The tiny European republic of San Marino (population: 32,000), completely surrounded by Italy, is known for having the world’s oldest functioning constitution (enacted in 1600). Long associated with the United States, in 1861 the San Marinese admiringly offered citizenship to Abraham Lincoln. However, it was not until July 25, 2007, that their first Ambassador to the United States, Paolo Rondelli, presented his credentials.

 

Born June 17, 1963, in San Marino, Rondelli earned a degree in Chemical Engineering at the University of Bologna in 1990, with a thesis titled “Risks associated with the transport of toxic substances,” and studied Environmental Sciences and Technology at the University of Bologna from 1994 to 1995. More recently, in May 2010, Rondelli earned a “Master in Journalism” in a specialized program organized by the State Broadcasting Company and the Vocational Training Centre, with the support of the Universities of Urbino and Tor Vergata in Rome, as well as of the School of Radio and Television Journalism in Perugia. That same year, Rondelli graduated the Faculty of Arts and Humanities of the University of Bologna, with a thesis titled “Democracies in transition: the condition of young and old people, heir future,” and is currently enrolled in a degree program in Contemporary History at the University of Bologna, with an anticipated graduation of summer 2012. 

 

As a practicing engineer, Rondelli specialized in environmental and sustainable development issues, starting as a Junior Engineer for SOL SpA Group in Italy from March 1989 to March 1990, and then as a Junior Engineer for the ENI Group (also in Italy) from May 1991 to July 1993. He began his career in San Marinese government as an expert in Technology and Environment at the Institute of Social Security and Health, where he worked from July 1993 to November 1998. He was then transferred with the same qualification to the Department of Land and the Department of Corporate Services, where he stayed to July 2001. That month he was appointed Coordinator of the Department of Territory.

 

Just a month prior to his November 1998 transfer, Rondelli was named Chairman of the Board of Administration of the Azienda Autonoma di Stato di Produzione (Ministry of Public Works), a post he retained until November 2003. In July 2001, halfway through his tenure as chairman, Rondelli was also designated Head of Department for Planning, Environment and Agriculture of the Republic of San Marino and Minister Chief of Staff. He kept that position until October 2003, since which time he has been serving as Safety Engineer and Head of the Prevention and Protection Division, Public Administration - Department of Internal Affairs and Civil Protection.

 

The year 2005 was an important one for Rondelli’s public service career. From April 2005 to August 2006, he served as Head of Department for Foreign and Political Affairs, Economic Planning and Justice of the Republic of San Marino and Minister Chief of Staff. As such, he also served as his nation’s representative to the UN General Assembly in New York (September 2005), the UNESCO General Assembly in Paris, France (October 2005), the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in Vilnius, Lithuania (July 2006), and the Ministerial Conference of Countries belonging to the research network Eureka in Prague, Czech Republic (June 2006).

 

Also starting in April 2005, Rondelli became a Member of the Delegation of San Marino at the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe (he is currently Secretary of San Marino’s Delegation). In that capacity, he has been a Member of Congress Observation Missions in Azerbaijan (October 2006 and December 2009), Moldova (December 2006, March 2007 and March 2008), Albania (February 2007), Kosovo (November 2007 and December 2008), Serbia (January 2007 and May 2008), Armenia (September 2008 and June 2009), Israel (November 2008), and Macedonia (March 2009). Finally, in 2005 Rondelli joined the Steering Committee on Local and Regional Democracy and the Committee of experts for the democratic participation and public ethics at local and regional level of the Council of Europe; he still belongs to both.

 

Also for the Council of Europe, Rondelli served as Special Envoy of the Chairman of the Committee of Ministers to Serbia and to Montenegro from October 2006 to May 2007, and, from April 2005 to May 2010, as Rapporteur for the Committee for Sustainable Development, reporting on Indoor Pollution (Strasbourg, France, October 2009) and on the Protection of Territory from landslides (Istanbul, Turkey, October 2008).

 

Rondelli has also been involved in San Marinese sports and entertainment, serving as team manager for the Under-18 national teams, and national Under-21 since 1997, Licensing Manager for the San Marino Football Federation since 2002, and President of San Marino National Volleyball Federation from May 2005 to November 2006. Rondelli also worked a twelve-week stint (May 10 to July 31, 2010) as host of the television show, “Terrazza Kursaal,” which is broadcast daily on SanMarinoRTV (San Marino Public Television).

 

In addition to his native Italian, Rondelli has a fluent command of English, an intermediate understanding of French, and a basic proficiency with Spanish.

-Matt Bewig

 

Tiny San Marino, Maldives Seek To Boost Presence With Embassies (by Larry Luxner, Washington Diplomat)

“Le Democrazie in transizione: il racconto per immagini di un osservatore del Consiglio d’Europa”  (“Democracies in transition: the story in pictures taken by an observer from the Council of Europe”) (by Paolo Rondelli, History and Future: A Review of History and Historiography) (in Italian)

“Memorial sites in countries in transition to democracy” (by Paolo Rondelli, Almatourism: Journal of Tourism, Culture and Territorial Development)