News Releases

UWI Diplomatic Academy’s Protocol and Diplomacy Training More Relevant Than Ever

For Release Upon Receipt - July 2, 2025

St. Augustine


ST. AUGUSTINE, Trinidad and Tobago. Wednesday 2nd July 2025 – More of the stakeholders of The University of the West Indies (The UWI) Institute of International Relations' (IIR) Diplomatic Academy of the Caribbean (DAOC) are turning to its protocol and diplomacy training in response to the instability and disruption that loom large in contemporary international relations, according to the DAOC's Manager Dr. Nand C. Bardouille. Dr. Bardouille conveyed this view at a DAOC-hosted virtual event held on June 27th, marking the successful matriculation of the cohort of 18 module participants in the 19th edition of the Diplomatic Academy's training module on 'Protocol and Diplomacy: A Guide for the Modern Professional'. This five-day long, virtually delivered module started on June 23rd.                         

In feature remarks delivered at the closing ceremony, His Excellency Dr. Paul Byam, Director of Bilateral Relations, Ministry of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs of Trinidad and Tobago, reflected on the DAOC's "enviable reputation for excellence," garnered inter alia by routinely teaching this highly regarded module since its establishment over a decade ago. Ambassador Byam said: "This degree of longevity both suggests how well such training has been received by the wider community and how relevant it remains to that community and to the core purpose of the Diplomatic Academy of the Caribbean."

In calling attention to the significance of the two thematic pillars of the module, Ambassador Byam underscored that, "Along with the adherence to rules-based systems, protocol, as we generally understand it, brings structure, form, and decorum to state ceremonies, reliability to forms of governance at the most basic level, and trust, dependability, cordiality and respect to negotiations." He noted further: "Alternatively, the absence of protocol and diplomacy from our general conduct at home and abroad invites disruptive elements into the world order, causes negotiations to flounder and fail, and may bring otherwise resolvable situations to ruin."

The module's Lead Facilitator Ms. Gail P. Guy, a retired Diplomat and Protocol Consultant, said: "Throughout the highly interactive module-related sessions, the participants displayed a keen interest in the subject matter and remained engaged throughout the programme."

The teaching team also comprised the module's co-facilitator, Ms. Marise Warner, an Attorney-at-law and International Law Specialist. This team's delivery of the module curriculum was complemented by the Protocol Roundtable, featuring the following line-up of experts in the field:

·         Ms. Phillipa Lawrence, former diplomat and international affairs professional, and formerly Chief of Protocol at the United Nations Office at Vienna.

·         Ms. Keisha Rochford-Hawkins, Certified International Etiquette and Protocol Practitioner/International Relations Specialist. 

·         Ms. Sheila Roseau, Advocate and Leader in Gender Equality and Social Development, and Conference Coordinator for the Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS4). 

The Acting IIR Director, Dr. Dave Seerattan, who also delivered remarks during the module's closing ceremony, noted that the practice of diplomacy is determinative of the success or failure of the development aspirations of small states in the Caribbean. "The international environment faced by small states is now one in which long-standing trade and diplomatic linkages are being tested amidst intensifying strategic competition between the United States and China. Compounding these problems are structural pressures related to environmental sustainability, technological supremacy, and the emergence of a multipolar global order, all of which are reshaping the contours of diplomacy," Dr. Seerattan noted.        

He concluded: "This training module has provided more than just a conceptual overview of diplomatic norms. It has provided practical tools, shared regional experiences, and highlighted cases that underscore the fact that protocol is not merely ceremonial, but strategic."  

In remarks delivered on behalf of the 19th cohort of module graduates, Ms. Rolhensha Henry, Second Secretary, Embassy of Saint Kitts and Nevis to Taiwan, Republic of China, commended the DAOC on this iteration of the training module. In this regard, Ms. Henry relayed the cohort's deep appreciation for its dynamic curriculum. She also hailed the facilitators, contending that they "specialized the course by paying keen attention to the professions represented in this cohort and tailored content and discussions to ensure each participant could receive and impart knowledge specific to their experience and expertise." 

 

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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.

 

About The University of the West Indies

 

The University of the West Indies (The UWI) is the Caribbean’s premier higher education institution and one of only two regional universities in the world. With five campuses across the English-speaking Caribbean and global centres in partnership with universities in North America, Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Europe, The UWI continues to be a beacon of academic excellence, research innovation, and societal impact. Consistently ranked among the world’s best by Times Higher Education (THE), The UWI is a global leader in addressing critical challenges, including climate change, sustainability, and development.

As The UWI St. Augustine Campus celebrates its 65th anniversary in 2025 under the theme Beyond 65: From the Caribbean, For the World, it pays tribute to its Caribbean roots while highlighting its contributions to solving global challenges. This milestone underscores the campus's significant role in producing ground-breaking research and fostering talent that transcends regional boundaries to shape a better world. The UWI St. Augustine’s researchers, academics, and graduates continue to make an international impact, exemplifying the university’s mission to serve the region while influencing the world.

Learn more at www.uwi.edu 

 

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