As part of a continuing collaboration with the Foreign Ministry of Serbia and Montenegro and the Government of Serbia, the Institute conducted two workshops at the conference center in Palic, near the Hungarian border.

The first program, with 35 officials from a dozen ministries in the Serbian government, focused on building inter-ministerial teamwork through collaborative problem-solving. The second program, with 30 officials from the Foreign and Defense Ministries, concentrated on diplomatic skills and practices. Both workshops were highly participatory and employed a variety of simulations, exercises, role-plays and case studies. Participants analyzed problems and challenges, produced thoughtful recommendations for appropriate actions, and conducted negotiations and mediations built around intra-state and state-to-state conflict.

Both workshops were well-received, and many of the exercises were spontaneously and enthusiastically carried on by the participants after the formal conclusion of the day´s work. Sonja Cagronov, Director of the Serbian Government´s Agency for Public Administration Development, participated in the first workshop and Predrag Simic, Director of the Diplomatic Academy, addressed the Foreign Ministry participants during the second. These programs were conducted by acting training program director Ray Caldwell and Institute consultant Vladimir Matic.

Before departing from Serbia, Ray Caldwell and Vladmir Matic met with senior officials of the Serbian Government and the Foreign Ministry of Serbia and Montenegro to review the results of the workshops and to prepare for continuing collaboration. They also called on various other government officials and NGO leaders.