On the occasion of the International Day of Women in Diplomacy, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hon. Antonio Tajani, said: “I wish to sincerely thank all the women who work at the Foreign Ministry and represent Italy in the world: every day they provide a valuable contribution to the implementation of our country’s foreign policy, to the promotion of peace and stability, to the enhancement of Italy in the world and to the protection of our compatriots abroad.“
The International Day of Women in Diplomacy bears witness to the attention with which the Foreign Ministry promotes gender equality and women’s emancipation, in the belief that it is urgent to make it a truly representative institution of the country, capable of attracting the best talents of Italian society. The recognition of the important role played by women – at the Ministry and in offices abroad – is a model for younger generations and a formidable driver of change for the benefit of society as a whole.
As the Deputy prime Minister said, “Italian women diplomats show leadership, determination, capacity for dialogue and empathy every day, operating successfully as negotiators, mediators and agents of peace. Even in difficult contexts, they succeed in mainstreaming a gender dimension into diplomacy, a dimension that brings inclusivity. This provides not only undoubted added value for the Foreign Administration, but also an opportunity for the social and economic transformation of our country, and for the strengthening of democracies, in Europe and in the world.”
The Permanent Representative to the International Organisations in Vienna, Ambassador Debora Lepre, said “the International Day of Women in Diplomacy is an opportunity to recognize the key contribution of women in international affairs and to promote equal opportunities at all levels of decision-making“. She also added that she is proud to be one of the 39 female Heads of Missions accredited to the United Nations in Vienna. At the UN Vienna Hub, only around 28% of the accredited Heads of Missions are women. Among the EU countries, on the other hand, we are close to gender parity: out of 27 Heads of Delegation, 13 are women.
