Dueling agendas across Europe complicate the region’s balance while conflicts flare in Gaza and Ukraine. Yet attention stretches beyond the loud headlines to quieter disputes that persist elsewhere. Peace may hinge on a generation still waiting for full adulthood. The United Nations has noted that when women lead peace processes, negotiations tend to move more smoothly. Three young scholars, each pursuing advanced international studies abroad on prestigious scholarships, offer their views on Spain’s diplomatic future. Their conversations reveal a moment of pause about how high level diplomacy travels from classrooms to councils of state, and how grants and opportunities can broaden a foreign policy landscape to be more inclusive.
What Spanish diplomacy lacks
One participant argues that Spain needs a cohesive state foreign policy. While neighboring European powers often align on geopolitics, Spain shifts with every new government. The opposition tends to resist government decisions, creating friction over issues like the Sahara and Palestine. This is seen by some as a fundamental barrier to leadership within Europe, especially when regional partners expect stable, long-term stances rather than frequent pivots.
Fresh arrivals from study experiences abroad describe Europe’s opportunity to speak with a united voice on major powers like China. The aim is to mediate with clear red lines and to reduce dependence on other global players. In this era, building a strategic, independent European diplomacy requires deeper understanding of China and its evolving role on the world stage, including the post-Trump environment and future leadership questions.
A professional in social development with experience spanning emergency response, child labor in the Amazon, and refugee camps highlights the need for programs that are more humane and locally grounded. She stresses that in refugee settings, issues like menstrual poverty remain invisible and unaddressed, despite being widespread. This perspective links gender balance on the ground with outcomes in humanitarian work, noting that a heavy female presence among field workers contrasts with male-dominated leadership in many organizations. Yet there are successful examples where women refugees themselves helped manage daily operations with support from international partners.
Female presence in diplomacy
United Nations analysis shows that when women hold positions of power, attention to issues like violence elimination, childcare, and health improves. Corruption tends to decline and cross-party collaboration increases. A strong proponent notes that there is a shortage of women in international affairs and hopes Europe will pursue greater parity more seriously. The emphasis is on moving beyond token roles to real leadership in international affairs.
Historical reflection underscores how the early roster of UN signatories was predominantly male. The speaker argues that the starting point after major conflicts was not favorable, but acknowledges that women have introduced innovative approaches. The argument is clear: excluding women was discriminatory and progress requires ending that bias without blaming women for possessing different strengths.
Barriers to entering diplomacy
The younger voices warn about access barriers in the diplomatic field, noting that many aspirants come from financially privileged backgrounds. The examination curriculum for diplomatic service covers more than 200 topics that must be memorized, demanding an average of four years of exclusive study. This creates an enormous hurdle for wide participation, reinforcing existing social and economic gaps in the profession.
Those comments emphasize that economic disparities shape who can enter diplomacy, contributing to persistent biases at the upper levels. Some suggest that more transparent and up-to-date selection processes could open doors for a broader mix of candidates. Scholarships and fellowships become crucial enablers, offering pathways that would otherwise be out of reach. The shared view is that such opportunities are essential for real, lasting change in international relations.