This event on subnational public diplomacy will take place as part of the first European Public Diplomacy Week, focusing on building people-to-people initiatives outside the EU as ‘Team Europe’. The overall objective of the week is to strengthen the EU’s capacity to convey its common message of attachment to a rules-based, multilateral order promoting prosperity, stability, security, peace and the rule of law.
The debate will be opened by the CoR president, Kata Tüttő, and the European Commissioner for the Mediterranean, Dubravka Šuica. Drawing on contributions from CoR members and local and international partners, the panel will focus on how European cities and regions support multilateralism, strengthen local resilience in third countries and advance the EU’s strategic agenda through peer-to-peer cooperation.
While international diplomacy is traditionally associated with negotiations between states and involving international organisations, local and regional authorities (LRAs) have long been key actors on the global stage.
EU cities and regions have actively promoted EU values internationally, both at the global level and in providing pathways of dialogue that offer alternatives or are complementary to bilateral diplomacy between national governments. The CoR has long championed the role of LRAs in external action and public diplomacy, notably through its engagement in global negotiation, and through its dedicated bodies and events involving third countries. As such, the voice of European cities and regions will make a critical contribution to the EU’s ability to convey its common message externally.
Multi-level governance and subnational diplomacy are especially relevant in the current context of global governance in which rules-based multilateralism is being severely undermined. As defiance of international and national institutions is a key driver behind the fragmentation of globalisation, local and regional governments can be a true asset supporting the EU’s approach and message regarding international diplomacy. As the institutions closest to the needs of their citizens, and as pragmatic leaders sharing similar concerns and priorities across borders and conflict lines, LRAs offer unique solutions for reinstating a more collaborative, rules-based and constructive international order.
If you would like to attend the event in person, please register by Friday, 20 June 2025. Alternatively, you can follow the meeting below.