“Foreign Affairs” was not only the name of the venue, but also the central theme of the evening: The latest edition of diplo.cafe once again brought together press attachés from foreign embassies and representatives of the German media for an informal networking event at the Foreign Affairs restaurant inside the Hotel John F., located right next to the Federal Foreign Office in Berlin. The event offered a space for exchanging information and diplomatic rumors, as well as getting to know each other and building connections.

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The rather spontaneous invitation to a “summery aperitif and relaxed networking – despite the complicated global situation” was accepted by numerous embassy press officers – and also by the ambassadors of Lesotho, Mafelile Molala, and the Maldives, Aishath Shaan Shakir. The diplomats had the chance to meet members of the German press as well as other notable guests, such as internationally active architects based in Berlin and lawyers specializing in immigration and visa issues.

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For two diplomats – long-time regulars at diplo.cafe – the event was also a sentimental farewell: One from the Indonesian embassy and one from the Vietnamese embassy are now finishing their assignments in Berlin.

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The gathering was once again sponsored by Diletta, a high-tech company that produces systems for passports, national ID cards, visas, and other secure documents. Its portfolio includes passport, biometric, fingerprint and facial scanners, automated border control systems (ABC), and portable entry control kits for e-gates.

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Ewald König, the host of diplo.cafe and publisher of diplo.news, emphasized in his light-hearted welcome speech the importance of direct contact between embassies and local professionals. He also introduced the diplo.news team, including editor-in-chief Gudrun Dometeit and marketing director Huong To.

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diplo.cafe is an exclusive networking initiative designed to connect Berlin’s diplomatic community with Germany’s media landscape.

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Gülfem Dodur