At the occasion of the publication of ‘Diplomatic Skills’ by author Johan Verbeke, the EGMONT Institute is pleased to invite you to an informal presentation and open discussion on the centrality of skills in diplomatic practice. Diplomats are skilled practitioners when it comes to negotiation, debating, public speaking and writing. But these skills aren’t a diplomat’s monopoly, they are essential for professionals across the board: politicians of course, but also lobbyists and journalists, business people and civil servants, and perhaps just you and me: somehow, we we’re all diplomats in our own way.

Johan Verbeke has been a Belgian diplomat for 35 years. He served in the Middle East, Africa and Latin America. He was the Chief of Staff to two Ministers of Foreign Affairs and the Personal Representative of the UN Secretary General in Lebanon and Georgia. His last assignments as Ambassador were in New York, where he represented Belgium in the Security Council, then London and finally Washington. Currently he is a Senior Fellow with Egmont and a visiting professor at the universities of Ghent and Brussels.

Programme

17:00: Registration and welcome coffee

17.30: Sven Biscop, Egmont Director General a.i. will introduce both author and book

17.45: Johan Verbeke, Egmont Senior Fellow will present his book

18.15: Jan Balliauw, Egmont Senior Fellow will open the discussion

18.30: Discussion Q&A (in English, Dutch or French)

Please note that this is an in-person event.

The book ‘Diplomatic Skills – Practical Skills for Everyone’ is an Owl Press publication (May 2025)