I have recently been studying a great course from University of London focused on Global Diplomacy and International Relations. When I was submitting my Assignment on the topic ‘Qualities of a good diplomat’, I had to smile because all qualities and skills which came to my mind completely matched the qualities and skills of a good international events planner. Despite the easy possibility to find information on internet and social networks, I always recommend hiring an event planner or agency when you want to organize your wedding, conference or teambuilding session abroad. So, why is it so important and what do the diplomat and event planner have in common?
While a diplomat is generally a political person appointed by a state or intergovernmental institution to manage diplomacy with one or more other states / international organisations (a typical diplomat is, for example, an ambassador or consul), the job of event planner doesn’t require a political background. International events could be planned by anyone who has the perfect mix of skills. Some of these skills are natural gifts, while some of them are born from many hours of studying, professional training and, especially, a lot of experience. While the diplomat is a chief of mission, the international event planner is a chief in charge of execution of a successful event. Both need to be excellent negotiators, because both need to balance between two sides, in our case between client and suppliers. As with diplomats, event planners who work with foreigners need to have perfect knowledge of the history, culture and services of their own nations and perfect understanding of the nation the event is going to be planned for. Americans always have coffee with thier dessert and prefer coach services for even short distances between venues; Asian nations request salad and rice as a side dish; guests from Spain or Italy prefer to not have dinner before 8pm. When the event planner knows these details, it creates more trust during planning phase and everyone is more relaxed.
A diplomat usually knows many important people in politics and knows where to go in case of need. The same applies to international event planners. They should have a great network of important suppliers in the city or country where they operate, and they should also have perfect connections with agencies or independent planners abroad. People who know their job will always help to create unforgettable event which runs smoothly.
During event planning phase, many event planners become also advocates (when explaining the client´s wishes to suppliers), as already mentioned, negotiators (when suppliers try to change client´s wishes), travel agents, hosts, technicians, secretaries, translators, interpreters and problem solvers, sometimes even “live navigators”. They are simply moderators among all parties involved.
To sum it up, international event planners are part of cultivation of an image of the nation or country where the event is taking place. They are ambassadors of their own country towards foreign guests, and they establish relationships with clients, suppliers and guests.
