Italians represent a significant part of Monaco’s population, accounting for 20%, just behind Monegasques and the French. Newly appointed Ambassador Manuela Ruosi shares insights into her career and her vision for enhancing Monaco-Italy relations.

Manuela Ruosi is the newly accredited Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Italian Republic to the Principality of Monaco. She is a breath of fresh air coming from the iconic city of Naples, the regional capital of Campania and the third largest city in Italy after Rome and Milan. She holds a degree in Political Sciences from the University of Naples Orientale. Prior to her appointment as Ambassador, Ruosi held various positions within the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and she is a recipient of several well-merited honours. 

According to the latest IMSEE census, Italians account for 20% of the population in Monaco, just behind Monegasques with 24% and French with 22%. This Italian community is not just a statistic, but a vibrant part of Monaco’s social fabric. Italy remains Monaco’s leading customer and supplier, with more than a fifth of Monegasque trade with this country. 

Monaco Life’s Features Journalist Celina Lafuente de Lavotha met with Ambassador Manuela Ruosi to learn more about her diplomatic ascending career and how her expertise and skills will help foster strong relations between the two countries. 

Monaco Life: Please tell us about yourself and your family. 

Ambassador Manuela Ruosi: I was born in Naples, a city that holds a special place in my heart. It’s where I lived, studied, and graduated in Political Science. My family life was filled with joy, surrounded by a large group of brothers and sisters in the beautiful setting of Naples, one of the most magnificent cities in the world.

My Neapolitan origins share many similarities with Monaco. Both are important cities in the Mediterranean basin, where the sea, sun, and mild climate invite the population to enjoy la dolce vita.

How did you become interested in diplomacy? 

Coming from a typical Neapolitan family of professionals in medicine and law, I ventured into a completely different career path, focused on the international dimension already at school, where I studied foreign languages and traveled frequently, which has always been an important part of my life. Right after school, I was drawn to international careers in general when I had the opportunity to study — as an exchange student — in the United States and, at that time, to visit the UN headquarters and other international facilities, which excited me and made me realise that I would love to engage in a global career.  So, I moved to Rome, where I started my diplomatic career in 1992. 

What does becoming an Ambassador to Monaco mean, and what transformative changes do you hope to bring in this role?

My appointment as an Ambassador to Monaco came, as a matter of fact, at the point of a rather long and diversified diplomatic career in which I held the most diverse positions and roles, ranging from cultural to commercial affairs, even abroad, and more recently, after a long experience in the Diplomatic Protocol of the Italian Republic. In my new role, I want to strengthen bilateral relations with the Principality – in the traces of my predecessors – and to dynamise ties with the country’s vibrant, active Italian community.   

What unique skills do you bring to this position, and how will they be instrumental in your diplomatic career?

My lifelong experience in the diplomatic career, and especially my prolonged years in Diplomatic Protocol, have contributed profoundly to my skills in dealing with the international sector and with the privileged communities of Rome, such as the Diplomatic Corps, composed of over 15,000 diplomats. I am therefore confident that the above experience and my attitude will help me start this new position. I am eager to bring all my enthusiasm and attention to cultural exchanges, which make our country renowned abroad and our community appreciated in the Principality.

What does this new nomination as Ambassador of Italy in Monaco mean to you? 

It is a significant milestone in my career, one that I approach with great enthusiasm and dedication. Completing long years of studies and efforts in this profession is what I consider the best and the only one I have ever wanted to undertake.

How does your Embassy plan to promote cross-cultural communication and cooperation between the two countries? 

My role as the Ambassador of Italy in Monaco is not just about strengthening bilateral relations, but also about promoting the rich tapestry of Italian culture and values. I plan to leverage the existing Italian institutions and engage with world-renowned personalities to showcase our most significant expressions of human creativity and scientific research, fostering a sense of pride and appreciation among our international audience.

How do you stay informed about global events and developments that may impact your country’s national interests?

Information is undoubtedly one of the most relevant and crucial resources in daily activities. Through the central administration, we have widely channeled information from the national and international press; locally, I stay informed through the national and international press. The Principality of Monaco, despite its small territorial size, is equipped with a surprisingly rich and diversified media system to satisfy the information needs of a cosmopolitan audience.

How would you effectively describe and communicate your country’s values and priorities to international audiences? 

Central to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation is undoubtedly the integrated promotion plan ‘Vivere all’Italiana’ launched in 2016 in synergy with the MiBACT, the MIUR, the RAI and the Dante Alighieri Society. Its objective is to adopt an integrated approach, which combines the various aspects of the promotion of the country system, according to well-defined priority axes: in addition to science, technology and innovation, other priority sectors are the promotion of the Italian language, contemporary art in the world, paying particular attention to young emerging artists; the internationalisation of the university system in order to increase the number of foreign students enrolled in Italy; Italian haute cuisine in the world, with the Week of Italian Cuisine in the world and the initiatives planned for the Design Day; archaeology and the protection of cultural heritage, with 180 archaeological missions active across the globe; the internationalisation of the museum system, with the circulation of individual works and large exhibitions; cultural tourism, to enhance our territories; the artistic and creative industries, with particular regard to the audio-visual and new media sector, a privileged territory for supporting an increasingly significant part of our cultural industry.

Finally, promoting sport in all his disciplines represents a further instrument of making diplomacy and tightening ties and relations among world peoples.

What are the critical aspects of the rich Italian culture and values, and how do you plan to promote them in Monaco?

Italy is a point of reference for citizens worldwide for its history, artistic and cultural heritage, and its many excellences in clothing and fashion, furniture and design, cuisine, and territories, everything connected to the concept of “Vivere all’Italiana”. Therefore, we are the shareholders of a global Italian brand that goes beyond the country’s dimension. Although these features are all undoubtedly true and still have a hold on the collective imagination, many other aspects are often overlooked when talking about Italy abroad. I also intend to focus on these aspects and a wide range of sectors where Italy and its “Sistema Paese” can still have something to say.

How important is it to continue promoting trade between Italy and Monaco? 

Since I arrived here, I have observed that the Principality continues to evolve, and its small-scale economy is very dynamic and reactive, with agile structures. The stability of its political structures represents a guarantee for investors and its quality of life in the heart of Europe. In my opinion, Monaco offers all the conditions to welcome new investors who, from a first impression, always seem more oriented to settle in a multicultural community where their families can live safely (internal security being one of the priorities of the government action), people speak foreign languages fluently, together with the high-performance school, and the solid healthcare system—not forgetting a sporting, cultural and recreational living that combines everyday life with numerous events of international importance.

Could you reveal your plans for your first upcoming Embassy event in Monaco? 

As mentioned, my mandate is to foster bilateral relations at all levels. Over and above official duties, my objective is to promote the year’s initiatives, aiming to attract the audience’s attention to the most important expressions of Italian excellence and creativity. Everything with an integrated approach between the economic, cultural, and scientific sectors enhances our country as a whole and its attractiveness as a destination for new foreign investments. 

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Main photo credit: Michael Alesi, Prince’s Palace