The role of protocol in international relations and public administration

Abstract

The article examines the functions and role of state and diplomatic protocol and analyzes its theoretical foundations and practical application in international relations and public administration. The evolution of protocol from the court ceremonial of European monarchies to modern democratic state protocol based on the principle of sovereign equality of states is explored. Particular attention is paid to the transformation of modern protocol toward greater functionality and practical efficiency. Using the case of the Secretariat of the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, the article analyzes the application of functional protocol in the sphere of public administration and international institutional cooperation. The study concludes that under contemporary political challenges, particularly in conditions of wartime governance, functional protocol increasingly becomes the dominant form of organizing official interaction, enabling more effective coordination between institutions and ensuring the practical implementation of diplomatic and administrative objectives.