Montenegro

Montenegro Summer School for Young Diplomats ”Gavro Vuković“

The success proved through organizing of the first Montenegrin Summer School for Young Diplomats is a confirmation of readiness of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro to keep up with regular and continuous activities not only regarding training for its diplomatic services but also in terms of development of regional initiatives and cooperation in this domain.

At the official opening  in Berane, at the Memorial House of the first Montenegrin Minister of Foreign Affairs Duke Gavro Vuković H.E. Mr. Milan Roćen, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro said: «The first Montenegrin Summer School of Diplomacy ‘Gavro Vuković’ is devoted to the challenges for diplomats, primarily from the countries of the region, and it offers a good opportunity for exchange of opinions and ideas about actual EU and NATO processes in the context of their enlargement. At the same time, this gathering is a real chance for mutual acquainting and networking of young diplomats from the region and their colleagues from the EU countries. The School is focusing on modern tendencies in diplomacy and modalities of developing professional traits of a modern diplomat that no country can do without.  I hope that this year's Summer School will be the beginning of a long tradition and that our young diplomats will gather every year, to socialize and to learn from each other in such a pleasant environment. Also, I hope that there will be more countries that will express interest in sending their diplomats to this School. For starters, we are more than satisfied. Here are the attendees from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Albania and, of course, Montenegro. EU countries Italy, Slovenia and Estonia also sent their diplomats. Total number of registered participants and experienced diplomats and other eminent lecturers from Montenegro and abroad is forty.”

Minister Roćen also said: “As one of heritage legacies Duke Gavro Vuković left his grandiose memoirs about one of the most tumultuous times of Montenegrin history and they are unavoidable learning material for all Montenegrin diplomats, today and tomorrow. There is almost no page in the memoirs without at least one eternal message or a lesson from that giant of Montenegrin history. ‘’The worst thing that could happen to a small country is to conduct a one way diplomacy blind for pragmatic goals and led by political, ethnic and confessional romantism’. Or: ‘One must not become a slave to the interstate relations established once and for all... Those relations need appreciation, maintenance, measuring, re-examining or changes based on realistic circumstances not historical sentiments, myths or illusions of any kind’.’’ 

“Indeed, we have a great respect for Minister Roćen’s idea to organize the Summer School in the North. To effectively discuss regional diplomatic challenges we need to think about them clearly, and there is no better place to do it than here, in the homeland of famous Montenegrin diplomat”, said Mr. Garret Tankosić Kelly, UNDP Resident Representative a.i./UN Interagency Focal Point in Montenegro. «Networking is essential in diplomatic affairs. You are so fortunate to find this network in Berane, to learn about each others’ countries and cultures, and to promote mutual trust and tolerance, but also to discover the North of Montenegro and its potentials.”

“Eighty years after the death of Montenegro's first foreign minister Duke Gavro Vuković, I wish to reemphasize the significance of the words that his successor in the new and modern Montenegro, Minister Roćen quoted today: a one way diplomacy is indeed the worst thing that could happen to a small country. And, recent happenings in the region and wider proved that being led by political, ethnical or religious romantism can be fatal. Because you acknowledge the experiences from recent times and the struggles of your elders you are now being mobilized as youth to make your mark in society. You, as the new generation of diplomats, have a tremendous chance to get involved in the shaping of relations between countries in these times of change. I hope this Summer School will challenge you to create opportunities that you want to experience, help you improve your diplomatic skils and gain a greater understanding of self-potential. John Fitzgerald Kennedy said: “Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate”. Thus, my message to you is to continue the discussion and networking you’ve started today, and to stay open to new ideas coming from your fellow colleagues from the region. The future of the Western Balkans is in the EU, and you should all work together to help in making this a reality as soon as possible,” Mr. Tankosić Kelly concluded.

When talking about Duke Gavro Vuković, Mayor of Berane Mr. Vuka Golubović said: "There is so many things that Duke Gavro Vuković did for development and affirmation of Montenegro as the foremost actor, or as one of the foremost actors of his time. We should keep in mind that he appeared on the social scene as a politician and a diplomat in the period when Montenegro was showing to the world that it does not only represent a military camp but also a state, and that Montenegrins are not only soldiers  but citizens as well. Even then, late in 19th Century and early in 20th Century he understood international relations and their reflections on a small country like Montenegro."

Mayor Golubović reminded that Duke’s motto was that good political relations with other countries should be made even better, and the bad ones should be improved with strong commitment. Back then he was the first, or one of the first diplomats coming from a small nation who understood that there are no eternal friends or enemies in diplomacy but only interests and interests achieved, which enables survival and prosperity for small nations. “Also, taking diplomacies of powerful countries of his time as a model, he realized that state politics and diplomacies are always connected with economy, and those two cannot exist excluding each other,” Mayor Golubović emphasized.

Young diplomats who attended the School were Ms Triinu Pits and Mr Bjorn Piibur (Estonia), Ms Valeria Baistrocchi (Italy), Ms Vesna Klemenčič and Mr Žiga Fišer (Slovenia), Ms Antonela Dhimolea and Mr Luizim Cota (Albania), Ms Maja Ivanjko and Ms Jasminka Sakić (Croatia), Ms Samra Deverović and Mr Goran Behmen (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Ms Milena Karagaća and Ms Ivana Radosavljević (Serbia), Ms Atina Ničoška and mr Dejan Đučić (FYR Macedonia), as well as Ms Ana Zeković, Ms Ferida Mandić and Ms Marija Živković, and Mr Miladin Bogetić, Mr Dragan Krivokapić and Mr Filip Kalezić (Montenegro).

Lecturers at the Summer School for Young Diplomats were H.E. Mr. Leopold Maurer, Ambassador, Head of the Delegation of the European Commission to Montenegro; H.E. Mr. Roderick Moore, US Ambassador to Montenegro; H.E. Ms. Slavica Milačić, Ambassador, Head of Permanent Mission of Montenegro to the European Union; H.E Ms. Karin Jaani, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia; H.E. Mr. Florian Raunig, Ambassador of Austria to Montenegro; H.E. Mr. Vesko Garčević, Ambassador of Montenegro to Austria; H.E. Mr. Petar Turčinović, Ambassador of the Republic of Croatia to Montenegro; Dr Anton Bebler, Professor of Political Science and of Defense Sciences at the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia; Mr. Živko Andrijašević, Ph.D, University of Montenegro; Ms. Milica Kadić Aković, MA in Public Relations and Mr. Radoje Cerović, MSc, Psychologist and Strategic Communication Expert.
 
Lecture topics were: Western Balkans in the United Europe: EU Perspective; History of Montenegrin Diplomacy; the European Perspective of the Western Balkans - the Conditionality Policy: Membership vs. Partnership; EU Enlargement: the new member states’ perspective; Interactive Workshop on Communication Techniques; Challenges for a Diplomat: an Envoy or an Active Participant in Negotiations?; the Importance of Young Diplomats' Network in Enhancing the Stability of the Western Balkans; Transatlantic Dimension of the EU Common Foreign and Security Policy: the Culture of Cooperation and Dialogue in Foreign Affairs; the Experiences and Challenges of Small Countries’ Diplomacies.

In addition, an interactive workshop was held on the Attitude of EU Countries towards EU and NATO Enlargement (Individual presentations by young diplomats, representatives of EU countries: Estonia, Italy and Slovenia), as well as an interactive workshop on Achievements and Challenges on the Road to European and Euro-Atlantic Integration (Individual presentations by young diplomats, representatives of the countries from the Western Balkans: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia).

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At the official closing ceremony Ms. Irena Radović, Assistant to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro said: «I am glad to share the opinions of Montenegrin and foreign diplomats who gave contribution to the first Montenegrin Summer School for Young Diplomats, that we are on the right road  and that this project has fully confirmed the need and the reasons which led to establishing of the School.»

«I wish to use this opportunity,» also said Ms. Radović, «to emphasize that the School for Young Diplomats 'Gavro Vuković' in the best way reflects and promotes the values and fundamental priniciples that development of modern Montenegro is based on: efforts to strengthen capacities and modernization of Montenegrin society through adopting of European standards, with an ambition to use that basis in the near future for introduction of Montenegro to European and Euro-Atlantic integrations; and a conviction that such determination is inseparable from strengthening bilateral links and close cooperation with the countries of the Region as well as with traditional partners in the EU.”

In his closing address Mr. Mirsad Bibović, UNDP Institutional and Judicial Cluster Leader said: «The Montenegro Summer School has made it clear that the new diplomatic strategy in this region is predicated on a sustained effort that will take some time to bear fruit. And, young diplomats of today - potential ministers and ambassadors of tomorrow have a significant role to play in building a democratic and prosperous region, integrated into the EU.”

“In the past two decades Montenegro has been a good example of stable, multicultural and multi ethnic society in this turbulent region,” Mr. Bibović continued. “The fact that today people of different nations and religions from the region feel comfortable and welcome here is the best illustration for this. We are confident that Montenegro will continue to contribute to keeping the region stable as moving towards EU,”, said Mr. Bibović adding that the UNDP would continue to support similar initiatives in the future hoping that the Summer School for Young Diplomats could become a good tradition of regional cooperation.”

 
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Situated between the East and the West and connected with its Balkan and Mediterranean neighbours, Montenegro is recognized as a stability factor and, within European and Euro-Atlantic integrations, belongs to one of the most dynamic but also most promising regions.  Montenegro has duly recognized that good neghbourly relations and integrations make a guarantee for its successful development.  In the new context, it is developing as a stable, democratic and multiethnic country and shares common values with the countries from the region, the European continent and the democratic world. 

As an independent country Montenegro has the opportunity to reinforce its position on the international scene and to step up and enhance the relations with the major agents on this scene.  The continuity of endeavours in foreign affairs is an essential quality of its current international position.  Striving to meet the new obligations in line with the European and Euro-Atlantic aspirations, Montenegro is establishing the necessary institutional prerequisities for an adequate network of diplomatic-consular offices, implementation of foreign policy and international cooperation. 

Montenegro’s key priorities in the domain of foreign policy are integration in the EU and NATO, enhancing and maintaining good neghbourly relations and regional cooperation, as well as further development of comprehensive bilateral and multilateral cooperation.  Considering that majority of the Western Balkans countries share similar goals, a need is identified to acquaint young diplomats of the region with the essential elements of the process of Euro-Atlantic integrations and the process of cooperation in the Western Balkan region. 

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Capacity Development Programme - CDP was established in September 2003, as partnership between the Government of Montenegro, the Foundation Open Society Institute (FOSI) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Montenegro. The realization of the new phase of this programme started since February 2007, with a key task to contribute to the efforts in developing institutional and administrative capacities for the process of European Integration.