Via Antonio Bosio, 5 tel : 06 852 721 info-rome@dfat.gov.au www.italy.embassy.gov.au @AusAmbRome

Want to know more about the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade? Visit www.dfat.gov.au

Minister Fierravanti-Wells in San Marino

Want to know more about the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade? Visit www.dfat.gov.au

Minister for International Development and the Pacific, Senator the Hon Concetta Fierravanti-Wells, visited San Marino on 19 January to meet the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Dr Nicola Renzi, Minister of Trade Mr Andrea Zafferani, Captains Regent Mr Marino Riccardi and Mr Fabio Berardi, and the San Marino Chamber of Commerce. The visit enhanced collaboration between Australia and San Marino, above all in international organisations, where Australia has put forward important candidacies at the UN, including for the UN Human Rights Council in 2018-2020.

Australian Embassy RomeNewsletter

Issue 14, March 2017

International Women’s Day

On 25 January the Australia Day reception at the Ambassador’s residence in Rome was attended by around 170 guests, including International Trade Under-secretary Ivan Scalfarotto, numerous ambassadors and colleagues from other

embassies, senior representatives of Italian and international institutions and key business contacts. The reception was accompanied by live music. In his speech Ambassador French emphasised the important contribution that Italians have made to Australia’s development and shared values, such as the rule of law and the importance of diversity, which further cement the people to people ties.

Australia Day in Rome

Left: Minister Zafferani, Minister Fierravanti-Wells, Minister Renzi and Ambassador French

On 8 March the Australian Embassies to the Holy See and to Italy jointly hosted an event for International Women’s Day. Among the speakers were Prof Karlijn Demasure, Executive Director of the Centre for Child Protection, Pontifical Gregorian University; Sr Patricia Murray, Executive Secretary of the International Union of Superiors General; and Stephanie Lorenzo, founder of Project Futures. They all helped make the event simulating and special, addressing very tropical issues such as child protection, development in conflict zones and fighting human trafficking and slavery. Ambassador Melissa Hitchman and Ambassador Greg French both offered their thoughts on these important issues.

Above fom left: speakers Ms Stephanie Lorenzo, Sr Patricia Murray and Prof. Karlijn Demasure; Ambassador Ms Melissa Hitchman and Ambassador Greg French; Ambassador French

Below: Ambassador French during his speech for Australia Day

Crispin Conroy is the new Consul-General/Senior Trade Commissioner in Milan. Crispin had a similar posting in Bogota with Austrade, as well as being Ambassador to Chile, Deputy High Commissioner Port Moresby

and Ambassador to Nepal, with earlier postings to Geneva and Madrid. In Canberra, Crispin’s assignments included Director Sea Law, Environmental Law and Antarctic Policy Section, and he worked on the Iraq Task Force. In Milan, he also has responsibility for Israel and the Landing Pad initiative in Tel Aviv.

Benvenuto Crispin!

Want to know more about doing business with Australia? Visit www.austrade.gov.au

Australia Day in Veneto

Australian Embassy Rome www.italy.embassy.gov.au

On 28 January, and for the 11th time, CastelBrando near Treviso hosted a series of Australia Day events organised by the Associazione Italia Australia. The day kicked off with roundtable discussion of a number of themes of interest in the bilateral relationship, such as education, science and technology, culture, renewable energy and food. Both Ambassador Greg French and Consul General Crispin Conroy attended the event and were struck by the real passion for Australia Day exhibited by the approximately 150 guests.

The gala dinner at CastelBrando also offered the opportunity to thank the owner of the castle turned hotel Massimo Colomban for his work as Australian Honorary Consul

for Veneto, a position he recently gave up after 10 years.

As Ambassador French noted in his speech, Massimo has been of fundamental help in strengthening business ties with Veneto and has been a very valuable local contact on important institutional visits to Venice, such as that by then Governor General Quentin Bryce in 2011 or by Attorney General George Brandis in 2015. Massimo may no longer be honorary consul but the Embassy is sure he will remain a true and close friend of Australia!

Thank you Massimo!

2 Above: Students during the show at the Rome International School on Australia Day

On Australia Day, Acting Deputy Head of Mission Chris Chung visited the Rome International School to celebrate Australia’s national day with pupils of the school, where he was welcomed by the Australian Principal Patricia Martin-Smith.

The children of Grade 2 and Grade 3 put on a wonderful show, singing songs with an Australian theme such as You’re the Voice by John Farnham, Land Down Under by Men at Work and I am, You are, We are Australian. They also set out some interesting facts about Australia, including its

language, and played the didgeridoo - all with great enthusiasm! The students had also prepared lamingtons, fairy bread and other treats.

Mr Chung commented following the concert: “One of the things that really struck me... was the number of children from so many countries around the world and that’s one of the things about Australia... we welcome people from all around the world”. And Skippy enjoyed his day out too!

Australia Day at the Rome International School

3

Australian Embassy Rome www.italy.embassy.gov.au

On the occasion of the 106th anniversary of International Women’s Day the Australian Ambassador HE Greg French, who is also accredited to Albania, hosted an event in Tirana on women’s economic empowerment. High profile female leaders of the Albanian community spoke about their personal experience in their respective fields of activity. Two of them, Ms Klodiana Thartori, Director of Centre Children Today and Sister Imelda Poole, President of Mary Ward Loreto and RENATE (Anti Trafficking Foundations), are the managers of NGOs which the Australian Embassy supported last year with its Direct Aid Program (DAP) in Albania, and they shared the outcomes of their projects in Albania. The event was held at the art gallery Fondacioni Kalo, which was generously made available by the owner, Mr Përparim Kalo. The event was attended by an audience of approximately 60 people, made up mainly of representatives of institutions, foreign missions, international organisations and NGOs.

Above: Ambassador French with our speakers at the frontline of women’s economic empowerment in Albania

Want to know more about tourism in Australia? Visit www.australia.com

Australia Day awardsThe awards and honours traditionally presented on Australia Day illustrate the multicultural nature of Australian society and over the years several winners have had Italian roots. For example:

• John Borghetti was appointed Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in the 2017 Australia Day honours. He is currently the CEO of Virgin Australia after a long career at Qantas. He came to Australia from Rome at the age of 7;

• Nic Marchesi, Young Australian of the Year 2016, whose mobile laundries have brought comfort and connection to people in need;

• Caroline de Mori, Western Australia Local Hero of the Year 2013, who has helped improve health in Indigenous communities in a typically Italian way – by helping grow and prepare healthy and delicious food.

International Women’s Day in Albania

RF Capital has teamed with Italian group, Impresa Pizzarotti & C, to work together in the construction sector.

Impresa Pizzarotti works on the realisation of major infrastructure works as a general contractor and as concessionary operator. It is among Italy’s top construction companies with operations spanning infrastructure, energy and environment, hydraulic works, civil and military airports, civil buildings and real estate.

RF Capital is the family company of Andrew Roberts. The Roberts Family were the founders of Multiplex which was sold to Brookfield Asset Management in 2007. The family holds and is actively seeking investments in commercial property, listed equities, and private equity.

RF Capital and Pizzarotti

The visit to Australia by Defence Minister Roberta Pinotti in mid February was the first such visit by an Italian defence minister. It coincided with the visit to Australia of the Italian frigate Carabiniere, built by Fincantieri.

During her time in Australia Minister Pinotti met with Defence Minister Marise Payne and the Minister for the Defence Industry Christopher Pyne. Reflecting the ever closer defence and security

cooperation between the two countries, during Minister Pinotti’s visit MOUs were signed by both the Australian Industry Group and the Australian Industry Defence Network with the Italian Industries Federation for Aerospace, Defence & Security (AIAD).

Minister Pinotti in Australia

Embassy tweets To keep up with the latest Embassy news, events and fun facts, follow us onTwitter: @AusAmbRome

Australian Embassy Rome www.italy.embassy.gov.au

Above: Images of Rob Potter-Sanders’s masseria

The collaboration between Santini and Cycling Australia, in which the Italian company serves as primary partner to the Australian Cycling Federation, has recently been renewed, now exceeding 15 years working together.

The main focus of the sponsorship is for the research and development of top range products, created exclusively for elite Australian athletes.

Nicholas Green, Cycling Australia CEO, said that the partnership sees Santini as one of the key technological and innovation partners. Santini clothing will be worn by athletes of all disciplines, from Road Cycling to Track Cycling, from Mountain Bike to BMX and Cyclo-Cross as well as para-cycling and juniors. The Men’s Road under 23 and Women’s National team will also use Santini racewear.

S a n t i n i a n d C y c l i n g A u s t r a l i a

Australian technology to protect Italian forestsThe use of low-cost and lightweight unmanned aerial vehicles to assess forest health in Europe is the focus of research collaboration between Victoria-based RMIT University and the Italian National Research Council (CNR).

The project is being led by Chiara Torresan, a researcher for the National Research Council Institute of Biometeorology in Florence with the team drawing on the experience of RMIT research fellow Luke Wallace, an expert on the acquisition and application of remotely sensed data to improve management of forested ecosystems and natural resources.

Wallace, as part of his research on Tasmania’s dense rainforests in Australia, has developed a low-cost and lightweight Unmanned Aerial Vehicle - Light Detecting and Ranging (UAV-LiDAR) system.Wallace is sharing his findings with researchers involved in the European project from the Italian National Research Council. The research in Europe is focused on the development of a UAV-borne LiDAR system, similar to that developed by Wallace.

Want to know more about the Australian Institute of Sport? Visit www.ausport.gov.au

At the end of January Socceroos defender Trent Sainsbury completed a dream move to Italian giants Inter Milan until the end of the 2016/17 season.

The Perth-born 25-year-old joined Inter on loan from Chinese Super League side Jiangsu

Suning. Sainsbury has won 24 caps for Australia after making his debut in September 2014.

S o c c e r o o s i g n s f o r I n t e r

4

Above: Distribution of Australia’s forestsPhoto from www.agriculture.gov.au

A n d r e w R o g e r s

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Australian Embassy Rome. No person should act or rely upon, and the Australian Embassy Rome accepts no responsibility for, such views or opinions, or any other advice or information contained in this publication. Readers should obtain their own independent advice and rely on their own enquiries in making decisions about their interests. In making this disclaimer, the Australian Embassy Rome intends to exclude liability for any such opinions, views, advice or information to the full extent permissible by law.

CONTACTSAustralian Embassy RomeVia Antonio Bosio, 500161 Rometel: 06 8527 21fax: 06 8527 2300email: info-rome@dfat.gov.auwebsite: www.italy.embassy.gov.autwitter: @AusAmbRome

Australian Embassy Rome www.italy.embassy.gov.au

5

Wendy Aulsebrook (left) moved from Australia to Italy with her Roman husband some 20 years ago. Her passion for regional cooking and taste education led them to settle in Umbria where she realised her ambition to set up a cooking school in a winery. It was a revolutionary approach to wine and food

tourism. With the foresight of Filippo Antonelli, “Cucina in Cantina” was launched in 2009 at the Antonelli San Marco winery estate in Montefalco.

Wendy is a believer in “home-cooked” food, with delicious recipes that form the menu of the winery’s restaurant and is the focus of her cooking lessons. In her own words, “the fantastic response I’ve had from this project – which has attracted so many international visitors – has gone far beyond my own expectations”. In 2015 she published “A collection of my favourite Umbrian recipes” a cookbook that also contains a brief autobiography.

A n A u s s i e i n U m b r i a

T i m Ta m s i n I t a l y !

May 2017 will see the opening of Tracey Moffatt’s solo exhibition in the Australian Pavilion at the 57th Venice Biennale, under the title MY HORIZON. The installation will comprise all new work, including large-scale photography and film.

Through photography and film, Moffatt creates highly stylized narratives and montage to explore a range of themes, including the complexities of interpersonal relationships, the curiousness of popular culture, and her own deeply felt childhood memories and fantasies. The exhibition will be accompanied by a major new book, published and distributed by Thames & Hudson. This will be the first time an artist representing Australia at the Venice Biennale will have a globally distributed accompanying publication.

T r a c e y M o f f a t t ’ s V e n i c e B i e n n a l e

Australia’s iconic biscuit, the Tim Tam, is now available in Italy through the official distributor Effezeta Distribution Italy. Try the Tim Tam Slam. if you don’t know what it is, watch this video of Australian singer Natalie Imbruglia explaining it to Italian TV host Alessandro Cattelan.

Cycling fans will have a new name to follow this year but with some very familiar faces. The Australian-funded professional cycling team Orica-GreenEdge is now known as Orica-Scott and will be competing in all the major races throughout the European season, including this year’s historic 100th edition of the Giro d’Italia. The team has just returned to Europe after a very successful Tour Down Under. You can follow the team’s exploits.

N e w O r i c a S c o t t The work of another Australian artist will be on display in Venice. Andrew Rogers has accepted an invitation from the Dutch Global Art Affairs Foundation to exhibit eight large bronze and stainless steel sculptures in a collateral exhibition to the Venice Biennale in 2017. The installation of sculptures will be located at the entrance of the Palazzo Mora in the courtyard. Titled ‘We Are’, this is a significant installation and is related to sculptures in prominent public and private collections around the world.