Festival of Diplomacy preparing to open in Rome

(AGI) Rome, Oct. 20 - The Festival of Diplomacy is about toopen in Rome. Giampiero Massolo, president of the festival'sScientific Committee, told AGI about the purpose and role of afestival that is preparing to reopen its doors with a fullprogram of meetings, panel discussions and interviews. "Thetheme is inclusive growth and the goal is to raise awarenessabout world affairs and the relationship of our country withthese," thanks to a "tool called diplomacy that remains currentnotwithstanding direct contacts between leaders." Massolocontinued: "Diplomacy means not only abstract internationalpolitics but also very concrete services to the country as awhole." The topics range from the question of Europeanidentity to migrants, from drones to the G20 in Turkey and theupcoming U.S. elections, from multiculturalism to theinternationalisation of companies. This year is about "humanknowledge" Massolo continued, stressing the systematic aspect:"More than in previous years, we have accorded a theme thatties together the festival's chief events focusing on inclusivegrowth and inequality in panel discussions, speeches andinterviews regarding the political, economic and socialaspects." But there will also be 'lighter' discussions such asthose on the UN process, the diplomacy of design or theanalysis of the language of twentieth century dress. Thecluster of events, which continue until Oct. 30, "seeks aboveall to draw public attention to issues of international policy.People are often too preoccupied by daily events in ourcountry," Massolo explained. "Sometimes we forget that we areimmersed within a globalised world, where space and time nolonger exist while everything is happening for our concern atthe same time." To help the public to 'read' the world, theorganisers zoomed in on "the interpretive keys that diplomacyoffers: an attempt to raise awareness of people interested inissues outside the garden of our house," in the knowledge that"there is a tool to address these issues professionally andthat this tool is worth knowing". Because diplomacy, with itsrepresentatives, despite changes in the relationship betweenthe leaders and the progress of technology, is "ever present".As the ambassador pointed out, "diplomats are here tofacilitate, to oil the wheels, to prepare, represent and alsoto explain to the public what it's all about". Italy boasts an"excellent diplomatic toolkit, one that deserves to be knownand understood" both for the "reputation of our country and tomake the world stronger," and from the point of view of"services that our embassies and consulates, and the ForeignMinistry, provide to businesses and citizens," Massoloconcluded. (AGI) . .