At the Farnesina the XV Conference of Ambassadors. Tajani: 'The EU as Italy's polar star'

The Farnesina once again hosts the Conference of Ambassadors of Italy to the world.

The theme of the 15th edition, starting on 21 December, is

in a confrontation that will involve

THE FIRST SESSION, 09:00 - 10:30 

"Innovative tools for economic diplomacy and growth", with speeches by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Antonio Tajani, by the Minister of Economy and Finance, Giancarlo Giorgetti, and by the Minister of Enterprise and Made in Italy, Adolfo Urso.

THE SECOND SESSION - 10:50 – 13:30 Session "The attractiveness of Italy in the world",

with speeches by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Antonio Tajani, the Minister of Education and Merit Giuseppe Valditara, the Minister of University and Research Anna Maria Bernini, and of the Minister of Culture, Gennaro Sangiuliano.

Brief ceremony of awarding the scholarships of the "Mama Sofia" Association in memory of Ambassador Luca Attanasio.

THE THIRD SESSION - 15:00 – 15:45 Speech by the Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, by the Vice President and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Antonio Tajani and by the Secretary General of the Farnesina, Amb.

Ettore Francesco Sequi. 

CLOSING SESSION - 18:50 – 19:00 Closing speech by the Vice President and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Antonio Tajani.

The objectives of the XV Conference of Ambassadors of Italy in the world "are to create an overview on how to deal with what we can define as a real change of era. Therefore, create an overview on the basis of the contributions of our diplomats and of the guests who have been invited, starting with the Prime Minister Meloni and the President of the European Parliament Metsola and various ministers, on how the Farnesina can be better equipped to be at the service of the country in a changing world": thus the secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Ettore

, in an interview with ANSA on the sidelines of the Conference.

"There are two keywords: service - we are a service company that provides institutional services - and transformation, the changing world. We want to be increasingly prepared for the benefit of our compatriots, our companies, our country", he explained Ambassador Sequi.

From the Farnesina "there are many innovations" this year at the service of Italians.

For example, "our consular services have gradually become digitised".

"The Crisis Unit has had an extraordinary technological transformation, we use artificial intelligence to be more efficient in answering questions,

we have made an agreement with the mobile phone company to be able to welcome the Italians who will be on holiday, especially in this period, also indicating which app can be downloaded for free in order to be assisted.

Whoever downloads the app will be able to receive all the travel and safety advice in real time in the various destination countries", explained Sequi. "But there is more, for example we have introduced artificial intelligence services but also virtual to be able to make evacuation plans more effectively in our offices.

And we don't stop there: for example, we have set up a special crisis unit for assistance to businesses in the Ukrainian crisis.

We want to represent an ever stronger island of modernity in a changing world",

The network of Italian embassies "can play a fundamental role" in promoting Italian exports, underlined the secretary general of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ettore Francesco Sequi in an interview with ANSA.

"I'll give just two figures: one third of Italy's GDP, therefore our wealth, depends on exports, and even more so in a period in which domestic demand is shrinking. The second element is that every euro invested in the Farnesina gives a return on GDP of 38 euros. Therefore, 38 times. This is because we assist our companies in finding new markets, in disputes, we promote opportunities for new contracts. Therefore, our exports are truly our oil. The Farnesina is once again in the service of our country and our national interests", underlined the

"To live up to Italy's expectations, diplomats are and want to be at the service of the country, to protect our compatriots, assist our businesses and promote Italy and its interests. It is a role we proudly claim that we carry out and want to carry out with convinced dedication and a spirit of sacrifice and love for our nation", said Sequi at the opening of the XV Conference of Ambassadors of Italy in the world underway at the Farnesina.

"For this edition we have chosen the title 'Italian diplomacy at the service of the country in a changing world'. It contains three words: diplomacy, service, change, which already define what it means to implement foreign policy today", underlined Sequi in his speech .

MATTARELLA'S MESSAGE

"The conflict has shown its dangerous face in the field of global economic relations. In this context, I am sure that the diplomatic corps will continue to facilitate the diversification of energy supply sources in which we are strongly committed and to accompany at the same time the external projection of our production system, on which so much of our future prosperity will depend": thus

.

"In a scenario where crises are increasingly taking on a global dimension and reach, even our response, in order to be effective, can only be articulated on a multilateral level. It is, moreover, the vocation expressed in over seventy years by the Republic, engraved in the text of our Constitution".

"At the heart of this system of values ​​is human dignity and respect for the person, which today we see instead in many parts of the trampled world. What has been happening in

in recent weeks - said Mattarella - exceeds all limits and cannot, in any way, be set aside".

"

- he continued - he questioned the rules on which we have based our peaceful coexistence.

An order based on respect for international law.

At this historic moment, diplomacy has the difficult task of protecting this hard-won heritage, which finds its bulwarks in the process of European integration and in the multilateral system represented by the United Nations, as well as in our solid position within the framework of the Atlantic Alliance". 

MINISTER TAJANI'S SPEECH

"Europe represents a guiding star for our political choices. It represents our future and the best opportunity to protect Italian citizens", said

at the Ambassadors Conference.

The goal must be "a stronger presence of Italy in Europe and for this reason we have decided to increase the number of representatives" in Brussels, Tajani said, recalling some of the main challenges at "European borders", such as the migration issue.

"To you the burden and the honor of representing Italy in the world, Italy must be grateful to you".

"We know the difficulties, even the personnel shortages, but we managed to obtain the approval of two amendments to increase the number of ministry employees and contractors. We thank Parliament", he added.

is one of the priorities of Italian foreign policy, military support "in defense of international law and the country's independence, but always with the aim of achieving peace", he added, underlining that the Italian commitment it will also continue in the next phase, i.e. the "reconstruction" of the country.

"The Balkans - Tajani said - represent an opportunity for us, a necessity and are strategically fundamental for a series of issues, such as migration, but it is not the main one. It is an area that borders our country and we we fought with other countries so that Bosnia and Herzegovina could be a candidate to join the EU" and "

we are in favor of accelerating the accession times of all the other Balkan countries which are candidates to join the Union". "We do not want this region to become a zone of influence for non-European countries which have interests that do not coincide with ours.

Together with the rest of the EU, we want it to be an area of ​​stability, progress, growth and opportunities for our businesses", said the minister, recalling that Italy will organize two business forums in Pristina and Belgrade and a Conference on the Balkans in January in Trieste.

"Precisely because we know that diplomatic work is not easy," I want to remember an ambassador who gave his life for his country - declared Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani -. Ambassador Luca Attanasio, victim of an attack on 22 February 2021 while on a mission in the Congo. We must honor him".

And together with him, "we will also honor the gold medal for military valor, the chosen carabiniere Vittorio Iacovacci, who fell trying to save the ambassador. We will dedicate a room of our crisis unit to him".

"To honor the fallen is a way to fix in memory the sacrifice made in the best interests of the country", added the minister.

THE PRESIDENT OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT METSOLA

"We must do even more to counter the malicious actors who seek to undermine the common action of the European Union through corrupt practices," said the president of the European Parliament,

, speaking at the inaugural session of the XV Conference of Ambassadors of Italy in the world.

"Russia's brutal and illegal invasion of Ukraine has upset the axis of our geographical reality, but I am proud of the European response, we have taken decisions together on issues on which many saw us divided. This is a victory for diplomacy and of Europe".

This war has raised the question of how "our pillars, multilateralism, liberal democracy, the free market and social security, equality, the rule of law, are steadfast when they are under attack," Metsola noted.

Emphasizing that the answer is "we must defend our way of being European".

"I would like to thank Italy,

a country that has shown great leadership for what it does, for the common good it does throughout the world.

For that silent diplomacy that solves problems that the world will never know". Metsola then recalled Ambassador Luca Attanasio: "His sacrifice will not be forgotten".

THE INAUGURAL SESSION

"I would like that, speaking of the priorities and many topics of these two days, I invite you not to underestimate the issue of embassy security. We are under attack, and cybersecurity is fundamental", because "we must be sure of not having external interference", Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani then said, addressing the Italian diplomats taking part in the XV Conference of Ambassadors of Italy to the world at the Farnesina.

"Thanks to the President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola for attending the opening ceremony of the 15th edition of the Conference of Ambassadors of Italy. A true friend of our country", the minister also wrote on Twitter.

"Italy is a protagonist in the world in terms of diplomacy, cooperation, business, emigration, the armed forces, it is a condition that is the daughter of our epic history, a pride, which obliges us to understand how to maintain and strengthen our diplomatic structures to meet the ambitions of the Country": thus the president of the Senate Foreign Affairs Commission

.

"The ability of politics to direct our presence in global contexts depends on the quality of the work of the ambassadors", and "therefore to maintain high standards there is a need to invest. I will work in this direction", assured Craxi.

"They will be two days of intense work to take stock of the situation and to prepare for future work", underlined Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, who opened the event, with the secretary general of the Farnesina Ettore Sequi.

The objective will be to discuss the role and tools available to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the diplomatic-consular network in support of Italy as a protagonist in promoting our national interest in the world, in line with the references and values Euro-Atlantic.

And then again,

from

for the promotion of Made in Italy.

All tables attended by the competent ministers:

.

Among the foreign guests, the participation of the

The conference is also an occasion to remember the ambassador Luca Attanasio and the carabiniere Vittorio Iacovacci, killed in an attack in the Congo in February last year

.

The staircase next to the Farnesina will be dedicated to Attanasio, while an operations room of the Crisis Unit will be dedicated to Iacovacci.