Conversation with Dr. Gabriele Abbondanza (University of Sydney and IAI)
The COVID-19 pandemic has shaken the World in an unprecedented way. Italy was among the first Western countries to be severely impacted by it, although the situation is now close to being under control thanks to vaccines and specific policies. As a post-pandemic World slowly emerges, it is thus time to look ahead and rethink the country’s place and role within it.
To analyse such a prominent theme, the Director of the Italian Cultural Institute Lillo Guarneri has invited Dr. Gabriele Abbondanza to participate in a conversation during which he will engage with Italy’s best-known qualities – its history, culture, and tourist attractions – as well as its little-known assets, including its economic, scientific, political, and strategic influence at a global level. By shedding light on little-known aspects of what the country does globally, he argues that a more comprehensive knowledge of Italy can be achieved. Gabriele will be interviewed by Talia Walker, an Australian researcher in Italian studies, and will be joined via Zoom by Ambassador Ferdinando Nelli Feroci – President of Italy’s Institute of International Affairs (IAI) – who briefly outlines some of the main challenges that Italy will face in the near future.
The Ambassador of Italy in Australia, H.E. Francesca Tardioli, and the Consul General of Italy in Sydney, Andrea De Felip, will also take part in the event
Dr. Gabriele Abbondanza, PhD, is a Researcher and Lecturer at the University of Sydney, an Associate Fellow at the Italian Institute of International Affairs (IAI), and a HRA at the Australasian Centre for Italian Studies (ACIS). He specialises in international relations, international security, and Australian and Italian foreign policy. He has published extensively in these fields, and regularly cooperates with Australian and Italian media, with the aim of discussing the latest developments in global affairs with the widest possible audience.
Talia Walker is a Doctoral Researcher at the University of Sydney and a Research Associate at Perrett Laver. Her research interests lie within the fields of pragmatics and intercultural communication, and she has published in these fields. She has held research and teaching positions at the Australian National University, the University of Sydney, and UTS Insearch (now UTS College).
Ambassador Ferdinando Nelli Feroci is President of the Italian Institute of International Affairs (IAI). A diplomat from 1972 to 2013, in 2014 he was appointed as European Commissioner in the EU Commission chaired by Barroso. He has held a number of fellowships and academic positions, both in Italy and the US, and has authored many publications on political, European, and international affairs.
The webinar will be held IN ENGLISH.
Watch the Webinar HERE