US embassy cable - 02ROME2195

UNCLAS ROME 002195 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR IIP/G/EUR CSIEMONH; IIP/G RCROSS-NAJAFI; IIP/T/GIC- 
CLACOVEY; EUR/PPD/RHILTON 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP PRC 
SUBJECT: PROGRAM EVALUATION: U.S. SPEAKER FDNY CHIEF JOE 
CALLAN, APRIL 18-20, 2002 
 
1. DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITY: PA ROME HOSTED A NEW YORK 
FIREFIGHTER FOR TWO PROGRAMS, AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE 
ON FIREFIGHTER SAFETY, ORGANIZED BY THE ITALIAN MINISTRY 
OF THE INTERIOR, AND A CEREMONY AND PROGRAM IN 
CIVITAVECCHIA, NEAR ROME, APRIL 18-20. 
 
2. DATES: APRIL 18-20, FISCAL YEAR: FY 2002 QUARTER: 3RD 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  02195  061623Z 
3. JUSTIFICATION/OBJECTIVE:  PA ROME REQUESTED SUPPORT 
FOR PROGRAMMING A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE NEW YORK CITY 
FIRE DEPARTMENT AS A U.S. SPEAKER TO PARTICIPATE IN AN 
ITALIAN MINISTRY OF INTERIOR CONFERENCE ON SAFETY FOR 
FIREFIGHTERS, ENTITLED: "FIREFIGHTERS: ENSURING SAFE 
CONDITIONS IN RESCUE OPERATIONS," HELD IN ROME, APRIL 18- 
19, 2002.  THIS WAS A FOLLOW UP TO PA ROME'S SPEAKER 
PROGRAM WITH LOUIE CACCHIOLI AND JIM CARNEY FROM FDNY, 
DECEMBER 1-8, 2001.  THE CONFERENCE  BROUGHT TOGETHER 
REPRESENTATIVES FROM ITALIAN AND INTERNATIONAL FIRE 
DEPARTMENTS, RESCUE ORGANIZATIONS, AND OFFICIALS FROM 
MINISTRIES OF INTERIOR AND FOREIGN AFFAIRS TO DISCUSS 
RESCUE OPERATIONS AND THE RISKS FACED BY FIREFIGHTERS AND 
RESCUE WORKERS FROM BOTH NATURAL DISASTERS AND ACTS OF 
TERROR.  ADDED TO THIS WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR FURTHER 
PROGRAMMING IN CIVITAVECCHIA, A TOWN NEAR ROME. 
 
4. MPP UMBRELLA THEMES: TERRORISM/COOPERATION ON GLOBAL 
ISSUES 
 
5. AUDIENCES REACHED: CIVIC LEADERS, MINISTRY OF INTERIOR 
OFFICIALS, ACADEMICS, LOCAL GOVERNMENT, JOURNALISTS, 
FIREFIGHTERS 
 
6. RESULT/IMPACT: EXCELLENT. AT THE ROME CONFERENCE, U.S. 
SPEAKER CALLAN DESCRIBED HIS EXPERIENCES AS HEAD OF 
OPERATIONS IN THE NORTH TOWER DURING THE SEPTEMBER 11 
ATTACKS, AND SPOKE OF LESSONS LEARNED AT GROUND ZERO FOR 
THE NEW YORK FIREFIGHTERS.  IN CIVITAVECCHIA, A CITY NEAR 
ROME, HE MET WITH THE MAYOR AND PARTICIPATED IN A 
CEREMONY IN FRONT OF A MEMORIAL PLAQUE DEDICATED TO THE 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  02195  061623Z 
VICTIMS OF THE SEPTEMBER ATTACKS.  IN BOTH EVENTS, THE 
ITALIANS RESPONDED WITH ADMIRATION FOR THE NY 
FIREFIGHTERS AND EXPRESSED THEIR FRIENDSHIP AND 
SOLIDARITY TO THE CITY OF NEW YORK AND TO THE UNITED 
STATES.  OVERALL, THE PROGRAM HELPED TO REINFORCE THE 
NEED TO COMBAT INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM BY BRINGING HOME 
TO THE ITALIAN AUDIENCES THE HUMAN COSTS OF TERRORIST 
ATTACKS.  FINALLY, CALLAN'S PROGRAM RESONATED EVEN MORE 
WITH ITALIANS WHEN ITALY'S OWN TALLEST SKYSCRAPER, 
LOCATED IN MILAN, WAS HIT BY A SMALL PRIVATE PLANE ON 
APRIL 18, AND MANY AT FIRST FEARED THAT IT WAS A 
TERRORIST INCIDENT. 
 
7. NON USG SOURCES OF IN-COUNTRY FUNDING/IN-KIND SUPPORT: 
THE MINISTRY OF INTERIOR HOSTED TWO DINNERS DURING THE 
CONFERENCE, WHILE THE CITY OF CIVITAVECCHIA HOSTED A 
LUNCH FOR CHIEF CALLAN. 
 
8. QUALITY OF U.S. AND AGENCY OFFICE SUPPORT: GOOD. 
SEMBLER 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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 2002ROME02195 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED