On December 4, over 100 interns with the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and of Education, Universities, and Research and with the Italian Association of Higher Education Institutes participated in a webinar with the Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Riccardo Guariglia, the Permanent Representative of Italy to the United Nations in New York, Ambassador Maurizio Massari, the Director General for Resources and Innovation, Min. Plen. Patrizia Falcinelli, and the Dean of the University of Turin, Prof. Cristina Prandi, who spoke on behalf of the Italian Association of Higher Education Institutes. The event provided a forum for institutions and young people to convene and discuss the current and future challenges of multilateralism on the occasion of two important anniversaries this year: the 80th anniversary of the San Francisco Conference that established the UN and the 70th anniversary of Italy’s entry into the United Nations.
Ambassador Guariglia confirmed Italy’s full commitment to multilateralism, mentioning among recent successes the adoption by consensus on November 19, with a very high number of co-sponsors, of the resolution on the Olympic Truce proposed by our country on the occasion of the 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Milan-Cortina. The Secretary General highlighted the attention paid by Minister Tajani and the Administration to the contribution of young people to multilateralism, including in the context of the plan to reorganize the Minister of Foreign Affairs’ set-up to adapt its activities to the international context, including the reform of the procedure to hire the diplomatic professionals to attract new skills and competencies. Director Falcinelli outlined the details of the new hiring process, which will be open to all master’s degree classes in order to provide the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the best talents, with cross-disciplinary skills and strong analytical, synthesis, and problem-solving abilities. Dean Prandi highlighted the success of the program featuring a collaboration among the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and of Education, Universities, and Research with the Italian Association of Higher Education Institutes in bringing younger and qualified students closer to diplomatic careers and the activities of diplomatic and consular outposts around the world.
Ambassador Massari emphasized that, within the current complex international order, the United Nations continues to be an essential forum for debate for most of the world’s states, which do not have the capacity or the strength to assert their claims except at the UN General Assembly. Amb. Massari then opened the floor to questions and comments from the many younger people connected, who offered very interesting insights into younger generation’s perspective on the state of international relations, current dynamics in the multilateral arena, the challenges posed by new technologies, and the evolving job of diplomats.
“We have celebrated Italy’s 70 years at the UN in the best possible way, with the multilateral spirit of the younger generation,” said the Permanent Representative at the conclusion of the webinar.
