Diplomacy in Times of Global Change: A Lecture

President Barack Obama’s first trip to Europe in April 2009 provided a paradigmatic example of international diplomacy in the making. In five days, Obama visited five key countries and addressed bilateral issues as well as key international concerns such as climate change, economic crisis, nuclear proliferation, and terrorism. Following Obama’s diplomatic tour, the article reviews the history and scope of the international organizations involved — G20, NATO, European Union, and United Nations — and argues that regular diplomacy is increasingly challenged by new global issues like climate change and non-traditional political actors. Thus, global change is forcing us to retool the practical art of diplomacy.