An institution can have the best products and the most capable staff and still lose public trust in a single mishandled event – a guest seated wrong, a press statement worded badly, a visit organized without regard to protocol. That is why public and private institutions invest so carefully in the people who represent them at the front line: the public relations and protocol team.

This course prepares exactly that team. It covers the professional side of public relations – media relationships, reputation, and internal/external communication – alongside the etiquette and rules of protocol that govern official events, visits, and ceremonies, locally and internationally, so participants can represent their institution with confidence in any formal setting.

Who Should Attend?

• Managers, team leaders, and business partners representing their organization publicly.
• Employees responsible for organizational performance and reputation.
• Public relations officials in government agencies, departments, and organizations.
• Any staff involved in organizing events, receptions, or official visits.

What You Will Be Able to Do

• Understand the nature and growing importance of public relations amid new communication challenges.
• Apply the etiquette and arts of public relations and protocol in daily institutional work.
• Practice protocol rules and etiquette correctly in both local and international settings.
• Use information and communication tools effectively in international-relations and protocol work.

Module 1: Why Public Relations Matters More Than Ever

• The impact of PR on institutional image and public trust
• How PR differs from marketing and media, and its strategic role in organizations

Module 2: Building Relationships with the Media

• Building strong relationships with journalists and media outlets
• Media writing skills, press releases, and conducting media interviews

Module 3: Internal and External Communication for Reputation

• The role of PR in internal and external communication
• Building trust with the public and investors

Module 4: What Protocol Is and Why It Matters

• Definition, objectives, and traditions of international protocol
• Formal vs. informal protocol

Module 5: Planning a Formal Event from the Ground Up

• Steps for organizing formal events
• Protocol rules for meetings and official functions, and managing seating and attendees

Module 6: Receiving Dignitaries and Official Guests

• Respecting protocol when receiving dignitaries
• Arranging official meetings and hosting best practices

Module 7: Speaking on Behalf of the Institution

• Drafting official opening/closing remarks and speeches
• Diplomatic responses to questions and comments

Module 8: Protocol for State Ceremonies and Celebrations

• Organizing state-level official celebrations
• Choosing guests and venues, and food-service and welcoming protocol

Module 9: Protocol Across Borders – International Events, Conferences, and Seminars

• Challenges of dealing with foreign guests and cultural differences
• Seating arrangements, protocol traditions, and coordinating media statements at conferences