Winners of the Country Stage of the "Leader of Public Diplomacy" Contest in Germany have been Announced
In May 2026, the country stage of the V International Contest "Leader of Public Diplomacy" ended in Germany. There are three winners, three active figures whose projects show how sports, initiatives for children and travel become a working language of mutual understanding in an environment where official communication channels are often overloaded with political agendas.
Andrey Kovalev: When the ring and the ice become a platform for dialogue
Nomination: Sports Diplomacy
For Andrey Kovalev, sport has long ceased to be just a competition – it is a space of trust. Over the past three years he has built a system work in three areas, uniting Germany and Russia.
Kaliningrad became the first destination. Supported by the Kaliningrad Region Boxing Federation and the Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Bonn, Andrey Kovalev organized a series of trips by German boxing teams to Russia. Joint training camps, participation in Amber Gloves tournaments, and boxing nights have become a stable format where personal contacts between athletes, coaches, and organizers are born outside the ring.
The second vector of work is the Altai Territory. Organizing a delegation from Germany, participating in an international conference in Barnaul, and completing the trip with cultural and sports events in the Altai Mountains were a practical answer to the question of how to develop interregional ties without bureaucratic obstacles.
Andrey Kovalev's third project is aimed at hockey and inter-sports initiatives. The support of the Russian-speaking Spartak team in Cologne and the organization of joint sports activities between Russian and German athletes in various disciplines demonstrate how local clubs can become hubs of public diplomacy. In addition, Andrey Kovalev conducts historical and memorial work in Germany, preserving common memory as a foundation for future cooperation.
– A leader who works with a team is someone who unites people, trusts them, strengthens them and is responsible for the overall result, – Andrey Kovalev formulates his principle.
His projects clearly show that when trust is put at the forefront, sport ceases to be a zero-sum game and becomes a platform for mutual growth.
Inna Orlova: Chess as the diplomacy of the future
Nomination: Children's Diplomacy
Inna Orlova, a Master of Sociology, international expert on the prevention of addictive behavior and head of the “Three Bears” Chess School, has been engaged in what is called "investment in human capital" in international relations for more than twenty years.
The central element of her strategy is the project "Dialogue of the World: Culture, Chess and the Russian language as a space for cooperation." Inna is convinced that chess is a universal international language that does not require translation. The game creates a neutral space where intelligence and respect for an opponent are valued, regardless of their background. Through intellectual sports, children develop strategic thinking, emotional stability, and communication skills, which directly reduces the risks of antisocial behavior.
Also, Inna Orlova is scaling up intercultural initiatives. The MIRoKIT International Cultural and Gaming triathlon, implemented jointly with partners from Russia and Tunisia, unites teenagers through culture, creativity and intellectual competitions. The project received a grant from the World Peoples Assembly Contest and became an example of how children's diplomacy works to stay ahead of prejudice.
Inna's collection includes the finale of the NGO Without Borders program (2024, Senezh Workshop), the preventive program "All Within Our Hands", highly appreciated by experts from the Agency for Strategic Initiatives at the forum "Strong Ideas for a New Age" (2025), the social project "Helping One's Neighbor" in the field of palliative medicine (award of the Timchenko Foundation) and the organization of an international youth teleconference dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory, which brought together more than 30 participants from different countries.
"Through education, culture, cooperation and the development of civic initiatives, a strong and responsible generation can be formed, - Inna Orlova notes.
Her mission is both simple and ambitious: to create an international humanitarian space where families and young people receive support, opportunities for development, and motivation to make healthy, informed choices.
Reinhold Gross: "To have a dialog with people, not talk about them"
Nomination: Other: People's diplomacy
While sports and children projects build bridges through discipline and education, Reinhold Gross's “Druschba Global” initiative relies on direct human presence. Since 2016, the “Druschba” project has been organizing "Friendship Tours" – self-organized trips, car rallies, private exchanges and public events connecting German and Russian cities, organizations and ordinary citizens.
Over the past three years, the project has held significant congresses of public diplomacy in Moscow (2019) and twice in Rostov-on-Don (2024, 2025). The format is simple and effective: participants come to Russia, where they are welcomed "with open arms and hearts," share experiences, document meetings, and broadcast their impressions through the Russian media. Feedback is equally important: in Germany, Reinhold Gross and his team make presentations to break down stereotypes and arouse a sincere interest in Russian culture and people.
"Maintaining friendship in easy times is an art, maintaining friendship in difficult times is a necessity!" - says Reinhold Gross.
His philosophical principle of leadership fits into one line: "Frieden und Freundschaft = mit den Menschen reden, nicht über sie" (Peace and friendship = To have a dialog with people, not talk about them).
More information is on the official website of the World Peoples Assembly and at media@world-assembly.org.
