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47-540: Herbert Roy Pollock Gollan (29 August 1892 – 28 March 1968) was an Australian public servant and diplomat . From 1939 to 1948, Gollan was senior Australian Government Trade Commissioner in Bombay (now Mumbai). He was Australia's High Commissioner to India from 1948 to 1952. This Australian government biography is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Diplomat The main functions of diplomats are representation and protection of

94-605: A diplomatic passport or, for UN officials, a United Nations laissez-passer . The regular use of permanent diplomatic representation began in the states of 15th-century Italy. However the terms "diplomacy" and "diplomat" appeared during the French Revolution . "Diplomat" is derived from the Greek διπλωμάτης ( diplōmátēs ), the holder of a diploma , referring to diplomats' documents of accreditation from their sovereign. Diplomats themselves and historians often refer to

141-410: A foreign country or accredited to an international organization, both career diplomats and political appointees enjoy the same diplomatic immunities, as well as United Nations officials. Ceremonial heads of state commonly act as diplomats on behalf of their nation, usually following instructions from their head of Government. Sasson Sofer argues that, "The ideal diplomat, by the nature of his mission,

188-445: A never-ending global cocktail party". J. W. Burton has noted that "despite the absence of any specific professional training, diplomacy has a high professional status, due perhaps to a degree of secrecy and mystery that its practitioners self-consciously promote." The state supports the high status, privileges, and self-esteem of its diplomats in order to support its own international status and position. The high regard for diplomats

235-539: A special and often temporary diplomatic assignment. The word is also used informally for people who are known, without national appointment, to represent certain professions, activities, and fields of endeavor, such as sales. An ambassador is the ranking government representative stationed in a foreign capital or country. The host country typically allows the ambassador control of specific territory called an embassy (which may include an official residence and an office, chancery , located together or separately, generally in

282-463: Is a danger that diplomats may become disconnected from their own country and culture. Sir Harold Nicolson acknowledged that diplomats can become "denationalised, internationalised and therefore dehydrated, an elegant empty husk". Nicolson also claimed that personal motives often influenced the diplomatic pursuit of the national interest. For example, he wrote: "Nobody who has not actually watched statesmen dealing with each other can have any real idea of

329-406: Is also due to most countries' conspicuous selection of diplomats, with regard to their professionalism and ability to behave according to a certain etiquette , in order to effectively promote their interests. Also, international law grants diplomats extensive privileges and immunities , which further distinguishes the diplomat from the status of an ordinary citizen . While posted overseas, there

376-514: Is also reflected in the formal titles of envoys to foreign and Commonwealth states: e.g., British High Commissioners are formally titled "The High Commissioner for His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom ", whereas British Ambassadors to foreign countries are known as "His Britannic Majesty's Ambassador". An ambassador-at-large is a diplomat of the highest rank or a minister who is accredited to represent their country. But unlike

423-507: Is destined to clash with the expedient needs of his country's politics." On the other hand, professional politicians often ridicule diplomats. President John F. Kennedy often denigrated career diplomats as "weak and effeminate" and moved foreign policy decisions out of their hands. Every diplomat, while posted abroad, will be classified in one of the ranks of diplomats (secretary, counselor, minister, ambassador , envoy , or chargé d'affaires ) as regulated by international law (namely, by

470-535: Is generally the form that would be used to address a head of state: "(Your/His/Her) Excellency " followed by name or the country represented. In many countries, less formal variations are frequently used, such as "Ambassador" followed by name, or the name followed by "Ambassador of...". In the United States , "Mister/Madam Ambassador" may be used. In some countries, a former ambassador may continue to be styled and addressed as ambassador throughout their life (in

517-520: Is not generally addressed as ambassador, although they may be referred to as "Canadian ambassador to ..."; that is, with reference to a specific job function; the person is addressed or styled as ambassador only while holding such office. In a less formal sense, the phrase is used for high-profile non-diplomatic representatives of various entities (rarely states), mainly cultural and charitable organizations, often as willing figureheads to attract media attention; for example, film and pop stars make appeals to

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564-435: Is still in force, modified the system. According to it, ambassadors are diplomats of the highest rank, formally representing their head of state, with plenipotentiary powers (i.e. full authority to represent the government). In modern usage, most ambassadors on foreign postings as head of mission carry the full title of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary. The distinction between extraordinary and ordinary ambassadors

611-489: Is widespread. States and non-state actors use diplomatic representatives to deal with any problems that occur within the international system. Ambassadors now normally live overseas or within the country to which it is assigned for long periods of time so that they are acquainted with the culture and local people. This way they are more politically effective and trusted, enabling them to accomplish goals that their host country desires. The Congress of Vienna of 1815 formalized

658-528: The Commonwealth of Nations are known as High Commissioners . The ambassadors of the Holy See are known as Apostolic Nuncios . The term is derived from Middle English ambassadour , Anglo-French ambassateur ; akin to Old High German ambaht , "service". The first known usage of the term was recorded around the 14th century. The foreign government to which an ambassador is assigned must first approve

705-623: The United Kingdom are accredited to or from the Royal Court of St James's . Ambassadors hold the highest diplomatic rank and have precedence over chargés d'affaires , who are accredited by the foreign minister . Ambassadors also outranked envoys until the 1960s, when the last legations were upgraded to embassies. Because members of the Commonwealth of Nations have or had a common head of state, they do not exchange ambassadors, but instead have High Commissioners , who represent

752-500: The Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961). Diplomats can be contrasted with consuls who help businesspeople, and military attachés . They represent not the foreign ministry but other branches of their government, but lack the diplomat's role in dealing with foreign policy at the highest level. Diplomats in posts collect and report information that could affect national interests, often with advice about how

799-504: The Head of State and have the same rank as ambassador. Ambassadors carry formal letters of credence from their head of state , addressed to the host country's head of state. Because many Commonwealth countries have the same head of state, the accreditation of a High Commissioner is in the form of a simple and often informal letter of introduction from one head of government (Prime Minister) to that of another. The difference in accreditation

846-632: The State's national government to conduct said state's relations with other States or international organizations, a number of States maintain an institutionalized group of career diplomats—that is, public servants with a steady professional connection to the country's foreign ministry . The term career diplomat is used worldwide in opposition to political appointees (that is, people from any other professional backgrounds who may equally be designated by an official government to act as diplomats abroad). While officially posted to an embassy or delegation in

893-535: The United States, "Mr. Ambassador" or "Madam Ambassador" may be heard). In other countries, ambassador is a title that accrues to its holder only with respect to a specific position, and may not be used after leaving or beyond the position. Some countries do not use the term while an ambassador is in the home country, as the officeholder is not an ambassador there; for example, a Canadian ambassador while in Canada

940-438: The advent of modern technologies, today's world is a much smaller place in relative terms. With this in mind, it is considered important that the nations of the world have at least a small staff living in foreign capitals in order to aid travelers and visitors from their home nation. As an officer of the foreign service, an ambassador is expected to protect the citizens of their home country in the host country. Another result of

987-650: The ambassador-in-residence, who is usually limited to a country or embassy , the ambassador-at-large can be appointed to operate in several usually neighbouring countries, a region or sometimes a seat of international organizations such as the United Nations or European Union. In some cases, an ambassador-at-large may even be specifically assigned a role to advise and assist the state or government in particular issues. Historically, presidents or prime ministers have commissioned special diplomatic envoys for specific assignments, primarily overseas but sometimes also within

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1034-399: The beginning and the end of each loop in the continuous process through which foreign policy develops. In general, it has become harder for diplomats to act autonomously. Diplomats use secure communication systems, such as emails, and mobile telephones that allow reaching even the most reclusive head of mission. This technology also gives diplomats the capacity for more immediate input about

1081-426: The cartoon character Hello Kitty as their official goodwill and tourism ambassador to China and Hong Kong in 2008. According to Brain, the job of a brand ambassador was undertaken typically by a celebrity or someone of a well-known presence, who was often voluntary or paid considerably for their time and effort. In French-speaking regions such as metropolitan France , Guadeloupe , Réunion , Quebec , or Wallonia ,

1128-474: The cornerstones of foreign diplomatic missions is to work for peace. This task can grow into a fight against international terrorism, the drug trade, international bribery, and human trafficking. Ambassadors help stop these acts, helping people across the globe. These activities are important and sensitive and are usually carried out in coordination with the Defense Ministry of the state and the head of

1175-563: The country as ambassadors-at-large. While the title generally reflects the ambassador's second head position as head of a diplomatic mission, in some countries the term may also represent a rank held by career diplomats, as a matter of internal promotion, regardless of the posting, and in many national careers it is quite common for them to be appointed to other functions, especially within the ministry/ministries in charge of foreign affairs, in some countries in systematic alternation with actual postings. The formal form of address for an ambassador

1222-535: The day the United Nations was founded was proposed by Indian diplomat Abhay Kumar to mark the occasion as diplomacy becoming the principal means of resolving disputes. Ambassador An ambassador is an official envoy, especially a high-ranking diplomat who represents a state and is usually accredited to another sovereign state or to an international organization as the resident representative of their own government or sovereign or appointed for

1269-411: The diplomats overseas to make. In this operation, the intelligence, integrity, cultural understanding, and energy of individual diplomats become critical. If competent, they will have developed relationships grounded in trust and mutual understanding with influential members of the country in which they are accredited. They will have worked hard to understand the motives, thought patterns and culture of

1316-759: The foreign ministry by its address: the Ballhausplatz (Vienna), the Quai d’Orsay (Paris), the Wilhelmstraße (Berlin); Itamaraty (from the former Itamaraty Palace in Rio de Janeiro, now transferred to Brasília since 1970) and Foggy Bottom (Washington). For imperial Russia to 1917 it was the Choristers' Bridge (St Petersburg). The Italian ministry was called "the Consulta". Though any person can be appointed by

1363-578: The functions given to modern Ambassadors and Consuls. The rise of the modern diplomatic system was a product of the Italian Renaissance (from around AD 1300). The use of ambassadors became a political strategy in Italy during the 15th century. The political changes in Italy altered the role of ambassadors in diplomatic affairs. Because many of the states in Italy were small, they were particularly vulnerable to larger states. The ambassador system

1410-442: The government, rather than the head of state. The diplomat representing the Holy See is titled a nuncio . In diplomatic usage, both the high commissioner and nuncio are considered equivalent in rank and role to an ambassador; high commissioners, like ambassadors, carry the full title of "High Commissioner Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary", but nuncios do not. Resident Coordinators within the United Nations system are accredited to

1457-472: The home-country government should respond. Then, once any policy response has been decided in the home country's capital, posts bear major responsibility for implementing it. Diplomats have the job of conveying, in the most persuasive way possible, the views of the home government to the governments to which they are accredited and, in doing so, of trying to convince those governments to act in ways that suit home-country interests. In this way, diplomats are part of

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1504-429: The host nation's capital), whose territory, staff, and vehicles are generally afforded diplomatic immunity in the host country. Under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations , an ambassador has the highest diplomatic rank . Countries may choose to maintain diplomatic relations at a lower level by appointing a chargé d'affaires in place of an ambassador. The equivalent to an ambassador exchanged among members of

1551-615: The immense part played in human affairs by such unavowable and often unrecognisable causes as lassitude, affability, personal affection or dislike, misunderstanding, deafness or incomplete command of a foreign language, vanity, social engagements, interruptions and momentary health." To prevent disconnection and apathy from their own state, many foreign services mandate their employees to return to their home countries in between period serving abroad. Diplomats have started celebrating International Day of Diplomats on October 24 since 2017. The idea of celebrating International Day of Diplomats on

1598-456: The increase in foreign travel is the growth of trade between nations. For most countries, the national economy is now part of the global economy . This means increased opportunities to sell and trade with other nations. When two nations are conducting a trade, it is usually advantageous to both parties to have an ambassador and perhaps a small staff living in the other land, where they act as an intermediary between cooperative businesses. One of

1645-552: The interests and nationals of the sending state; initiation and facilitation of strategic agreements, treaties and conventions; and promotion of information, trade and commerce, technology, and friendly relations. Seasoned diplomats of international repute are used in international organizations (for example, the United Nations , the world's largest diplomatic forum) as well as multinational companies for their experience in management and negotiating skills. Diplomats are members of foreign services and diplomatic corps of various nations of

1692-536: The mission or any member of the diplomatic staff is already on duty in the receiving state, the receiving state may still decide at anytime that the person is no longer wanted in the state and is considered persona non grata . When this happens, the sending state may discharge the person. Diplomats are the oldest form of any of the foreign policy institutions of a state, predating by centuries foreign ministers and ministerial offices. They usually have diplomatic immunity , and in their official travels they usually use

1739-432: The nation. Also before the rise of modern diplomatic relations, sovereign states - which traded with each other, went to war and made peace – had the need for diplomatic relations, which took various forms. For example, the city states of Classical Greece used the system of Proxeny , whereby a Proxenos – who was a citizen of the host city rather than of the city whose interests he promoted - fulfilled some of

1786-460: The other side. Most career diplomats have university degrees in international relations , political science , history , economics , or law . " Emotional intelligence " has recently become a component of many foreign service training programs. Diplomats have generally been considered members of an exclusive and prestigious profession. The public image of diplomats has been described as "a caricature of pinstriped men gliding their way around

1833-526: The person. In some cases, the foreign government might reverse its approval by declaring the diplomat a persona non grata , i.e. an unacceptable person. This kind of declaration usually results in recalling the ambassador to their home nation. In accordance with the Congress of Vienna of 1815 and the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations , the ambassador and embassy staff are granted diplomatic immunity and personal safety while living abroad. Due to

1880-539: The policy-making processes in the home capital. Secure email has transformed the contact between diplomats and the ministry. It is less likely to leak, and enables more personal contact than the formal cablegram , with its wide distribution and impersonal style. The home country will usually send instructions to a diplomatic post on what foreign policy goals to pursue, but decisions on tactics – who needs to be influenced, what will best persuade them, who are potential allies and adversaries, and how it can be done – are for

1927-502: The public at large for United Nations activities, sometimes during press-swarmed visits in the foreign country. Public figures are sometimes nominated or invited to endorse events designated as ambassadors, brand ambassadors, and goodwill ambassadors . Many times, international agencies like United Nations also appoint ambassadors to achieve the objectives of a particular mission, like the appointment of goodwill ambassador Bollywood film actress Priyanka Chopra for UNICEF . Japan adopted

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1974-440: The rights of the ambassadors in host countries as well as the proper diplomatic procedures. An ambassador was used as a representative of the state in which they are from to negotiate and disseminate information in order to keep peace and establish relationships with other states. This attempt was employed in the effort to maintain peaceful relations with nations and make alliances during difficult times. The use of ambassadors today

2021-477: The system of diplomatic rank under international law , distinguishing between three hierarchical descending categories of diplomatic representatives: full ambassadors (including legates or nuntii ), accredited to heads of state; envoys or ministers, who were also accredited to heads of state; and finally chargés d’affaires , who were accredited to minister of foreign affairs . The Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961, which took effect in 1964 and

2068-636: The title of ambassadeur personne is used. Further, in the United States of America, senior career officers of the U.S. Foreign Service may be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to the rank of Career Ambassador as professional achievement. Holders of this rank may not necessarily possess diplomatic authority or accreditation to any state, though nearly all have previously served as an Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary during their careers. By custom, they hold

2115-410: The world. The sending state is required to get the consent of the receiving state for a person proposed to serve in key diplomatic positions such as an ambassador, also referred to as the head of the mission. The receiving state of the proposed diplomat may accept the diplomat or refuse to accept the diplomat without having to provide reasons for its refusal or acceptance of the person. While the head of

2162-409: Was common when not all ambassadors resided in the country to which they are assigned, often serving only for a specific purpose or mission. The ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary being historically regarded as the personal representative of the sovereign, the custom of dispatching ambassadors to the head of state rather than the government has persisted. For example, ambassadors to and from

2209-479: Was used to disperse information and to protect the more vulnerable states. This practice then spread to Europe during the Italian Wars . The use and creation of ambassadors during the 15th century in Italy has had long-term effects on Europe and, in turn, the world's diplomatic and political progression. Europe still uses the same terms of ambassador rights as they had established in the 16th century, concerning

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