Global Diplomacy Lab
Building inclusive diplomacy
Hanina Ben Bernou, Chi Nguyen and Ahmad Maaliji
Global Diplomacy Lab

- This article was originally published as part of the 2018 edition of Bled Strategic Times, the official gazzette of the Bled Strategic Forum (BSF) international conference. You can access the full version of this and other BSF publications by visiting our official website.
What happens when you take nearly a hundred global doers and thinkers, leaders and diplomats and put them together in some of the world’s most innovative hotspots? The Global Diplomacy Lab (GDL), initiated in 2014 as a public private partnership by the Federal Foreign Office, three private foundations and the German development agency GIZ, has been hosting important debate and reflection about how we work globally to address some of the biggest challenges today. By bringing the talents of academics, activists, diplomats and doers together, the GDL — under the patronage of Federal Foreign Minister Maas — has fostered a strong network ready to immerse itself in a range of complex and diverse global questions. But, tackling many of these intractable challenges, such as urban violence, migration and digital diplomacy, means bringing new unsettling and innovative approaches to how we respond. This work is about moving beyond theory, connecting unusual partners, hearing from communities and building networks. The GDL’s efforts have become synonymous with innovation, rule-breaking, influence and impact.
This year, the GDL is delighted to return for the 3rd consecutive year to the Bled Strategic Forum to host two events: More Seats at the Table, and Bridging the Trust Divide between People and Institutions. Led by GDL members, Chi Nguyen, Hanina Ben Bernou and Ahmad Maaliji, these sessions will uncover some critical questions about accountability, trust and how we move forward in an age of cynicism and despair.
This year’s Night Owl session, More Seats at the Table: Achieving Gender Equality Today, will put the spotlight on the question of gender inclusion, violence and harassment in the post-MeToo age. As many institutions, government and civil society organisations face their own MeToo moments, it has become clear that this is a time for many to have courageous conversations about how they can be better allies, champions and defenders of gender equality.
With experts bringing forward their experiences in government, civil society, politics and the corporate world, the discussion will focus on how we can innovate and move this challenge forward. Participants will have a chance to weigh in on how to commit to actions that they can take to bring more gender equality to their communities. Panellists will include a current member of the European Parliament, a former UN Chief of Staff and Foreign Minister, a leading gender equity advocate and a corporate partner at one of the top global consulting firms. The session’s moderator, Chi Nguyen, a Canadian expert in gender inclusion, has been an active member of the GDL since 2015.
Bridging the Trust Divide between people and institutions, the second GDL contribution to this year’s BSF, will be a powerful interactive panel (in the format of a fishbowl discussion) that will challenge notions of trust and distrust in our societies today, with input from experts in the fields of crisis prevention, global issues, public communication, public governance and many more thanks to the members of the audience. They will be invited to occupy the empty chair among the speakers to raise questions or add different perspectives. Panellists will include the Director for Public Governance at the OECD, the UN Youth Delegate of Hungary, the Deputy Director for Civilian Crisis Prevention and Stabilisation at the German Federal Foreign Office as well as the Director of the Slovenian Government Communication Office.
As the GDL is not shying away from giving the same voice to all (regardless of age or level of seniority), this year, for the first time, a smartphone video competition among the participants of the Young Bled Strategic Forum has been launched to give one of them the chance to be heard in the main panel. The winner, Ms Zsófia Rácz, will give insights into why young people are so frustrated with institutions and how they can become actors of change and innovation in the debate on trust.
The partnership between the GDL and the BSF is particularly significant because each brings forward an opportunity to advance the common goals of provoking leaders to take a more pluralistic and global approach to challenges of the day. Bringing the global expertise of the GDL to Bled provides a truly global platform to think about inclusive diplomacy today.

