Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
02ROME2197
2002-05-06 15:37:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Rome
Cable title:  

PROGRAM EVALUATION FOR U.S. SPEAKER MICHAEL

Tags:  OIIP PRC 
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UNCLAS ROME 002197 

SIPDIS

FOR IIP/G/EUR CSIEMONH; IIP/G RCROSS-NAJAFI; IIP/T/SV-
AHIRSHORN; EUR/PPD/RHILTON

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OIIP PRC
SUBJECT: PROGRAM EVALUATION FOR U.S. SPEAKER MICHAEL
BARONE, SENIOR WRITER, "U.S. NEWS AND WORLD REPORT;" ROME,
MARCH 18-19, 2002


UNCLAS ROME 002197

SIPDIS

FOR IIP/G/EUR CSIEMONH; IIP/G RCROSS-NAJAFI; IIP/T/SV-
AHIRSHORN; EUR/PPD/RHILTON

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OIIP PRC
SUBJECT: PROGRAM EVALUATION FOR U.S. SPEAKER MICHAEL
BARONE, SENIOR WRITER, "U.S. NEWS AND WORLD REPORT;" ROME,
MARCH 18-19, 2002



1. DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITY: PA ROME ORGANIZED A TWO DAY
SPEAKER PROGRAM FOR U.S. SPEAKER MICHAEL BARONE, AUTHOR,
SENIOR WRITER, U.S. NEWS AND WORLD REPORT, AND CO-AUTHOR OF
THE "ALMANAC OF AMERICAN POLITICS", MARCH 18-19, 2002 IN
ROME. ON TUESDAY, MARCH 18, BARONE SPOKE ABOUT HIS BOOK,
"THE NEW AMERICANS: HOW THE MELTING POT CAN WORK AGAIN" AT
A CONFERENCE ON "MULTICULTURALISM IN THE U.S. AND EUROPE
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 02 ROME 02197 061623Z
AFTER SEPTEMBER 11" AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ROME "LA SAPIENZA."
ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19, HE SPOKE ON THE "U.S. CONGRESS" AT A
ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION WITH ITALIAN PARLIAMENT MEMBERS AND
STAFF AND JOURNALISTS AT THE AMERICAN STUDIES CENTER IN
ROME. PA ROME ALSO FACILITATED A NUMBER OF APPOINTMENTS FOR
BARONE WITH ITALIAN MINISTERS AND AMBASSADOR SEMBLER.
BARONE WAS INTERVIEWED BY SEVERAL MEDIA OUTLETS, INCLUDING
RADIO RAI (NATIONAL ITALIAN RADIO AND TELEVISION NETWORK)
AND ADN KRONOS (NEWS AGENCY).


2. DATES: APRIL 18-19; 3RD QUARTER; FISCAL YEAR:
FY2002.


3. JUSTIFICATION/OBJECTIVE: AS A FOLLOW-UP TO PA ITALY'S
IMMIGRATION CONFERENCE IN MAY 2001, THE UNIVERSITY OF ROME
ORGANIZED A MAJOR TWO-DAY EVENT INVOLVING OVER 25 SPEAKERS,
ON IMMIGRATION IN ITALY. TO CONTRIBUTE AN AMERICAN VOICE,
POST SUGGESTED AUTHOR MICHAEL BARONE, AS HIS NEW BOOK TAKES
A NOVEL APPROACH TO THE AMERICAN "MELTING POT" AND
MULTICULTURALISM. BECAUSE INTEGRATION IS AN HIGHLY DEBATED
ISSUE HERE IN ITALY, POST WANTED TO PRESENT BARONE'S STRESS
ON THE IMPORTANCE OF WEAVING NEW IMMIGRANTS INTO "THE FABRIC
OF AMERICAN LIFE".

WE ALSO WANTED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF BARONE'S EXPERTISE ON
AMERICAN POLITICS TO ENGAGE KEY ITALIAN PARLIAMENT MEMBERS
AND STAFF IN A DISCUSSION ON CURRENT ISSUES IN THE U.S.
CONGRESS.


4. MPP UMBRELLA THEMES: COOPERATION ON GLOBAL ISSUES,
PUBLIC DIPLOMACY
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 03 ROME 02197 061623Z


5. AUDIENCE REACHED: ITALIAN ACADEMICS, SOCIOLOGISTS,
PARLIAMENT MEMBERS AND STAFFERS, GOI OFFICIALS, JOURNALISTS.


6. RESULT/IMPACT: BARONE'S PROGRAMS IN ROME PROVIDED AN
OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT WITH KEY ITALIAN AUDIENCES ON A
VARIETY OF TIMELY SUBJECTS. IN PARTICULAR, ON IMMIGRATION
ISSUES WHICH ARE OF CRUCIAL IMPORTANCE FOR OUR COUNTRIES
ESPECIALLY AFTER SEPTEMBER 11, WHEN, DUE TO GROWING SECURITY
CONCERNS, THERE HAS BEEN A MORE RESTRICTIVE IMMIGRATION
POLICY. ITALIAN SOCIOLOGISTS, JOURNALISTS WERE ALL EAGER
TO HEAR ABOUT BARONE'S NEW LOOK AT WHAT THE RICH AND VARIED
HISTORY OF IMMIGRANT GROUPS IN AMERICA CAN TEACH US ABOUT
THE FUTURE. BARONE ENCOURAGED ITALY TO A MAJOR OPENNESS
TOWARD IMMIGRATION: AMERICA HAS ALWAYS BEEN A NATION OF
IMMIGRANTS WHO BRING WITH THEM DIFFERENT GROUPS OF THINKING
AND VALUES, AND IT HAS ALWAYS SUCCEEDED IN BRINGING THEM
TOGETHER IN A COMMON CIVIC CULTURE. BARONE'S CHALLENGING
MESSAGE WAS THAT: THE MELTING POT STILL HOLDS ITS POWER:
THE PROMISE THAT ALL IMMIGRANTS CAN BE TRANSFORMED INTO "ONE
AMERICA" WHERE ALL CITIZENS ARE UNITED IN DEMOCRACY, FREEDOM
AND CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY.

BARONE WAS EQUALLY IMPRESSIVE AND ENGAGING IN HIS
PRESENTATION ON CURRENT ISSUES IN THE U.S. CONGRESS,
ADDRESSED TO ITALIAN PARLIAMENT OFFICIALS AND JOURNALISTS.
(IN A FOLLOW UP ARTICLE FOR THE "U.S. NEWS AND WORLD REPORT"
ENTITLED "EUROPEANS FOR THE U.S.," BARONE REITERATES THAT
ITALY, AN IMPORTANT MEMBER OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, REMAINS A
STRONG SUPPORTER OF THE UNITED STATES AND GEORGE BUSH ON
SEVERAL FOREIGN POLICY ISSUES.)
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 04 ROME 02197 061623Z
BARONE'S PRESENTATIONS WERE WIDELY COVERED BY ADN KRONOS
(NEWS AGENCY).


7. NON USG SOURCES OF IN-COUNTRY FUNDING/IN-KIND SUPPORT:
NONE


8. QUALITY OF U.S. OFFICE SUPPORT: GOOD. SEMBLER.

UNCLASSIFIED

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2002ROME02197 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED