MONROVIA – Ambassador Ali Sylla, the Head of Mission Embassy of Liberia, Doha, State of Qatar, has organized the what terms as the Ali Sylla Lecture Series on Diplomacy and Development (DipDev) Initiative to educated young people who are desiring to work in Liberia’s Foreign Service.
According to the Head of Mission Embassy of Liberia, Doha, State of Qatar, the DipDev Initiative is a nongovernmental organization that seeks exchange of Information on educational and training programs and modern methods in diplomatic capacity-building and its related fields.
The exchange of expertise and training courses aimed at upgrading professional skills of diplomats and professors; trade experts and lecturers to simulate participation in workshops, seminar and conferences on issues of common interest.
Since its inception on February 6, 2021, the Ali Sylla Lecture Series on Diplomacy has held three editions with over one hundred young people from different professionals’ backgrounds including students gaining knowledge from senior Foreign Service experts both past and present.
Head of Mission Embassy of Liberia, Doha, the State of Qatar at a Lecture Series on Diplomacy shares his thought with Participants about the Political Economic of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) at the Smart Liberia Office in Saye Town. He terms the lecture series as
Ambassador Sylla told FrontPageAfrica that for Liberia to be successful in its developmental agenda the area of Foreign Service needs to be taking into consideration.
“It is important for us to engage in aspiring and emerging especially Liberians who have interest in going into the field of international relation,” Ambassador Sylla said.
He added: “International relation is so cardinal to the development agenda of any country. And so it is –for us to be able to open the door for Liberians to engage the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to know what diplomacy is all about.”
Ambassador Sylla says he got inspired to organize the lecture series on diplomacy after lecturing at the Foreign Service Institute twice and was later called on by some youth’s organizations to share his thought on how the area of Foreign Service looks like.
“I was asked to speak at the Gabriel L. Dennis, Jr. Foreign Service Institute and after I presented, the students came for me again and after I went back for the second time, I was also invited by several youth organizations to share my thought. And so, I thought it wise that I needed to tailor a particular lecture series so those students who do not have the opportunity to go to the Foreign Service Institute can be inspired to look into the area of International Relation,” Ambassador Sylla said.
Olubanke Kings Akelere, former Foreign Minister was of the panelists at the second event. She urges young people to work hard in achieving their dreams and aspirations.
The former Foreign Affairs Minister told the young and emerging diplomats that during her time as Foreign Minister, the area of rebranding the image of Liberia was paramount on her agenda.
“The UN Special Representative, the Head of UNMIL, and many others were my colleagues. In other words we were bringing on the table contacts –that is, people who I have worked with and who could make things happen,” former Foreign Minister Akelere said.
Madam Akelere added: “The thing is, we have to think -what is the legacy for your Generation? What are we saying to you young people that are my concern?”