We start with a historical overview about how the terms Protocol and Etiquette spread among people and ancient civilizations and how they have developed over the years. Studies on international relations among ancient nations reveal that there were commonly accepted conventional practices being followed. These relationships were guided by rules, principals and standards that were created as a result of negotiations led by envoys who were sent for the exchange of diplomatic messages.
These civilizations practiced many different manners of the standards associated with Protocol and Etiquette. Several examples are given below:
- The diplomatic relations that existed between Egypt and Babel, which started in 1450 B.C., included highlights on the application of standards for Protocol and Etiquette that were related to both diplomatic immunities as well as receptions and ceremonies.
- In the ancient cities of Greece, there was a significant spread of Protocol and Etiquette standards especially associated with the immunity of ambassadors and to the principals of managing their affairs. The same was evident even later during the Roman era, in both the Western Roman Empire and the Eastern Roman Empire in Constantinople (also known as the Byzantium Empire).
- In Arabia, during and following the Umayyad Caliphate era, there were protocols for rulers and ministers. In the first Abbasid period, Al Jahiz wrote his famous book “Principles of Communication with Kings” (altaj fi akhlaq elmelouk) which included information on how to receive, greet, sit, talk and eat with kings. It also contained the etiquettes of messengers and envoys and guidelines for the king’s reception of the public during feasts.
- With the aim of improving diplomatic and social relationships, Protocol and Etiquette practices have recently adopted simplicity and practicality, moving away from old, rigid and overstressed customs while still maintaining basic rules and civility. In addition, these standards are no longer limited to diplomats as they have extended to ordinary people as well.
- Compared to other countries, Europe gave a lot more importance to Protocol and Etiquette rules and was more involved with developing standards to govern their practice while improving and developing them further over time. This was the scenario in Europe until finally all countries worldwide agreed on the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations in 1815 and the Aix-la-Chapelle Protocol in 1818 which consisted of all the applicable rules for this field. The 1961 Vienna Convention reaffirmed what was composed in the first Vienna Convention of 1815. In 1963, the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations was established to organize the exchange of consular missions among countries and to highlight the duties, rights, precedence, privileges, and immunity of consular delegates.