Director of the Diplomatic School of Armenia, Ambassador Vahe Gabrielyan participated in the 49^th International Forum on Diplomatic Training (IFDT) that took place in Bangkok from December 12^th to 15^th. The annual meeting of Directors of Diplomatic Academies and Deans of Foreign Service Institutes was hosted by the Devawongse Varopakarn Institute of Foreign Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand. The forum brought together over 100 people consisting of Deans, Directors and representatives from 46 diplomatic training institutions in 41 countries around the world, including Thai experts and academics under the theme “The Future of Diplomacy: Trends, Tools and Trainings for New-Age Diplomats”. The participants discussed issues concerning the future of diplomacy and diplomatic training, challenges for regional diplomacy, economic diplomacy in the post-pandemic era, development diplomacy, public diplomacy and equipping future diplomats with necessary knowledge and skills in these fields.

The Director of the Diplomatic School of Armenia took part in the panel discussions devoted to the challenges for regional diplomacy and their implications to the changing world order. Ambassador Gabrielyan spoke about the conflicts in the South Caucasus and its neighboring regions, dwelled on the wars launched  against the Republic of Artsakh by Azerbaijan, the latter’s use of internationally prohibited weapons against the civilian population of Artsakh, its long blockade of the Republic of Artsakh, the humanitarian crisis created as a result of that and the ethnic cleansing of the Armenian population in Artsakh. He also referred to the involvement of international institutions in the resolution efforts of the mentioned the conflicts and to the realities of the changing world order.