“Trust is the Most Valuable Currency”: The World Public Summit discussed in Amman Practical Opportunities of Public Diplomacy
The Panel Session “Public Diplomacy in Action: From Dialogue to International Partnership” was held on November 10, 2026 in Amman (Jordan) within the framework of the First World Public Summit: Arab World “Dialogue, Cultural Heritage and Partnership for a Common Future”. The event was organized by the World Peoples Assembly and the Arab Group for Peace, with the support of partners from Jordan, Russia and other countries.
The discussion was attended by representatives of public organizations, international expert communities and public figures from Jordan, India, Germany, Kazakhstan and Ghana. Experts discussed the role of public diplomacy in strengthening trust between peoples and developing sustainable international cooperation.
The Panel Session was moderated by Kabuljon Sabirov, Head of the Center for People’s Diplomacy of the Republic of Uzbekistan, and Mohammed Kamil Al-Muaini, President of the Institute of Cultural Diplomacy in the United Arab Emirates. Opening the meeting, they emphasized that in the context of transforming international relations, direct ties between people, public organizations and professional communities are becoming particularly important. It is these ties that preserve space for dialogue, help find common ground and develop cooperation based on mutual respect and shared interests.
- The panel session is dedicated to the transition from individual international contacts to systemic interaction, from exchange of views to joint initiatives, from trust to long-term partnership, - the moderators noted.
The central theme of the discussion was the ability of civil society institutions to create and maintain international connections that are not limited to official meetings and forums. Participants examined the opportunities of public diplomacy in developing cultural and educational exchanges, youth and women’s initiatives, expert interaction, volunteering, as well as humanitarian and social projects. Special attention was paid to the sustainability of international cooperation and the prospects for interaction between public institutions of Arab countries and partners from other regions of the world.
Banu Nurgaziyeva, President of the Civil Alliance of Kazakhstan, presented the experience of Kazakhstan’s public sector, which has extensive practice in uniting non-governmental organizations and developing civic initiatives. The speaker proposed strengthening the role of youth in the development of public diplomacy and called for active participation in the International Competition “Leader of Public Diplomacy,” as well as for holding national stages of the competition in every state.
Dalibor Singh, President of the Foundation for Policy and Governance and member of the Supreme Advisory Council of the World Peoples Assembly, took part in the international dialogue, outlining new opportunities for expanding public cooperation.
The remarks of Ziad Al-Zoubi, President of the Jordan Medical Association, emphasized the importance of professional communities, including medical ones, in the development of international humanitarian ties. The expert proposed making more active use of the potential and capabilities of professional unions.
Yusif Hamdan, Head of the “Russia - Jordan” Friendship Society, noted the role of the Russian Orthodox Church in resolving conflicts existing in the region, as well as the great importance of training specialists from Arab countries in Soviet and Russian universities for the development of their states. In addition, he shared information about the creation of the Union of Russian-Arab Friendship Societies with its center in Amman.
Mohammed Shaibu, Head of the Representative Office of the World Peoples Assembly in Ghana and founder of Better Dream Foundation Ghana, emphasized that people’s diplomacy is primarily the work of young people. The speaker put forward a proposal to establish direct contacts between young people of Ghana and Jordan.
Waldemar Gerdt, Chairman of the International Council of Russian Germans, Co-Chair of the Supreme Advisory Council of the World Peoples Assembly, member of the Bundestag (2017–2021), German entrepreneur and public figure, in his remarks analyzed the development of public diplomacy over the past 20 years.
- The World Peoples Assembly is a cementing organization of public diplomacy of the world, which, in turn, is an antidote to conflict situations. Every participant of today’s summit must share responsibility for the future of humanity, the speaker stated, proposing the creation of representations of the World Peoples Assembly in every country.
Summing up, Kabuljon Sabirov concluded:
- Today, when speaking about public diplomacy, we are talking about trust as the most valuable currency.
Participants of the panel session agreed that the effectiveness of public diplomacy is determined not only by the number of events held and contacts established, but primarily by their continuation in concrete joint endeavors.
Additional information is available on the official website of the World Peoples Assembly, on its VKontakte and Telegram accounts, and at media@world-assembly.org.
Photographer — Mikhail Denisov.