[MUSIC] Hi, my name is Dr. Simon Rofe, this convening of the global diplomacy, MOOC from the University of London. I'm here with my colleague, Omah Salha, who I'll leave to introduce himself. >> Hi everyone, my name Omah Salha. I'm a graduate from the Center of International Studies and Diplomacy. I'm a PhD and a Hootz Scholar here focusing on the integration of Muslims in British Society. >> Thanks Omah. As someone who's studied diplomacy over a number of years, can you give me your impressions of what you think diplomacy is or what you consider diplomacy to be? >> I would say that there are two parts to that question. First and foremost the idea of nation states the relationship between different nation states and the idea of foreign embassies and consulates and attaches as well, are representing the nation. So there are many sort of negotiation processes happening from that sort of realm of world. The other fold I would say, the lower case idea of diplomacy which is I would argue the more day to day stuff which is actually engaging with people from your workplace, from society, from your community but again the key notion of negotiation plays a role here. >> In terms of thinking about diplomacy that you've seen undertaken both on the sort of capital d and small d levels. What do you consider successful diplomacy to look like? How do you know when it's gone well? >> I think the idea of ethics is very, very important. So we may not necessarily agree, but at least the idea of a negotiation process has taken place, as I will argue. It was something of success. So the idea of bringing two parties, two or more parties together, engaging in dialog, engaging in conversation, engaging in communicating with one another. A successful form of diplomacy would be both sides actually feeling that they've got what they wanted out of the conversation. So there is a key word again of compromising on some matters, but the idea of two or more parties coming together and having a negotiation process in the first place. >> And conversely, what do you consider or how would you know when diplomacy has failed? What are the markers that you'd look to? >> The lack of ethics. So I would say, where we have two or more parties again coming together with the aim of negotiating and walking away with enmity, walking away with a greater division between the parties, I think that is failed diplomacy. The thing is there are probably possibly opportunities where parties can reconcile with one another. But I just feel maybe where at parties walk away with more divisions and more enmity towards each other, that is failed diplomacy. >> And in what sort of walks of life that you've mentioned a little already, have you seen diplomacy in action? >> It's multi-faceted. You see it's an odd day and age in the 21st century. There are many many terms which are argued by many theorists and young theorists. Because it is a young scholarship in an academic sense, so you have people talking about digital diplomacy, people talking about sport diplomacy. Gastral diplomacy, and even religious faith based diplomacy as well. So I think the theory or sort of the philosophy behind diplomacy of bringing people together and reconciling a negotiation or communication, these things happened on a day to day level. Whether the technique used, for instance, through sport, media, arts, culture, so on and so forth, or even foreign to foreign policy, that form of diplomacy takes different forms and I think some of those examples that I mentioned is something that we see on a day to day basis. >> Given your particular interest in Muslim identity, I know you've done a lot of work on Muslim, Islam and diplomacy, would you talk a little about that? >> Sure, so my work is actually focusing on Muslim sports players are seen as ambassadors of their faith. And what I mean by that in terms of their sort of demonstration and presenting of Islamic ethics, principles, and values. So that for me will be a definition of Islamic moral diplomacy. So we're looking here at more of the character, more of the ethics of day to day interaction. And I use that on my main source and sort of inspiration falls on the prophet Mohammed, peace be upon him. So the way he dealt with others, the way he dealt with people of other faiths, his love of community. Even his enemies was through an ethical respect, a mutual respect. And there are many sort of verses form the Quran and sayings from the profit, which actually emphasize ideal fro character and how character's very, very important. I think if you take gentleness away from when you're dealing with people then it defaces it but when add gentleness towards dealing with others actually beautifies it and I think that it is very, very important act. The manner in which Prophet spoke to others wasn't harsh, if he was harsh then he would have turned many people away. And I think one of the key facets of his diplomatic skills and traits, was that he was quite gentle, and very forthcoming and understanding. And so I think that, the idea of the moral and ethics behind diplomacy, comes into play. Which often more than not, something which is probably lacking in today's world of foreign policy diplomacy. A sense of it being sort of more interest, rather than mutual respect and dignity for one another. So that feeds back into the idea of Muslims in Britain and the idea of sports players who actually are forthcoming, are open, are understanding, they're quite receptive. And at the end of the day, I think that it's probably better that within the world of sports, you're seen as a team member. So you have to get on with other team players. I think that's a very sort of intimate form of diplomacy being played out there. >> And in your experience, what have you seen or who have you see as being the sort of a key proponent of diplomacy. Who do you see as being a very successful diplomat? >> Do you mean in the sense of diplomat as a role, or the practice of diplomacy? >> The practice of diplomacy [INAUDIBLE] is everything. Not someone with an ambassador as a title, but someone who is performing the practice of diplomacy. >> It's a very good question, because it's something which I would probably lean towards the best individual who practices diplomacy, as well as a role model inspiration. I would probably say, there are a few, I would say obviously the Prophet Mohammed is someone who I actually look up to as the role sort of diplomat. For me, he is the best example of a diplomat. The Quran is the diplomat's handbook, if you will, and he is the messenger, so He was sent down as a mercy tool to all mankind. So I think his dealings with people, both Muslims and non-Muslims, his interaction with his family, his interaction with his local community, there's a lot of lessons. Which is sort of in many ways reinspires Muslims living in the west for instance about actually engaging with this ideal of moral diplomacy which is sort of where I always, back to basics. Something which often we neglect and look at things in a very complicated fabric. Others you have Muhammad Ali as well, who had a very very important stance in America when he was stripped of his world heavyweight title. But again, the way he dealt with it was the way he engaged. And obviously there were conflicts of opinion in the way he engaged and persuaded others through his non coercive action through his speech, through his charisma, through the fact that he was a role model. So I think that the two go hand in hand, the idea of being a role model and looked up to as sort of an inspiring figure. But also your diplomatic traits as well. So if you lack the diplomatic skills, but you're a role model then that sort of decreases your capacity or credit, seen as a role model. But whereas if you're seen as someone who's quite inspiring and also has these diplomatic skills, that raises your level of social capital and sort of recognition, or imposing recognition on others understanding your space through the diplomatic worlds? In the sense of capital d here, I would say Carne Ross who is the former British ambassador to the United Nations and works extensively on Iraq and Afghanistan. Because I find his work out of many, many diplomats one that stands out for me in the sense that he took a very, very important stance. Where he actually resigned did not carry on being a diplomat because of reasons of ethics, because of reasons of permanent friends verses permanent interests. And he's written a few books on this which for me really inspiring. He's now set up an organization called Independent Diplomat, and it's sort of pushing forward this idea or this notion of we need more ethics in diplomacy. We need to be much more holistic in our approach of dealing with one another, as opposed to going in with an agenda before you even sit at a table and start negotiations. >> I'd just pick you up on the Mohammed Ali point. Because on the one hand you're saying he's a diplomat, but on the other hand quite literally he was a fighter. And I wonder how you can reconcile that? >> Well, his profession was obviously as a fighter in the ring. But as a human being, as someone who is also a citizen of the United States, citizen of the world. He also was very, very passionate with the black movement, the rights for black people in America. He had a very potent stance of the sort of US foreign policy in Vietnam. And so like many of us, we're all diplomats in many ways. We're all mediators and potential negotiators. We all communicate with family, with friends, people at work, outside of work, so that idea of the promise is constant, is growing, is a capital, is a credit that we all have. And I think with Muhammad Ali's case, he nurtured that through his charisma, through his ability to speak to people, through his confidence. Again, these are all skills and traits which make an ideal diplomat who is able to engage with the other. So it is ironic how the reconciliation between a fighter and also as a diplomat. But in many ways, it's funny because a lot of the promises needed after a conflict, after sort of conflict between two or more people or parties. And I think for Muhammad Ali he always held himself dignified inside and outside of the ring, and he had this ability to influence others through his speech, but again, I think actions are as important when you're negotiating. >> Well thank you very much Omah, I much appreciate it. >> Thank you for having me. [MUSIC]
