Fra Noi Embrace Your Inner Italian
Now representing Italy on his sixth of seven continents, Chicago’s new consul general has been a part of several initiatives that have significantly impacted his country’s relationship with the rest of the world.
Most of us have been in the proverbial right place at the right time at least once in our lives. Mario Bartoli, Italy’s new consul general in Chicago, has made a career of it.
During nearly a quarter-century in the Italian diplomatic corps, Bartoli has played a role in easing tensions between North and South Korea, worked with local authorities to secure the release of two hostages seized by terrorists in the Philippines, helped organize a groundbreaking Italy-Africa summit, and participated in the Pan-European effort to uphold the principles of democracy and human rights in the face of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. And with his recent assignment to Chicago, he now has represented his country on every continent except South America.
“The diplomatic arena offers the opportunity, which is precious, to have a hand in defining your own career path,” Bartoli says. “It also gives you the opportunity, if you’re fortunate, to be a part of history in the making.”
The son of a judge and a teacher, Bartoli was born in Liguria but spent most of his childhood and young adult life in Salerno, graduating with a law degree from the University of Salerno in 1996. His entry into the world of diplomacy happened by chance, “as many beautiful stories start,” Bartoli says.
Having focused on financial subjects in school, he was in the process of applying for a position with Italy’s central bank after completing a year of compulsory military service.
“But then I met someone who was preparing for the diplomatic corps and became fascinated with the whole system, and the perspective of being able to serve my country,” he says. “After almost 25 years, I’m very happy to have made that choice.”
He entered the diplomatic service in 1999, and after a period of training, began his career at the Office of the Directorate General for Asia, Oceania, Pacific and Antarctica.
“Much of my time there was spent preparing bilateral agreements and other official documents that spell out the positions of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and help strengthen relations with the other countries,” he explains.
The next stop was Estonia, where Bartoli served as second and then first secretary of commercial affairs from 2001-04. While there, he had the privilege of attending the nation’s official induction into NATO and the European Union. “It was very touching,” Bartoli recalls, “something that I will keep in my heart forever.”
As deputy of mission in the Philippines from 2004-08, he was Italy’s point person as local authorities successfully sought the release of not one, but two, Italian nationals kidnapped by terrorists in the south of the country.
“The first was resolved in 48 hours but the second lasted 40 days,” he says. “There were many sleepless nights, as a kidnapping involves interacting with local authorities, the national press and the family of our fellow nationals. We at the ministry have to make sure that whatever we are doing, whatever we are saying, is coherent in respect to all the facets that were involved. It was exhausting, both emotionally and physically, but it was a moment in time where I had an opportunity to truly make a difference.”
As the head of Office VIII of the Directorate General for Globalization and Global Issues in 2008, he helped put together a meeting between high-ranking representatives from North and South Korea as well as Italy and America.
“We were able to have them convene at a beautiful villa on Lake Como for open and frank discussion of the situation on the Korean peninsula,” he reports with pride. “That’s a big part of Italian diplomacy, to facilitate dialogue, to generate interaction, to be the impartial broker.”
As deputy head of mission in Indonesia from 2011-14, he organized a state visit of the Italian minister of foreign affairs and helped pave the way for a visit by the Italian head of state to the fledgling democracy. And as deputy head of mission in Finland from 2014-19, he was able to observe the activities of Russia at close range from the safety of a post at an EU nation.
As a member of the team of the Italian presidency in the Council of Europe in 2022, he supported the sovereignty and integrity of Ukraine during the early days of the Russian invasion.
And as the head of Office V of the Directorate General for Globalization and Global Issues in 2024, he helped organize the first Italy-Africa summit in the history of his homeland’s relations with the continent. Held in Rome, it attracted the participation of 47 African leaders.
“The discussion was very open and constructive and it put on the table a new way of dealing with each other, of moving from donor and recipient to equal partners,” he explains. “It was very much appreciated by the African leaders, and it put a big responsibility on Italy’s shoulders to move forward with those proposals, a responsibility our government has taken and is already happening.”
Those are only the highest points of a remarkable career to date. As you can imagine, spending so much time in so many wildly diverse cultures has had a profound influence on Bartoli, shaping the way he sees himself as a citizen of Italy as well as the world.
“It has helped me strengthen my identity as an Italian, and at the same time given me a better understanding of the world beyond Italy,” he explains. “If you’re open to it, you have the rare opportunity to experience many different cultures and get the best out of what they have to offer.”
Many of those experiences were made more memorable by significant events in Bartoli’s personal life. He met his future wife, Tatjana Batuhtina, a week after his arrival in Estonia; his daughter, Vassilissa Roro, was born in Singapore; and his son, Olmo, was born in Finland.
With the needs of his growing family to consider, Bartoli began viewing his career through a modified lens.
“My mission has always been to serve our communities abroad, strengthen relations between other countries and support international relations around the world,” he explains. “Then family came and children came and creating stability for them has become a priority, too.”
After a longer than usual stint at the headquarters in Rome, Bartoli applied for a position in Chicago, which has welcomed his family with open arms.
“My son, who grew up mostly in Rome, in the beginning didn’t want to leave,” Bartoli says. “But after two weeks in school, he came home saying that he was playing American football with his schoolmates and trying to explain to me the rules of the game. Chicago can really be a wonderful place for my family and a wonderful professional experience for me. I cannot imagine a better place to start our next adventure abroad.”
The article above appears in the December 2024 issue of the print version of Fra Noi. Our gorgeous, monthly magazine contains a veritable feast of news and views, profiles and features, entertainment and culture. To subscribe, click here.
