Semarang (14/05) – The bilateral relationship between Indonesia and Italy continues to experience positive developments, especially in the political and economic fields. This was reflected in the presence of the Italian Ambassador to Indonesia, H.E. Benedetto Latteri, as a speaker at the General Lecturer organized by the International Office of the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIP) at Universitas Diponegoro (Undip). The event, titled “Europe and South East Asia: Political-economic relations between Italy and Indonesia,” was held on Monday, May 13, 2024, in the FISIP Undip Theater room.

The General Lecturer was a significant moment to discuss the history and development of the political-economic relationship between Italy and Indonesia. On this occasion, H.E. Benedetto Latteri explained that the relationship between the two countries had been established since 1949, with Italy being Indonesia’s 3rd trading partner in the European Union. Italy and Indonesia are also involved in various areas of cooperation, such as energy, manufacturing industry, agro-industry, tourism, telecommunications, defence industry, creative economy, and intellectual property preservation.

In addition to listening to the presentation from the Italian Ambassador, participants of the General Lecturer were also invited to discuss with Prof. Budi Setyono, Ph.D. (Vice Rector of Undip for Communication and Business) and Ika Riswanti Putranti, Ph.D. (Vice Dean of Resources at FISIP Undip). The event was officially opened by Prof. Dr. Ir. Ambariyanto, M.Sc. (Vice Rector of Undip for Research and Innovation) as a representative of Undip’s Rector.

In his remarks, the Dean of FISIP Undip, Dr. Drs. Teguh Yuwono, M.Pol.Admin, explained the importance of international cooperation for FISIP Undip students, including study opportunities in Italy to broaden their perspectives. Prof. Ambariyanto also highlighted the importance of collaboration between countries and educational institutions in strengthening bilateral relations.

The General Lecturer concluded with a highly interactive question-and-answer session, where students showed great enthusiasm in asking questions about global issues and Italy’s role in the Indo-Pacific context. The presence of H.E. Benedetto Latteri as a speaker provided valuable insights for FISIP Undip students to understand the dynamics of the relationship between Italy and Indonesia.