Academy welcomes esteemed emissaries of diplomacy

On Thursday, 21 September, the Aga Khan Academy Dhaka welcomed esteemed emissaries to share their diplomatic insights with Diploma Programme (DP) students. The visit played a vital role in broadening the students’ understanding of global politics – part of their learning programme in DP.       

 

The diplomats were Her Excellency Mrs Marie Masdupuy, Ambassador of France; His Excellency Mr Yousef S Y Ramadan, Ambassador of Palestine; Her Excellency Ms Sheela Pillai, Head of Mission, Consulate of the Republic of Singapore;, Monsignor Marinko Antolovic,  Charge' d'Affaires a.i. Apostolic Nunciature in Bangladesh Embassy of the Holy See-Vatican; and Mr Waise Rizaee, representing the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. Accompanying the global and diverse array of dignitaries was the Aga Khan Development Network Resident Diplomatic Representative for Bangladesh, His Excellency Mr Munir M Merali. The honoured guests said they had been curious to learn more about the Academy and were looking forward to visiting the campus for some time. 

 

During the Q&A session of the visit, the students were curious to learn about the visitors’ diplomatic roles. They were informed that being an ambassador involved becoming the face and voice of their own country in places they were assigned to. The visitors expressed their own country’s needs and goals to a host government, and while in Bangladesh, they learnt as much as they could to develop diplomatic, cultural and economic relationships.   

 

One student, Aribah Farzeen Shah, was curious to learn more about the diplomats’ views on women pursuing political careers. H.E Mrs Masdupuy commented about hardships in empowering women and being involved with politics in her own country. 

  

“Women were not attracted to regional or national politics and saw it as dirty or manipulative,” she said.  

 

Some legislation has overcome this, H.E Mrs Masdupuy mentioned, and that the development of a nation sometimes needs help from the power of the law. 

 

The diplomats’ visit was insightful for the students and staff alike, and the Academy looks forward to hosting them again.