State ceremonies

It usually falls to the Chief of the Department of Protocol to plan and execute arrangements for state ceremonies and these (assuming the once-and-for-all nature of independence celebrations) are most commonly: inaugurations, visits, anniversaries of national significance and funerals.

On all the above occasions (funerals being a possible exception) detailed plans are produced several weeks, even months, in advance and the Ministry would make a point of consulting with the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps if the Corps as a whole would be involved.

The cooperation of various organizations is essential for most functions, and it is usual to create an ad hoc planning and coordinating committee which might include representatives of the police (for parking and regulation of traffic); the army (for a band and guard of honour); the press relations office and civic authorities; and, if foreign visitors are expected in any number, representatives of the customs, immigration and airports.

On the occasion of the visit of a foreign Head of State or member of the government or other person of distinction, the head of mission of the state concerned is invited to all the official functions and entertainments which the visitor attends, and in return the visitor offers hospitality at his head of mission’s residence or an appropriate place for the corresponding dignitary in the host country (e.g. Head of State to Head of State, Foreign Minister to Foreign Minister, Head of Church to Head of Church).

A formal diplomatic visit begins when the visitor arrives in the diplomatic capital of the state (which normally must be his first objective) and it is there that the official reception takes place. If, however, the port, airport, or frontier post by which the visitor enters the state is some distance from the capital, the visitor is met by members of the local authority and an official representative who accompanies him to the capital. In such circumstances a procession may be arranged with the visitors riding in a carriage or motor car (depending on the distance involved). The general rule for the seating of state visitors in carriages and cars in a procession is that they are placed in the vehicles in descending order of precedence with the senior person in each vehicle seated on the right-hand side facing the way the vehicle is travelling.

It is recognized practice that the host of state visit should be invited to return the visit to the other’s capital within a reasonable time.

Дата добавления: 2014-12-27