On 15 September 2025, the Italian Parliament hosted a landmark high-level event entirely focused on the strategic role of cities in international relations. The conference, “Diplomazia delle Città. Il Ruolo Strategico delle Città nelle Relazioni Internazionali”, piloted by the City Diplomacy Lab in partnership with the National Association of Italian Municipalities (ANCI), the Italian Association of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (AICCRE), the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR), PLATFORMA, Eurocities, and the Global Parliament of Mayors, brought together lawmakers, international organisations, leading researchers, and Italian mayors to chart a course for city diplomacy in today’s complex geopolitical context.
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Summary
Opening the proceedings, Dr. Lorenzo Kihlgren Grandi, Director of the City Diplomacy Lab, underlined how the conference is part of a wider international process defining cities’ place in the geopolitical landscape, launched the previous week at the French Senate and continuing to the European Parliament on 15 October and the Urban7 during France’s G7 Presidency in 2026. He called for the creation of urgent, multi-level mechanisms to safeguard and expand the local and global reach of city diplomacy amid current geopolitical upheavals, echoing former Florence mayor Giorgio La Pira’s vision of cities as conduits for peace and dialogue between nations. Hon. Lia Quartapelle, Vice President of the Chamber’s Foreign Affairs Committee, stressed how cities have become decisive players in global governance, concentrating resources, responsibilities, and opportunities for action.
International perspectives were offered by Dr. Paola Deda (UNECE), who highlighted innovative multilevel governance mechanisms such as the UN Forum of Mayors; Ms. Claudia Luciani (Council of Europe), who recalled the 40th anniversary of the European Charter of Local Self-Government while pointing to both opportunities and risks facing local authorities; and Ambassador Nina Hachigian, the first U.S. Special Representative for City and State Diplomacy, who illustrated how subnational diplomacy has tangibly supported national foreign policy.
The City Diplomacy Lab presented its report “Cities at a Crossroads”, with authors Dr. Lorenzo Kihlgren Grandi and Prof. Cecilia Emma Sottilotta warning that geopolitical tensions increasingly affect municipalities, making political risk analysis a necessary tool for local leaders.
Italian mayors then shared practical experiences: Prof. Alessandro Ghinelli (Arezzo) highlighted crisis diplomacy with Ukraine and international education for peace; Mr. Antonfrancesco Vivarelli Colonna (Grosseto) described systematic municipal internationalisation with private sector support; and Ms. Anna Lisa Boni (Bologna) presented her city’s Strategic Plan for European and International Action, showcasing how structured frameworks empower local governments.
The discussion demonstrated a strong consensus among city networks (ANCI, AICCRE), NGOs, research institutions, and local administrations: city diplomacy is now recognised as an essential instrument for sustainable development, and multi-level, multi-actor dialogue is the way forward.
By situating this unprecedented Italian parliamentary dialogue within a broader international process, the event marked a turning point in advancing strategic city diplomacy—placing Italian cities and institutions at the forefront of shaping its global future.
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