On September 5, 2026, David Vazgenovich Mnatsakanyan passed away — a Soviet and Russian diplomat, composer, member of the International Association of Public Diplomacy Experts (IAPDE), Chief Adviser to the President of the Association, and diplomat holding the rank of Envoy Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, 2nd Class.
David Vazgenovich had been with the Association since its founding and, over many years, actively participated in its activities, making a significant contribution to the establishment and development of IAPDE.
His professional career was closely associated with diplomatic service and international relations. Since 1974, he held various positions at the central office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation and abroad — in Berlin, Vienna, Bonn, Mumbai and New Delhi. From 2005 to 2011, he served as Consul General of the Russian Federation in Gothenburg, Kingdom of Sweden.
For his long-standing professional service, he was awarded the title of Honorary Worker of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, as well as the International Order “For Effective Partnership between Russia and Sweden”, the “Coat of Arms of the Lazarev House” Medal, and the Medal of the Arno Babajanyan International Memorial Foundation. His name is also associated with an achievement entered in the Russian Book of Records.
For IAPDE, he was one of those who stood at the foundation of the Association. His professional experience, diplomatic expertise and longstanding involvement in the organization contributed to its development and to the strengthening of its professional community.
On behalf of IAPDE, the President of the Association, Artur Khachatryan, expresses his deepest and most sincere condolences to the family and loved ones, colleagues and friends.
His memory will be preserved in the history of the International Association of Public Diplomacy Experts.