Reflections from the World Public Relations Forum 2024: Key Insights and Takeaways

The power of PR was never better expressed when the former Foreign Affairs Minister of Indonesia, Madam Retno Marsudi said the use of diplomacy and communication are still keys to resolving conflicts and wars in the world today. She added that building trust, playing the bridging role and having the ability to convince or influence in public relations are the essentials in public diplomacy, which she applied when performing her duties as the Foreign Minister. These were some of the key takeaways during the World Public Relations Forum 2024 held in Bali, Indonesia, from Nov 19 to 22, 2024.

Other important issues highlighted by the speakers included the importance of telling the truth and not resorting to manipulative narratives, especially when communicating with the younger generations, the significance of Hard Power, Soft Power and Smart Power, vertical vs. horizontal leadership in PR practice, the concept of “Brand Sustainability is Brand Love,” and managing and avoiding greenwashing through comprehensive materiality assessment, active contribution, and coalition efforts.

Another important topic covered during the conference was building effective global collaborations. The fundamentals include ensuring you carry a strong reputation to the table, practising high levels of ethical standards, being innovative to stay relevant, and practising cross-cultural intelligence.