For thousands of years, diplomacy has been a crucial means for nations to implement their foreign policy interests and resolve conflicts without using coercive force. The modern era is replete with challenges for diplomats, but it also offers an opportunity for the discipline to adapt and evolve in ways that will help address today’s global changes.

Diplomacy has several functions, but one of the most important is to avoid war and violence and fortify a country’s relationships with other countries (Ameri 1). The process often involves international dialogue and negotiation conducted by diplomats or other accredited envoys (the term derived from the French “embargo,” or “to seal”).

Larger diplomatic initiatives can involve multiple countries and regions. These multilateral negotiations are called conferences, and they can focus on a specific issue, such as migration or trade or the environment. They are often led by heads of state or other national leaders, and envoys may play an instrumental role in mediating between two parties (Ameri 2).

Diplomacy can also serve to promote goodwill between a country and peoples in the other nations with which it does business. It can also help nurture relations that can prevent other states and their peoples from turning to violence to settle remaining arguments about conflicting interests. This can save lives and limit damage, while preventing military efforts from being employed to resolve such disputes. This is the essence of what we mean when we say that diplomacy can often be more effective than infantry battalions.