Areas of cooperation of Poland and the Holy See in the dimension of traditional diplomacy and public diplomacy

Abstract

In the realm of traditional diplomacy, cooperation of Poland and the Holy
See is limited to a narrow range of issues relating to the defence of religious
freedom and the promotion of values in international politics (e.g. the protection
of the rights of Christians in the world). In the case of many issues they
are divided by discrepancies, e.g. in the sphere of ecology and how to help
the refugees. A huge untapped potential for cooperation between Poland and
the Holy See is in the field of public diplomacy. Religiosity of Poles is a factor
distinguishing Poland among other countries and affecting its international
position. In relations with the Holy See it is an asset, but from the point of
view of states promoting other religions or value systems it may be perceived
negatively. In public diplomacy conducted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
the religious aspect was absent until the end of 2015, but after the takeover
of power by the PiS the role of Christian identity in the sphere of building the
image of the country was stressed. In this context, World Youth Days in 2016
in Kraków will be a particular opportunity to promote the country. Defining
the importance of religion in Polish foreign policy is of great importance for
the determination of the prospects of diplomatic cooperation of Poland with
the Holy See. On the one hand, in many countries, religion has been almost
completely eliminated from the diplomatic sphere, but on the other hand, for
some countries it has become an important part of their international activity
(e.g. the Russian president is perceived in some circles even as a defender
of Christians). In Poland, after each successive parliamentary elections we
can expect a change in the approach to the religious sphere. An attempt to
establish cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with Catholic institutions
within Polish public diplomacy, initiated at the turn of the years 2015
and 2016, causes some controversy. This is part of the heated debate on the
role of the Catholic Church in the Polish political life ongoing for many years,
which also affects the Polish relations with the Holy See.