News Releases

UWI Diplomatic Academy Training in 2023 Ends on a High Note

For Release Upon Receipt - November 9, 2023

St. Augustine


ST. AUGUSTINE, Trinidad and Tobago. Thursday 9th November 2023 – In a span of just two months, October to November 2023, The UWI Institute of International Relations’ (IIR) Diplomatic Academy of the Caribbean (DAOC) trained over 85 Caribbean Community (CARICOM) nationals. This according to The DAOC’s Manager Dr. Nand C. Bardouille, who underscored: “As a result of three thematically similar training-related engagements over the period in question, the Diplomatic Academy built capacity in several national and regional-level institutions—along with private sector organizations—across CARICOM. These training deliverables centred on the protocol-related subject matter and, in each instance, The DAOC deployed its lead trainer in this field of study, Ms. Gail P. Guy.”     

 On November 4th, The DAOC hosted online the third successive, protocol-themed capacity-building event in two months. Entitled ‘Conference Diplomacy: Fundamentals of Protocol, Event Planning and Business Etiquette in a Multicultural, International Conference Environment’, this one-day seminar was geared towards 31 staff members of the St. Kitts-headquartered Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB). It drew on a customized, conference-themed programme of training.     

 On October 4th, The DAOC also delivered a tailored, one-day protocol-based seminar to 25 staff members of Trinidad and Tobago’s Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries. It took place in-person.   

 From October 30th to November 3rd, The DAOC virtually held the 18th edition of its flagship training module on ‘Protocol and Diplomacy: A Guide for the Modern Professional’. A cross-section of diplomats, public officials, and private sector and state agency personnel, among others, took part. This cohort comprises of 30 persons, who hail from the following CARICOM member states: The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago.              

 As regards these impactful, back-to-back training deliverables, Dr. Bardouille noted, “We are very pleased and humbled to conclude our training on this note for calendar year 2023. While five-day protocol and diplomacy training modules are the mainstay of the Diplomatic Academy, one-day seminar versions are catching on.”

 In delivering welcome remarks to Cohort 18 of The DAOC’s Protocol and Diplomacy module on October 30th, Interim IIR Director Dr. Annita Montoute surmised that such training is important “to strengthen our human resources and social capital to leverage these in our engagements for optimal results.”

 The module’s lead facilitator, Ms. Guy, a retired diplomat and protocol consultant, noted: “The 18th cohort was unique. There were many mature practitioners with considerable experience in planning and executing state and corporate events whose comments, questions and quality discussion contributed immensely to the learning of the whole group.”

 Ms. Marise Warner, an attorney-at-law and international law specialist, served as the module’s co-facilitator.      

 By virtue of two roundtables, which were driven by panelists variously operating in the fields of diplomacy and protocol, module participants were also exposed to the subject area perspectives and professional experiences of senior international experts, experienced diplomats and Protocol Officers. The roundtables were convened as follows:

 Virtual Roundtable#1 – October 30th – subject: Diplomacy, examining The Role and Significance of Track 1.5 Diplomacy

 Panelists:

 Ambassador Eden Charles (Moderator), Lecturer in Law, Faculty of Law, UWI St. Augustine; Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the International Seabed Authority for the Enterprise; and former Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary and Deputy Permanent Representative of Trinidad and Tobago to the United Nations, New York.

Ms. Adelle Rahamut, Attorney-at-law; former Senior Legal Officer, Ministry of National Security, Trinidad and Tobago; former Member of Trinidad and Tobago’s ATT Negotiation Delegation. 

  Ms. Folade Mutota, Executive Director, Women’s Institute for Alternative Development; former Member of Trinidad and Tobago’s ATT Negotiation Delegation.

Ms. Tamara Thomas, Executive Director, Ocean Ties; Ocean Advisor to the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Ms. Peggy Kalas, International Ocean Policy Advisor, Oceano Azul Foundation.

Virtual Roundtable#2 – November 3rd – subject: Protocol, examining, The Coordination Function in State and Official Ceremonials

 Panelists:

 Mr. Carl A. Francis (Moderator), Court Protocol & Information Manager, The Judiciary of Trinidad and Tobago.

Mr. Brian Caesar, Clerk of the House/Head of the Office of the Parliament, Parliament of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.

Lieutenant Sherron Manswell, Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force.  

 Mr. Francis also delivered Feature Remarks at the module’s Closing Ceremony. His remarks, capped off by a strong endorsement of this module, reaffirmed key aspects of protocol-related learning in the module and best practice in the field of protocol.

 Following this well received send-off for the module participants, the representative of the cohort reflected on the module. Mrs. Elizabeth Superville-Neilson, Programme Director, The Anthony N Sabga Awards - Caribbean Excellence, The ANSA McAL Foundation hailed the module as a great success. Mrs. Superville-Neilson said the training was “intense,” adding that its success is a reflection not just of its content but also the outstanding resource persons on hand.  

END

About the Diplomatic Academy of the Caribbean

The DAOC is the Caribbean's premier professional development-oriented diplomatic studies centre. An integral part of The University of the West Indies’ Institute of International Relations (IIR), it was established in 2014. The DAOC has a primary teaching mandate in the area of diplomatic studies, offering short, highly specialized training modules in the broad field of diplomatic studies. For Caribbean professionals seeking to expand their capabilities to advance an international career, the DAOC is a trusted educational partner. Combining a world-class suite of curricular offerings, which align with topical policy and learning trends, with a programme of advocacy and partnerships regarding the relationship between diplomacy and the Caribbean, the Diplomatic Academy provides a unique setting for stakeholders to deepen diplomatic skills/knowledge and enhance policy expertise.

The DAOC has yielded substantial and complementary benefit to the IIR, which was established in 1966 by agreement between the Government of Trinidad and Tobago and the Government of Switzerland.

Integral to the DAOC's mission is its commitment to help close human resources capacity gaps in international affairs and diplomacy in the Caribbean, by providing capacity-building and skills development training in diplomacy to up and coming diplomats and to aspiring diplomats from the Caribbean Region. This diplomatic learning and training facility also strengthens the University's capacities for research/analysis, knowledge‐sharing, advocacy, and partnerships and dialogue on the relationship between diplomacy and the Caribbean broadly conceived, with the goal of helping to facilitate policy-relevant awareness-raising on international affairs issues of import (and that are topical) to the Region.

The Diplomatic Academy derives its character from its global outlook, real-world impact, and Caribbean mindedness which, in sum, constitute The DAOC Advantage™. For more information, please visit:  https://sta.uwi.edu/daoc.

About The University of the West Indies

The UWI has been and continues to be a pivotal force in every aspect of Caribbean development; residing at the centre of all efforts to improve the well-being of people across the region for the past 75 years.

From a university college of London in Jamaica with 33 medical students in 1948, The UWI is today an internationally respected, global university with near 50,000 students and five campuses: Mona in Jamaica, St. Augustine in Trinidad and Tobago, Cave Hill in Barbados, Five Islands in Antigua and Barbuda and its Open Campus, and global centres in partnership with universities in North America, Latin America, Asia, Africa and Europe. The UWI offers over 800 certificate, diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate degree options in Culture, Creative and Performing Arts, Food and Agriculture, Engineering, Humanities and Education, Law, Medical Sciences, Science and Technology, Social Sciences, and Sport. As the Caribbean’s leading university, it possesses the largest pool of Caribbean intellect and expertise committed to confronting the critical issues of our region and wider world.

The UWI has been consistently ranked among the top universities globally by the most reputable ranking agency, Times Higher Education (THE). The UWI is the only Caribbean-based university to make the prestigious lists since its debut in the rankings in 2018. In addition to its leading position in the Caribbean in the World University Rankings, it is also in the top 25 for Latin America and the Caribbean and the top 100 global Golden Age universities (between 50 and 80 years old).  The UWI is also featured among the leading universities on THE’s Impact Rankings for its response to the world’s biggest concerns, outlined in the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including Good Health and Wellbeing; Gender Equality and Climate Action.

2023 marks The UWI’s 75th anniversary. The Diamond jubilee milestone themed “UWI at 75. Rooted. Ready. Rising.” features initiatives purposely designed and aligned to reflect on the past, confront the present, and articulate plans for the future of the regional University. 

Learn more at www.uwi.edu

 

 

Contact