Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Mariya Gabriel: Diplomat is not a profession, but a passion, a mission and a responsibility
16 December 2023 News
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mariya Gabriel awarded the winners of the national competition ‘Women and Diplomacy — Ambassador for a Day’.
The competition ‘Women and Diplomacy — Ambassador for a Day’ was initiated by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mariya Gabriel after the first meeting of a Bulgarian Foreign Minister with women diplomats in Sofia. It was aimed at girls and young women aged between 14 and 25 with an interest in diplomacy, who had to prepare an essay on the topic ‘I am a diplomat’.
The best essays were determined by a jury composed of Prof. Dr. Ingrid Shikova, Department of European Studies, ‘St. Kliment Ohridski’ Sofia University, Kiril Valchev, Director General of BTA and Petar Kraychev, Director General of Bilateral Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
At the opening ceremony, Mariya Gabriel thanked the women ambassadors in Bulgaria. She recalled that after the meeting on 19 October everyone had united around the position that there should be more women in diplomacy and how important it is to support young girls to highlight their talent, to give them courage to develop their ideas.
‘In Latin one would say ‘Veni, vidi, vici’. You and I, Your Excellencies, turned it into ‘We saw it, we decided it, we did it’, Deputy Prime Minister Gabriel said.
She also thanked the jury of the competition for their professionalism and responsibility in highlighting the most convincing and impactful essays of the candidates.
The Deputy Prime Minister also addressed the young girls, thanking them for their ideas, inspiration, courage and talent, expressed in the essays. Mariya Gabriel underlined that she had read every one of them.
‘I want to highlight very strongly your ideas related to the fact that a diplomat is not a profession, but a vocation, a mission, a responsibility’, the Deputy Prime Minister said.
She pointed out that it had not escaped the attention of the participants that a person goes a long way to become a diplomat and that a diplomat must have a palette of qualities, including an analytical and clear mind, erudition, the ability to sift information and resolve disputes before they erupt. A diplomat must also be able to give life to ideas, goals, policies. According to the young people, a diplomat should be a person who builds bridges between cultures, creates stable relationships that stand the test of time and works together with his/her colleagues for a fairer world.
‘Your commitment to great causes is very strong. Causes that are global — the fight against poverty, better healthcare, the role of education and access to it, climate change, human rights’, Gabriel said.
She pointed out that she was pleased to see that the topics of innovation, new technologies and digitalization were strongly covered in the participants' works.
‘The theme of kindness and goodness is impressive. I am glad to find the first Bulgarian diplomat Nadezhda Stanchova highlighted in many of the essays. Here I would encourage you to look for other examples because there are many women diplomats who deserve to be given visibility for their mission for peace, for solving global challenges, for making the world a better place’, Gabriel sent a message.
On behalf of the women ambassadors accredited in Bulgaria H. E. Zakia El Midaoui, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Morocco congratulated Deputy Prime Minister Mariya Gabriel for the initiative of the competition. She stressed that access to education for women improves the development of a country.
The Deputy Prime Minister and the women ambassadors presented certificates to the winners in the 18 — 25 category. They will have the opportunity to share a day with a female diplomat at her country's representation in Sofia, and those in the 14 to 17 girls' group will participate in a study visit to the National Assembly, the Council of Ministers and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
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