As part of the initiative “From the school classroom to the international stage: The world of diplomacy“, launched from the perspective of public diplomacy by the Office of the Communications Counselor at the Embassy of Turkey in Sofia, an event was organized for students from the “Prof. Ivan Apostolov“ High School in Sofia. The initiative aims to help young people become better acquainted with the diplomatic profession, draw inspiration from Turkish diplomacy and more consciously assess their career opportunities.
As part of the program, Ambassador Mehmet Sait Uyanık met with nearly 100 high school students in the seminar hall of the “Prof. Ivan Apostolov“ High School, which offers English language instruction. He spoke about what led him to a diplomatic career – sharing details about his education, international experience and the process of joining the Ministry of Foreign Affairs – and answered students’ questions honestly.
Ambassador Uyanik emphasized that being a diplomat is not just a job description, but a way of life that also touches on one’s personal life and carries great responsibility. He described the profession’s need for constant readiness in the following words:
“Being a diplomat means being right in the middle of historical processes that you read about in the newspapers, what others follow in the news becomes your everyday life. This is not just a profession, it is a way of life. It is often not possible to completely separate professional and personal life. This job is almost a 24-hour responsibility. At any moment, there may be a need, a crisis, or an emergency.“
He also touched on the less visible aspects of diplomacy, drawing particular attention to the challenges of balancing family life with work and adapting to different countries. He described the impact of changing assignments on family members as follows:
“The world is our workplace, this profession requires adapting to different climates, cultures, and conditions. This life also affects the life of your family. It is not always easy for children to adapt to a new country and a new routine.“
Pointing out the wide scope of Turkish diplomacy, Ambassador Uyenç noted that the agenda in this area is not limited to “high politics“, it also includes intensive and multidimensional work in areas such as public diplomacy, economy, culture, energy, tourism and technology.
Emphasizing that one of the most important dimensions of diplomacy is human relations, empathy and cultural understanding, he noted that negotiation processes are often shaped outside of official tables and offered the following advice to young people:
“Not everything is agreed upon in official meetings, many things can be arranged in the corridor, over coffee, over lunch or in phone calls. Learn to show empathy. The more you get to know different cultures, the better you communicate with people, that's the key to diplomacy.“
He also emphasized the importance of protocol in the diplomatic tradition, emphasizing that it is one of the technical pillars of the profession:
“Along with its advantages, the technical side of diplomacy is protocol. Diplomacy is also politeness and elegance, you have to follow the rules of protocol. A small mistake in protocol can turn into a major crisis.“
Ambassador Uyanik further emphasized the need for discipline, flexibility and continuous learning in diplomacy, stating that curiosity and a regular reading habit are crucial in this profession.
He also touched on the relations between Turkey and Bulgaria, noting that he attached particular importance to his assignment in Bulgaria, and described the closeness between the two countries in terms of neighborhood, alliance and intensive contacts:
“Bulgaria is very valuable to us: our neighbor, our friend and our ally in NATO. Our relations are very intense and at an excellent level in almost every area. Working in Bulgaria is a prestigious position for a Turkish diplomat.“
Sending clear messages to young people about career planning, Ambassador Uyanık emphasized that on the path to diplomacy, not only academic success, but also personal development and preparation play a crucial role:
“Focus on your exams, improve your languages, but also follow newspapers, magazines and articles. The more languages you learn, the better, speaking the language of the country you serve takes communication to a completely different level. This profession also requires personal curiosity and preparation. Learning never ends, diplomacy requires continuous reading and self-improvement.“
The event continued with an interactive question and answer session, in which the students actively participated. Ambassador Uyanik shared his experience on topics such as meeting preparation, negotiation strategies, demanding work pace and the rhythm of international work, answering the questions that interested the students. At the end of the program, he gave a short interview for the school newspaper and continued to answer the students' questions. He also toured the school building together with the principal Margarita Trencheva and received information about the educational environment and the school's facilities.
The event “From the School Classroom to the International Stage: The World of Diplomacy“ aims to strengthen the approach of direct interaction with young people and sharing experiences – one of the main goals of public diplomacy.