october 2015 - FAO Staff Coop

OCTOBER 2015
Mensile - No. 10 2015 - Reg. Trib. N. 574 dell’8/10/1990
1
October Edition
This poem sits under a tree in the hushed gardens of Castelo de São Jorge, Lisbon Ao Viandante
Veiga Simões, Arganil, Maio de 1914
Tu que passas e ergues para mim o teu braço,
Antes que me faças mal. Olha me bem.
Eu sou o calor do teu lar nas noites frias de inverno
Eu sou a sombra amiga que tu encontras
Quando caminhas sob o sol de agosto
E os meus frutos são a frescura apetitosa
Que te sacia a sede nos caminhos.
Eu sou a trave amiga da tua casa, a tábua da tua mesa,
A cama em que descansas e o lenho do teu barco
Eu sou o cabo da tua enxada a porta da tua morada,
A madeira do teu berço e do teu próprio caixão
Eu sou o pão da bondade e a flor da beleza
Tu que passas, olha-me bem e não faças mal
To the person who passes through this place
You that pass and raise your arm to me
before you hurt me, look at me well.
I am the heat of your home in the cold winter nights.
I am the friendly shade that you find
when walking under the August sun
And my fruits are appetizing freshness
That satisfy your thirst on the way.
I am the friendly beam of your house, the board of your table
the bed in which you rest and the wood of your boat.
I am the handle of your hoe, the door of your dwelling
the wood of your cradle and of your own coffin.
I am the bread of goodness and the flower of beauty.
You that pass, look at me well and do no harm.
Contents
5
Lisbon
by J. Stevenson
10
La Catalogna
di Enrica Romanazzo
14
Caribbean Cultural Group
by Edith Mahabir
Edith Mahabir
16
XIV Forestry Congress Cork Tree
Antonella Alberighi
18
Cassia Carpool
by Calvin Miller
22
Italian Language Courses
23
First edition of FAO Model
by Mirko Montuori
27
Ikebana Course
28
New 2015 EU Succession
Regulations
by Paul Howard
30
Recipe: Pasteis de Nata
Enrica Romanazzo
Giovanna Martone
Vice-Chairperson:
Valentina Delle Fratte
Secretary:
Secretary:
Valentina Delle Fratte
Giancarlo
Trobbiani
Giancarlo
Trobbiani
Treasurer:
Adriano
Fava Fava
Adriano
Publicity Officer:
Antonella Alberighi
Members:
Edith Mahabir
Treasurer:
Publicity Officer:
Members:
Auditor:
Auditor:
Mario
Mareri
Mario
Mareri
Giovanna Martone
Enrica Romanazzo
Studio
Tributario
Associato
Studio
Tributario
Associato
Direttore Responsabile: Dott.ssa
Patrizia
Cimini
Dott.ssa
Patrizia
Cimini
Direttore Responsabile:
Editorial Committee:
Edith Mahabir
Silvio Alejandro R. Catalano
Jill Stevenson
Editorial
Committee:
Edith Mahabir, Enrica Romanazzo
Enrica Romanazzo
Stevenson, Peter Steele
PeterJillSteele
Giancarlo
Trobbiani
Giancarlo
Trobbiani
Pierre Fournier
Sports Activities:
Giancarlo Trobbiani
Culture Activities:
Antonella Alberighi
Sports Activities:
Peacocks in the grounds of
Castelo de São Jorge, Lisbon
photo by S.Saint
Poet’s Nook
de Veiga Simões
Chairperson:
Vice-Chairperson:
Cover:
2
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3 | July Edition
Draft August 2015.indd 3
3
October Edition
20/07/15 16:02
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LISBON
by Jill Stevenson
‘Mosteiro dos Jerónimos’
My holiday this year took me to Lisbon, Portugal. In 1755 the city was razed to the ground by a terrible earthquake destroying
practically the whole city. There were many fires from cooking fires and at that
time the use of candles was the only lighting system. Furthermore, the earthquake
took place on 1 November, All Saints Day, and many of the people in Lisbon were
lighting candles and worshipping in church when the earthquake happened, as well
as lighting candles at home in remembrance of the deceased.
Many people fled to the river and the sea where they boarded boats. Only 30 minutes
after the earthquake a tsunami came roaring into the city and between 30,000 to
5
October Edition
40,000 people died.
King Joseph I decided to
rebuild the city and make
it into the splendid city
that it once was. There
are only a few monuments
remaining from before the
earthquakes as 85% of
Lisbon was destroyed.
On the first day we went
on the Hop-on-Hopoff bus. Our first stop
was the UNESCO World
Heritage site, ‘Mosteiro
dos
Jerónimos’,
the
construction of which
started in 1502. What a
fantastic building! The
church especially. In this
church is the stone tomb
of Vasco da Gama and
other famous people.
Cloisters of Mosteiro dos Jerónimos
Jewellery made out of used Nespresso capsules
It also has beautiful vaulted cloisters, no one column is the same. We passed in front of the Bull fighting arena and were pleased to hear that the
matadors and the toreadors fight the bulls with their bare hands and the bulls are not
killed....much more to my liking. In the area is the famous cake shop ‘Casa Pasteis
de Belém’ which is famous for the typical Portuguese custard tarts...delicious!
We also took the tram no. 28 which traverses the centre of the old city. What a hair
raising experience! It drives so close to the houses each side of the very narrow
roads, you could touch the walls as you go past.
We found the Portuguese people very friendly and always ready to assist whenever
they could. The city is built on 7 hills like Rome, but their hills were steeper and
we were always climbing up or down, exhausting.
October Edition
6
On the Saturday we visited a famous church ‘Santa Engracia’ (The National
Pantheon). The building of the church was begun in 1682 and finished only in
1966. After this visit we went to the famous ‘Feira da Ladra’ market. It was very
interesting as items ranged from antiques to second-hand and new, the most original
stall selling lovely jewellery made out of used Nespresso capsules!
In the afternoon we visited the remains of the ‘Convento do Carmo’ which is one
of the main traces of the 1755 earthquake still visible in the city. The convent was
built between 1389 and 1423 and today the nave and apse are the setting for a
small archaeological museum. We queued up for almost an hour to go up in the
famous Santa Justa Lift constructed in 1902 and which connects the lower streets of
the Baixa with the higher Largo do Carmo (Carmo Square). Since its construction,
the Lift has become a tourist attraction for Lisbon as, among the urban lifts in the
city, Santa Justa is the only remaining vertical one.
When you get out of the lift at the top there is a spiral staircase which leads to the
top floor where there is a kiosk and lookout, with spectacular panoramic views of
the city.
On Sunday we had our personal guide who picked us up from the hotel and
took us out of Lisbon to visit the hilltop town of Sintra, (also a UNESCO World
Heritage site) the former
summer residences of the
Portuguese royal family.
We visited the famous
‘Palácio da Pena’, built
in the 1840s by Ferdinand
II for Queen Maria II as a
love nest. Unfortunately
she died at 23 with
cholera, two years before
it was finished. This is
a beautiful palace, all
in different styles, each
section painted a different
colour. There are some
magnificent rooms inside, Palácio da Pena, Sintra
7
October Edition
exactly how they were
originally,
beautifully
restored.
We also visited the former
fishing village called
Cascais, the pavement
design of which depicts
the Tsunami of 1755.
On our last day we visited
the ‘Castelo de São
Jorge’, which was once
the heart of a walled city
that spread downhill to the
river. It has magnificent
views from the ramparts.
In the grounds it has many
peacocks
Cascais fishing village
View from the ramparts of Castelo de São Jorge
October Edition
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11 | July Edition
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October Edition
20/07/15 16:02
La Catalogna
Terra multiforme dai paesaggi di ogni tipo.
Un paese europeo dinamico ed aperto al mondo,
ben strutturato ed organizzato.
Ha una società emancipata ed attiva,
con spiccata capacità imprenditoriale.
Un paese da... COPPA DEL MONDO!
di Enrica Romanazzo
Terra di passaggio di civiltà essenziali al progresso del Mediterraneo come Fenici,
Greci, Romani, ebrei, Arabi e cristiani, è ricca di storia e di cultura.
Il senso di indipendenza è nel DNA del popolo catalano. Nel IX secolo la Catalogna
venne assorbita nella marca ispanica carolingia, senza che le sue istituzioni fossero
compromesse. Lo stesso nome “Catalogna” cominciò a essere utilizzato alla metà
del XII secolo per designare l’insieme di contee della marca ispanica che si erano
svincolate, gradualmente, dalla tutela franca fino a divenire sovrane. Una teoria
afferma che la parola “Catalogna” significhi “terra di castelli”. In particolare, la
parola “catalano” si sarebbe sviluppata da castlà (castellano, il governatore di un
castello). Secondo questa teoria, i termini “catalano” e “castigliano” sarebbero
fondamentalmente omologhi. La rinascita del catalanismo nel corso dell’Ottocento
portò al recupero dell’identità catalana durante la seconda Repubblica, recupero che
conobbe un’ulteriore importante evoluzione, dopo la dittatura franchista. La Catalogna esprime rivendicazioni nazionalistiche, autonomistiche e
anche indipendentistiche derivanti dalle proprie peculiarità linguistiche e culturali.
Ha una lingua ed una cultura autoctone, oltre che istituzioni e un diritto civile propri,
che poggia su basi giuridiche molto antiche, e che definiscono la sua personalità
peculiare all’interno della Spagna di oggi.
Poiché la Catalogna non dispone delle strutture proprie a una capitale di Stato, è
stata spesso la società civile il motore di iniziative di carattere culturale, sociale,
ricreativo e di volontariato. Sono dovute allo slancio dei cittadini tante iniziative
culturali come le esposizioni universali o il Palau de la Musica. Gli atenei popolari, i centri di lettura, i luoghi di cultura ed associazioni di ogni tipo
hanno mantenuto lo spirito del paese anche durante le epoche di repressione. October Edition
10
Palau de la Música
Con il ritorno della democrazia sono tornati a nuova vita teatri, musei, sale da
concerto, biblioteche, studi cinematografici e televisioni che insieme ai luoghi
nati da iniziative private, mettono a disposizione degli artisti spazi adatti alla loro
creatività. Non è un caso che la Catalogna abbia dato al mondo dello spettacolo
grandi artisti di calibro internazionale. Esempio lampante è la cerimonia inaugurale
delle Olimpiadi del ‘92. L’innovativo linguaggio scenico ad opera di Comediantes
e di altre compagnie catalane, ha affascinato il mondo intero. La Catalogna è di fatto un paese dinamico e creativo. Ferran Adrià Acosta, insignito per
cinque anni consecutivi del titolo di migliore chef del mondo, ha rivoluzionato la
creatività culinaria. Barcellona punta ad essere una città “intelligente” con il suo mix
di innovazione e tradizione. Ad oggi è la capitale mondiale della telefonia mobile.
Le dodici università catalane godono di un innegabile prestigio, ed è all’avanguardia
nelle scuole di commercio. La sua politica business friendly, associata ad una solida
cultura imprenditoriale, attrae multinazionali di vari settori. La Catalogna è una
terra di grandi opportunità grazie alla sua spiccata vocazione imprenditoriale ed il
vivo interesse per l’innovazione. Vanta poli di eccellenza come il Parco di Ricerca
Biomedica ed il supercomputer Mare Nostrum che richiama ricercatori da tutto il
globo. Eccelle anche nel campo del design. Il made in Catalogna e’ innovativo ed
apprezzato a livello internazionale, mentre Custo Barcelona, Desigual e Mango
aprono i loro negozi in tutto il mondo. 11
October Edition
Paesi di contrasti
La Catalogna vanta grande varietà di paesaggi: mare, montagna quindi spiagge
e neve con un clima splendido che offre 300 giorni di sole l’anno. È ricca di villaggi pittoreschi, angoli suggestivi, parchi e aree naturali a
dimostrazione della grande sensibilità per la tutela dell’habitat. Offre 580
chilometri di costa molti dei quali insigniti della bandiera blu. È una luogo dove vecchia storia e modernità si tengono per mano. Tutto il
paese esprime la sua ricchezza architettonica tanto in castelli, monasteri,
cattedrali, ponti medievali, logge dei mercati gotiche, dimore nobiliari dal
fascino romantico, masserie, case d’ispirazione coloniale, laboratori di artigiani,
cantine. Terra di tradizione mediterranea, celebra le sue feste per le strade. Le feste
patronali che animano le piazze si devono all’entusiasmo ed al volontariato dei
cittadini. Festa Popolare - Una delle tradizioni più tipiche è quella dei “Castellers”, i
grattacieli umani. Barcellona
Erede del Barcino di duemila anni fa, affacciata sul mare ed aperta all’influenza
di altre culture, Barcellona è diventata una megalopoli cosmopolita con
tantissimi stranieri attratti dalla qualità della vita che offre. È capitale degli affari
e del commercio e meta di turismo e convegni. Il Modernismo, interpretazione
catalana dello stile liberty alla fine del Ottocento, realizza una simbiosi fra
l’architettura residenziale e le arti decorative collettive, con tocchi orientali che
impreziosiscono gli edifici dei borghesi come nel caso del Palau de la Música.
In questa città i migliori architetti del mondo hanno lasciato la loro firma
con creazioni audaci che convivono armoniosamente con il sapore popolare
delle piazzette e dei vicoli di quartiere. Architetti famosi hanno disegnato a
Barcellona il nuovo volto dell’urbanistica con progetti futuristi, come edifici
altissimi e singolari per forme e colore che svettano tra le testimonianze del
passato. October Edition
12
Futbul Club Barcelona: esempio illuminante di un progetto vincente
La città è un esempio al mondo di come si possa in poco spazio concentrare strutture di
prim’ordine. È servita da varie autostrade, una ferrovia ad alta velocità, è dotata di un
porto commerciale e turistico, un aeroporto intercontinentale, una zona franca e parchi
logistici, tanto da assurgere a capitale logistica del sud Europa, al servizio del progresso
economico e scientifico: un centro multimediale in pieno corridoio mediterraneo che
collega la Catalogna al resto del mondo via terra, mare e aria. Il successo delle Olimpiadi di Barcellona del 1992 non sorprende in un paese dove vige
una lunga tradizione della pratica sportiva. Tanti sono i campioni che hanno ottenuto
titoli molto importanti, affermatisi nelle varie discipline come motociclismo, tennis,
volley, nuoto, atletica, pallacanestro, palla a mano, calcio. I giovani provenienti dal
vivaio del Barça sono ambiti dalle squadre di calcio più forti al mondo. I calciatori
formati nella cantera fin da giovanissimi sono accomunati da una stessa visone di gioco,
loro marchio distintivo e garanzia di successo. Il Barcellona è una squadra che gioca a
memoria, che incanta con i suoi schemi tattici, con il controllo costante del pallone. Il
Barcellona è il calcio perché esprime un gioco corale che esalta il valore del collettivo
13
October Edition
Caribbean Cultural Group (CCG)
Charity Fund
Donation of proceeds from Charity sales in 2014-2015
by Edith Mahabir
Charity sale 2014
In 2014 the CCG organized two charity sales at FAO Headquarters in the Spring
and at Christmas to raise funds for relief supplies in cases of natural calamities
or needy people and/or institutions. In April 2015 the CCG spring charity sale
was held in the Blue Bar (which was not an ideal location due to cramped space
not permitting proper exhibition of products and items hence sales were not
very good so less proceeds). The total from these three charity sales amounted
to €1,225.00.
Nepal Earthquake: Two donations were made on behalf of the CCG to the WFP on
4 May 2015 and to the FAO Nepalese colleagues’ collection for the population after
the terrible earthquake in Nepal. The first amount of €225.00 was donated to the
WFP Nepal emergency food distribution to the population and the second amount
of €410.00 was given to the Nepalese collection in FAO on 20/04/15.
October Edition
14
Dominica, West Indies: In August 2015, Hurricane Erika struck the Caribbean island
of Dominica killing 23 people and leaving behind much devastation, destroying
totally the village of Petite Savane. The remaining €600.00 in the CCG Charity
Fund was handed over to a colleague to purchase emergency supplies for the people
affected. The money was handed over to her sister who would personally arrange
the purchase and distribution of the supplies. She will be giving us a written report
on this.
Future initiatives in 2015
Two other fund raising initiatives are planned in 2015 to raise additional funds:
•The first one is a Silent Auction of paintings and art work exhibited in the Staff
Lounge D, Casa Bar walls, from 12 to 23 October 2015.
•The second one will be the Annual Christmas Charity Sale planned from 7 to 11
and 14 to 18 December 2015. The Caracalla Room has been requested for this
sale and confirmation is awaited.
Newsletters will be issued announcing these events closer to the dates. Your support
would be much appreciated
Charity sale 2014
15
October Edition
XIV World Forestry Congress Cork Tree
Mr Hisao Harihara, Vice-Minister for International Affairs, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries,
Japan, and Melanie Pisano, Communication and Publication intern, FAO Forestry Department
FAO Forestry intern, Melani Pisano, who designed and created the World Forestry
Congress tree describes how it all came together.
“I’ve always enjoyed creating art, so I jumped at the opportunity to create this
interactive ‘message-board’ cork tree for the World Forestry Congress. First,
I built the skeleton of the tree using chicken wire because it’s sturdy and also
flexible to shape. Then I wrapped the chicken wire in tape to create a soft shell,
before paper macheíng a harder shell around the whole tree. I walked around the
Roman neighborhood of Trastevere (on two different occasions), asking local wine
bars and restaurants for corks and I collected 1,902 recycled corks for decoration
purposes of this tree.
I chose the material of cork because it can be separated from the tree without
October Edition
16
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Four stages of building the tree
causing permanent damage. Used wine corks are often thrown away and I wanted
to find a way to recycle and use this material. Cork also acts like a ‘bulletin board,’
AUTONOLEGGIO
- HOLIDAY
HOMES -that was
so people can stick notes on the tree and it serves as an interactive
purpose
CON CONDUCENTE
requested when I was given this assignment. For the decoration, I boiled ten corks
at a time, so the cork would soften and I could cut it in half without crumbling.
Corks almost double in size when boiled! Once I cut 1,902 corks in half, I glued
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11 | July Edition
e la liquidazione).
17
October Edition
Per quanto riguarda la
pensione
di
a n z i a n i t à ,20/07/15
16:02
Cassia Carpool1 – End of an Era
by Calvin Miller and former Cassia carpool companions
Carpool Clan
With the transfer of Adam Gerrand and Valerie Wayte to Bangkok in August and
FAO retirement of Calvin Miller in September, the Via Cassia Carpool will coast to
a halt after over 13 years. The Via Cassia from the north of Rome, started by Doug
Kneeland and Greg Garbinsky in 2002 was a more than just being a “green” mode
of transportation. It was newcomers’ best orientation to FAO – of how things really
worked, or not, how to most efficiently accomplish work within the myriad of rules
and bureaucracy. No topic was off limits for humorous and rich debate on world
politics, fixing the politics of Italy, US, UK and FAO. We laughed at the podcasts
Greg would bring from CarTalk, Lake Wobegon and others. With the Lungotevere
and Via Cassia traffic jams, we called “bubbles”, we debated alternative routes
and chatted, slept, read emails and or just watched the scenery of motorcycles
1) Edgardo Arza, Gary Brickler, Vickie Bridges, Claudia Cartwright, Greg Garbinski, Adam Gerrand, Michael Hage, Doug Kneeland, Tom
Jayne, Calvin Miller, Tim Stevens and Valerie Wayte and interns, young professionals, visiting experts, and others (Ladé Dada, Prasun Das and
others) and represented 10 Division, AGA, AGS, ESA, FOD, FOM, NRC, ODG, TCE and TCI.
(continued on page 20)
October Edition
18
Learn More about us at:
www.aur.edu
19 | July Edition
Draft August 2015.indd 19
20/07/15 16:02
Keep in touch with the Coop!
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19
October Edition
(continued from page 18)
bumping through the jams, cars scraping or honking and pedestrians trying to cross
in between.
Nothing was too nice or too simple for FAO’s civil servants in the group. We rode in
style from a beat up Fiat Punto, a Honda Civic missing some pieces, a British Land
Rover with right-hand steering, a French Peugeot, or in a new SAAB convertible,
a classy Honda CRV, and shiny black Lexus. It made no difference as long as the
wheels went around. Some riders had no car and paid in coffee, cash, ice cream or
a smile. Sometimes we traveled the 15 km in as little as 35 minutes (Greg had a US
Security driver training certificate in how to outmaneuver and escape kidnapping
and how to “take out” cars), to several hours with traffic jams from soccer stadium
blockages and in 5 hours with one snow storm.
Each driver had his/her preferred route(s) to and from work and different somewhat
different Times Of Departure (TOD) but all agreed on an early morning departure
to beat the traffic (and usually worked extra hours) and so never needed a carpool
designated parking spot. For leaving, some driver and riders had more flex than
others, but with WhatsApp or text messaging, return TOD was adjusted to fit the
carpoolers’ needs. Yes colleagues have been left behind if too late, and sometimes
forgotten. But one carpooler said, “I still remember the day that I was supposed to
get a ride home and the driver forgot and left me, but when I called him to check
on the departure time, he insisted on turning around and came back to pick me up.
What a guy!!!!” Yes, we carpoolers become comrades.
October Edition
20
And the sights were memorable. Ed notes, “I will never forget going by Saint Peter’s
Basilica every morning and would always peek at the Church as we drove by Via
della Conciliazione, even when I was driving.” We saw Ponte della Musica, Castel
Sant’Angelo, the Tevere we crossed three times coming to FAO, il Palatino and of
course up to FAO with the banners on the side displaying the Year of the Potato
or Soil. And yes, every week we witnessed numerous motorcycle accidents, some
laying their cycles right in front of us, hitting our mirrors or each other. One time
though it was a fault of one of our esteemed drivers who took out two motorcycles in
one shot (not recommended.) Another streamlined a dumpster, etc. but undoubtedly
the multiple pairs of eyes of the group contributed to fewer accidents by alerting the
driver and by keeping the driver from being bored and sleepy. The most interesting
accident we saw right in front of us was a Smart car with a not-so-smart driver who
hit a concrete abutment by the new Ponte della Musica bridge that was being built
near Ponte Milvio and did a flip and rolled sideways on all four sides (i.e. left side,
roof, right side and landed back on its wheels), a bit more compressed and banged.
The lady was shaken but OK.
The Cassia Carpool also spurred a Cassia biking group as Adam, Calvin and Greg
also began biking the 30 km round trip. After FAO retirement Greg kept bicycling
and biked 6,300 km across the US and Calvin soon plans the same across Europe
after he is “too old” for FAO.
Yes, carpooling is not just green and cost-efficient, but it can be fun as well as
practical for all. And the friendships made will last forever
21
October Edition
ITALIAN LANGUAGE
AUTUMN COURSES – for beginners and intermediate level
OPEN TO STAFF MEMBERS of FAO AND WFP
Starting: Monday 21st September 2015
In Classroom E-021
(Group lessons: min. 5, max. 12 persons)
Monday – Tuesday – Wednesday – Thursday
From: 17:00 hrs - 19:00 hrs
Beginners (70 hours)
Intermediate (70 hours)
Private lessons
Monday/Wednesday
Tuesday/Thursday
Friday (as required)
For information please contact the teacher STEFANIA GALLI
Tel. 06/86205202, mobile: 340/5231105, or FAO STAFF COOP, ext. 53142.
OR GO DIRECTLY to Classroom E-021 to speak to the teacher,
17:00 hrs to 17:30 hrs (Monday to Thursday) to enquire about courses, levels and costs.
You can meet the teacher on 18 September, Thursday between 17: 00 hrs to 18:00 hrs
Please register and pay for the courses at the FAO Staff Coop Office, E-016
Note: Please be aware that fee is not refundable
October Edition
22
A great success for a stunning first edition
of FAO Model!
by Mirko Montuori
Mirko Montuori and Riccardo Mazzucchelli
From Monday 21st to Friday 25th September, the Organization hosted FAO Model
2015, the first simulation of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United
Nations ever to replicate the working of some of the Governing and Statutory Bodies
of FAO. The event was created and entirely organised by MUN Academy, a nonprofit association, based in Rome, with explicit aim of engaging younger generations
to shed some light on the internal dynamics of FAO and it was a great success. This
year’s topic was The Zero Hunger Challenge: eliminating hunger, malnutrition and
food insecurity for all.
Mirko Montuori and Riccardo Mazzucchelli, Team Manager and Director-General of
FAO Model 2015 respectively, stated that MUN Academy received over five hundred
applications from seventy five countries to participate; but the selection was strict and
positions limited, with one hundred and fifty students and young professionals from
forty countries could come to FAO Headquarters for the actual debates.
23
October Edition
H.E. Neil D. Briscoe at the Opening Day in the Green room
The simulation was awarded the Medaglia del Presidente della Repubblica, along
with the patronage of many national and international institutions, including the
European Commission, the Italian Council of the Presidency of Ministers, the
Italian Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Interior and Environment, the Regions Lazio
and Campania, and several universities worldwide.
Endorsement messages were received by the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon,
by the President of the Italian Council of Ministers and the Italian Prime Minister,
Matteo Renzi, among others.
The week of simulation, from Monday to Friday, allowed FAO Model participants
to experience an entire biennium in just five days, forcing them to work very hard.
“My idea was to make them feel the complexity that the institutional dynamics
and dialogue entails.” - says Mr Mazzucchelli, who took care of the academic
content of FAO Model 2015 - “For this reason, it was essential that our participants
felt comfortable in sitting in the Green room, talking through microphones to an
audience of over a hundred people they had never met before as soon as possible”.
It was no easy task but the delegates managed to draft three documents in less than
five days, demonstrating their commendable engagement on a topic that is a concrete
priority of the entire international community. Maybe the proposed solutions are
not going to change the world upside down but FAO Model 2015 brought younger
generations closer to a topic they knew only superficially. As many say, this is the
generation that can win The Zero Hunger Challenge; this can be the Zero Hunger
generation and FAO Model 2015 provided its participants with a renewed passion
for international issues while demonstrating that you do not need to be a politician
October Edition
24
or a tycoon to address the world’s problem: all you need is a group of motivated,
talented and engaged people who turn what was impossible into a reality.
The opening ceremony, held in the FAO Green Room, foresaw the participation
of H.E. Neil D. Briscoe, Permanent representative of the United Kingdom to the
UN Agencies in Rome, Ms Deborah Fulton, Secretary of the Committee on World
Food Security, Ms Clara Velez Fraga, lead of the UN-EXPO Team and Officer-inCharge of Outreach and Promotion, Office for Corporate Communication at FAO.
Moreover, Ms Vera Hallé, Director of Donor Relations at PANGEA, shared her
long experience in the UN system with FAO Model 2015 participants.
The closing ceremony hosted the amazing performance by Il Grande Coro di Roma,
composed of the FAO Staff Philharmonic Choir, the Castelli Singers, and the choirs
of RAI, Regione Lazio, INAIL, Telecom and INPS staff members, all extraordinary
conducted by the Maestro Fabrizio Adriano Neri. The professional mezzosoprano
Amalia Dustin also honoured the choir with her magistral performance.
MUN Academy organised this event precisely to provide its participants with a
forum through which they could experience first-hand the difficulties of international
negotiations. As a matter of fact, prior to FAO Model 2015, almost none of its
one hundred and fifty participants had a clear idea of what FAO or the UN did;
the general perception that long standing global issues might remain unsolved
changed completely after one week of debates. FAO Model participants realised
that agreeing on a common goal, for as noble as it may be, does not imply agreeing
on the means to achieve it. With its multicultural environment, FAO Model 2015
exposed its participants to a new challenge: working with people from all over the
The Opening Day in the Green room
25
October Edition
The FAO Philharmonic Choir at the closing event - Plenary hall
world, with different cultures, religions, backgrounds and ideas but all equals in their
right to express their position. This generated a lot of frustration, misunderstandings
and even funny moments but once the final reports were adopted, all the fatigue
disappeared all of a sudden: they accomplished their goal.
Even if it is not going to solve all problems at once, FAO Model 2015 taught
that the working of international organizations is extremely tough but it proceeds
incrementally and adaptively. These young men and women who gathered at
FAO Headquarters for five days have gone back home a little richer and having
contributed - even if with a tiny drop - to sustain the global effort to end hunger,
globally and for everyone.
For further details, visit www.munacademy.it and www.faomodel.munacademy.it
October Edition
26
FAO STAFF COOP
Announces the third year of
Ikebana Course with Bhawna Maru
(autumn and winter seasonal flowers)
Resumes on Tuesday 6 October 2015
in Room E-021 – 12.00 to 13.30 hrs
Enrol at the FAO Staff Coop
During office hours 09:00 to 13:30
27
October Edition
New 2015 EU Succession Regulations Affect
Foreign Wills and Cross-Border Estate Planning
by Paul Howard
On 17th August 2015, new regulations came into force which are intended to harmonise the differing, and
sometimes conflicting, laws of the EU countries in relation to the succession of assets.
The intended effect of the new European Succession Regulations (Regulations) is to make things less
complicated so that instead of different laws of different countries applying to different assets, just one
country’s laws will govern the succession of all the assets in the deceased’s estate.
Having been involved in cross-border inheritance/estate planning for a number of years now, I am aware
that this is a complex process especially when someone owns property and assets in more than one country. This is because the various assets in the same estate can be subject to the laws of different countries
not only on death but on an annual basis as exists in Italy.
Whilst performing my duties as a financial consultant, I ensure that moveable assets (such as savings and
investments) are held in tax efficient vehicles, I also look for the solutions that have the facility to mitigate
some local inheritance laws at the same time.
With careful financial planning and input from tax lawyers, it can now be possible to reduce inheritance
tax and annual taxes for those living in the EU who are either not aware of, or choose to ignore the local
or European laws which govern the disposal of their estate upon death.
So which country’s laws will be applied when you die?
The default position is that the law of the country in which the deceased has their habitual residence at the
time of death will apply and will govern the succession of the whole worldwide estate.
People will however be able to opt for the laws of the country of their nationality (or one of their nationalities if multiple) to apply to their estate instead by properly setting this out in their will.
The Regulations also state that the law chosen does not need to be the law of another EU Member State.
’This would therefore enable, for example, a US national to choose American law to apply to his estate
even though he/she is habitually resident in Italy.
It is important to note however that these regulations deal with the laws of succession only i.e. who inherits the assets of the estate. It does not deal with any tax matters, including inheritance tax. National law
will continue to determine how inheritance tax is calculated and whether it is the estate or the beneficiary
who is liable for the payment of the tax.
It is actually possible for an Italian tax resident to opt to choose the distribution of assets under the laws
of the UK and combine that with the favourable IHT tax position of Italy.
October Edition
28
IHT is charged in the UK at 40%, however, everyone is entitled to a tax free amount (also known as the
“nil rate band”) which is currently £325,000 (or up to £650,000 for married couples and registered civil
partners if the “transferrable nil rate band” applies).
In Italy however, you can pass one million Euros of your assets to your wife and each of your children
without any IHT falling due. It is important to understand that natural succession rules exist in this instance so if you married, had 2 children and you had an Italian will written, your estate could be distributed 50% to your spouse and 50% to your children. If you did not have a will the estate would automatically be distributed as 1/3rd to your spouse and 2/3rds to your children. Please note that unmarried partners
have no legal rights to inherit in Italy.
Using certain regulated investment portfolio bonds to hold your liquid assets can eliminate the above
position but again professional advice needs to be taken to plan this.
All EU countries will apply the new regulations with the exception of the UK, Ireland and Denmark who
have opted out. Although the UK is therefore not a signatory to these regulations, the regulations are still
of considerable relevance to UK residents and nationals with assets in participating EU countries.
After 17 August 2015, an English national (for example) will be able to create a Will that stipulates that
English law is to apply to his/her entire worldwide estate, including property in other participating EU
member states. As such, any EU member state which is a signatory to the regulation would be required
not to apply its own succession rules to those assets, and apply English succession law instead.
Often we get asked if it is necessary to make a separate will covering the assets of each country. Our
suggestion is always to seek the advice of a properly qualified lawyer, as the position may be different
depending on each individual’s circumstances. There may also be additional benefits to having more than
one will when it comes to the practicality of administering your estate.
The Regulations also provide for the issue of a European Certificates of Succession. This is a document
similar to a Grant of Probate and provides proof of who is entitled to the assets of the estate. The ECS
will be issued by the authorities of the participating Member State in which the deceased was habitually
resident and will be recognized by all of the participating Member States.
For example, the beneficiaries of a Spanish national, who dies habitually resident in France, with assets
in France, Italy and Spain will be able to deal with all the assets on the basis of the one Certificate which
will be recognised not only in the country issuing it (France) but also (in this example) Italy and Spain.
However because the UK has not opted in to the Regulations it is not bound by them or subject to their
application. Therefore where a UK national who is habitually resident in France has chosen UK law to
apply to his estate it may still be necessary to obtain a UK grant of probate to administer any UK assets.
If you require any advice in relation to this article, with your financial planning needs or investment
advice, please contact the FAO Staff Co-op to arrange a meeting with me or contact me directly on paul.
howard@blacktowerfm.com or call me on either +39 0642272227; +39 3319386322.
Blacktower Financial Management (Intl) Ltd is licensed in Gibraltar by the Financial Services Commission. Licence No: 00805B. Blacktower Financial Management Ltd is authorized and regulated by the
Financial Conduct Authority in the UK
29
October Edition
Pasteis de Nata (Custard Tarts)
Typical Portuguese pastry which is found practically
everywhere in Lisbon.
Ingredients:
1 whole egg (large)
2 egg yolks (large)
115g golden caster
sugar
400ml full fat (creamy)
milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 sheet ready rolled puff
pastry
2 tbsp cornflour
Method:
Lightly grease a 12 hole muffin tin and pre-heat oven to 200C/180C fan/Gas 6
Put egg, yolks, sugar & cornflour in a pan and mix well together; then gradually add
the milk until mixture is well mixed and smooth.
Place pan on medium heat and stir constantly until mixture thickens and comes to
the boil. Remove pan from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
Put custard in a glass/ceramic bowl to cool and cover with cling film to prevent skin
forming.
Cut pastry sheet into two pieces and place them on top of each other. Roll the pastry
tightly, from the short side, into a log and cut the log into 12 even sized rounds.
On a lightly floured board, roll each round into a disc (approx. 10cm) and press the
pastry discs into the muffin tin.
Spoon in the cooled custard and bake for 20-25mins until golden on top. Leave to
cool in the tin for 5 mins; then move to a cooling rack to finish cooling although
they can be eaten warm.
October Edition
30
31
October
Edition
31 | July
Edition
Financial advice
within FAO - 2015
Room E-021 every Tuesday morning
July Edition | 32