Essential Skills for Public Servants-15How to Attend International Conferences

Shahid Hussain RajaIndependent Consultant-Public Policy

www.sanoconsultants.co.uk

Introduction Types of Conferences Pre-departure Issues Things to do at Arrival How to Attend Post –Conference Issues Extra Things to do Conclusion

Sequence

Most of you will be attending international conferences during your career

Unfortunately majority go without proper preparation, losing a golden opportunity to represent your country, advance national interest, learn new skills and broaden your mental horizon

Following slides contain guidelines to take meaningful participation in these conferences

Introduction

Broadly there are two types of conferences

Sponsored by UN agencies Sponsored by other agencies

Mostly you will be only attending these conferences but in some you will have to take decisions on behalf of your government

In some cases you are required to read a report or a paper ,highlighting your country’s point of view on the issue under discussion

Types of Conferences

Obtaining permission of the competent authority to attend the conference

Arrangement of funding –official as well as personal

Preparation of report and its formal approval by the head of department

Contacting foreign office and through it, the embassy of your country in the host country

Pre-departure issues

Flight reservation as well as hotel booking as per your entitlement and its intimation to your embassy

Preparation of luggage ad essential things to take with you i.e. documents, cards, gifts, clothing, medicines

Do get yourself medically insured as it is included in your cost of travelling abroad.

Pre-departure Issues (contd. )

Hold detailed discussion with the concerned officer of the embassy and sort out the strategy to adopt during the conference.

Find out the protocol to be followed and etiquette to be observed if attending for the first time

Also the sensitive issues to take care of

Things to do at arrival

Arrive fairly before the time to avoid the first day’s registration rush

Once inside the hall and properly seated examine the layout and get yourself familiarized with the surrounding

Then start meeting different delegates, starting with your immediate neighbours and the ones with whom your country has special relations

During the conference

You must be in your seat when the final bell rings and listen carefully to the agenda for the day using the multi-lingual head phones installed at every seat

After the election of the chairperson and the vice chairperson for the day, which had already been decided by the sponsors a day earlier, the conference starts

Let few speakers speak before you raise your nameplate to indicate that you will also like to speak at your turn

When noticed by the chairperson of the day, put your nameplate vertically in front of your seat

During the conference (contd. )

Take notes of what the speakers are saying as you may have to reply if any point relating to your country is discussed by any of them.

When you are called to speak, start with the greetings to all according to the time of the day

Afterwards thank the chair for giving you the time to speak and congratulate both of them on their election as chairperson/vice chairperson of the day

During the conference (contd. )

Greet the audience if some important event /festival has passed or is nearby i.e. Christmas, Eid, New year etc.

Show your sympathy to the representatives of the country where some disaster has struck recently i.e. tsunami, earthquake etc.

Start by endorsing what previous speakers have said if you agree with what they have said

During the conference (contd. )

Now start by reading from your report you have got approved from your head of department, suitably amended up till now

Do not try to speak extempore as it may land you in trouble

Give a copy of your report in advance to the rapporteur of the conference as it will be helpful for the interpreters as well as the rapporteur for compiling the report

During the conference (contd. )

Keep on addressing the chair after every one or two paragraphs and do look to them as often as possible

Try to vary the tone of your voice and avoid monotonous reading of the written text

Once finished ,thank the chair as well as the audience for patient listening and straighten your nameplate

Keep on taking the notes during the conference and do request the chair to allow you to speak again if someone has made remarks which you need to clarify

During the conference (contd. )

If you have to read a paper or make a presentation ,then you will be invited to the dais by the chair on your turn

Make sure that the copies of your speech have already been distributed among the participants and are not delivered during your speech.

Keeping eye contact with the audience, often addressing the chair and varying your voice are essential etiquette of any conference

During the conference (contd. )

Prepare draft note and hand it over to the concerned officer of the embassy

Discuss the draft report with the Ambassador /Charge D’Affairs of the embassy if there are important actions to be taken immediately

Submit final report to the head of department as soon as you arrive back in the country

Distribute its copies to the concerned officers after its approval by the competent authority

Post –Conference Issues

Keep yourself fully abreast of facts and figures about your country .These should be at your finger tips.

You should be fully aware of all the details of any current/burning issue relating to your country which could come up for discussion during an informal meeting with any delegate

Never skip any official lunch/dinner as these are excellent opportunities to represent your country in a relaxed atmosphere

Do show your interest in other countries by asking intelligent questions from their representatives during the breaks/lunches but never crack jokes about a country on the basis of any stereotype classification

Extra Things to Do

Representing your country in an international conference is an honour for a civil servant

Full preparation before departing, dutifully attending the conference and submitting detailed report about the proceedings of the conference and action points are a must for meaningful participation

Conclusion

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