Numerous expressions of sincere sympathy have been voiced for the death of the Honourable Professor Giuseppe Vedovato, most recently at the opening of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on 23 January. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs too wishes to commemorate a figure who for over half a century acted as a constant, authoritative beacon for the Italian Government, with which he shared a constant and enthusiastic commitment to the service of his country and its institutions.
Professor Vedovato was an eminent and illustrious voice in the panorama of historical and political studies and from 1960 until his death was a member of the Commission for the Reorganisation and Publication of Italian Diplomatic Documents. He devoted his entire existence to civil engagement and the development of Italian culture. Admirably marrying his studies of the past with his engagement with the present, Professor Vedovato was able to grasp the evolution of the future that was taking shape for our country. Drawing on his deep and clear-headed Europeanism, Giuseppe Vedovato devoted his knowledge to the service of his country and to illustrating Italy both within and outwith its borders.
A professor from the age of 24, Giuseppe Vedovato entered the Chamber of Deputies in 1953 and the Senate in 1976. From 1972 to 1975 he was President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the only Italian to hold that position. He always managed to combine his academic commitments with his civil and political engagement and make a contribution of fundamental importance to the development of the European culture of cooperation, dialogue and interdependence. A culture that has been a hallmark of our country’s international presence and domestic evolution from the post-war period up to our own days.
