Culture plays an important role in promoting tactful conversations or negotiations, and therefore it is surprising that cultural techniques have not been included as an effective instrument of diplomacy, the former ambassador, Suresh K. Goel, said here on Thursday.
He was speaking on ‘Civilisational Dialogue in the Conduct of International Diplomacy’ at the Department of Politics, University of Kerala. “With cultural liberalism as part of the Indian ethos which not only permits a tolerant and inclusive dialogue between dissimilar ideas but also encourages ideological flexibility to absorb varying precepts, including religions and philosophies, our nation has been a pioneer in the art of cultural diplomacy,” he said.