By Roxane Harrison
Partner Language Training Center Europe
George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies

GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN, Germany (March 23, 2018) – Nine diplomats representing the countries of Albania, Georgia, Kosovo and Ukraine graduated from the Marshall Center Partner Language Training Center Europe’s Language for Diplomacy Course March 22.

The Language for Diplomacy is designed for Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials with an advanced level of proficiency in English.

The central aim of the course is to polish participants’ English language skills to an executive level, with a view toward preparing them to interact in English in professional settings with both confidence and accuracy.

“We have definitely achieved our aims,” said George Anderson, Language for Diplomacy Course lead instructor for the.  “For me, the highlight of the course was the in-class discussions, where there were often differences of opinion among participants. 

“Assessment of their language use at the beginning and at the end of the course revealed great strides in the participants’ abilities to convey nuanced messages in a clearer and often more diplomatic manner,” he said.

During the three-week course, classroom time was dedicated to improving discussion skills, vocabulary building, and improving writing; particularly summary and analysis. 

Outside of class, participants attended lectures and discussions on foreign affairs and security topics with Marshall Center faculty. 

They were also able to observe plenary lectures during the Program on Terrorism and Security Studies.   

In addition to these lectures, the group participated in a question and answer session with U.S. Ambassador Douglas Griffiths, Marshall Center’s associate director for international liaison, and had a full day of media training with James Brooks, public affairs officer, U.S. Army Garrison Italy.  

The Partner Language Training Center Europe will hold another Language for Diplomacy Course in the summer.