The States General of Diplomacy continue at the Foreign Ministry, within the framework of the 17th Conference of Italian Ambassadors in the world. It is an opportunity to discuss Italy’s international action, with the participation of over 150 Heads of Italian Diplomatic Missions abroad, numerous Government Ministers and foreign personalities, including the Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland, Ignazio Cassis, and the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Mariano Grossi.
The event, organised with the media partnership of RaiNews and ANSA, is an opportunity to reflect on the role and tools available to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in supporting the promotion of our national interest and the value of dialogue, in an international scenario characterised by growing instability and increasingly complex challenges.
The year that is about to end has been a particularly challenging one for Italian diplomacy: the G7 Presidency took place in one of the most complex situations since the end of the Second World War, characterised by the protracted Russian war of aggression against Ukraine and the deterioration of the security framework in the Middle East.
The States General of Diplomacy therefore intends to be an open forum for dialogue in which to discuss – in the presence of the highest institutional representatives, the Government, but also international personalities and representatives of the world of Italian economy and culture – the most topical international issues and the main global challenges, ranging from crisis theatres to the relaunch of multilateral processes, from new security threats to opportunities in the sectors of economic and cultural promotion. In its daily action, Italian foreign policy will continue to follow two key principles: a convinced Atlanticism and a lucid Europeanism, which knows how to put Europe’s growth and competitiveness at the centre – to be pursued with policies of industrial revival, technological progress and energy security – and put issues such as common European defence back at the core of the agenda.
The opening session took place on Monday 16 December, with speeches by the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, and the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Antonio Tajani, who also chaired all subsequent sessions.
Ignazio Cassis and Rafael Mariano Grossi were the protagonists of the first session, dedicated to the theme “Peace and Negotiations. International Scenarios”: in the current global context that sees the emergence of old and new non-State actors and the strengthening of revisionist powers, the processes of conflict prevention and resolution are experiencing a profound crisis of efficacy.
The second session saw the Minister of Defence, Guido Crosetto, and the Undersecretary of State to the Prime Minister and Delegated Authority for the Security of the Republic, Alfredo Mantovano, discuss the topic “Cyber Security, Hybrid Threats, Artificial Intelligence”. The third session “The Projection of Italian Know-How in the World: Research, Science, Energy and Culture” included speeches by the Minister of the Environment and Energy Security, Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, the Minister of University and Research, Anna Maria Bernini, the Minister of Culture, Alessandro Giuli, and the Minister of Education and Merit, Giuseppe Valditara (via video link). The fourth and final session focused on the theme “The New European Legislature: Challenges and Opportunities” and saw the participation of the Minister for European Affairs, NRRP and Cohesion Policy, Tommaso Foti.
In the final session, a message from Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni was read.
During the usual meeting with the trade unions representing the personnel of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Minister Tajani signed – together with the Minister for Public Administration, Paolo Zangrillo and the trade unions present – a Joint Declaration on training. The Foreign Ministry is the first Public Administration to sign a policy document on this matter with the Department of Public Administration.