Irina Dakhundaridze, Director of the Diplomatic Institute, took part in the Leadership Meeting of diplomatic institutions from the wider Black Sea region, held in Bucharest on 8–11 April 2025. The event was hosted by the Romanian Diplomatic Institute and organised jointly by the Estonian School of Diplomacy, the Diplomatic Institute of Romania and the Diplomatic Academy of Ukraine.
The meeting brought together representatives from Romania, Ukraine, Estonia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Georgia, Moldova, and Armenia within the framework of the Trilateral Diplomatic Initiative—a collaborative project of the Diplomatic Academy of Ukraine, the Estonian School of Diplomacy and the Swedish Institute, supported by the Estonian Centre for International Development.
The discussions focused on the role of Public Diplomacy in enhancing regional security, cooperation, and European integration. Participants explored the growing importance of strategic communication, digital engagement, cultural diplomacy and people-to-people contacts in strengthening regional partnerships. It was emphasised that public diplomacy is an essential pillar of modern diplomacy and an important tool for building soft power, countering disinformation and engaging effectively with global audiences.
Mrs. Irine Dakhundaridze shared the Diplomatic Institute’s approach to developing professional training programs in public diplomacy. She also discussed with her colleagues from partner diplomatic institutes joint initiatives and opportunities for future collaboration.
