A fascinating and insightful discussion on Friday at Independent Diplomat here in NYC. The subject was how to use technology to break open that closed practice, diplomacy. Two challenges were clear, and help define the problem:
1. First challenge: to open and improve the current closed practice of state-to-state interaction by promoting transparency and providing technological means (combined with incentives) to encourage and structure that transparency.
2. The second challenge is much broader, and in many ways more exciting: to create a new world and practice of people-to-people diplomacy, transcending nation states. One participant mentioned the data indicating interaction between Israeli and Lebanese bloggers. Another commented that a new client of Independent Diplomat might be the growing legion (of whom I am one) who do not regard themselves as belonging to one nation, but to many (or none). Eventually, this new world would replace the old.
We shall be reflecting on these challenges and will develop and implement ideas to meet them. As ever, any ideas gratefully received.