He said everybody in society must be considered an agent of diplomacy, which was a secret tool for successful relations among states, representation of identities as well as negotiations between states and institutions.

Ambassador Aggrey-Orleans was speaking on the topics: “The Fundamental Principle of Protocol and The Importance of Protocol in Inter-State, Inter-Corporate and Inter-Faith Relations” at the 2017 Protocol Matters Conference, in Accra, on Wednesday.

The Conference is to equip institutions, event Managers, religious organisations and hospitality operators with cutting-edge skills for the Protocol Industry since the cornerstone of all functions and events rests on the recognition and effectiveness of Protocol procedures.

The Conference, which is being organised by Prosline Events Ghana Limited, in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration and the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture is on the theme: The Importance of Protocol in National Development: “Image Creation and Communication.”

He said protocol services had the powers of making people’s lives better if individuals committed to decency and followed its applications rightly. Mrs Catherine Abelema Afeku, the Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, in a speech read on her behalf  by Madam Olivia Opoku Adom,  said protocol set the mood and created the right atmosphere for the Diplomatic and Political leadership to move ahead with serious diplomatic business at hand.

She said protocol also showcased a country’s culture and its importance to nation building could not be exaggerated.  Mr Daniel Prosper Blagogee, the Executive Director of Prosline Events, said Ghana was globally recognised as a stable democracy and was thus strategically positioned for international engagement in all spheres of endeavours, especially the attraction of bilateral and multilateral businesses.

This, he said, brought the country into constant interaction with people of diverse economic, social, political and cultural backgrounds.It was, therefore, imperative for protocol professionals to be abreast of current trends in the industry and to be equipped with the needed skills to ensure that the engagements with diverse people left a memorable impression of Ghana.

Mr Blagogee said the protocol industry rested largely on social and interpersonal interaction and it was necessary to let the public appreciate its critical place in the conduct of informal and informal engagements.

The Reverend Dr. Joyce Aryee, the Founder of the Salt and Light Ministry, and Chairperson of the Conference, said protocol was the practical aspect of communication and that ushers at events were the subset of protocol services.

Other speakers at the conference were Ambassador Dr. Margret Amoakohene and Ambassador James Naadjie, who spoke on “Using Protocol to Enhance Image and Protocol as a means of Increasing State Efficiency,” respectively.