Human history is a never-ending series of conflicts. Greed and cruelty here coexist with heroism and mercy, despondency and fear - with the most daring aspirations and hopes. But always, before thousands of armies converged on the battlefields, negotiators and parliamentarians began an invisible battle for the interests of their powers. And the more civilized the relations between peoples and states became, the more significant the role of people who were able to win not with weapons, but with a word. So diplomacy has become one of the most prestigious professions, and diplomats are the most significant representatives of national elites.