Ambassador at Large Zahiya Zareer has urged young diplomats to invest in attaining academic qualifications, as well as general knowledge on a vast array of subjects. She made this appeal while addressing the fourth session of the Distinguished Speaker Series held by the Foreign Service institute of Maldives (FOSIM).
Former Ambassador of Maldives to Sri Lanka, and current Ambassador-at-Large at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ambassador Zahiya Zareer, shared several lessons she had learnt over her career that she felt would be useful to current Foreign Service officers at the session. She highlighted the importance of honing specific skills, such as communications, negotiations, emotional intelligence, cultural sensitivity and teamwork, as important skills for a diplomat.
Backed up by personal experience, she highlighted the importance of making use of every opportunity presented, as well as to listen and understand before reacting to situations. Having joined the government in 1983, with a career spanning over 30 years, Zahiya Zareer has gained immense knowledge, and insights into the government machinery.
FOSIM Distinguished Speaker series features notable figures both at home and abroad, and aims to create dialogue and debate on issues of strategic and global importance among the staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.