Italian Ambassador Hosts Students, Alumni for Global Business Discussion

The Ambassador of Italy to the United States Armando Varricchio hosted Georgetown McDonough students and alumni on Jan. 16 for a dinner and networking reception at his residence to discuss global business. The event was part of the school’s D.C. Embassy Series, which is sponsored by the Office of Alumni Relations, Georgetown McDonough Alumni Ambassadors, and Global Business Initiative (GBI). Ricardo Ernst, Baratta Chair in Global Business and GBI director, moderated the conversation with the ambassador, who then took questions from students and alumni.

Varricchio discussed Italy’s presence at the recent Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2019 to underscore the importance of global leadership and commerce. “We are not just living for our history,” he said. “We are projecting our image into the future with new ideas and technologies. Dozens of Italian companies were at CES. Italians are bringing their culture, heritage, and DNA into the future of global business.”

Varricchio also highlighted the important bilateral relationship between Italy and the United States, which finds constant input through the “many proud Americans claiming Italian descent” while also underlining the many areas, such as the Mediterranean, where the two countries share strategic cooperation.

Ernst noted the value of global experiences with education. “It is absolutely necessary for young people to move around and exchange ideas, to study, to learn a language, and become aware of differences in generations, and Georgetown University is a great example of this happening,” said Ernst.

Created in 2015, the Embassy Series offers international perspectives on global issues and cultural enrichment in combination with networking and university engagement. The series attracts senior diplomats, Georgetown alumni, and friends of the university as keynote speakers and highlights the international expertise of the university’s faculty and research centers.