SIXTH PRE-POSTING ORIENTATION COURSE FOR SPOUSES OF OFFICERS PROCEEDING ON POSTING ABROAD

(2010-01-26)

Foreign Service Academy, Islamabad and Pakistan Foreign Office Women’s Association (PFOWA), jointly organized a week-long pre-posting training course for spouses of diplomats. The course, which ran from January 18-26, 2010, was attended by around 50 participants – mainly from the Foreign Office and also including representatives from the Armed Forces and Ministry of Information. Former Foreign Secretary Riaz H. Khokhar inaugurated the event.

The course was especially designed to familiarize ladies with their role as Pakistan’s representatives at Missions abroad. A series of lectures were conducted by eminent speakers on a wide range of topics including role of spouses at Missions, Pakistan’s foreign policy, Pakistan’s art and culture, diplomatic norms and etiquette, security concerns, stress management, and religious issues etc. Traditional topics, such as table setting and lay-out, floral arrangement, the art of conversation, make-up and personal grooming, wardrobe management, etc were also included in the programme as well as a visit to Lok Virsa Museum, Islamabad.

During the training, wives of former Ambassadors shared with the participants their own experiences of life abroad and gave them a list of do’s and don’ts while living away from Pakistan.

This was the sixth edition of the pre-posting orientation course for spouses of diplomats. Previous editions had been limited to wives of Foreign Service officers, however, this time, as a gesture of goodwill, the organizers invited participation from the Armed Forces and Ministry of Information. Ministry of Commerce has also expressed interest to join the next edition.

While addressing the Certificates Distribution Ceremony, Begum Shahnaz Wazir Ali, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Social Sectors, praised the organizers for arranging a successful event and hoped the participants would find the training beneficial for their stay abroad.

Islamabad
26 January 2010

026/2010