Directorate General for the Country Promotion (economy, culture and science)

Directorate General for the Country Promotion
Director General
Andrea Meloni

Deputy Director General/Principal Director for Promotion of Italian Language and Culture
Vincenza Lomonaco

Deputy Director General/Principal Director for the Internationalisation of the Country System and Territorial Autonomies
Inigo Lambertini

Telephone: 0636913055 – 0636918555
Fax: 063222734
Email: dgsp.segreteria@esteri.it

Office I – Promotion and coordination of international activities of the Italian economic system, public/private partnerships, insurance and financial instruments for foreign trade

• Coordination of initiatives for economic promotion abroad, organisation of periodic meetings with key Italian economic groups;
• secretariat of the “Production Team for Italy International” (for issues falling within the remit of the MFA);
• planning and management of System-level Missions and major trade missions, in collaboration with the Directorates concerned;
• relations with Ministry for Economic Development (MiSE) and Italian Trade Institute (ICE) to coordinate initiatives to support business internationalisation;
• relations with other Italian ministries and public and private entities engaged in the international promotion of the Italian economic, tourism and cultural system: these include SIMEST and FINEST (companies promoting trade and economic cooperation), ENIT (the national tourism agency), the Italian Chambers of Commerce in Italy and abroad, and banking and business associations;
• representation at SACE (company for the management of commercial and political risks), participation in the Interministerial Committee for Economic Planning (CIPE) in matters of foreign trade and issues pertinent to SACE;
• promotion and coordination, in accord with the technical ministries concerned, of initiatives aimed at increasing inward investment to Italy;
• secretariat of the “Strategic committee for the development and protection of national economic interests abroad”;
• relations with Sovereign Funds and organisation of and follow-up to their missions;– exhibitions and trade fairs in Italy and abroad, registered and recognised expositions, European Union trade fairs group, Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) events in Italy.

Office II – Promotion and Coordination of international activities of autonomous Italian authorities; relations with the State-Regions Conference.

• International activities of the Regions and of sub-regional entities;
• relations with the Government-Autonomous Authorities system, coordination of external activities of Autonomous Authorities;
• application of the Government-Regions Agreement on International Action, actions to foster internationalisation at the regional level and attract inward investment;
• collaboration with the Regions and public and private entities on matters relevant to the MFA and its missions abroad.

Office III – Promotion of Italian language and publishing abroad

Network of Italian Studies departments at foreign universities; contributions to Italian Studies departments at foreign universities; training of teaching assistants and foreign teachers of Italian; certification of Italian language learning; publishing, promotion and dissemination of Italian books abroad, incentives for the translation of Italian publications, teaching materials and audiovisuals abroad; relations with RAI; additional initiatives for the dissemination of the Italian language abroad: Italian Language in the World Week; conferences and events on the Italian language; literary prizes; executive protocols; sponsorships; analysis and monitoring of the dissemination of the Italian language around the world.

Office IV – Cultural promotion, Italian Cultural Institutes

• Exhibitions, entertainment events and conferences on cultural or artistic subjects;
• design, film (including relations with Eurimages), audiovisuals, theatre, music, figurative arts;
• major events, special projects, cultural tourism, expenditure on cultural events in Italy and funding for diplomatic and consular missions organising cultural events;
• implementation of bilateral cultural cooperation programmes, operation of cultural institutes;
• identification of the network and personnel, coordination and guidance for activities, nomination of directors pursuant to article 14 of Law 401/1990;
• management of personnel pursuant to articles 14(6), 16 and 17 of Law 401/1990;
• approval of budgets and disbursement of contributions.
  

Office V – Italian educational institutions abroad

• Italian state and private schools abroad, examination review boards;
• Italian departments in foreign, international and European schools;
• education agreements;
• setting of teaching staff numbers in service abroad, recruitment, management and remuneration of teaching personnel and language assistants abroad;
• substitute teachers and contract staff;
• legal questions and disputes;
• training of educational personnel;
• administration of Ministry of Education, Universities and Research personnel seconded to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs;
• relations with trade unions representing education personnel in service abroad, in agreement with the Directorate General for Resources and Innovation;
• management of State-owned school properties;
• contributions to non-State schools and foreign educational institutions and entities;
• promotion of cultural initiatives through the network of Italian schools abroad.
  

Office VI – Multilateral cultural promotion and cooperation; preservation of cultural heritage; archaeological missions; Italian National Commission for UNESCO

• Promotion and cooperation initiatives within the framework of multilateral cultural agreements, multilateral bodies, regional cooperation;
• Italian National Commission for UNESCO;
• protection and preservation of cultural and artistic heritage;
• recovery of illegally exported artworks (Siviero Archive);
• archaeological missions;
• sporting events and support for the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) and its interaction with the International Olympic Committee and other national Olympic committees.

Office VII – University cooperation, scholarships, academic qualifications and youth exchanges

• Relations with universities and higher education institutes;
• study grants for foreign citizens and Italian nationals living abroad;
• promotion of the internationalisation of the university system;
• study grants provided by foreign governments for Italian nationals;
• socio-cultural youth exchanges;
• foreign educational institutions in Italy;
• agreements on the mutual recognition of academic qualifications

Office VIII – Conservation and Promotion of the Farnesina Art Collection in Italy and abroad

• Preservation of artistic treasures both owned by and on loan to the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and of Culture, conservation;
• identification of works held in the ministry and throughout the network abroad;
• Farnesina Modern Art Collection, Farnesina Design Collection, Farnesina Art Collection and related exhibitions in Italy and abroad, image and promotion of the collections;
• organisation and management of the “Open Doors” days at the Foreign Ministry in Rome;
• sponsorship initiatives

Bilateral and Multilateral Scientific and Technological Cooperation Unit

• Scientific and technological research and cooperation;
• coordination and management of the network of science attachés and projects and initiatives to enhance and make better use of the network;
• network of distinguished Italian science and technology professionals abroad;
• Trieste Science Hub;
• execution and monitoring of bilateral science and technology collaboration programmes, multilateral scientific agreements;
• conferences and events for the promotion of Italian science and technology;
• support for the internationalisation of research in collaboration with national research bodies and universities;
• travel and sojourn in Italy and abroad for scholars and researchers;
• support for the internationalisation of the space and defence industry;technological cooperation;
• information society;
• international co-production of weapons materials, Defence-Industry Committee.  

Armaments Export Licensing Unit (UAMA).
Activities pursuant to Law 185/1990 as amended, structure governed by Prime Minister’s decree 125/1994.