On 9 March 2021, Ms. Wiraka Moodhitaporn, Director of the Devawongse Varopakarn Institute of Foreign Affairs (DVIFA) attended the 15^th Annual Meeting of Deans and Directors of Diplomatic Training Institutions of ASEAN+3, organized by the Foreign Service Training Institute (FSTI) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.

            The meeting brought together 30 participants, who are deans, directors and representatives of the diplomatic training institutions of ASEAN+3 countries. The meeting aimed at being a platform where information, experience and best practice on diplomatic training in the time of COVID-19 pandemic were shared and exchanged. The meeting also served as an excellent opportunity for participants to explore rooms for practical future collaboration.  

            During the meeting, Director Wiraka delivered a speech on the topic “language training efforts, evaluations and incentives” by highlighting the DVIFA’s activities and projects, aimed at enhancing English and foreign languages proficiency for officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other government agencies. Director Wiraka also stressed the importance of the DVIFA’s cooperation with its foreign counterparts in strengthening foreign languages skills for Thai diplomats as well adjusting the formats of training courses in relevance to the COVID-19 situation.

            At the sideline of the 15^th Annual Meeting of Deans and Directors of Diplomatic Training Institutions of ASEAN +3, FSTI also held an online seminar on two agendas, “SDGs in the context of COVID-19 issues” and “shaping global health agenda in the post -COVID-19 world from Asia”. The seminar was joined by more than 50 junior and mid-career diplomats from ASEAN+3 countries.