Universitas Indonesia (UI), through the Center for Health Administration and Policy Studies (CHAMPS) of the Faculty of Public Health (FKM), held a training on Global Health Leadership and Diplomacy (GHLD) at Grand Mutiara The Ritz-Carlton, Central Jakarta, on October 2-4, 2024. With the theme “Be an Eloquent Catalyst for Global Health Resilience,” this activity aims to develop skills in diplomacy, leadership, and communication in the field of health across the globe.
Director of Socio-Cultural and International Organizations of Developing Countries, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia (Kemlu RI), Penny Dewi Herasati, appreciated this training activity which discussed global health diplomacy techniques in multilateral forums, such as the World Health Organization (WHO), ASEAN, and the United Nations (UN).
“Participants are expected to be able to learn strategies to navigate the various interests and agendas of many countries while effectively advancing Indonesia’s national health priorities. This training will provide a deeper understanding of how to assert Indonesia’s position in global health discussions while contributing to collaborative international solutions,” said Penny.
Meanwhile, the University Secretary of UI, dr. Agustin Kusumayati, M.Sc., Ph.D., said that Indonesia, with its large population and strategic geopolitical location, has an important role in global health diplomacy. The challenges of infectious and non-communicable diseases, as well as the experience of the Covid-19 pandemic, emphasize the need for Indonesia to strengthen its health system through international collaboration.
“Indonesia’s participation in global organizations such as WHO, ASEAN, and G20 shows its potential to have a greater influence in global health negotiations. Therefore, CHAMPS FKM UI is expected to provide policy solutions as a center of excellence for global health research in Southeast Asia,” said dr. Agustin.
She explained that GHLD is a three-level intensive program that combines theoretical knowledge with practical experience. This program is designed to prepare participants to be able to represent Indonesia in international forums, such as the WHO/WHA (World Health Organization/World Health Assembly) meetings.
This training consists of three levels, namely Foundational, Intermediate, and Advanced. The self-learning module covers important topics such as good health governance, the basics of diplomacy, personal branding, and negotiation techniques.
The training also includes face-to-face sessions led by diplomats and experts in the fields of health and diplomacy, with a focus on public speaking skills, ethics, and strategic negotiation through simulations. Participants will also engage in complex simulations and in-depth training on geopolitical analysis and crisis communication, to prepare them for the challenges of global health diplomacy.
The event was attended by the WHO Representative to Indonesia, the Consul General of the Republic of Indonesia in Dubai, Directors of each Field of the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, staff from the Ministry of Finance, and the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN). The training materials consisted of Global Health Governance,
Fundamentals of Diplomacy, Personal Branding for Diplomats (developing the image of diplomats, emotions, body language, and identity), Diplomatic Ethics and Etiquette, Public Speaking for Diplomats, Strategic Negotiation Techniques, Handling the Press and Media, Public Diplomacy and Cross-Cultural Communication, Influence and Projection of Persuasive Power, and Designing Strategies for Social Media Engagement.
“This program is expected to empower policymakers, diplomats, and health professionals in Indonesia to champion the country’s health priorities at the global level. Through cross-sector collaboration and capacity building in international forums, Indonesia is expected to be a major catalyst in realizing sustainable global health resilience,” said dr. Agustin.
