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...

“Wars begin when diplomacy ends”, the famous quote by Adolf Hitler, has always been a forceful reminder of the imperative importance of diplomacy as a strategy in the world arena. The importance of diplomacy as a war deterrent is of significant importance in the modern geopolitical arena. In the modern nuclearized world, war is not an option.   As it was stated in the Einstein-Russell manifesto, “what assurance do we have that agreements made in times of peace, would be honored during times of war”. Furthermore recent developments in the international stage have showcased the importance of diplomatic dialogue in maintaining the stability of a region, before conflict followed by ensuing turmoil erupts. Thus, these few points alone showcase the importance of diplomacy. Niche Diplomacy is a form of strategy which comes under the category of soft power. Soft power as opposed to the hard power of military and economic strength, moves to resolve issues through the application of ...

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 ...

Few years back, any enterprising or catastrophic event in any part of the world would not bother our day to day lifestyle. However in present time, even a chicken suffering from mild fever in a remote village of Africa or a casual statement from any individual thousands of miles away from us, effects our life, our choices, our decisions, shapes our opinions and the way we perceive our surroundings. The globalized world and the advances in information technology has made our lives much more informed than ever before. However despite of the all the information at our disposal, our understanding of the world around us is still very limited. The reason lies in our inability to determine the adequacy of information and ply it with diplomatic and leadership skills in one’s favor. One of the persuasive reasons behind studying diplomacy and world affairs in today’s time is, that knowingly or unknowingly we all practice it and get influenced by it.     As a practitioner of i...

As an island caught in the cusp of global geopolitical change, the import ascribed to Sri Lanka and its foreign policy has markedly increased. A re-emerging ‘Asian Century’ bodes great benefits and challenges to all Sri Lankans and effectively harnessing this shift will assist us in reaching our collective goals and aspirations in the coming decades.   To not just comprehend, but to also make full use of this systemic power shift requires a clear understanding of international relations and its related dynamics. The North Korean nuclear dilemma, the purported rise of revisionist powers, the global economic recession, piracy in the Indian Ocean and terrorist attacks from Europe to South East Asia dominate the headlines of mainstream media today. All of us develop our own estimations and opinions concerning these problems as well as the impacts they may have on us as a nation. But how can we improve our awareness and apprehension of these topics? What avenues do S...

The UN was not created to take mankind to heaven, but to save humanity from hell.   — Dag Hammarskjöld, second United Nations Secretary-General (1953 to 1961) Sometimes I have seen that many people are questioning about the effectiveness of the role of United Nations in a world where it has to deal with number of new issues which arises each & every day. When someone is questioning the existence & the effectiveness of United Nations, I always recall the above quote from one of the former UN Secretary Generals & ask the question ‘What if there is no organization called United Nations? Just imagine, how the world would look like when over 193 nations act in their own without any cooperation or common agreement among each other?!?’    Being the Official Sri Lankan Youth Delegate to the 71 st United Nations General Assembly which was held at United Nations Headquarters in New York USA, was one of the most unforgettable experiences that I ever had in...