The Permanent Representative of Italy to the United Nations in Geneva, Ambassador Luigi Maria Vignali, and the Permanent Representative of Italy to the Conference on Disarmament, Ambassador Leonardo Bencini, met today at the headquarters of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) with an international group of students from Rondine – Cittadella della Pace, coming from armed conflict and post-conflict contexts. The meeting took place within the framework of the dialogue and training activities promoted by the Organization, which in 2021 was granted Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
During the meeting, Italy’s role within the multilateral framework of the United Nations and other international organizations in Geneva was illustrated, covering areas ranging from human rights to migration and humanitarian action, from technological and scientific innovation to international trade, and including global health issues. Particular emphasis was placed on Italy’s mandate as a member of the Human Rights Council for the 2026–2028 term, together with the main challenges shaping the current international agenda.
With specific reference to the Conference on Disarmament, an overview was provided of its mandate, responsibilities, and working methods, as well as of the issues currently under discussion in the fields of disarmament, arms control, and non-proliferation.
The meeting, along with the many reflections offered by the Ambassadors, encouraged the active participation of the students and fostered a lively and direct exchange on the topics addressed, highlighting the importance of the perspective of younger generations in the ongoing effort to rethink a pragmatic and concrete multilateralism. In particular, the young participants from Rondine presented their commitment to the Leaders for Peace campaign, first introduced at the UN in 2018, which continues to bring the voice of young people to the attention of governments regarding the need to invest in youth education for peace leadership and to maintain a constant commitment to reducing armed conflicts worldwide.
