Discorso di benvenuto dell’Ambasciatore Terzi ai partecipanti al forum “The first year of the Obama Administration” del Consiglio per gli Stati Uniti

It is with particular pleasure that I welcome at Villa Firenze the distinguished participants to the “The first year of the Obama Administration”.

Among the guests who honor us with their presence here tonight, allow me to welcome the new President of the Italian side, Sergio Marchionne; the Director of the National Economic Council and Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, Dr. Larry Summers; and the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Italian Senate, Senator Lamberto Dini.

As I see them both at this Residence tonight, I would like to recall when the Council held its first conference in Washington ten years ago, the Italian Ambassador Ferdinando Salleo hosted the dinner with Dr. Summers (then Secretary of the Treasury) as keynote speaker and President Dini (then Minister of Foreign Affairs). Mark Twain used to say: “History does not repeat itself, but it does rhyme a lot”.

Deep appreciation goes to the Peterson Institute and its Director, Dr. Fred Bergsten, to the Brookings Institution and to Prof. Cesare Merlini.

This forum is now over 25 years old. Founded by Gianni Agnelli and David Rockefeller, who genially perceived that while relations between Italy and the United States were already excellent, they could be brought to prosper much further if they could have better focused on industrial and financial partnership.

The objective was also that of somehow using this to further strengthen the transatlantic bond.

A vision that seems, I daresay, prophetic. For Gianni Agnelli and David Rockefeller the business worlds of the two shores of the Atlantic could be successfully integrated.

It is especially meaningful that Dr. Marchionne has accepted the invitation to co-chair the Council for the United States and Italy.

The close partnership between two of the world’s largest car companies speaks eloquently to the cooperation of the Italian industry in the United States.

By no means is it the only example. I can remember other partnerships and acquisitions between ENI and Dominion Group Resources; Tenaris and Hydril; Luxottica and Oakley; Campari and Cabo Wabo; Zach System and Pittsburgh’s Ppg.
This examples provide all of us — diplomats, businessmen, scholars — with a stage from which to encourage the initiatives undertaken by “il Sistema Italia” in the world’s richest and most competitive market.

It is a great advantage to have the Italian brand recognized in the United States, but it is not enough.

We must take it a step further.

It is up to us to pass the message that Italy is not only synonymous with taste, elegance, and lifestyle, but there is a lot more than that.

For example, few in the United States are aware that our country is a leader in nanotechnologies and robotics, or that most of the European load for the International Space Station put in orbit by the Discovery was “made in Italy’.

The commitment to reinforce the image of a country technologically competitive is an all-out effort: the Council for the United States and Italy has a clear mission to this purpose.

Much work needs to be done on disseminating a different – and more authentic – image of Italy’s economic potential.
Nobody as President Marchionne is perfectly up to this task. As Americans use to say: if you want something done, ask a busy person.

That is why it is a great pleasure for me to give the floor to Dr. Marchionne.

Thank You.