Pope Francis and his legacy

https://www.ispionline.it/en/publication/pope-francis-and-the-wider-mediterranean-a-legacy-of-dialogue-and-peace-206961

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/04/22/world/catholic-church-pope-francis-legacy-cec/index.html

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/apr/26/pope-francis-funeral-legacy-catholicism

https://www.politico.eu/article/pope-francis-death-complex-legacy-catholic-church-vatican-city-state/

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/pope-francis-his-funeral-and-his-legacy/ 

China and the US

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEmChESi6NI 

Diplomazia della Crescita

Read this issue:  https://consmontreal.esteri.it/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Newsletter-DEI_022025.pdf

https://www.esteri.it/en/sala_stampa/archivionotizie/diplomazia-economica/2025/02/made-in-italy-e-diplomazia-della-crescita-per-rendere-litalia-sempre-piu-protagonista-allestero/

https://antoniotajani.blog/news/la-diplomazia-della-crescita-e-il-made-in-italy-globale-di-antonio-tajani-il-sole-24-ore/

https://www.esteri.it/en/sala_stampa/archivionotizie/comunicati/2025/04/il-ministro-tajani-presenta-il-piano-dazione-per-lexport-italiano-nei-mercati-extra-ue-ad-alto-potenziale/

https://www.esteri.it/en/sala_stampa/archivionotizie/comunicati/2025/04/italia-olanda-parte-da-caserta-la-nuova-azione-del-governo-sullexport-tajani-e-veldkamp-domani-al-business-forum-della-tavola-vanvitelli/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mf3GK34PhWU

https://symbola.net/approfondimento/farnesina-tajani-puntare-su-diplomazia-della-crescita/

https://www.facebook.com/ItalyMFA.it/posts/%EF%B8%8F-la-diplomazia-culturale-deve-far-parte-integrante-della-diplomazia-della-cresc/864390532548069/

https://www.radioradicale.it/scheda/719900/il-ruolo-della-diplomazia-della-crescita-italiana-nel-mediterraneo

https://www.lazioinnova.it/news/la-diplomazia-della-crescita-verso-expo-osaka-2025-partecipazione-delle-imprese-del-lazio/

https://www.confindustria.rs/contesto-economico/diplomazia-della-crescita-destinazione-serbia-edizione-2025-e-online/

https://www.italiaoggi.it/economia-e-politica/commenti/ambasciatori-sempre-piu-in-aiuto-alle-imprese-erq9epyj

https://www.agenzianova.com/news/tajani-la-cultura-e-parte-integrante-della-diplomazia-della-crescita/

https://conslugano.esteri.it/news/dal_consolato/2025/04/business-insights-from-italy-a-letter-to-international-investors-edizione-di-marzo-2025/

https://conslugano.esteri.it/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/8.-BUSINESS-INSIGHTS-FROM-ITALY-NUMERO-DI-MARZO-2025.pdf

https://it.linkedin.com/pulse/diplomazia-della-crescita-la-velocit%C3%A0-come-fattore-critico-alberti-bqx2e

A new EU strategic partnership with Central Asia

https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2025/04/04/eu-seals-new-central-asia-partnership-deal-as-debut-samarkand-summit-ends

An alternative trading area?

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGWQJtQPNdQ

More on nuclear power - see previous notes

https://valdaiclub.com/a/highlights/nuclear-disarmament-the-end-of-history/

https://www.iaea.org/publications/reports/annual-report/2023

https://world-nuclear.org/information-library/current-and-future-generation/plans-for-new-reactors-worldwide

https://www.iaea.org/topics/non-proliferation-treaty

https://www.armscontrol.org/issue-briefs/2025-03/art-new-iranian-nuclear-deal-2025

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fukushima_nuclear_accident

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chernobyl_disaster

https://italiarappdisarmo.esteri.it/en/il-disarmo/la-conferenza-del-disarmo/

https://www.armscontrol.org/act/2025-03/news/trump-says-us-open-nuclear-talks

https://www.politico.eu/article/donald-tusk-plan-train-poland-men-military-service-russia/

https://www.ifri.org/en/media-external-article/europe-thinks-unthinkable-nuclear-bomb

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Tw1GPjHvF8

https://www.lemonde.fr/en/opinion/article/2025/03/12/the-fact-that-the-debate-on-a-european-nuclear-deterrent-is-open-shows-the-extent-of-the-current-upheaval_6739066_23.html

https://spectator.clingendael.org/en/publication/eu-must-step-nuclear-non-proliferation

https://www.chathamhouse.org/2025/03/france-should-join-natos-nuclear-sharing-arrangements-strengthen-european-deterrence

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_sharing

https://carnegieendowment.org/emissary/2025/04/can-europe-build-its-own-nuclear-umbrella?lang=en&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaaewGQd_NnqW_ztqCmUMGXzl4hAP1tEe3eR0boNq9O85t9Oe9giCwrw5fE_aem_aD2j502ay1yxxYny7YRh4g

https://carnegieendowment.org/europe/strategic-europe/2025/04/taking-the-pulse-can-europeans-build-their-independent-extended-nuclear-deterrent?lang=en

https://www.visualcapitalist.com/global-nuclear-warhead-stockpiles-1945-2024/

 

New US Tariffs and reactions

https://www.ispionline.it/it/pubblicazione/global-watch-caos-dazi-leffetto-trump-sulleconomia-globale-205024

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/04/04/business/china-us-tariffs-retaliation-hnk-intl/index.html

https://www.rainews.it/maratona/2025/04/dazi-usa-trump-meloni-europa-reazioni-aggiornamenti-cronaca-diretta-e2ca3e36-9568-4e2c-bba5-5955f246b881.html

https://www.eunews.it/2025/04/03/von-der-leyen-trump-dazi-usa-ue/

https://www.ilsole24ore.com/art/dazi-usa-reazioni-internazionali-paese-paese-AGDwmJwD?refresh_ce=1

https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/statement-by-the-trade-secretary-on-us-tariffs

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/4/3/nothing-is-off-the-table-how-us-trade-partners-are-responding-to-tariffs

 https://uk.yahoo.com/finance/news/global-markets-turmoil-trump-tariffs-181621597.html

https://www.corriere.it/economia/consumi/diretta-live/25_aprile_03/dazi-la-sfida-al-commercio-di-trump-borse-europee-in-rosso-von-der-leyen-puntiamo-al-negoziato.shtml

https://www.ispionline.it/it/pubblicazione/dazi-il-sudest-asiatico-nel-mirino-di-trump-205031

https://www.ispionline.it/it/pubblicazione/dazi-usa-e-arrivato-il-d-day-le-conseguenze-per-leuropa-e-litalia-204440

https://www.ispionline.it/it/pubblicazione/la-crisi-tedesca-e-il-futuro-dellindustria-europea-189853

https://www.ispionline.it/it/pubblicazione/usa-dazi-per-tutti-204826

https://it.euronews.com/business/2025/04/02/trump-annuncia-i-nuovi-dazi-degli-stati-uniti-sui-prodotti-importati-dalleuropa-e-resto-de

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cm257z1y2q9o

https://www.france24.com/en/americas/20250402-live-us-stocks-fall-ahead-of-trump-s-liberation-day-tariff-announcement

https://www.avvenire.it/economia/pagine/tutto-sui-dazi-ecco-cosa-rischia-l-economia-globale

The Arctic - Opportunities and challenges: the economic, social, and political impacts of climate change in the Arctic and the need for cooperation.

 2025 Russia and NATO's military presence in the broader Arctic

https://www.statista.com/chart/33824/military-bases-in-the-arctic-belonging-to-nato-and-russia/

https://nsidc.org/sea-ice-today/analyses/arctic-sea-ice-sets-record-low-maximum-2025

https://essydo.com/2025/03/23/cold-rush-resource-competition-and-environmental-challenges-in-the-arctic/

https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2025/769527/EPRS_BRI(2025)769527_EN.pdf

https://www.thearcticinstitute.org/rising-tensions-shifting-strategies-evolving-dynamics-us-grand-strategy-arctic/

https://thesoufancenter.org/intelbrief-2025-february-27/

https://www.cbc.ca/newsinteractives/features/arctic-defence

https://www.thearcticinstitute.org/russias-arctic-military-posture-context-war-against-ukraine/

https://united24media.com/war-in-ukraine/how-russia-is-preparing-for-war-in-the-arctic-6622

This first video has a lot to say about Italy and the Arctic. Some of the links you may need to copy instead of clicking on them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DX-RI0odqtQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sfw3LJm1DDM&t=3369s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4D_f0T_XBHc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjqPlhXnugI

https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?ref=watch_permalink&v=720487422190375

https://www.centrostudi-italiacanada.it/articles/italy_canada_and_the_arctic_same_values_and_common_goals-213

https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document/EPRS_BRI(2024)754604

https://esthinktank.com/2024/01/10/arctic-exceptionalism-or-ice-curtain-collaboration-and-conflict-in-the-arctic-amid-escalating-geopolitical-strains/

https://www.defensenews.com/global/the-americas/2024/04/09/canada-vows-renewed-focus-on-arctic-defense-equipment-purchases/

The first few articles contain good introductory material to outline the current situation and frame the questions

https://www.esteri.it/en/politica-estera-e-cooperazione-allo-sviluppo/aree_geografiche/europa/artico/

https://climate.nasa.gov/news/3213/2022-arctic-summer-sea-ice-tied-for-10th-lowest-on-record/

https://www.france24.com/en/russia/20220420-war-in-ukraine-threatens-geopolitical-balance-in-the-arctic

https://www.cfr.org/report/arctic-governance#:~:text=These%20issues%20include%3A%20opposing%20North,status%20of%20the%20Northeast%20and

https://ec.europa.eu/environment/international_issues/arctic_en.htm

https://www.iai.it/en/pubblicazioni/arctic-within-eu-strategies-renewed-centrality

https://www.aies.at/download/2023/AIES-Fokus-2023-05.pdf

https://arcticfrontiers.com/2023-wrap-up/

https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/IMG/pdf/frna_-_eng_-interne_-_17-06-web_cle4fcfcc.pdf

https://www.ocean-climate.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/the-arctic_07-9.pdf

https://arctic-council.org/en/

https://www.interreg-npa.eu/arctic-cooperation/

https://carnegieeurope.eu/2019/11/28/military-and-environmental-challenges-in-arctic-pub-80424

https://www.arcticcentre.org/EN/arcticregion/Arctic-Indigenous-Peoples#

https://www.intechopen.com/books/arctic-studies-a-proxy-for-climate-change/indigenous-communities-in-the-arctic-change-in-socio-economic-and-environmental-perspective

https://www.thearcticinstitute.org/return-great-power-competition-arctic/

https://www.interreg-npa.eu/about/programme-in-brief/

https://www.interreg-npa.eu/

https://www.cfr.org/in-brief/whats-stake-rising-competition-arctic

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-52915807

https://www.severe-weather.eu/news/arctic-circle-oil-spill-disaster-fa/

https://www.thearcticinstitute.org/covid-19-arctic-the-arctic-institute-winter-series-2020-2021/

https://www.arctictoday.com/covid-19-and-the-arctic/

https://www.greenpeace.org/international/story/44959/we-are-going-to-the-arctic/

https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/issues/protect-the-arctic/

https://www.greenpeace.org/canada/en/tag/arctic/

https://pame.is/mema/MEMAdatabase/349_Arctic%20Human%20Development%20Report.pdf

Italy

https://www.esteri.it/en/politica-estera-e-cooperazione-allo-sviluppo/aree_geografiche/europa/artico/litalia-e-lartico/

https://amboslo.esteri.it/en/news/dall_ambasciata/2023/10/italy-at-the-2023-arctic-circle/ 2023

https://www.highnorthnews.com/en/italys-growing-interest-arctic 2022 SIOI

https://www.esteri.it/it/politica-estera-e-cooperazione-allo-sviluppo/aree_geografiche/europa/artico/

https://www.esteri.it/it/politica-estera-e-cooperazione-allo-sviluppo/aree_geografiche/europa/artico/italia-e-artico/

https://www.esteri.it/en/politica-estera-e-cooperazione-allo-sviluppo/aree_geografiche/europa/artico/artico/

https://www.osservatorioartico.it/strategia-italia-artico/  (2020)

 https://www.camera.it/temiap/documentazione/temi/pdf/1105156.pdf (2018)

https://www.esteri.it/mae/resource/doc/2016/06/strategy_for_the_arctic_may_2016.pdf  (2016)

https://www.esteri.it/mae/resource/doc/2016/06/italy_in_the_arctic.pdf (2016)

https://www.marina.difesa.it/EN/Conosciamoci/notizie/Pagine/20161215_eppr.aspx (2016)

https://www.esteri.it/mae/resource/doc/2019/11/verso_una_strategia_italiana_per_lartico__linee_guida_nazionali.pdf  (2015)

https://narfu.ru/upload/iblock/065/11_lagutina.pdf

https://www.esteri.it/mae/en/politica_estera/aree_geografiche/europa/artico

https://www.esteri.it/mae/en/sala_stampa/archivionotizie/approfondimenti/2015/04/venice-international-university.html

Then whatever else you have time for:

http://tietokayttoon.fi/documents/10616/3866814/15_Arctic+Europe_Bringing+together+the+EU+Arctic+Policy.pdf/761dc7e8-ad2d-4d9a-a2f2-f0436efd5063?version=1.0

http://www.ocean-climate.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/the-arctic_07-9.pdf

http://safety4sea.com/challenges-opportunities-emerging-arctic-change/

http://www.highnorthnews.com/op-ed-quo-vadis-arctic-the-european-union-and-its-northern-neighbourhood/

https://www.fni.no/news/the-european-union-and-the-geopolitics-of-the-arctic-article1671-330.html

https://accelfellowship.wordpress.com/opportunities-and-challenges-economic-social-and-political-impacts-of-climate-change-in-the-arctic/

http://www.esteri.it/mae/en/politica_estera/aree_geografiche/europa/artico

http://www.esteri.it/mae/en/politica_estera/aree_geografiche/europa/artico/strategia-dell-italia-nell-artico.html

http://www.esteri.it/mae/resource/doc/2016/06/italy_in_the_arctic.pdf

http://barentsobserver.com/en/energy/2013/11/italian-arctic-strategy-unfolding-russian-oil-29-11

http://www.greenpeace.org/italy/it/campagne/Salviamo-il-clima/Save-The-Arctic/

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/06/20/italian-composer--ludovico-einaudi-solemn-gig-in-the-arctic/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/arctic-development-stalls_us_56a2b40be4b076aadcc6c444

http://energyfuse.org/low-oil-prices-undercut-arctic-oil-dreams/

http://www.reuters.com/article/oil-europe-investment-idUSL4N0SM3Y420141028

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northeast_Passage

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transpolar_Sea_Route

http://www.un.org/en/events/indigenousday/pdf/Backgrounder_ClimateChange_FINAL.pdf

http://www.greenfacts.org/en/arctic-climate-change/l-2/7-effects-on-people.htm

http://www.arcticcentre.org/EN/communications/arcticregion/Arctic-Indigenous-Peoples

http://unchronicle.un.org/article/climate-change-arctic-inuit-reality/

So you could approach the topic by explaining, or outlining hopes and concerns, about:

1) the effects of recent climate change on the Arctic region and the opportunities and challenges these changes bring.

2) the dangers to the environment and the indigenous peoples

3) who the main actors are and what their interests are.

4) cooperation – the institutional framework and the reality on the ground

5) Italy and the EU’s position

6) competition for resources on the ground

7) military tensions between Russia and NATO countries

In an essay you should give real examples throughout and refer to events and statements in 2019-25. In your conclusion you could quickly summarise the opportunities, challenges and dangers and stress the need for multilateralism and protection of the environment and its inhabitants.