Uberto Vanni d'Archirafi, Italian Consul: Renewing cultural continuity with Ticino

Consul Uberto Vanni d'Archirafi began his career in 1989 at the Farnesina in Rome, home of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Italian Republic, in the Directorate General for Political Affairs. He was then assigned as Second Secretary to Buenos Aires (1992) and First Secretary for Trade to Tunis (1995). Returning to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2000, he was appointed Head of the Office for European Countries and, in 2004, oversaw Italy's candidacy for Expo 2007.

Consul General in Vancouver (2005) and then in London (2009), he obtained the title of Minister Plenipotentiary in 2011. He was Diplomatic Advisor to the Minister of Culture in two terms (2013-2018 and 2020-2022) and Ambassador to Portugal in 2018. Furthermore, after a period in the Ceremonial Service, from 2023 he was Special Envoy for the Caribbean Countries and Deputy Director General for Latin America and the Caribbean.

Uberto Vanni d'Archirafi's schedule, like that of his predecessors, confirms that his activities are currently developing along the lines of initial contact with institutional representatives in the Canton of Ticino. Primarily, the Grand Council and the administrative authorities, to establish bilateral relations in all fields: from politics to economics, science, trade, and culture.

In this interview, the new Consul General of Italy in Lugano, moreover, recalls how much the diplomat's activity is intertwined with the qualities of his representatives.

"In every social and historical context, diplomats find themselves sharing similar experiences," Vanni d'Archirafi begins, "starting with having to start from scratch at every mandate expiration and renewal, and equally, ensuring through their activities an institutional presence where fellow citizens and local authorities can identify the delegate of a foreign country as the official representative with whom to continue existing relations."

We find ourselves in a context marked by critical elements, such as post-pandemic difficulties, the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, the raw materials crisis, and international geopolitical issues that seem to be multiplying...

Every diplomatic assignment presents different challenges, but the primary task remains the same: to build, from the outset, a relationship of trust with local institutions and the community of fellow Italians, presenting ourselves as a stable and recognizable partner. Therefore, in Lugano too, I will work to ensure that our Consulate General continues to develop effective and joint initiatives. Naturally, this will take into account local specificities and mutual differences, which, as is particularly the case between the Canton of Ticino and the neighboring Republic, are nevertheless favored by our geographical and cultural proximity. That said, sharing the Italian language is a fundamental element, which has historically facilitated dialogue and constructive relations between our countries, making them unique in the world.

As a long-time diplomat, but an Italian speaker, how did you feel about taking on a role in a foreign country that nevertheless shares a strong cultural proximity with Italy?

Being a child of art has led me, from a young age, to view working abroad as an integral part of my personal and professional development. I have always approached each new assignment with the same commitment. Born in Brussels, I pursued a scientific education that highlighted my Latin heritage (my family is of Sicilian origins), studying in Argentina and Madrid, and graduating from LUISS University in Political Science, a university focused on international education but with an equally strong connection to the business world. After passing the 1989 competitive exam, I began my professional career at the Farnesina, first focusing on Latin America and then on European Political Cooperation. A brief but highly formative stint in Argentina followed. In Tunis, I was able to share the experiences of Italian entrepreneurs abroad, an experience I later expanded upon during my assignment in Vancouver, serving Italian nationals living in Canada, and subsequently in London, again as Consul General, where I had the opportunity to develop a wide-ranging, non-consular, approach. In London, in fact, there is a community of Italians that, overall, exceeded nine hundred thousand. Furthermore, my work as Diplomatic Advisor to the Ministry of Culture, for example, allowed me to delve deeper into the concept of cultural valorization, a central element in any promotion of the "Made in Italy" brand in foreign markets. As Italian Ambassador to Lisbon, I was able to incorporate the professional experience I had gained over the years into a comprehensive action, giving substance to bilateral diplomatic relations.

Consul, what are the guidelines of your work plan for the coming years?

"My institutional experience allows me, even in Lugano, to direct activities toward a range of initiatives that are not limited to those strictly related to the institutional role of Consul General, but to develop a strategy to promote my country across a broader spectrum of activities and fronts: from science and technology, paving the way for new collaborations between Swiss and Italian universities, to economics and trade, supporting where necessary the excellent work already developed by the Italian Trade Agency and the Italian Chamber of Commerce for Switzerland, to culture. In short, a wide-ranging effort that is grounded in the excellent relations between Italy and Switzerland, thanks also to the far-sighted work of our Embassy in Bern."

"In fact," continues Vanni d'Archirtrafi, "the main objective is to strengthen relations between Italy and the Canton of Ticino, developing initiatives that make adjacent regions more interdependent, starting with close coordination on issues related to cross-border relations. Promoting greater dialogue in the industrial, economic, and commercial sectors, for example, is a priority for my work in Ticino, capitalizing on the significant fluidity in relations between adjacent regions. In this regard, I intend to pay close attention to the development of business projects that can help open new dynamics of economic development. I also intend to pursue initiatives aimed at highlighting Italian academic excellence, such as that found in northern Italy. I'm thinking of Milan and the Polytechnic, but also Trieste, home to hundreds of international scientific and technological institutions, some of which are directly linked to UNESCO. Helping academic institutions create space for entrepreneurship and start-ups.

One of my next meetings will be with the leaders of the internationally renowned Università della Svizzera Italiana (Università della Svizzera Italiana) to explore new potential collaborations. Finally, I believe it's important to support cultural projects that contribute to greater understanding between the Canton of Ticino and Italy: and there are many initiatives, on both sides of the border. We'll need to select those that could add value to our mutual understanding and bring them into dialogue.