Privacy Policy

Last Updated: June 2026

The International Cultural Diplomacy Network (ICDN) ("we," "us," or "our") is committed to protecting the privacy, confidentiality, and security of the personal information of our website visitors, Members, and Partners ("you" or "your"). This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you interact with our website, digital platforms, and restricted network directories.

We comply with Canadian federal privacy laws (the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act - PIPEDA) and provincial legislation, including Quebec’s Act respecting the protection of personal information in the private sector (commonly known as Law 25).

1. Information We Collect

We collect information that identifies, relates to, or could reasonably be linked to an individual ("Personal Information"). The types of information we collect depend on how you interact with our platform:

A. Voluntarily Provided Information

Membership & Partnership Applications: Name, professional title, corporate affiliation, business email address, phone number, physical address, and professional background.
Global Cultural Diplomat Directory Profile: Headshots, biographies, areas of expertise, trade focus regions, and language fluencies intentionally submitted for network visibility.
Next-Generation Programs & Internships: Academic transcripts, resumes, cover letters, and reference contact information submitted for fellowship, placement, or grant applications.
Event Registration: Payment information (processed securely through third-party PCI-compliant merchant gates), dietary restrictions, and accessibility needs for the ICDN Event Portfolio.

B. Automatically Collected Information

When you browse our website, we may automatically collect certain technical data through cookies, log files, and web beacons, including:

IP address and general geographic location.
Browser type, device type, and operating system.
Web pages viewed, time spent on the site, and referral sources.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use your Personal Information strictly for legitimate organizational and operational purposes, including:

Managing and administering individual memberships, corporate partnerships, and advisory board operations.
Populating and maintaining the secure, decentralized Global Cultural Diplomat Directory to foster member-to-member collaboration.
Processing event registrations, issuing invitations to private Global Dialogue Circles, and organizing civic receptions.
Evaluating candidates for professional internships, creative grants, and the Next-Generation Cultural Trade Architects fellowship.
Distributing network updates, press releases, media capsules from The Diplomat Series, and event notices (you may opt out of marketing emails at any time).
Improving website performance, monitoring security, and optimizing our digital user experience.

3. How We Share and Disclose Your Information

The ICDN does not sell, rent, or trade your Personal Information to third parties. We only disclose your information under the following limited circumstances:

Within the Network Directory: If you are an approved individual Member or Specialist, your designated professional profile data will be visible to other authenticated members within the secure, restricted Global Cultural Diplomat Directory for peer networking.
Third-Party Service Providers: We may share data with trusted vendors who perform operational services on our behalf (e.g., website hosting, secure payment processing, newsletter delivery, and event ticketing platforms). These providers are legally bound to protect your data and cannot use it for secondary purposes.
Legal and Compliance Requirements: We may disclose your information if required to do so by Canadian or international law, court order, or regulatory authority, or to protect the safety, rights, and security of the ICDN, our leadership, and our members.
Chatham House Confidentiality: In alignment with our event policy, any qualitative insights gathered during Global Dialogue Circles will be aggregated into non-attributed white papers. Individual names, corporate titles, and identifying remarks will never be disclosed.

4. Data Retention and Security

A. Security Measures

We implement robust physical, organizational, and technological security measures (such as encryption protocols and access-controlled servers) designed to protect your Personal Information from unauthorized access, loss, alteration, or disclosure.

B. Retention Period

We retain your personal data only as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, to manage active membership standing, or to satisfy legal, accounting, and institutional reporting requirements.

5. Your Privacy Rights

Depending on your jurisdiction (such as Quebec under Law 25, or international regions), you hold specific rights regarding your personal data. These include the right to:

Access the personal data we hold about you and request a copy.
Rectify or update inaccurate, incomplete, or outdated information (Members can also update their profile directly via the Directory portal).
Withdraw Consent at any time for the processing of your data, subject to legal or contractual restrictions.
Request Deletion (the "Right to be Forgotten") of your personal data, which may result in the termination of your active membership or network access.

To exercise any of these rights, please submit a written request to our designated Privacy Compliance Lead through our official web contact portal.

6. Cookies and Third-Party Tracking

You can manage your cookie preferences through your web browser settings. Disabling cookies may limit your ability to access certain premium, interactive features of our website or log into secure member portals.

We may use analytical tools (such as Google Analytics) to track anonymized website traffic statistics. These third parties have their own independent privacy policies.

7. Changes to This Privacy Policy

The ICDN reserves the right to modify this Privacy Policy at any time to reflect changing operational, regulatory, or legal frameworks. We will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this policy whenever changes are implemented. We encourage you to review this page periodically to stay informed about how we safeguard your data.

8. Contact Us

If you have questions regarding this Privacy Policy, wish to file a compliance inquiry, or want to exercise your data access rights, please contact the network administration through our website's official contact page.