The opening ceremony of the new academic year 2013/2014 of the Diplomatic Academy of the MFA took place at Černín Palace on October 3, 2013 under the auspices of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr.  Jan Kohout. In his address, the minister underscored the importance of expertise in the area of economic diplomacy. Junior diplomats were also received by deputy ministers Jan Schneider and Tomáš Dub.

The lucky ten then embarked on the theoretical part of the programme. The first module dealt with the history of diplomacy and the foreign policy of the Czech Republic. Lectures were given by a number of experts, including Prof. Otto Pick or ambassadors Luboš Dobrovský, Jaroslav Šedivý, Karel Kovanda and Magda Vášáryová.

The second module focused on the European Union. The EU was introduced by diplomats, for instance ambassador Milena Vicenová, and by academics, among others by Jacques Rupnik, Jan Eichler, or Ivo Šlosarčík.

Junior diplomats are also being introduced to the agendas of ministerial sections by their respective directors general and of particular departments by their directors and employees. The entire group also visited the Institute of International Relations to learn more about its activities and to attend a lecture by the Institute’s director Petr Kratochvíl, who has recently become the new head of the Academic Council of the Diplomatic Academy.  

Besides theoretical courses, the first several weeks focused on a number of skills. Jiří Hošek, the London reporter of the Czech Radio, trained young diplomats in working with the media. Other courses included diplomatic English, communication and presentation skills. If a single event were to be named as the absolute highlight, one would have to point at the seven-day survival course at the Military Academy at Vyškov.