Seven First Ladies and Gentlemen gathered for diplomatic educational event in London

On 14 May, at the initiative of First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska, a High-Level Special Training in Diplomacy took place at the London School of Economics — bringing together First Ladies and Gentlemen from seven countries: Ukraine, Albania, Austria, the Czech Republic, Luxembourg, Serbia, and Slovenia. The training was organised by the Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen Global Platform in cooperation with LSE IDEAS Women in Diplomacy, and supported by Yalta European Strategy (YES) and Brooks Newmark.

Participants included: Doris Schmidauer (Austria), Aleš Musar (Slovenia), Marjolijne Frieden (Luxembourg), Armanda Begaj (Albania), Tamara Vučić (Serbia), and Eva Pavlová (Czech Republic). Participants were welcomed by Professor Susana Mourato, Vice-President of LSE.

“Even amid a full-scale war, Ukraine is not stepping back from its role on the international stage — it is expanding it. The training at the London School of Economics is yet another demonstration that a Ukrainian initiative is setting the standard: bringing together First Ladies and Gentlemen from across the world, shaping the agenda in soft power and diplomacy — and doing so in partnership with one of the most prestigious universities in the world,” said Olena Zelenska, First Lady of Ukraine.

ABOUT THE PROGRAMME

The programme consisted of four expert-led sessions tailored specifically for First Ladies and Gentlemen, each addressing a key dimension of contemporary diplomacy:

• The development and strategic use of soft power amid ongoing and overlapping crises. From the origins of the concept to its practical application in today’s unstable global environment — with a focus on the role of First Ladies and Gentlemen in practising soft power.
  Facilitated by Professor Karen E. Smith.
• The evolution of the global economy in the context of AI-driven transformation. How the rise of agentic AI is reshaping labour markets and the nature of work — and what building a skills economy means for governments, societies, and leaders.
  Facilitated by Alexander Evans.
• Women’s underrepresentation in diplomacy, foreign policy, and international negotiations. Key findings from the Women in Diplomacy project — structural and cultural barriers limiting women’s participation in diplomacy, practical tools to address them, and how a gender-informed approach strengthens foreign policy effectiveness.
  Facilitated by Joanna Lewis, Marta Kozielska, and Professor Karen E. Smith.
• Diversity of representation in diplomacy and pathways toward inclusive diplomatic practices. How inclusive leadership improves decision-making quality and institutional performance — with practical tools for building more productive environments.
  Facilitated by Professor Grace Lordan.

“We are extremely pleased to be hosting this high-level special training in cooperation with the Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen. From the strategic use of soft power to the impact of AI and the value of representation, these tailored sessions tackled some of the biggest challenges facing diplomacy and international affairs right now.” — Professor Chris Alden, Director of LSE IDEAS

PART OF A LONGER JOURNEY

This is the second training programme in a series. The first took place in June 2025 in Vienna, in partnership with the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna, and brought together nine First Ladies and Gentlemen. Both programmes are part of the Platform’s educational track — built in cooperation with leading academic institutions worldwide.

Education is one of the Platform’s core areas of work, alongside large-scale communication campaigns that have reached over 45 million people globally and Peace Lesson initiatives for children worldwide.