On 3 December 2025 UNRCCA organized an online session for the 2025 cohort of the Preventive Diplomacy Academy (PDA), highlighting the critical role of intercultural communication in diplomacy, conflict prevention, and multilateral engagement.
The session featured a lecture by Dr. James M. Page, Honorary Fellow at the School of Government and International Affairs at Durham University and at the Strategy and Security Institute of Exeter University in the United Kingdom. Dr. Page has extensive experience in political analysis and diplomacy, having served as a Visiting Scholar at the Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit (AREU) and as a Political Affairs Officer with the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).
In his lecture, titled “Intercultural Communication, Diplomacy, and Conflict,” Dr. Page introduced Central Asian and Afghan PDA participants to key theoretical and practical concepts that shape communication across cultures. He outlined the fundamentals of intercultural interaction, including cultural frames, symbols, and the influence of context on diplomatic exchanges.
Participants deepened their understanding by recognizing that every diplomatic encounter carries an intercultural dimension, requiring officials to adapt quickly to unfamiliar cultural environments while maintaining clarity and accuracy in communication with their home institutions. Dr. Page underscored the importance of open-mindedness, the suspension of judgment, and heightened awareness of how cultural norms influence both verbal and non-verbal communication.
During the session, participants discussed well-known diplomatic cases of intercultural misunderstanding, ranging from protocol misinterpretations to cross-linguistic ambiguities. They explored how cultural assumptions can influence negotiation outcomes, crisis communication, and political signaling.
Dr. Page also introduced the PDA cohort to several widely used analytical frameworks, including Edward T. Hall’s high-context/low-context model, Hofstede’s cultural dimensions, anxiety/uncertainty management theory, and Hammer’s intercultural conflict styles. These tools help diplomats better understand how different cultures approach authority, uncertainty, emotional expression, and conflict resolution.
Participants then engaged in a group activity in which they analyzed intercultural communication scenarios, identified communication barriers, and proposed context-appropriate solutions. The discussion underscored how intercultural awareness can minimize misinterpretation, build trust, and contribute to the peaceful resolution of disputes - core objectives of UNRCCA’s mandate.
This session forms part of the 2025 Preventive Diplomacy Academy training cycle, which brings together emerging professionals from across the region to strengthen practical skills in mediation, negotiation, communication, and conflict analysis. Preventive Diplomacy Academy supports the five Central Asian states in enhancing regional cooperation and preventing conflict through a deeper understanding of the political, cultural, and social dynamics shaping the region.
