As technology evolves rapidly, we will find ourselves redefining how we think about our diplomatic relationships. We no longer exist in an age where diplomacy takes place behind the walls of an embassy; today, our diplomatic efforts are taking shape on a daily basis through digital means and new forms of communication. However, while we continue to move forward into a world dominated by technology, we are also experiencing a paradox: as our institutions become more readily available globally through these technologies (and many others), our societies are becoming increasingly divided.
As a PhD candidate specializing in the field of intercultural emotional intelligence and post-conflict narrative building, the greatest threat to modern democracy is not that countries do not have enough technological tools to connect with each other; rather, the most significant obstacle is that we lack intercultural resonance.
When we look at digital companies as purely technical entities (the way we do), we lose sight of the fact that digital spaces can create barriers between us, much like they can create opportunities to build bridges. As such, if we want to address this issue, we must move toward developing a “Digital Democratic Infrastructure,” rather than focusing exclusively on building technology that allows us to connect to one another digitally.
This concept, which formed the core of my research for the winning ActEU ‘Act for Democracy’ contest, is that all digital systems are treated as common resources. In a similar way to a public plaza which served to support multicultural discourse and safe access to information, our digital infrastructure must be designed to provide a place for the safe conversation across cultures through inclusive actions and intelligence.
The definition of democracy is evolving at an unprecedented rate with the emergence of the idea of a “Digital Democracy” as it becomes increasingly defined by bits and bytes as opposed to ballots and buildings. How do we know when we are designing for the ‘Digital Future’ and for whom are we telling the stories that are built through those systems?
For women leaders and diplomats, this article represents the next step in their journey as leaders; the chance to lead by building a digital world in which technology is used to enrich cultural diversity rather than erase cultural diversity by granting all individuals equal status.
The Intercultural Bridge
As with many other aspects of life in the 21st century, women in transitional countries or women living in the EU’s neighboring regions must also contend with both benefits and disadvantages inherent in digital space. Digital space provides women with opportunities to organize and mobilize, but it also perpetuates their exclusion from the power structures therein.
To create an environment from which resilient democracies can emerge, we must consciously move toward creating a “Digital Democratic Infrastructure”, which will ultimately be comprised of the collective stories of inclusive narratives governed by Intercultural Emotional Intelligence (IEI). My research as a PhD candidate has helped me understand that IEI is key to the successful use of digital tools in diplomacy.
Digital tools often fail because they are “culturally blind” and apply the same logic to all cultures.
In my work with UN SDSN Youth, I have seen that, in order for social cohesion to be realized, it is necessary for digital platforms to acknowledge the cultural nuances, emotional histories, and shared memories of all users.
More than just “diversity,” interculturality is about the process of exchange and thus the opportunity for cultural transformation through exchanges. The question we need to ask when creating digital infrastructure will be: Does this digital infrastructure allow for the complexities of a multi-cultural identity? Or does it force individuals to choose between both polarized boxes where they exist? We must create digital narratives that allow women in the Mediterranean and elsewhere to create fluidity across the boundaries of global digital citizenship and local traditions.
Women as Mediators of Digital Narratives
Women often play a significant role in the preservation of the social fabric of their communities in post-conflict and transitional societies. My research into an example of women’s agency in the Middle East led to a concept I called “Listening as Resistance” where active empathetic listening and engagement are acts of political resistance.
By fostering the intercultural empathy already present in women throughout the digital space, women can serve as human firewalls against disinformation and polarization in the digital space.
By leading with emotional intelligence in our work, we will recognize that individual data points are actually representative of individual human stories.
The core of my strategy to win the ActEU ‘Act for Democracy’ Contest (January 2026), organized by Trans-European Policy Studies Association (TEPSA) was the belief that the strength of any digital infrastructure is only as strong as the human trust created through it.
A Call to Action for Global Women Leaders
the digital shift isn’t something to sit back and watch; it’s a call to action for women leaders across the globe. as women diplomats and researchers, we must require that digital public infrastructures have:
- Intercultural Responsiveness: Digital design should not only translate but should also incorporate the true cultural essence of any given community into the design of the digital platform.
- Narrative Driven: Digital platforms need to be utilized in a way that amplifies the “unspoken words” of peace and cooperation that are regularly overlooked by algorithms.
- Human-Centered: The frameworks of artificial intelligence and data should be guided by the same emotional intelligence as is required in the practice of face-to-face diplomacy.
We must not just strive to survive during this digital transition; we must lead it. By infusing intercultural empathy into the digital framework, we create systems that will not only be faster but will also be more human.
Leading with Intercultural Empathy
As we move further towards increasingly complex digital public infrastructures, we must view intercultural emotional intelligence (IEI) not simply as a “soft skill” but rather as an element of diplomatic and strategic importance. women can lead when it comes to breaking down the barriers created by our digital “silos” by utilizing “listening as resistance.”
Throughout my journey from the study of the stories surrounding the aftermath of the Lebanese conflict to my proposal for an EU strategy on building a digital democratic infrastructure,…
I learned that technology “bridges” the divide between us only when it utilizes and understands the power of the human heart, and leverages and celebrates the rich tapestry of our various and diverse cultural histories.
In order for us, women, who are paving the way for the architects of the next democratic governance model to articulate our vision and create the next democratic architecture, we must weave empathy into our algorithms and interculturality into our infrastructure, while at the same time, building not only a “more connected” world, but a more understanding one.
Yara El Turk
Yara El Turk is a PhD Candidate in Diplomacy and Consular Relations and a recognized Peace Ambassador specializing in intercultural emotional intelligence and narrative-building. As a Project Lead for UN SDSN Youth, she leads global initiatives that translate academic research into participatory policy frameworks for youth engagement and climate justice. A winner of the ActEU Act for Democracy contest, Yara’s work focuses on the intersection of digital infrastructure and social cohesion, advocating for inclusive voices in the EU’s Eastern and
Southern neighborhoods. She can be reached at yara.el.turkk@gmail.com
