Launch: The Curious Diplomat by Lachlan Strahan (Crawley, WA)

The Australian Institute of International Affairs (AIIA), with the generous support of the Forrest Research Foundation, is pleased to invite members and guests to the WA launch of The Curious Diplomat: A Memoir from the Frontlines of Diplomacy by Dr Lachlan Strahan, one of Australia’s most experienced scholar-diplomats, to be held from 6pm on Wednesday 25 February.

Drawing on three decades of service across Europe, Asia and the Pacific, The Curious Diplomat takes readers inside the inner workings of Australian diplomacy — from multilateral negotiations and crisis management to the everyday realities of representing Australia abroad. Strahan reflects candidly on the life of a diplomat and on grappling with some of Australia’s most consequential foreign policy challenges: climate change, China’s rise, a bigger relationship with India, regional security, weapons of mass destruction, and the demands of alliance management.

The book has been widely praised for its clarity, insight and honesty. Former Foreign Minister Gareth Evans describes it as “lively, informative, fine-grained and absorbing… as good as it gets in describing the reality of mainstream diplomatic life.” Former Secretary of DFAT Peter Varghese notes that it “breaks new ground with a distinctive and evocative narrative style,” while historian James Curran calls it “a tour de force… required reading for anyone seeking to understand Australian statecraft.” Reviewing the book, The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald describe it as “engaging and deeply informed.”

We will hear directly from the author on what diplomacy really involves, how Australian foreign policy is made, and what his experiences reveal about Australia’s place in a rapidly changing world. Copies of The Curious Diplomat will be available for purchase on the evening, and Lachlan Strahan will be available for book signings following the discussion.