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Interviewing Romania’s most impressive Diplomat: Mr. Filon Morar 🇺🇳👨‍⚖️🇷🇴

Alexia Nicole Diaconescu
 


 

Dearest Wholesome readers, I am ecstatic to share that today’s special guest is truly a remarkable and inspiring individual.  I genuinely believe that he is a role model for us all, and that there are so many characteristics my generation can emulate from him as well as follow his footsteps. As someone interested in pursuing a higher education in politics and diplomacy, I am honored to interview an expert performing in this field.


Mr. Morar has an extensive and exemplary list of accomplishments: (https://ukraine.un.org/en/about/our-team)

  • He is the Chief of the UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs in Ukraine 🇺🇦

  • Has published 4 books: International relations between realities, legal principles and ethical imperatives, Political representation: actors and authors, and The Democracy of Privileges 📚 (link to all 4 books)

  • Has published 70+ articles on political science and international relations ✍️

  • Has a PhD in Political Philosophy, a Masters in Political Science 👨‍🎓

  • Was the Minister Counselor with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Romania

  • Was a foreign policy expert with the Romanian Presidency

    To name a few....


In this interview, I will be asking Mr. Filon Morar about his background in diplomacy, such as what motivated him to become a critical member of the United Nations. Additionally, I ask Mr. Filon Morar about what empowering advice he has for fellow Gen-Z's such as myself who would benefit from learning more about what this career entails.


Without a further ado, I present to you my interview with Mr. Filon Morar:


 

Question 1: What initially inspired you to pursue a career in international relations and diplomacy? Was there a particular moment or experience that set you on this path?


Answer: Destiny is shaped by crucial moments in one’s life. Life is inevitably and fortunately rich in intersections. Choices you make are what you become. It is the path in life one shapes but also follows together with others. And the choices you make are probably the fruit of the environment created by family and school. Of course, there are personal traits and inclinations, possibly genetic influences. But there are, probably equally important, also consequential persons in our lives. In my case, I have had great teachers in the Faculty of Political Science, suc​h as Daniel Barbu, Iulia Motoc, Alexandru Dutu and Cristian Preda. My inspiration for the diplomatic career was an

exceptional diplomat, who marked as no one else – with elegance, discretion and efficiency – the post-communist Romanian diplomacy. I am talking about Ambassador Mihnea Constantinescu who guided my first steps in diplomacy. There were also other fortunate encounters with amazing diplomats to whom I owe a lot, such as ambassadors Mihnea Motoc and Doru Costea. First, we should see the amazing people around us, the outstanding professionals and good human beings, and then to be open to learn from them. Sometimes, due to the moral confusion of the contemporaneity but probably of all times, it is often not easy to pass the first stage, to get to appreciate the wisdom and examples of those who should be our guides, showing the right North Star. We are never self-made men or women. We share this journey of life with others and

we owe a lot to family, teachers, friends, co-workers and to generations before us. We shall remember what we owe to others in all humbleness and with grateful recognition.


 

Question 2: With a PhD in Political Philosophy and a Masters in Political Science, how did your academic studies shape your career? What advice would you give to young individuals about the importance of education in achieving their career goals?


Answer: One should listen to his inner daimon, in the sense of ancient Greeks. The internal voice accompanied by common sense is always a good guide. But we are not alone in the journey of life. We have family, friends, teachers who can provide good advice as they also know us, wish us well and can bring a broader picture in our judgements and choices. Education is the foundation on which one builds its entire professional life and in general, his entire existence. My advice at the outset of the start in life is to keep our scientific and personal curiosity, to listen to our desire to become better human beings through knowledge of sciences and of people. It is essential not to settle for the path of less resistance. It is not the economy of efforts, saving energy that will advance us. Learning, listening, investing ourselves in different projects and in pursuit of ideas pave our way for the rest of our lives. When we are young, we are capable of great efforts and energy. We shall use that at the right time in order to become better selves later. My advice would be not to waste your time at this crucial age of accumulation and growth. Invest yourself in sport, learning, in different social projects. Use your time conscious of its irreversibility and it value as investment in yourselves. Almost anything one does generates an experience and contributes to the learning process. Play video games, watch short movies on phones and devices, but do also other things. My parents taught me from childhood that moderation is essential. Do not exaggerate, do not go overboard by allowing yourself to be obsessed with one thing to which life when you discover it at early age cannot be resumed at. But also, do not limit yourself to the minimum effort, to the path of less resistance. Recall the virtue of moderation. We have probably around 15 crucial years, from 14 to 30 years old when we build the foundations of our future lives. It depends largely on us how strong that foundation is to support our future life edifice.


 

Question 3: What are some practical steps young individuals can take to gain relevant experience in international relations or diplomacy? Are there specific internships, volunteer opportunities, or entry-level positions that you would recommend?


Answer: In more practical terms, as a young person, one should not refuse meaningful experiences. From most experiences, one learns, adapts, adjusts, advances. Volunteering, internships are great opportunities to learn, interact, and develop a better understanding. With one condition. Once you invest yourself in something, do it in entirety, do it to the best of your capacities. Not pro forma engagement. Only in this way can one grasp the most of life experiences. With passion and interest to discover, to comprehend. My first job was as deputy editor at a Political Science Review (I studied Political Science at the University of Bucharest). It was not easy as a student in freshy

post-communist Romania to review hundred of pages of articles by various authors, to provide feedback and appropriate suggestions to senior experts. Precisely because it has been difficult, it has been a useful experience in retrospect. Not for the financial aspect (I gained the equivalent of 10 bucks at that time), but for what we were talking before, for the exposure to experiences which open the gates of accumulative knowledge. I ended up with having three jobs immediately after college graduation. And I do not recall the challenges. What I recalled my entire life is what I’ve learnt. This is

what it stayed with me. Do not refuse yourself to open the windows of practical

knowledge, of action and learning through experience.


 

Question 4: What key skills and qualities do you believe are essential for a successful career in diplomacy and international relations? How can young people start developing these skills early on?


Answer: Diplomacy and IRs require many skills. Probably the most important are the clarity of purpose, the knowledge of the situation and people involved, the understanding and anticipation of consequences, perseverance, discretion but also rationality, logic, empathy.  One way to prepare for professional life is to exercise in school what we all need in professional and personal life almost on a daily basis: synthesis and analysis. We shall develop from school the capacity to understand a text or a situation, or even a person, to be able to succinctly capture the essence, to summarize and not err, and

then to analyze, to see the ramifications, the multiple implications on multiple actors, to build scenarios and to envisage solutions. Ultimately, not indulging in lamentation about problems is what we need, but to understand the problem, to identify its root causes, impact and then conceive steps to respond to challenges. We can train ourselves in the way we think about problem solving and situation analysis from early stages of our

formation. Because we do this for the rest of our lives, in a form or another.


 

Credits to UN Ukraine's X account for the image exhibited above:

 

❓Question 5: The field of international relations is constantly evolving. What trends or changes do you foresee in the coming years, and how should young professionals prepare themselves to adapt to these shifts?


Answer: Preserving peace is probably the challenge of our times, even if we do not fully realize it. Humankind history consists of small breaks to violent conflicts. Almost 80 years after WWII, most people do not have direct experience of devastating wars and may not see all the risks of world conflagrations. The ability to preserve the capacity to solve conflicts

without appeal to weapons and violence is something we shall cherish. For diplomacy to prevail to the temptation of using force, we need to remain committed to common values and to common norms, to develop the multilateral global system. Not to allow what separate us to become stronger than what unites us. Always recenter the focus where it should be, on, the universal human values of freedom, dignity, aspiration to prosperity and security, and, very important, preservation of life. I think this is the challenge for next generations, especially as technology and evolving techniques of manipulation may blur the ethical or logical lines. Our world provides fast access to massive information on almost anything. Easiness should not come to the price of oversimplification or errancies. We cannot get lost in the forest of the avalanche of public speeches and social media comments without seeing what is important. That is paramount is the tree of life. And its roots and branches that support a dignified, free, secure and prosperous life for all human beings. This should remain our common aspiration. In this vision, war and other forms of violence should have no place. The solution I see not to get lost in the age of veiled post-truth and subtle manipulation is to remain critical, to question everything with the Cartesian doubt in mind, to be informed but also to think for ourselves. As a corollary - in order to be able to think autonomously, to reflect on and filter the information received -, we shall remain anchored in fundamental values, which cannot be carried away by the wind as the ephemeral leaves of political fragmentation or radicalization, or unmeasured personal ambitions and inflated egos.


 

Question 6: If you could go back and give advice to your younger self at the start of your career, what would you say? What lessons have been most valuable to you over the years?


Answer: Be genuine. Be as sincere with yourself as you should aspire to be with those around you. Keep your moral compass and listen to your internal breaks. Listen to your internal daimon.  If something inside you says that something is wrong, probably you should check again with your deepest convictions and principles, and review your position accordingly. Work hard as a path to build yourself. You can not become a good professional and a good human being without work, without effort, without trying to understand yourself, others, the world. Be aware of the world as it is but never stop thinking at and working for the world as it should be. Learn to listen and present arguments to support your ideas. Never give up questioning things constructively, to be inquisitive. Remain critical but be also constructive. Demolition is not an objective in itself, but what you build instead. Be humble to remain rational but project your aspirations high to keep your ideals.


 

Question 7: What final message would you like to share with young people who aspire to follow in your footsteps and contribute to international peace and diplomacy? What mindset should they cultivate to achieve their goals?


Answer: Ontology needs to be prompted and endorsed by axiology. Simple existence is probably just survival. And we as a species are far more advanced for that. Our living is ennobled by values, by a life in harmony with values we share and exercise in our entire life. Ideally, in a uniform, consistent way, with generosity and openness towards others, with passion and compassion, with interest for knowledge and discovery. Because life is a gift, and we shall do the most out of it. Because we are not alone. We are capable to think beyond our needs and aspirations, to encompass the entire humanity. These

values should be planted in our DNA when we grow up. That is why it is important to cultivate and nurture healthy values from the outset of our lives. We shall aspire to be good human beings and good professionals. And we shall aspire beyond our own selves, towards a better world which we could also contribute to build. And in this way to advance humanity through our modest but accumulating experiences.


 

Mr. Filon Morar, thank you so much for allowing me to interview you and share your words of wisdom! I am confident that your insightful responses are going to provide clarity and a better sense of direction for young and aspiring future diplomats who want to contribute toward a more just, compassionate, equitable, and safe world.


Dear Wholesome reader, I really hope you enjoyed this Wholesome interview, and if you have any suggestions to improve, I would love to see what feedback you have for me! Please leave me a comment at the end of this article to let me know what you think. Thank you to those of you who have already shared your thoughts with me via the comment feature or privately.


Sending virtual hugs and lots of happiness your way! 🧸 🌻 🤪

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