The Italian Embassy Fiemme Security Forum

The Italian Embassy is steeped in history. The house was built circa 1728 as part of the development of Grosvenor Square by the Grosvenor family.^[3] However, it was not until 10 years later that the lease, the most expensive in the Square, was purchased. The first leaseholder was Francis Howard, 1st Earl of Effingham: he rented the house to Edward Howard, 9th Duke of Norfolk, who lived in it until 1741. In February 1742 Lord Effingham sold the lease for £5,500 to Thomas Watson-Wentworth, 1st Marquess of Rockingham.^[2]

The deputy Italian Ambassador Riccardo Smimmo welcomed guest and introduced a very distinguished panel, who discussed global security and international boundaries and how they affected the stability of countries. The panel included Dr Vinicuis de Carvalho, KCL, Alexandra Tsarvulano, KCL/ITSS, Dr Zeno Leoni, KCL/ITSS, and Panel Chair Roger Hearing an accomplished and well respected BBC journalist.

Professor Groppi, Senior Lecturer/Associate Professor in Defence Studies, Kings College London, (KCL), ICT Fellow, ITSS Verona, Founder and President ITSS. Established in 2018 between London and Verona, ITSS-Verona is a regularly licensed, international, interdisciplinary, apolitical, not-for profit, cultural association dedicated to the study of international security. Their mission is to combine the best minds the world can offer to create one of the largest international networks addressing current and future security challenges. 

Professor Groppi, kindly invited Lord Wesley Pestano President of The London Diplomatic Association LDA and Nick Waugh, Senior Group Head of Partner Relations for the LDA and the EEBP, Steven Smith Director and Andrew Stone Operations Specialist for Crisis 24 A global security firm who specialise in Risk Intelligence and Analysis, and Critical Event Management, together with many other services. Dotun Diya also an invited LDA guest, runs a small specialist business in close protection, and were engaged in discussing ways that he could work with the Crisis 24 team. Professor Groppi, Dotun Diya and the LDA team were invited after the presentation at the Italian Embassy to the OWO Raffles originally the Old War Office for a delicious lunch and tour.

Many students from Kings College, and students of the professor, were present at the Fiemme Security Forum, Emily Beuvelet was in attendance, and is now a new member of the LDA team, our Diplomatic Executive French Desk. Emily`s role will be to engage in developing relations with French Speaking nations within the diplomatic community and French organisations and businesses internationally.

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