THE ROLE ASSOCIATED WITH FIRST LADIES WITHIN DIPLOMACY
First lady diplomacy has a long history and tradition in international relations in numerous Western countries.
In the US, many previous first ladies – from Eleanor Roosevelt, Jacqueline Kennedy, Laura Bush, Hillary Clinton to Michelle Obama – have performed active roles in public diplomacy.
The recent presence of Ukrainian first woman Olena Zelenska at the US Capitol in order to necessitate more weapons to be delivered to her homeland offers proven the more pronounced role of very first ladies in peace missions.
Within Asia, China’s initial lady Peng Liyuan has taken an active role in diplomacy to back up President Xi Jinping’s foreign policy considering that 2013. For The far east, the friendly, charming presence of Peng in Chinese diplomacy has been significant to create a counter perception towards Xi’s assertive diplomatic style.
The very first ladies have not just accompanied their partners on overseas travels, but also made solitary trips to a variety of countries for diplomatic missions. One example is certainly Michelle Obama’s trip to China in 2014, which has been praised because of its success in showing US’ goodwill amid its complex romantic relationship with China.
In general, there are still restricted academic research regarding first lady diplomacy. Studies about women and their roles in worldwide affairs mostly examine women diplomats and foreign ministers in terms of their particular diplomatic and discussing abilities.
Diplomatic efforts and results by the first women, as well as their value for their countries’ national interests, have not been widely reported plus recognised. This is easy to understand considering that the first women usually do not have public constitutional duties besides ceremonial roles.