Diplomacy is no longer confined to the corridors of power in key world capitals or the United Nations’ negotiation tables. Anyone with a smartphone can voice opinions, share content and advocate action to a global audience, instantly. 

As the great powers struggle to work together through well-established diplomatic routes and international institutions, new actors enter the picture, ranging from developing nations to marginalised groups, all finding their voices in this era of multipolarity. Yet digital advancement has also given rise to fake news, increasingly populist movements and concerns over malign influence in democratic processes.

At this event Tom Fletcher, former British Ambassador to Lebanon, adviser to three British Prime Ministers and author of The Naked Diplomat: Understanding Power and Politics in the Digital Age reflects on recent political events in the US and elsewhere, discusses the winners and losers of this new form of diplomacy, and considers the impact it could have on how we address the biggest global challenges of our time.