Hello, hello! Welcome to the 6th episode of the Global Trends and Diplomacy Podcast. My name is Katarzyna Rybka-Iwańska and I say “Hi!” to you from Tel Aviv. I’m proud to serve at the Polish Embassy here and record this podcast in my private capacity and my spare time (which I rarely have).

I have recently observed that there is one particular article that systematically climbs up the ladder of popularity on my website. Quite surprisingly, it is a blog post about … animal diplomacy. Today it’s already the 5th most popular piece on rybkaiwanska.com.

Well, you seem to really like pandas, koalas and platypuses! Therefore, especially for you, I decided to explore the topic of animal diplomacy in more detail and record a podcast about it. In this broadcast, you will hear much more than I wrote in the April blog post.

Give a hug to your cat, dog, spider or any other puppet and have a listen.

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Today is my birthday and… the International Podcasts Day! I didn’t know about this coincidence when I started podcasting but now have no other choice. I will celebrate today but for tomorrow on – I will do even more to become a pro at podcasting. We – podcasters – are a niche bunch of people. Still, we love what we do and hopefully you can hear it, also in my broadcasts.

Check out how the whole world of podcasters celebrate the International Podcasts Day

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Podcasts you may like after listening to this one:

Podcast #5 Celebrity Diplomacy

Blog posts you make like after listening to this podcast:

Animal Diplomacy

Sports Diplomacy

Celebrity Diplomacy

The Alphabet of Diplomacy Part I

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I used a hell of a lot of literature while composing this podcast. You may be interested in these links:

Ingvar Svanberg, “A Russian Polar Bear in Stockholm: Notes on Animal Diplomacy”

Naomi Russo, “Koalas are Australia’s Most Effective Diplomats”

“Animal gifts smooth diplomatic relations”

Lee Tunstall, “A Long History of Animal Diplomacy (It’s Not Just Pandas!)

Lydia Lam, “Putin turns down Japan’s dog gift: 5 types of animal diplomacy”

Jose Diaz-Balart staff, “#5Things: Animal Diplomacy”

Alison Gee, “Pushinka: A Cold War puppy the Kennedys loved”

Tal Kopan, “Bush: Putin ‘dissed’ Barney the dog”

“The time Putin brought his dog to a meeting to scare Angela Merkel”

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/francois-hollande/9984586/Mali-to-send-Francois-Hollande-bigger-and-better-looking-camel-to-replace-one-that-was-eaten.html

https://www.ibtimes.com/george-hw-bush-received-komodo-dragon-indonesia-govt-reddit-resurrects-quirky-presidential-gift

https://pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/how-did-a-cockatoo-reach-13th-century-sicily

http://www.artinsociety.com/the-art-of-giraffe-diplomacy.html

https://www.de-zeventiende-eeuw.nl/articles/10.18352/dze.8464/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Animals_as_diplomatic_gifts

[PL] Łukasz Walewski, “Przywitaj się z królową. Gafy, wpadki, faux pas i inne historie”, Wydawnictwo Sine Qua Non, 2016.

[PL] https://vod.tvp.pl/video/cafe-historia,prezenty-dyplomatyczne,23827904

Today, I want to drag your attention to one of the most glamorous kinds of diplomacy. We’ll spend some time examining celebrity diplomacy I thought that just before the ending of the vacation season you’ll be happy to focus on a light topic. We’ll keep more serious, or solemn, or dignified – but equally interesting – kinds of diplomacy for further episodes.

As you may know, I have recently taught public diplomacy at a university. I need to say that celebrity diplomacy was my students’ favourite kind of modern, public diplomacy craft. They wrote many interesting essays about it. They appeared to be fans of, first and foremost, Leonardo DiCaprio, who is known for his environment protection campaigns. There were also many fans of Angelina Jolie, underlining her UNICEF campaigns. The third choice among my students was George Clooney, engaged for years in raising awareness about and supplying aid for Darfur. There were also other examples, including Bono’s various campaigns on, for instance, countering HIV/AIDS, Oprah Winfrey’s Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa, Emma Watson’s focus on women empowerment and equal rights for all, Priyanka Chopra’s devotion to the access to education and healthcare for girls around the world. They are all global stars with a global reach.

Let’s explore this phenomenon in greater detail!

BTW – it’s my 50th post!!!! Thank you for being here and motivating me to do more and more. Perseverance rocks!

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To all the fans of movies and Hollywood out there – check out my blog miniseries on movies that diplomats should watch:

Oscar movies diplomats should watch – Part I

Oscar movies diplomats should watch – Part II

Oscar movies diplomats should watch – Part III

Here it is! After suffering (only a little bit! :)) from a podcasting version of the Second Album Difficulty Syndrome I think I have it – the new episode I want to share with you.

Your reactions to the first episode blew my mind. I received notes saying that it inspired you (not only girls!)  to go for things that mattered to you. That you learned new things and heard about some of my sheroes for the very first time. I learned that you liked my voice and didn’t feel bothered by my Central-Eastern European accent actually, you seemed to like a very expressive “r”.

I also got to know that you have high expectations about further episodes.

This is why I started to overanalyse how this podcast should develop. I got stuck for some days. Eventually, concerning the second episode I decided to stay close to the women’s issues but to look at them from another, more analytical angle, more data-focused perspective. Pakistan, Liberia, Rwanda and their sheroes. Have a listen!

Please tell me what you think of this new episode. Is this the way to go? Is it helpful to you? How does such a podcast make you feel?

There is so much more to be said about women empowerment. Hence, I don’t exclude the possibility of airing another episode about this issue. Please let me know, which trend or which element of diplomacy you would like me to tackle.  I am very much looking forward to your feedback and further suggestions!

Enjoy the podcast

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If you are interested in podcasts, check out my two selections:

Podcasts on international relations #1

[PL] Podcasty biznesowe i ekonomiczne – TOP10

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And if you are interested in my contents about women, have a look here:

Podcast #1 Inspirational Women – Nerds

Women Who Inspire – Part I

Women Who Inspire – Part II

Women Who Inspire – Part III

Women Who Inspire – Part IV

Where to search for data about women?

Female Nobel Peace Prize Laureates

Women in Political Science

Here it is. The premiere of my podcast!

I am so happy to start this new project, to learn so many new things and to start sharing my ideas in this new way. Please let me know what you think of all this new endeavour. Is it enriching, useful and/or enjoyable to listen to it? What do you think about the format? Would you like to advise me something on the future podcast episodes? What should I focus on so that you get as much from this podcast as possible?

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I believe that it is worth shooting bullets before cannonballs.

I want this episode to be a pleasant warm-up that will make you and me feel comfortable with this new endeavour. Today, I want to tackle a topic that is very close to my heart but will not be very much analytical.

In accordance to the global trend of women empowerment, I want to present here several badass women, true role-models for everyone who wants to pursue their own way but are not sure if they can.

In my blog miniseries “Women Who Inspire” I have already presented 26 females who rock and there are many, many more to be listed in the future. Today, I will focus on those who are best described as nerds.

Enjoy!

If you are interested in podcasts, check out my two selections:

Podcasts on international relations #1

[PL] Podcasty biznesowe i ekonomiczne – TOP10

And if you are interested in the blog articles about women, have a look here:

Podcast #2 Women empowerment

Women Who Inspire – Part I

Women Who Inspire – Part II

Women Who Inspire – Part III

Women Who Inspire – Part IV

Where to search for data about women?

Female Nobel Peace Prize Laureates

Women in Political Science