Islamabad (TDI): On the first day of the International Young Diplomats School (IYDS), the young and diverse cohort arrived at the residence of the Danish ambassador in Islamabad.
As part of the seventh edition of the IYDS – a flagship diplomacy school organized by the Institute of Peace and Diplomatic Studies (IPDS) – this was the third visit of the day.
Maja Derrous Mortensen – the ambassador of Denmark to Pakistan – interacted with the participants and briefed them on composition of Denmark’s mission in Pakistan.
Upon arrival, the participants were served with mint juice made with home-grown mint at the ambassador’s residence; highlighting sustainability.
The ambassador also engaged in candid conversation with the cohort and later told them about Nordic values and how Denmark takes pride in being part of both the European Union and the Nordics.
As a Nordic country, Denmark’s development partnership with Pakistan is also intertwined with the work of fellow Nordics, and it is involved in projects spanning green energy, tech innovation, gender equality, and multilateralism.
Ambassador Mortensen told the curious young minds that more than fifty Danish companies are currently doing business in Pakistan, and are happy with the market environment available to them here.
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“We have strong relations with Pakistan,” she said, adding that Denmark was one of the first few countries to recognize Pakistan.
Speaking of Pakistan’s broader trade and business relations with the EU, ambassador Mortensen remarked that the recent EU-Pakistan Business Forum was “very substantive.” “There was a spirit of turning challenges into opportunities,” she added, reflecting on her participation in the forum.
Before arriving at the Danish embassy, the cohort visited the embassies of Egypt and Bosnia, where informal interactions with the respective ambassadors broadened their perspective of Pakistan’s relations with each country.
IYDS seeks to support public diplomacy outreach of the foreign diplomatic missions based in Pakistan as well as to give students of International Relations (IR) and mid-career professionals a direct exposure to the world of diplomacy.
A yearly program, it has emerged as a unique initiative which supports the public outreach goals of foreign diplomatic missions in Pakistan, all the while imparting a sound understanding on how diplomacy works to the participants.
The school has gained popularity over the years as students and professionals from all over Pakistan apply and aspire to be a part of the yearly cohort.
Established in December 2008, The Diplomatic Insight is Pakistan’s premier diplomacy and foreign affairs magazine, available in both digital and print formats.
