# Engineering for Peace and Diplomacy
## 5 Engineering and Diplomacy
Science and engineering diplomacy can be expressed in different ways and be a unique platform for recruiting young people worldwide in different fields of STE and policy. Likewise, it may not always take the ideal theoretical form expected by diplomats and bureaucrats who populate the halls of foreign ministries and embassies around the world. Science and engineering diplomacy can be associated with collaborative projects that make international news. A good example is what happened on June 17, 1975, when the American Apollo and Soviet Soyuz spacecraft docked in space for the first time [56]. That 'Apollo-Soyuz moment' was an excellent example of science and engineering diplomacy showcasing that goodwill and peace is possible through science, technology, and engineering collaboration despite geopolitical disagreements. Figure 5: Peace engineering overlaps the three interconnected pillars of diplomacy, defense, and development. Science and engineering diplomacy can also unfold at the grassroots level through educational collaboration (e.g., the Viberti iPodia program (see [[https://ipodia.usc.edu/](https://ipodia.usc.edu/)]([https://ipodia.usc.edu/](https://ipodia.usc.edu/))) at the University of Southern California) and fieldwork involving students and professionals from different fields of science and engineering. Over the past 20 years, the author has had the privilege to work with engineers interested in development issues with groups such as Engineers Without Borders (EWB-USA, see www.ewb-usa.org), the EWB-International network (see www.ewb-international.com), and the Mortenson Center in Engineering for Developing Communities (now the Mortenson Center in Global Engineering) at the University of Colorado at Boulder. These programs are designed to involve student engineers and professionals in projects in developing communities. They give participants a global national and international cultural experience. Besides, the projects give them a sense of belonging and engagement through teamwork, a way of expressing passion and empathy and a societal context for their engineering work. It also gives them an opportunity to reflect on themselves, develop values, act on things they are passionate about, become good listeners, work with other professions, and ultimately 'think globally and act locally'. The author's version of engineering diplomacy grew out of observing or facilitating discussions between people from different backgrounds, cultures, and disciplines, people who most of the time had never met or assumed that they had nothing in common before they met or were told that they should dislike each other. As an example, the author hosted in 2010 a meeting in Cyprus that brought about 40 participants from EWB-USA, -Israel, -Palestine, -Egypt, -Jordan, -Lebanon and -Greece. The goal was to develop a collaborative platform and initiatives in the Eastern Mediterranean region around issues of water, energy, and food and ultimately create a peace-engineering-driven initiative in that region. The participants worked together for four days in developing joint engineering initiatives. Of course, most of the initiatives did not materialize due to the geopolitical constraints the participants had to face upon returning to their respective countries. A follow up meeting was held in 2011 to reinforce the decisions made in 2010. Even though the two Cyprus meetings never made it to the international news, several positive outcomes came out of both meetings. First and foremost, priceless life-long friendships were created among the participants. Second, joint projects around water and energy issues were considered and planned. Third and more importantly, the two meetings showed that peace is possible when engineers and scientists of various countries work on critical issues in a collaborative way despite geopolitical or other constraints. Finally, the two meetings represented for the participants another form of 'Apollo-Soyuz moment' in their own lives.