Today, Tuesday 22 July, the swearing-in ceremony of 46 young officials who passed the 2023 diplomatic competition for Secretaries of Legation is taking place at Villa Madama, in the presence of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani.
“It will be a ceremony open to Italy and the world,” said Minister Tajani. “Joining us will be the Minister of University and Research, Anna Maria Bernini, the Minister for Public Administration, Paolo Zangrillo, the President of Confindustria, Emanuele Orsini, the President of the Conference of Italian University Rectors, Giovanna Iannantuoni, the President of the Young Entrepreneurs of Confindustria, Maria Anghileri, and the President of the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI), Luciano Buonfiglio. Universities, industry, sport, and the broader public administration – these are all spheres with which the diplomats of tomorrow will increasingly need to engage in a concrete and meaningful way”.
The ceremony marks the conclusion of the probationary period and the official entry of the new recruits into the diplomatic service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation – the first step in their diplomatic careers. This milestone comes after a dedicated nine-month training programme named in memory of diplomat Tosca Barucco, who passed away prematurely in 2021. The programme included an apprenticeship phase at the Ministry’s headquarters, as well as at Italian Embassies and Consulates abroad, alongside training at the National School of Administration (SNA) and introductory sessions on Italy’s key industrial and economic sectors.
The ceremony will be opened by Minister Tajani, who, in his address, will emphasise the importance of this new generation of diplomats in promoting abroad the vitality and creativity that characterise Italy. The Minister will also outline the key aspects of the ongoing Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation’s reform. Among the most notable developments are the opening of the diplomatic competition to graduates of all university disciplines and the expansion of training initiatives for Ministry personnel.
