Earlier this month, on Monday, July 1st, Talking Foreign Affairs with Adil Cader in partnership with the Young Diplomats Society, offered young professionals and students across Australia a unique opportunity to interact directly with one of Australia’s most influential diplomats and political figures.

The virtual roundtable, focused on diplomacy, negotiation, and leadership, featured former Foreign Minister Bob Carr. Participants received a masterclass on the art of negotiation and diplomacy and heard firsthand how Mr. Carr overcame challenging negotiations.

Co-Moderated by Adil Cader (TFA) and Molly Fleming (YDS), the event marked the beginning of a new partnership between the two organizations, aimed at providing young Australians with deeper insights into diplomacy and foreign affairs.

Mr. Carr addressed a wide range of topics during the event, including his campaign for Australia’s UN Security Council seat and the intersection of domestic politics and diplomacy.

Adil Cader, TFA Founder and event co-producer, commented on the importance of such events:

“Many international relations students and graduates have a theoretical understanding of the world but lack insight into the personal and practical aspects of international negotiation. How do you prepare yourself for a 2am negotiation at the United Nations on an important topic for Australia? How do you build trust in a trade agreement that impacts millions back home?

These are all valuable tips that Mr Carr’s experience offers, providing valuable lessons for their future careers.”

Bob Carr served as Australia’s Foreign Minister from 2012 to 2013, during which he led Australia’s campaign for a United Nations Security Council seat, strengthened relations with ASEAN, and represented Australia at the G20 Summit. Previously, he was the longest-serving Premier in New South Wales history (1995-2005). He is currently an Adjunct Professor at the University of Technology Sydney and continues to write and speak on Australian foreign affairs.

During the event, Mr. Carr spoke about his experience as Premier of New South Wales and the transferable skills that he was able to later bring to his diplomatic career. He spoke about the intricacies of people-to-people negotiations and the importance of building good relationships. He also spoke about the importance of language, drawing from his journalistic experiences, and shared some of his favourite books that have influenced his career. 

Molly Fleming, Events Director at the Young Diplomats Society, reflects: “Mr. Carr exemplified his own advice in real time on how to capture an audience, the power of anecdotes, and what he terms “killer facts”. It was a great privilege to hear from Mr. Carr and an even greater pleasure to share the experience with so many bright and enthusiastic young people, many of whom I’m sure will be looking up his book recommendations and putting his advice into practice in their future careers.” 

Building on the success of this event, Talking Foreign Affairs and the Young Diplomats Society plan to host a series of similar events in the coming months. These events will continue to focus on providing young professionals and students with practical insights into the world of diplomacy.