The First Conference of the International Association of Young Diplomats
On February 12th, the First Conference of the International Association of Young Diplomats (IAYD) was held at MGIMO, timed to coincide with Diplomatic Worker’s Day.
The event brought together representatives of the foreign diplomatic corps, members of the Council of Young Diplomats of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, international experts, and media professionals. In total, 60 states were represented at the Сonference, including several at the level of heads of diplomatic missions in Moscow.
A video address to the conference participants was sent by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, S.V. Lavrov. The head of the foreign policy agency emphasized: «In the context of the formation of a multipolar world order, the role of diplomacy is objectively increasing. As President V.V. Putin noted, ‘Peace does not come by itself; it is built, and it is built every day.’ The International Association of Young Diplomats, uniting like-minded individuals from countries of the World Majority, is called upon to contribute to this work.»
The opening ceremony was graced by the presence of the Rector of MGIMO, A.V. Torkunov; the Chair of the Council of Young Diplomats of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, E.M. Akopyan; Vice-Rector for International Ties, Youth and Social Policy, S.I. Surovtsev; and the Head of a Section at the Department for Multilateral Humanitarian Cooperation and Cultural Relations of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, K.O. Kolpakov.
In his address to the participants, A.V. Torkunov remarked that since its founding in 1944, MGIMO has been and remains a crucible for diplomatic cadres, not only for the Russian foreign policy agency but also for foreign nations. He noted that the establishment of the International Association of Young Diplomats Secretariat at the University will foster the creation of a unique space where friendships are born, breakthrough ideas are formed, and horizontal ties between countries and continents are strengthened.
The conference program continued with a session titled «Presentation of MGIMO’s International Educational Potential.» Participants discussed the University’s extensive educational and scientific opportunities for foreign citizens and diplomatic personnel, as well as international internships and exchange programs for young specialists.
The session was moderated by Vice-Rector for Youth Policy, Social Work, and International Relations, S.I. Surovtsev. The speakers included Advisor to the Rector’s Office – Deputy Vice-Rector E.A. Shuvalova; Advisor to the Rector’s Office – Deputy Vice-Rector V.V. Sutyrin; Director of the Institute for International Studies M.A. Suchkov; Deputy Head of the Department for Advanced Training of Russian and Foreign Diplomats at the Diplomatic Academy A.A. Utochkin; Attaché of the Department for African States of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs I.V. Tkachenko; and an MGIMO student from India, A. Kalita.
Furthermore, First Deputy Director General of the ANO «Directorate of the World Youth Festival» A.A. Fomin presented the International Youth Festival 2026, to be held in September in Yekaterinburg, to the conference guests.
During the event, the Orientation Session of the IAYD Secretariat took place. Participants discussed the practical steps for launching the Secretariat’s work, planned for 2026 on the basis of MGIMO, the formats for interaction among young diplomats from countries of the World Majority, as well as preparations for the Association’s upcoming events on international platforms.
The session was moderated by K.O. Kolpakov, Head of a Section at the Department for Multilateral Humanitarian Cooperation and Cultural Relations of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The speakers were E.M. Akopyan, Chair of the Council of Young Diplomats of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs; A.K. Bobrov, Head of the Diplomatic Research Direction at the Institute for Strategic Studies and Predictions of RUDN University; K.V. Tania, Minister-Counsellor of the Embassy of the Republic of Abkhazia in Russia; Jean François Nicolas Biboum, Acting Head of the Eastern Europe Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cameroon; and Ronaldo Lopes da Costa, an official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of East Timor.
The conference’s concluding chord was the traditional reception of the Moscow Diplomatic Club of the Council of Young Diplomats, held at the Cultural Centre of the Main Administration for Service to the Diplomatic Corps under the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in honor of Diplomatic Worker’s Day. In a warm and friendly atmosphere, colleagues exchanged experiences and outlined prospects for further cooperation.
The IAYD project was first presented in 2017 during the 1st Global Forum of Young Diplomats on the sidelines of the World Festival of Youth and Students in Sochi. Today, it unites several hundred career young diplomats from 61 countries and has been presented, among other venues, at United Nations platforms.