The Master’s Program in Cultural Diplomacy "represents a significant example of how originality and creativity can be placed at the basis of an innovative educational offer" Prof. Franco Anelli, Rector of Università Cattolica, said at the opening of the Graduation Day, the graduation ceremony for the Master’s Program in Cultural Diplomacy, promoted by ALMED ‒ Graduate School of Media, Communications and Performing Arts and ASERI ‒ Graduate School of Economics and International Relations. The ceremony was held on 7 October at the Italian Embassy to the Holy See in Rome.
«Innovation is often considered an exclusive characteristic of technical-scientific disciplines - Rector Anelli said-. This program demonstrates that this is not the case since, thanks to it, it is possible to enhance a field of study and profession in a new way and with excellent results. Innovating does not simply mean 'inventing' something new, but adapting intuitions and research paths to the changing needs that emerge from society, the economic world and the labour market. The great merit of this Master's Program is that it renews this distinctive feature with each edition».
«Italy has one of the most important cultural heritages in the world - concluded Rector Anelli-. In order to fully exploit this resource, it is necessary to develop this awareness within a system approach, which therefore implies the need to have a solid knowledge of the contexts contiguous to the purely cultural one. From a scientific point of view, this means enhancing the inter- and multi-disciplinary dimension; from the point of view of student education, it means educating them to manage complexity».
Pietro Sebastiani, the Italian Ambassador to the Holy See, also welcomed the conference: «In this historic place today we are celebrating the important Graduation Day ceremony of the Master's in Cultural Diplomacy at Università Cattolica at a time when the city of Rome is also tackling the issues of soft power, culture, diplomacy and the environment. We continue to pursue the idea of working together: global challenges require global answers and, above all, young people who are ready and prepared to work for the future».
Federica Olivares, who founded and directs the International Program in Cultural Diplomacy, then illustrated the work and developments of the first five years of the Master’s: «It is the first time in this academic year that teachers and students meet again in person. I am particularly grateful to our students who have created a real community and are a great hope for the future. Today we are celebrating the first five years of this International Program which already sees our Alumni working in important international organisations and institutions, in the public and private sectors. We have built links with organisations and major corporations, and now our ambition is to create not only complex and professional skills, but to form true citizens of the world who will contribute to building the world of the future: a force for good to the world».
«The International Program in Cultural Diplomacy has been fundamental for us at the Uffizi Gallery from the very beginning, especially for the students who have experienced an internship in our museum - said Eike Schmidt, Director of the prestigious museum-. Without cultural diplomacy, many exhibitions would not have been possible, especially in the time of the pandemic, thanks to multicultural and international relations. The frontier for the future is really education, also in art and for every cultural institution, as we experience every day, thanks to the participation of schools and students in our initiatives».
«Today we are celebrating the graduation ceremony of a truly innovative training program, based on a non-traditional concept of diplomacy, in an international context where challenges are constantly renewed and states are faced with strategic and crucial choices - said Enrico Petrocelli, Head of International Institutional Relations at Cassa Depositi e Prestiti-. In an era, such as the one we are living in, international relations and dialogue are decisive for the growth of nations, and culture makes a major contribution to economic development, employment policies and the future of the new generations».
(In the photo above, from the left: the Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates Omar Obeid Al Shamsi, Professor Federica Olivares, Rector Franco Anelli, Ambassador Pietro Sebastiani, Director Eike Schmidt and Dr. Roberta Bartoli, on the Advisory Board of the Master’s in Cultural Diplomacy)
