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Diplomat
Represents their country abroad — negotiates treaties, promotes relationships between nations.
Did you know?
Diplomats have "diplomatic immunity" — they technically can't be arrested in the host country
How subjects help
- History: Understand old disputes between two nations before sitting down to talk peace.
- Political Science: Know how another government makes its decisions and who really holds power.
- Languages: Chat with officials in their own language to build trust and avoid mix ups.
- Geography: Discuss shared rivers, borders and trade routes when agreeing a treaty.
A famous name
Ralph Bunche: UN diplomat who won the 1950 Nobel Peace Prize for mediating Arab-Israeli armistice talks.
Try it yourself: Negotiate a treaty between islands
- Each person picks one side from the made-up crisis card and reads what their side wants most. Set a timer for 15 minutes.
- Take one minute each to say your side's position while the others listen without interrupting.
- Look for common ground: what do two or more sides want? Each side then offers one thing it can give up to move things forward.
- Write any agreement as three or four numbered points and have every side sign it. If you can't agree before the timer ends, write down what you did agree on.
Diplomats spend days or weeks in talks, listening for where interests overlap and trading concessions until every side can sign a formal agreement.
Adapted from National Museum of American Diplomacy (US Department of State): Diplomacy simulations.
Also try: Argue both sides of a rule.
Known for it in
Switzerland, Sweden, USA, UK, France