Milena Šofranac Ljubojević, Summer School Alumna from Montenegro, under the Spotlight

We are pleased to have under the Alumni Spotlight Milena Šofranac Ljubojević, the first Summer School Alumna from Montenegro that has been appointed as an Ambassador.

Summer School for Young Diplomats “Gavro Vuković” manages to spark long lasting
connections and creates alumni network that is of vital significance.

We will put some additional light on alumni from different corners of the globe and find out,
through 10 questions, what they are doing now and what perception they have about
contemporary international relations but also what kind of messages they have for future
Summer School participants.

1.Describe your career path in 100 words.

As a student of political science at the University La Sapienza in Rome I had a chance to work as an intern at the Embassy of Montenegro in the Republic of Italy. During that time, I have dreamed of becoming an Ambassador of my country one day. That is why it is a special honor and pleasure for me that my first post as Ambassador of Montenegro is in Italy.

After completing my studies, I started professional diplomatic career at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro, where I had an opportunity to work in a consular department, but also to be a member of a team that was working on achieving our primary foreign policy goals – European and Euro Atlantic integration of Montenegro. My previous post in Belgium, at the Embassy of Montenegro in Brussels, was an extraordinary opportunity to work and engage as a diplomat, but also to live in a city that represents a heart of the multilateral (EU & NATO) diplomacy. Upon my return in Podgorica, I worked in multilateral department, as a Director for OSCE and Council of Europe.

I am very glad I had an opportunity to work in different departments of the Montenegrin Foreign Ministry, which helped me broaden my perspective of international relations. Having in mind old saying “All roads lead to Rome” I sincerely hope knowledge and experience gained so far will help me to be successful at my new post as an Ambassador in the Republic of Italy.

2.Your Summer School experience.

It was an experience that was one of the most important milestones in my professional growing, in a way that gave me a chance to participate together with diplomats from all over the world in a global learning platform, through connecting and affirming the foreign policy of Montenegro.

3.What are the major global challenges of diplomacy at the 21st century?

Every day we are witnessing the shifts of boundaries in geostrategic, political, socio-economic, health, environmental and climate changes. It is clear that change is evident, that it is constant and that it is unpredictable. I believe that the biggest challenge for diplomacy will be to follow the process of diplomatic dialogue in the course of a very fast process of globalization, which affects all of us, without exception. Diplomacy in the 21st century is more proactive, multidirectional, and innovative than ever before. Our world is increasingly interconnected, as demonstrated by the domestic impact on external issues. New subjects crowd the international agenda and there is a need for closer communication at the multilateral and bilateral levels.

4.What skills and knowledge the emerging generation of diplomats should focus on?

Modern diplomacy is currently experiencing fundamental changes at an unprecedented rate, which affect the very character of diplomacy as we know it. These changes also affect aspects of domestic and international politics that were once of no great concern to diplomacy. Technical developments, mainly digitization, affect how the work of the diplomat is understood. We are facing a reality that the public is more sensitive to foreign policy issues and seeks to influence diplomacy through social media and other platforms. Diplomats must understand the tension between individual needs and state requirements, and engage with that tension without detriment to the state. Digitization must be employed in such a way that gains in efficiency are not at the expense of efficacy. Forms of mediation should be developed to reconcile the interests of all sides allowing governments to operate as sovereign states, and yet simultaneously use the influence and potential of other actors. New and more open state activities need to be advanced that respond to the ways in which emotionalized publics who wish to participate in governance express themselves.

5.How Summer School might contribute to empowering young diplomats?

Summer School, being a global platform of its kind, represents a very important hub for deepening and promoting further education and practical skills that are of utmost importance for diplomatic profession. Lessons learned, shared experience and open conversation about global topics that are of common interest, that are however part of the program of Summer School, help build wider knowledge that helps understand various transformation that concern diplomacy on global level.

6.World after COVID 19? What diplomacy can do to support post COVID 19 recovery?

World after COVID 19 most likely will not be the same. COVID-19 has brought the world to realize its very weak points of functioning. A warning that the suspension of work, interruption of certain processes, slowing down of market connections and serious health crisis is possible and that one should be ready for various scenarios. With almost every country and territory reporting cases of the coronavirus, the world has to adapt to a new kind of normal. The spread of the new coronavirus is testing our globalized world. The world of diplomacy is particularly affected by these developments, since meetings, conferences, and other major events are cancelled. During times of crisis, international cooperation is more than essential. Driven by necessity, diplomacy is adapting and shows a demand for swift reconfiguration.

We are aware that the lingua franca of diplomacy in the 21st century is the mastery of online platforms and digital tools. Even though this transition has shown its benefit to a cost-effectiveness and productivity of work remotely, we must insist on present and live dialogue, work on mechanisms that will help us in supporting global initiatives regarding health, economic, environment and cultural recovery. This represents main target and special importance for successful achievement of the post COVID 19 recovery period.

7.What could be the role of “vaccine diplomacy” in shaping the future international relations?

We are witnessing this new “vaccine production power” development by some global actors to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, that has turned into a soft power tool to influence the international global order. Vaccine diplomacy is to be considered as an experiment and a completely new instrument. Numerous countries at a global level are still negotiating in order to achieve a complete immunization of their citizens. In parallel, they all have the common goal, to provide their citizens with health and welfare, but also to continue with daily challenges at different important levels. Methods in achieving this goal may be different but effectiveness of vaccine diplomacy will show its positive side whilst helping us to go back to as much as normal way of living that we were used to.

8.If you could recommend a book on diplomacy and international relations to global community of young diplomats, what would it be?

I would specifically recommend World Order, Henry Kissinger because it circles much of the globe, covering India, Europe, China and the Middle East. Four specific conceptions of “order” attract most of author’s attention: the European system, specifically its Westphalian model of sovereign states with equal status within the system; an Islamic system based on a wider idea of an ummah, or community; a Chinese system based on traditional ideas of the Middle Kingdom as a great regional power; and the American order, finding a new purpose a century ago under Woodrow Wilson, eventually dominant across the globe, and now under unprecedented pressure. The book draws on a wide range of historical examples to make points about present-day issues and is described as “the summation of Henry Kissinger’s thinking about history, strategy and statecraft”.

9.Your recommendation / advice for the future participants of Summer School for Young Diplomats “Gavro Vuković”.

I would like to recommend to the future participants of the Summer School for Young Diplomats “Gavro Vuković” to make the most of everything that this very comprehensive and useful program offers. Today’s circumstances and global events further confirm that this type of international and intercultural dialogue is very necessary. This type of platform is highly desirable in order to strengthen existing and upgrade future mechanisms of cooperation in public diplomacy. I advise them to be open in discussions, constructive in further proposals and to have an understanding for different perspectives on a regional and global standing.

10.Your suggestion for empowering Summer School Alumni Network.

The possibility of strengthening cooperation with the alumni community is reflected in enhancing a more frequent dialogue and occasional meetings and gatherings that would be useful to organize. Also, the organization of round tables or specific workshops, which would be attended by alumni’s of Summer school, with an adequately selected program and topics that would be addressed on this occasion, is an important mechanism that would help in keeping close contact among participants.

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