Governments and increasingly other actors such as international and non-governmental organizations use multilateral conferences as a means, and sometimes the only means, to achieve  and negotiate important policy objectives. As the number of conferences and meetings has risen considerably over the past twenty years, the number of government officers and other stakeholders involved in conference processes has also increased significantly. While diplomats remain at the centre of diplomacy, government officials assigned to line ministries and agencies, as well as staff of intergovernmental organizations and NGOs, are increasingly finding themselves in the role of the multilateral conference delegate.

This workshop aims to familiarize participants with the basic notions and concepts of Multilateral Conference Diplomacy. It is designed to provide participants with an overview of the underlying dynamics, processes and systems at work, particularly in the context of the various conferences and negotiations organized at the United Nations in Geneva.