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Conversation at the Foreign Affairs Club on 12 April: "Bad, mean and dangerous. Phenomenology of lobbying" 

Who would have imagined, a little over a year ago, that the evening on lobbying - skillfully masterminded by Andrea Ballarini and his BeaCafè - would have arrived at the Foreign Affairs Club? From the success of that evening, in fact, a 'series' was born that will start right at the Foreign Affairs Club on Thursday 12 April at 7 pm. Introduced by Ambassador Umberto Vattani, Mariella Palazzolo and Marco Sonsini of Telos A&S will shed light on a reality often misrepresented: lobbying.

In Italy, we know little about this. Lobbyists are generally placed in a cloud in between the hidden persuaders and bank robbers, just a little bit worse. In other countries, however, they are highly respected gentlemen (and ladies) who take care of the relations between companies or interest groups and politics. They are not Samaritans, but neither are they evil geniuses.

In a two-voiced conversation - moderated by Flavia Trupia, president of the Rhetoric Association PerLaRe - the complex profile of a fascinating, multifaceted profession, transversal as regards to competences and fields of knowledge, but also extraordinarily useful to enrich the decision-making processes with the interest groups’ viewpoint, will emerge.

What are interest groups? The large and powerful multinationals is the most obvious answer. Are we sure? Yet, also the State’s Mint is among the registered members of the Ministry of Economic Development’s Transparency Register, which contains names of companies and professionals, but also trade unions, research centres, consumer associations and patient associations. And let's think about it, aren’t the States real "lobbyists" of national interests in international negotiations?

Palazzolo and Sonsini will describe their daily professional life through anecdotes and experiences in the field. Not to mention the initiatives that Telos A&S has been carrying out for more than a year, to emancipate lobbying, the last of which is #LobbyNonOlet.

A useful evening - at least. Because before taking any anachronistic stance, it is better knowing how things really are.

Invitation to be downloaded below.