The Diplomatic
Excellence
International Diplomatic Protocol & Ceremony
For diplomats, government officials, and executives
of cultivated distinction
Where international protocol meets excellence
For those engaged
in international diplomacy
State banquets, ceremonies of accreditation, the chair of international conferences, ceremonies between royal houses, state funerals, national rites, addresses before international bodies — there exists, without question, a world of international diplomacy, where diplomats, government officials, the leaders of international organisations, those near the imperial and royal houses, and the executives whose work brings them into the international arena, all conduct themselves with unwavering bearing.
ICPA is the members-only foremost academy devoted to the formal education of the diplomatic protocol and ceremony required upon this stage. Under LEPSW International Accreditation, we present, in structured form, the body of diplomatic etiquette, imperial protocol, international ceremony, national rites, and the formal protocols founded upon the Vienna Convention, refined by international society over centuries.
In recent years, this course has been chosen not only by those engaged in matters of state but also, as the pinnacle of refined cultivation in liberal arts, by executives and leaders of various fields. Conversation with foreign dignitaries, invitation to state banquets, occasions surrounding royal and imperial houses, international charitable affairs — for executives of true distinction, the conduct of one’s bearing within such moments calls for a study of higher cultivation.
The Diplomatic Excellence — the structured body of international diplomatic protocol and ceremony that ICPA offers to diplomats, government officials, leaders of various fields, and executives of cultivated distinction. Embassies, government institutions, international organisations, and members of the private sector have all studied with us. The three-stage curriculum, the Specialist Certification, and the customised course may be chosen according to one’s position and aspiration.
Admission to this course is by selection. ICPA, in distinguished partnership with the United Kingdom’s pre-eminent etiquette and protocol institution, The English Manner, conveys the genuine knowledge and bearing required upon the international diplomatic stage with the discretion that the subject demands.
The stages
of international diplomacy
The Diplomatic Excellence is conceived for those settings where the very dignity of a nation is in question. Those who complete the programme conduct themselves upon the foremost stages of international diplomacy with bearing that does not waver.
State banquets in honour of foreign dignitaries, imperial banquets within the Imperial Palace, national rites, state funerals, ceremonies of accession — the foremost stages upon which the dignity of a nation is shown to the world, governed by diplomatic and imperial protocol.
Receptions at embassies, formal occasions at diplomatic missions, consular affairs, ceremonies of accreditation — the meeting place of diplomatic custom founded upon the Vienna Convention and the particular ceremonies of each nation.
Conferences and addresses at the United Nations, OECD, WHO, JICA, and other international bodies. Summits, bilateral and multilateral conferences — the conventions of seating, the order of speech, the forms of accord, all governed by international ceremony.
Formal occasions of the Imperial House, engagements with the royal houses of various nations, international royal ceremony — the most formal of stages, where the imperial ceremony of Japan, refined over a millennium, meets the royal protocols of Europe.
Those who choose
The Diplomatic Excellence
The Diplomatic Excellence is the course for those who wish to study diplomatic protocol and ceremony in its structured form. Those engaged in matters of international diplomacy, those whose duties involve the reception of state guests, and those who seek the pinnacle of refined cultivation in liberal arts as executives of true distinction — all are received here. Embassies, government institutions, and international organisations have all studied with us.
Diplomats of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in active service, ambassadors, consuls and ministers posted abroad, attachés to international organisations. The structured body of international diplomatic protocol and ceremony, for those who stand upon the foremost line of international diplomacy.
Senior officials at the rank of bureau director or above within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, the Ministry of Education, the Imperial Household Agency, and other ministries. The diplomatic protocol required for international conferences, encounters with foreign dignitaries, and as the principal officer at formal occasions.
Members of the National Diet, politicians, and those engaged in international affairs of public office. The bearing and ceremony required in encounters with foreign dignitaries, addresses at international conferences, and the reception of state guests.
Those serving at the United Nations, OECD, WHO, JICA, the World Bank, and other international organisations. The unwavering diplomatic protocol required of the international civil servant, where the interests of multiple cultures and nations meet.
Those serving the Imperial Household Agency, those involved in the conduct of imperial affairs, the principal officers of state guest reception, and those active in the world surrounding imperial diplomacy. To study, in structured form, both the traditional ceremony of the Imperial House of Japan and international ceremony.
Those who seek diplomatic protocol and ceremony as the pinnacle of refined cultivation in liberal arts. Executives and board members of major enterprises, entrepreneurs pursuing international expansion, executives in contact with foreign dignitaries, persons of culture and knowledge, and professionals (physicians, attorneys, researchers) engaged internationally. As the higher form of refined cultivation.
The structure
of the course
The Diplomatic Excellence may be undertaken according to one’s position, duties, and interest. For those who would study diplomatic protocol and ceremony in its full depth, the three-stage curriculum. For those who would teach others as a Specialist, the Specialist Certification. For the busy diplomat, government official, or executive, a customised course according to particular duties or occasions is also available. Admission is by selection.
From the foundations of international diplomatic protocol and ceremony to the bearing required as the principal guest at a state banquet — the three stages of Foundations, Refinement, and Mastery are presented as a structured course of study. The point of entry may be chosen according to position and experience in public service. Upon completion of each stage, an ICPA Certificate of Completion is conferred.
The Specialist Certification of The Diplomatic Excellence, internationally accredited by LEPSW. In addition to the full content of the three-stage curriculum, the discipline of teaching and systematic instruction is conferred. Graduates may, as ICPA Certified Instructors, conduct their own programmes within ministries of foreign affairs, embassies, government institutions, and the professional training of distinguished fields.
For the busy diplomat, government official, international civil servant, or executive, a course in which the curriculum is arranged according to particular duties or occasions. For one prior to an ambassadorial posting, a focus upon the diplomatic protocol of the receiving nation; for one preparing for the reception of state guests, a particular attention to imperial ceremony and national rites; for the executive in advance of a meeting with foreign dignitaries, the ceremony of the relevant nation — the composition is rendered with care according to position and interest. Certificates are not issued, but the essential teaching is conveyed without diminution. Private online instruction is also available.
For institutions
and organisations
ICPA receives, in addition to individuals, those who wish to study as an organisation. Embassies, government institutions, international organisations, parliamentary groups, and private enterprises may study together; the curriculum is composed according to the purpose of the organisation and the duties of those receiving instruction.
── Examples of institutions and organisations who have studied with us ──
Embassies & diplomatic missions · Government ministries
International organisations · Parliamentary groups
Senior executive training · Executive couples training
For the details of group programmes, the composition of curriculum, and the matter of arrangements, please refer to the Corporate Training page.
Seven modules
of refined statecraft
The three-stage curriculum and the Specialist Certification are composed of the seven modules below. As the structured body of diplomatic etiquette, imperial protocol, and international ceremony in its highest form, the course encompasses the whole of the refined cultivation required of those upon the diplomatic stage.
Foundations of Diplomatic Protocol & Ceremony
The history, philosophy, and contemporary practice of international diplomatic protocol. The Vienna Convention (1961), diplomatic custom, contemporary international ceremony, and the principles that support the whole of diplomatic engagement.
Conventions of Precedence & National Rites
The refined rules of precedence upon the international stage. State banquets, state funerals, ceremonies of accession, national rites, and the order of recognition at formal occasions — together with the unwritten conventions of seating.
Imperial Ceremony & Royal Protocol
The structured body of imperial ceremony in Japan — accession rites, imperial banquets, ceremonies of accreditation, the New Year’s Salutation. The royal protocol of Europe — the British Royal Family, the royal houses of European nations, and the protocols of Monaco and Liechtenstein.
Ambassadorial Reception & State Guest Affairs
The form of diplomatic receptions, state banquets, and formal state hospitality. Reception at the ambassadorial level, the disposition of seating, ceremonial roles, the responsibilities of the chief of protocol — together with the bearing required at the highest level of diplomatic life.
Official Documents, Diplomatic Correspondence & Credentials
The conventions of formal diplomatic correspondence. The diplomatic note, the note verbale, formal letters, credentials, ceremonial documents, and the written conventions of intergovernmental communication. The weight of the written word within international relations, and the precise forms by which it is conveyed.
Ceremonial Dress, Decorations & National Costume
The conventions of dress at international diplomatic occasions. Morning coat, white tie, the wearing of decorations and orders, the formal kimono (at morning and white-tie levels), national costume — and the bearing required at the most formal of national occasions.
Diplomatic Protocol in Times of Difficulty & The Dignity of International Relations
The conduct of protocol in delicate diplomatic situations. State funerals, urgent receptions, sensitive bilateral occasions, moments of tension in international relations — and the discretion and dignity required at moments of consequence for the nation. The formation of an unwavering foundation, that one may embody the dignity of Japan within international society.
Voices of those who stand
upon the international stage
The voices of executives who chose diplomatic protocol and ceremony as a study of higher cultivation. Through dialogue with royal houses of various nations, through international expansion, and through encounters with state guests, these executives studied this course as refined cultivation.
Through my dealings with the royal house of Malaysia, the Prime Minister, the principal figures of China, and the royal family of Thailand, I came to realise that we were not yet equal to international protocol — and that brought me to this course. From the moment I began, my confidence grew. Knowledge accumulated, and it became, in the end, my own confidence. In business and in diplomatic settings alike, I now stand with more assurance. For executives of both major and smaller enterprises, and for those engaged internationally, this is essential.
The highest, deeply moving, and a matter of profound gratitude — these words alone suffice. I have lived a transformative experience. From bearing and etiquette to the manner of dining, from the larger questions to the finest details of dress and accoutrement, I was taught as a structured discipline. Knowledge and confidence followed. As I undertake to broaden business in China, in dialogue with the principal figures of various nations, I shall surely make a success of it. For executives and diplomats working both in Japan and globally, this is coaching of the highest order.
The ICPA
Group
ICPA, as the members-only foremost institution of international protocol, undertakes the structured transmission of the cultivation of bearing, including diplomatic protocol and ceremony. IPAA (the International Protocol Academy Association), a sister institution of the group, stands as an independent body that confers ICPA’s certifications — preserving objectivity and international standing.
The serious study of diplomatic protocol and ceremony is conveyed by ICPA itself.
The ICPA
Letter
From ICPA, a letter of academic standing — on diplomatic protocol and ceremony, international relations, imperial culture, and national rites — is dispatched with measured frequency. Notices of briefings, the principal’s column, mentions in the media, accounts of projects with international and government institutions — the official communication of ICPA, the members-only foremost institution, to those who hold a considered interest.
For those engaged in diplomacy
and executives of cultivated distinction
Where international protocol meets refined cultivation
The Diplomatic Excellence is the course for diplomats and
government officials who regard the mastery of diplomatic protocol
and ceremony as the bearing of international diplomacy, and
for executives of true distinction who seek the higher form
of refined cultivation. The three-stage curriculum, the Specialist
Certification, and the customised course may be chosen
according to position and aspiration. Group programmes for
embassies, government institutions, and parliamentary groups
are also conducted. Admission is by selection.
Please first consult with us through our private online briefing.