Speaking

Speaking Engagements

 
Nicholas Kralev speaks on three main subjects: diplomacy and international affairs; media and journalism; global travel. Below are some of his most recent topics, followed by some of his previous engagements. If you’d like to invite him to speak at your event, please click below.
 
INVITE NICHOLAS
 

The Shifting Role and Impact of Diplomacy in a World in Disarray

By definition, diplomacy brings people together to manage relationships and resolve disputes. In a world in disarray, it becomes humanity’s best hope for avoiding conflict, bringing back order and securing a better future. In this presentation, Kralev addresses the steps governments around the world, as well as the international community as a whole, must take to give diplomacy its rightful recognition as a true profession, complete with all necessary resources and tools. He also talks about how the work of diplomats has changed in the 21st century, and how smart, persistent and effective diplomacy can contribute directly to a nation’s security and prosperity, while promoting global stability in the process.

Kralev is the founding executive director of the Washington International Diplomatic Academy, whose work has taken him to 99 countries. He is the author of America’s Other Army: The U.S. Foreign Service and 21st-Century Diplomacy and Diplomats in the Trenches: Profiles of U.S. Foreign Service Officers.


 

WORKSHOPS

 

Negotiation in the Time of Social Distancing

Negotiation is one of the most social activities, and success is usually achieved through face-to-face interactions. Many factors beyond proximity and talking are decisive, including eye contact, facial expressions, body language and even distractions. The thorniest disagreements needed to seal a deal are often worked out not in the main room, but in greater seclusion between the main players. The COVID-19 crisis has made all of that impossible, and many of the social-distancing practices businesses have been observing will be the new normal for some time to come. Even when travel resumes, many companies are unlikely to spend the same resources to send someone thousands of miles away.

In this interactive session, Nicholas Kralev shares strategies and tactics about negotiating in the time of social distancing, communicating with images on a computer screen and contending with technical problems. The session includes a negotiation exercise.
 

Global Government Affairs in the Time of COVID-19

If your company works with governments in foreign countries, it won’t be business as usual for the foreseeable future. In-person meetings and other face-to-face interactions will be rare, even after there is a COVID-19 treatment or vaccine. Foreign travel is likely to be very limited for a long time. In this interactive session, Nicholas Kralev shares strategies and tactics about working with and influencing national and local governments in countries around the world in the time of social distancing. The session includes an exercise during which participants will practice using various tools to achieve specific business objectives.
 

Business Travel Amid a Pandemic

Travel has been decimated worldwide by the COVID-19 pandemic. Even after the economy reopens, business travel will be very different for years from what it was before. In this interactive session, Nicholas Kralev shares his expectations about the state of the airline industry in the next few years, as well as strategies on how to navigate it and how to adapt corporate travel policies. The session includes an interactive portion, during which Kralev offers specific advice to participants on their particular challenges and travel practices, as well as on how best to manage previously booked travel that was canceled because of COVID-19.

Kralev is the author of Decoding Air Travel: A Guide to Saving on Airfare and Flying in Luxury, which climbed to 80th place on Amazon’s overall bestseller list. He has flown more than 2.5 million miles and visited 99 countries.

 

Previous Engagements

 

2020

Houston, Texas
January 15-16
World Affairs Council
University of St. Thomas

Muscat, Oman
February 4-6
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
U.S. Embassy
Sultan Qaboos University

Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
February 9
American University of Sharjah

Dubai, United Arab Emirates
February 9
American University in Dubai

Milwaukee, Wisconsin
February 20-21
University of Wisconsin
Marquette University

Albuquerque, New Mexico
February 26
World Affairs Council

Austin, Texas
February 27-28
World Affairs Council
St. Edwards University

Missoula, Montana
March 10
World Affairs Council
University of Montana


2019

Paris, France
October 17
Paris-Est Créteil University
Sorbonne-Nouvelle

Lille, France
October 18
Université de Lille
Sciences-Po

Vilnius, Lithuania
October 21-24
American Chamber of Commerce
Eastern Europe Study Center
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
U.S. Embassy

Kaunas, Lithuania
October 23
Vytautas Magnus University
Kaunas Technical University


2018

Washington, DC
June 28, July 19, August 4
The Smithsonian Institution

Tokyo, Japan
November 6
American Center Japan

Nagoya, Japan
November 7
University of Nagoya

 
 
Hong Kong
November 15
Hong Kong Baptist University
Hong Kong University

November 16
Education University
Chinese University of Hong Kong


2017

Tbilisi, Georgia
March 28-29
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Foundation for Strategic and International Studies
Institute of Public Affairs
U.S. Embassy
Ilia State University

Sofia, Bulgaria
April 4
American Corner @ City Library
U.S. Embassy

Washington, DC
May 31
DACOR

Munich, Germany
October 10
Center for Applied Policy Research
Amerika Haus

Mannheim, Germany
October 11
University of Mannheim

Erfurt, Germany
October 13
University of Erfurt

Berlin, Germany
October 26
U.S. Embassy

Vienna, Austria
October 30
University of Vienna
U.S. Embassy
America Haus


2016

Indianapolis, IN
January 21
World Affairs Council

Chicago, IL
January 29
Chicago Council on Global Affairs

Albuquerque, NM
June 14
Committee on Foreign Relations

Washington, DC
October 25
U.S. Department of State

Copenhagen, Denmark
October 26-27
Copenhagen University
U.S. Embassy
Danish Institute for International Studies

Roskilde, Denmark
October 28
Roskilde University

Lisbon, Portugal
November 2
American Chamber of Commerce

Coimbra, Portugal
November 3
University of Coimbra

Aveido, Portugal
November 3
University of Aveido

Porto, Portugal
November 4
University of Porto

Braga, Portugal
November 4
University of Minho

Lisbon, Portugal
November 7-9
New University of Lisbon
University of Lisbon
Web Summit
U.S. Embassy
University of Lisbon Institute
American Club of Portugal

Turku, Finland
November 11
University of Turku


2015

Minneapolis, MN
January 8
Global Business Travel Association
North-Central Chapter

Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia
March 23-26
U.S. Embassy
National University of Mongolia
University of Humanities
Business Consulting Center
Press Institute
Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Suva, Fiji
March 30-April 2
Pacific Youth Council
Ministry of Information
Fiji National University
University of the South Pacific
Fijian Media Association

Pristina, Kosovo
April 22-24
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
University of Pristina
Ministry of European Integration
U.S. Embassy

Tallinn, Estonia
April 27-29
Tallinn University of Technology
U.S. Embassy
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Tallinn University Media College

Tartu, Estonia
April 28
University of Tartu

Mbabane, Swaziland
May 4-7
Media Institute of Southern Africa

Manzini, Swaziland
May 5
Community Media Association

Bucharest, Romania
November 2
U.S. Embassy
Romanian Diplomatic Institute

Craiova, Romania
November 3
Alexandru si Aristia Aman Library

Ramnicu Valcea, Romania
November 4
Valcea County Library

Sibiu, Romania
November 5-6
Lucian Blaga University
Astra Library
Association of European Journalists

Cairo, Egypt
November 9-12
U.S. Embassy
Future University
Cairo University
American University in Cairo
Regional Center for Strategic Studies
Egyptian Council on Foreign Affairs

New York, NY
December 9
EastWest Institute


2014

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
February 24-25
Addis Ababa University
Civil Service College
U.S. Embassy

Dakar, Senegal
February 27-28
Université de Dakar
Centre Africain d’Etudes Supérieures en Gestion (CESAG)
Centre d’Etudes Diplomatiques et Stratégiques (CEDS)
Sup De Co

Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
March 3
U.S. Embassy
National Defense College
Dar es Salaam School of Journalism

Gaborone, Botswana
March 5-6
University of Botswana
Botswana Guardian

Lusaka, Zambia
March 7
Evelyn Hone College
The Times of Zambia
The Daily Nation

Bratislava, Slovakia
April 22-23
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Slovak Foreign Policy Association
Comenius University

Riga, Latvia
April 24-25
Riga Graduate School of Law
Stockholm School of Economics
University of Latvia

Prague, Czech Republic
April 28-29
American Center
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Charles University
Economics University

Chisinau, Moldova
May 5-6
Advanced School of Journalism
American Resource Center
Independent Journalism Center

Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
May 8-9
University of Sarajevo
Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
May 9
Nansen Dialogue Center

Tyson’s Corner, VA
October 1
Global Business Travel Association
Northern Virginia Chapter

West Point, NY
October 17
U.S. Military Academy

Budapest, Hungary
November 4-7
U.S. Embassy
ELTE University
Corvinus University
National Journalists Association

Veszprém, Hungary
November 5
University of Pannonia

Pécs, Hungary
November 6
University of Pécs

Almaty, Kazakhstan
November 10-12
University of International Relations
KazNU University
IT University
KIMEP University
Turan University

Astana, Kazakhstan
November 13-15
KazMediaCenter
Nazarbayev University
Youth Business Club
Eurasian National University
Academy of Public Administration
American Corner

Kuwait City, Kuwait
November 16-18
Kuwait University
Ministry of Information
Gulf University for Science and Technology
American University in Kuwait


2013

Washington, DC
January 8
U.S. Department of State
Ralph J. Bunche Library

February 6
Georgetown University
School of Foreign Service

March 7
American University
School of International Service

March 21
Booz Allen Hamilton Inc.

April 4
Harvard Club of Washington DC

September 5
The Heritage Foundation

Birmingham, AL
January 10
Birmingham Southern College
Committee on Foreign Relations

Salt Lake City, UT
January 16
University of Utah
Brigham Young University
Committee on Foreign Relations

Casper, WY
January 17
Committee on Foreign Relations

Sacramento, CA
January 29-30
The Harvard Club
California State University
University Union

Los Angeles, CA
January 31-February 1
International Visitors Council
World Affairs Council
University of California at Los Angeles

Tampa, FL
February 13
The Harvard Club

Honolulu, HI
February 20-21
The Harvard Club of Hawaii
U.S. Pacific Command

Tulsa, OK
February 25
Committee on Foreign Relations

Boston, MA
February 27
World Boston
Downtown Harvard Club

San Diego, CA
March 5
University of California at San Diego
San Diego Diplomacy Council

Indianapolis, IN
March 26
Committee on Foreign Relations

Claremont, CA
April 23
Scripps College

Santiago, Chile
May 7
Universidad de Los Andes
Diplomatic Academy of Chile

Louisville, KY
May 14
Committee on Foreign Relations

Buenos Aires, Argentina
May 31
U.S.-Argentina Binational Center
Council for International Relations

Athens, Greece
October 4
Institute of International Relations
University of Peloponnese

Ankara, Turkey
October 7
Bilkent University

Istanbul, Turkey
October 8
Sehir University

Zagreb, Croatia
October 9
Diplomatic Academy

Madrid, Spain
October 15-16
U.S.-Spain Council
International Affairs and
Foreign Policy Institute
Rey Juan Carlos University

Lisbon, Portugal
October 17-18
University of Lisbon (ISCSP)
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
University of Lisbon Institute (ISCTE)

Coimbra, Portugal
October 18
University of Coimbra

Bern, Switzerland
October 21
Department of Foreign Affairs
Polit-Forum Käfigturm

Hong Kong
October 28-29
Hong Kong Baptist University
U.S. Consulate-General
Hong Kong University
City University of Hong Kong

Kyoto, Japan
October 30
Kyoto University of Foreign Studies

Osaka, Japan
October 30
U.S. Consulate-General

Seoul, South Korea
October 31-November 1
American Center Korea
Korea National Diplomatic Academy
Hankuk University

Giessen, Germany
November 4
Giessen University

Stuttgart, Germany
November 5
German-American Center

Munich, Germany
November 6
Amerika Haus

Hamburg, Germany
November 7
University of Hamburg

Kiel, Germany
November 7
Kiel University

Berlin, Germany
November 8
Humboldt University


2012

Washington, DC
October 9
Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)

October 22
American Foreign Service Association

November 15
Human Rights Campaign

November 29
The George Washington University
Elliott School of International Affairs

December 19
DACOR Bacon House

Los Angeles, CA
September 18
The Harvard Club

Palm Springs, CA
September 19
Palm Springs Air Museum

San Francisco, CA
September 28-29
The Harvard Club of Silicon Valley
Foreign Service Association

Seattle, WA
September 24
University of Washington
School of International Studies

Little Rock, AR
September 25
University of Arkansas
Clinton School of Public Service

Miami, FL
September 27
Florida International University

Geneva, Switzerland
October 11-12
Webster University
United Nations Library
American International Club
U.S. Mission to the United Nations

Amman, Jordan
October 14
Jordan Institute of Diplomacy

London, UK
October 15-16
University of London
London Academy of Diplomacy

Medford, MA
October 17
Tufts University
Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy

Chicago, IL
October 18
International Trade Club of Chicago
World Chicago

Dallas, TX
October 19
World Affairs Council

Singapore
October 25-26
Nanyang Technological University
Hwa Chong Institute
Singapore Management University
American Chamber of Commerce
Harvard Club of Singapore

Tokyo, Japan
October 29-30
Temple University
Harvard Club of Japan
Tokyo American Center

Taipei, Taiwan
October 31-November 1
Taipei City Library
National Chengchi University

Frankfurt, Germany
November 2
Harvard Club of Germany
Steuben-Schurz Society

Santa Fe, NM
November 9
World Affairs Forum
St. John’s College

Phoenix, AZ
November 12
Council for International Visitors

Las Vegas, NV
November 14
World Affairs Council