Diplomacy is the practice of communicating with foreign governments, officials and peoples on behalf of a sovereign state or organization. It involves carrying messages, negotiating adjustments in relations and settling quarrels between states or peoples. Diplomats are armed with words, not weapons, but their actions can have dramatic and even deadly consequences.
The word “diplomacy” comes from the Greek, meaning “folded document.” It originally applied to a special kind of official document conferring a privilege—like a pass to travel—on the bearer. Over time, it came to describe all solemn documents issued from chancelleries, including treaties between princes. But the direct link to documents ceased as diplomacy became associated with international relations, and the term began to describe diplomatic relationships.
From the beginnings of human history, a great many conflicts were settled with diplomacy. Some of these were the result of formal arbitrations or mediations, like those conducted by the International Court of Justice at The Hague or a range of other commissions and agencies working under the auspices of the United Nations.
Diplomats can also be involved in more informal forms of dispute resolution. They may be called upon to mediate a conflict between two private individuals or companies, or they might negotiate an end to hostilities in a war. Whether formally or informally, diplomats must be skilled in reading people and knowing what and how to say. They must be able to keep their own emotions in check, and they must be able to listen carefully.
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