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GRAZIELLA SIMBOLOTTI, A RECORD WOMEN

The news has given marginally by italian media but it doesn't have precedents in the history of the Italian diplomacy. Two women, Graziella Simbolotti and Iolanda Brunetti have had access to the maximum level of the diplomatic career: ambassador's degree, not the function that the same Simbolotti had already gotten in 1985. Thin to today any woman in the diplomacy had received the honor to represent Italy in the world with such degree.

If we observe the statistic of the female presence in the diplomatic career, we notice that on 1011 diplomatic only 139 they are women, and on 27 with the maximum degree of Ambassador, they were not present women up to this year. Of these twenty-seven Graziella Simbolotti is the only permanent female with the degree of Ambassador. Currently she is chef of the italian Diplomatic Representation in Oman.

The ambassador, just arrived in Italy, she has received me for a brief meeting in her Roman residence. The sensibility and cordiality are the most proper adjectives to describe Graziella Simbolotti, born on 16 th october 1940 in Rome, graduate in Political Sciences in 1963, named later immediately Voluntary in the diplomatic career and assigned to the General Direction to the emigration of the State Department.
"1964 has been one important year for the women in the diplomatic career" says the ambassador. I ask to myself why a so few female presence in the diplomacy in comparison to other european Countries.
"Before that year", she continues, "it was blocked the possibility to undertake the diplomatic career to the women. If Italy is back with the statistics it is because we have arrived later in comparison to the others. There is also to say whether to undertake the diplomatic career implicates to complete sacrifices on the plan of the personal life and a lot of women they are not prepared to renouncements in such sense."

With the nomination of the vice-premier Fini of two woman ambassador, it has been broken finally a taboo in the diplomatic career.
When we remove some limitation in the society towards the women, it is up to them to impose themselves to get what they want.
In Oman the women have acquired the right of vote in 2003 but the run toward a true emancipation it is long because they have to encounter themselves with a very patriarchal culture where the realization of the woman is limited to the family sphere.
"Things will change also in Oman as they are changing in the whole Arabic peninsula" affirms the ambassador. In 2007 for the first time in the history of Kuwait, a woman will candidate herself to the Parliament. The Oman is opening to the tourism and this means mental and cultural opening. The women could draw benefit from the tertiary sector as it has happened in the Arabic Emirates. If we look to the economic indicators of the Oman, they result middle high thanks to the tied up entrances to the oil that constitute the 60% of the Gnp.
The opening to the tourism will constitute a diversification of the entrances but above all it will serve to resolve the problem of the unemployment that according to non official respects it wanders around 12%.
During her long career, Graziella Simbolotti had always desired to reach the degree of Ambassador before concluding the diplomatic career and when she speaks of the recent nomination she expresses emotion to have the possibility to represent Italy in the world.
"Italians are anywhere in the world and this has helped me during my years in the foreign Countries to make me feel as in my house."
The problem of the emigration is very important for her having covered the role of 2° secretary for the emigration to the Permanent Representation of Italy in the International Organizations. "In the postwar period they were the men that emigrated sending the money in Italy, today the emigration is changing. In many Countries as Philippines and the east Countries, they are women to emigrate for maintaining the families."
If we look at ambassador Simbolotti's enviable curriculum, we read that she has worked in every continent, from City of Mexico to Manila, from Paris in Peking stopping by Seoul. Which Country does she remember with more affection? "Every Country has its charm however I have to say that I am particularly tied up to Mexico and China".

I would like to discuss with the Ambassador on a lot of matters, on the politics and economy of China, on the role of the International Organisms, but the time quickly run together with the ambassador. Before concluding she wants to underline an aspect that answers to all my questions.
"It is important to read and to know for understanding the world. Today the system of the information is incomplete. We are bombed by news but we don't have the time to deepen them. We shall to read and to document ourselves before formulating ago hasty judgments. The principal satisfaction of the diplomatic career is to have just the possibility to come into contact with other realities to understand better the problems."
Graziella Simbolotti has opened a new era for women in the diplomacy where the female qualities will surely bring innovation and change.

Federico Bastiani