared a diplomate, I was honoured to be the recipient ...