1955: Italy joins the UN

1973: the first Italian Junior Professional Officers (JPOs)

14 December 2015 - Aula dei gruppi parlamentari - Chamber of Deputies of Italy- Rome

Video of the Conference

On 14 December 1955, Italy signed up to the Charter of the United Nations to become a member of the Organization, giving rise to a long history of collaboration, support and impetus to the activities of the UN.

Since then, the world has witnessed major progress. To mark its 60th anniversary as a UN member state, as well as the UN’s own celebration of its 70th anniversary, Italy has chosen to look to the future by organizing an event that highlights the country’s contributions - in terms of human resources - to the work of the UN, and that fosters broader reflection on the challenges the world is still facing and how to best address them.

Above all, the Conference aimed to promote the strategic dual role that the JPO Programme has played for over fourty years: that is, to serve the development sector while simultaneously providing comprehensive training scenarios for young international civil servants, who through their professional, human and cultural efforts, have contributed to strengthen relations between Italy and the United Nations.

The Conference also spurred discussion on the extent to which young professionals, once trained through the JPO Programme, become an important resource, either by continuing their work in international organizations or by making their expertise available to the public and private sectors, non-governmental organizations, universities and research institutes.

In addition to high-level representatives of the institutions sponsoring this Conference, speakers included several former Italian JPOs, as well as senior staff members from a range of international organizations.