English for Diplomacy: giugno 2025

3) How does Italy’s sistema paese work, particulary in terms of supporting Italian companies and the Italian economy? What are its main objectives? Is it working?

4) What is Italy’s position on the war in Ukraine?

5) What is Italy’s position on Israel’s offensive in Gaza and conflict with Iran?

6) What are the main challenges to be overcome to achieve a lasting peace in the Middle East?

7) How are Italy and its allies responding to the threat posed by the Houthi? Include both military overview and diplomatic considerations.

8) What is Italy’s strategy in the wider Mediterranean?

9) How should Italy, the EU and the wider international community respond to China’s growing assertiveness?

10) Several UN reports in 2025 highlight that the world is not acting fast enough to address climate change, with progress being too slow and uneven on various fronts. Outline the current situation and challenges.

11) Nuclear proliferation – are we on the verge of losing control?

12) How can youth be gven a greater role in the decision-making process regarding international relations?

13) Is Europe losing the race to remain competitive, particularly in high-tech sectors like ICTs and AI?

14) Is democracy on the retreat globally?

15) Can the EU impose effective sanctions on Hungary for democratic back-sliding or limit its ability to block proposed EU actions?

16) How should the EU and its member states respond to international violations of women's rights and gender equality, and the rise in gender-based violence and femicide?

17) Explain the tensions between the EU and the US regarding trade and tariffs and Italy’s position?

18) What are some of the roots of populism?

19) What are the lessons of the Assange and Wikileaks case?

20) What are the main elements of the new UK-EU deal?

21) The EU and Ukraine have launched a special tribunal to prosecute Putin’s war crimes. Comment on this iniziative.

22) How is Pope Leo XIV’s role in international relations evolving and what challenges does he face?

23) What is the background to the French-Polish Nancy Treaty?

24) What are the prospects for US-Chinese trade and cooperation?

25) What is the legacy of Pope Francis?

26) The Arctic – opportunities and challenges.

27) How are international rivals and allies responding to the Trump administration?

28) Outline Italy’s presence in space and the opportunities and challenges that the international community faces in space..

29) Can a general conflict in the Middle East be avoided?

30) How does Italy use sports and scientific diplomacy?

31) In terms of cultural diplomacy, give some examples of current initiatives (June-July 2025) being undertaken by Italian embassies, consulates and cultural institutes around the world.

32) Outline Italy’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan. How successful has it been so far?

33) What makes a good diplomat?

34) With ICTs and AI how is the work of the diplomat changing?

35) Thomas Jefferson frequently said that “a well-informed citizenry is the best defense against tyranny.” What did he mean and what are the challenges in trying to achieve this in today’s technological world?

mercoledì 11 giugno 2025

Margaret MacMillan talks "Nixon and Mao"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECd_fNnZDjI&list=PLL_NJ6GpXBbGt7l5O6SD_2WaDdlHpTLip&index=7

lunedì 9 giugno 2025

European tech alternatives?

https://www.euronews.com/next/2024/11/12/europes-answer-to-google-ecosia-and-qwant-partner-to-build-new-search-index

https://blog.ecosia.org/eusp/

https://proton.me/blog/european-tech-alternatives

While Europe lacks a direct equivalent to companies like Google, Microsoft, or Facebook in terms of sheer global dominance, it's not for lack of trying. Several factors contribute to this: fragmented markets, differences in laws and regulations across countries, and a cultural preference for localized solutions. However, a European search index called OpenWebSearch is being developed, and there are also European-based search engines like Ecosia and Qwant.

Factors Contributing to Europe's Lack of Global Tech Titans:

Fragmented Markets:

Europe's diverse languages and cultural nuances make it challenging to create a unified, global consumer base like the US.

Regulatory Differences:

Business laws and data privacy regulations vary significantly across European countries, adding to the complexity of scaling operations.

Cultural Preferences:

Europeans often favor localized solutions and are more comfortable with companies that understand their specific needs and cultural contexts.

Market Dominance:

The early dominance of American tech giants like Google and Microsoft made it difficult for European startups to compete on a global scale.

European Efforts and Examples:

OpenWebSearch:

A project to create a European web index that can be used by various search engines, potentially offering a European alternative to Google's web index.

Ecosia and Qwant:

These are examples of European-based search engines that prioritize privacy and sustainability.

Digital Markets Act:

This EU legislation aims to level the playing field by restricting the power of dominant tech companies and encouraging competition.

In Conclusion:

Europe's failure to produce global tech giants like Google or Facebook is not simply due to lack of innovation or talent, but rather a combination of factors related to market fragmentation, regulations, and cultural preferences. While there are efforts to create European alternatives, like OpenWebSearch and other search engines, the dominance of American tech companies remains strong.

Sails, batteries and AI: What a green revolution in maritime transport might look like

Great article!

https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20250609-un-ocean-conference6shipping-industry-sails-batteries-ai-green-transition-revolution-maritime-transport-environment