Women Diplomats Highlight Culture, Leadership and Soft Power at UN Guyana Event

Women diplomats, government officials, development partners, and other stakeholders gathered for a special event commemorating the International Day of Women in Diplomacy under the theme “Women in Diplomacy: Culture, Soft Power and Inclusive Leadership.”

The event was jointly organised by the United Nations in Guyana, the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Guyana, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and TEDx Turkeyen. It created an engaging platform to celebrate women’s contributions to diplomacy while exploring how culture, identity and storytelling can strengthen dialogue, mutual understanding and international cooperation.

The event also took place at a significant moment for Guyana's diplomatic community, as the country proudly announces the candidature of Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett for the position of the next United Nations Secretary-General. Her candidacy reflects Guyana's longstanding contribution to multilateral diplomacy and highlights the growing leadership of women from the Caribbean on the global stage.

Opening remarks were delivered by Jean Kamau, United Nations Resident Coordinator for Guyana; H.E. Yang Yang, the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Guyana and Ambassador Donnette Streete, Director of Frontiers Unit, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. The speakers underscored the importance of women’s full, equal and meaningful participation in diplomatic leadership and decision-making, while recognising diplomacy as a tool for building trust, advancing shared interests and responding to increasingly complex global challenges.

A central feature of the programme was a series of TED-style cultural storytelling presentations delivered by female representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the Embassy of China and the High Commission of Canada. Speakers wore traditional, national or culturally significant attire and shared personal reflections on the history, symbolism and values represented by their garments.

The presentations demonstrated how culture can serve as a form of soft power, communicating national identity, preserving heritage and creating meaningful connections across countries and communities. The storytelling format also provided women diplomats with an opportunity to share their experiences and perspectives in a personal, accessible and inspiring manner.

Through TEDx Turkeyen’s partnership, participants received guidance on developing engaging presentations and delivery through storytelling. This equipped participants with valuable public speaking and communication skills that can be applied across professional and public platforms.

The event reaffirmed that women diplomats are not only representatives of institutions and countries, but also negotiators, bridge-builders, cultural ambassadors and leaders whose perspectives are essential to more inclusive and effective diplomacy.

The United Nations in Guyana remains committed to working with the Government of Guyana, development partners and national stakeholders to advance gender equality, inclusive leadership and women’s meaningful participation in decision-making at all levels.

Participants at the event included officials and diplomats from the embassies of Argentina, Chile, the United Kingdom, Dominican Republic, UN agencies, IDB, World Bank, Mexico, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, as well as representatives from CARICOM and Canada. The University of Guyana-Institute of Gender Studies and International Relations programmes and young women from The Imperial House were also in attendance. Their participation reflected the event’s emphasis on international and national partnership, cultural exchange and the value of diverse voices within diplomacy.