By Arturo Varè
The Diplomat’s Pen: An Exhibition in Krakow Illuminates the Literary Tradition of Italian Diplomacy
An exhibition is set to open in Kraków, Poland, offering a view into the intellectual work of Italian and Polish diplomatic officials. Titled “Pióro dyplomaty / La penna del diplomatico” (The Diplomat’s Pen), the exhibition will reveal the often-unseen creative dimension of those dedicated to representing their nations abroad.
The event is scheduled to begin on November 4, 2025, and will run until the end of the year at the Faculty of International and Political Studies of the Jagiellonian University. This undertaking is the result of cooperation between the University’s research team, the Italian Cultural Institute in Kraków, and Ambassador Stefano Baldi, who conceived and guided the Italian section. The exhibition is held under the Honorary Patronage of the Embassy of Italy in Warsaw.
The Diplomat’s Pen focuses on how writing is an essential activity in the life of a diplomatic professional. Diplomats are born with a pen in hand, as reports, letters, analyses, and internal communications are constant companions throughout their professional careers. However, the exhibition celebrates the books they publish, moving beyond routine professional writing.
The Italian Project: A Spark for Polish Research
The exhibition features both an Italian section, titled “Books Published by Italian Diplomats” and a parallel Polish exhibition. The Italian side is founded upon the extensive research project also named “La penna del diplomatico” a project that proved instrumental in inspiring the Polish complementary research. Amb. Stefano Baldi has been explicitly thanked for the inspiration and valuable contribution provided for the realisation of the Polish initiative. The Polish exhibition section focuses on those who served Poland with words as faithfully as with action, illustrating how their books and memories create a spiritual bridge between diplomacy and culture.
The underlying Italian research project was conceived and managed by Amb. Baldi and began more than twenty years ago, starting with the publication of the volume of the same name, written with Amb. Pasquale Baldocci. This long-running initiative has since found and listed nearly 1,500 books authored by more than 350 Italian diplomats who have served since the Republic was proclaimed in 1946. More recent figures confirm this wide output, referencing over 1,400 books by more than 340 authors. The aim of this work is to highlight the vast cultural contribution and literary activities of the diplomatic world.
The person central to this research is Stefano Baldi, a career diplomat who has combined his official duties with a constant engagement in research and public presentation of cultural topics. He is currently the Coordinator for Online and Continuous Learning at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. His past postings included serving as Ambassador of Italy to Bulgaria and as Permanent Representative of Italy to the OSCE in Vienna. He has authored or edited over thirty volumes.
His work in uncovering the books written by his colleagues has produced several key publications, fundamental to the entire project. The initial findings were published in the volume La penna del diplomatico. I libri scritti dai diplomatici italiani dal dopoguerra ad oggi (2004/2006), which examined over five hundred titles. To reach an international audience, an English version was published: Through the Diplomatic Looking Glass: Books Published by Italian Diplomats Since 1946 (2007). Later, he edited Il diplomatico su carta. Repertorio dei 1200 libri pubblicati da diplomatici italiani (2018), which updated the findings with a detailed list of 1,200 books.
Themes and Literary Genres
The exhibition presents the thematic diversity of these books through eighteen display panels. The collected works show that diplomatic officials engage with genres spanning political essays, memoirs, fiction, poetry, theatre, and specialised studies.
Analysis of the output indicates a strong connection to the professional lives of the authors. The majority of books concentrate on Memoirs and recollections, History, and International Relations. Memoirs, in particular, are considered important supplemental sources of knowledge, not only for historians but also for younger diplomats, offering detailed accounts of specific events and encounters that complement the often detached style of official documentation. History is a recurring theme, driven by the authors’ deep cultural and academic preparation and their proximity to major international events, even if the preferred historical period is often the most recent and tied to Italy’s own history. International Politics frequently focuses on European questions and the internal dynamics of specific countries, with Russia being a particularly analyzed nation across different historical phases.
The books in other genres are a clear indication of the diversity of the personalities that characterize the Italian diplomatic career. These include fiction, where autobiographical details often appear, and a smaller collection of poetry and theatre works. There are also books dedicated to the historical and social aspects of Italian communities across the globe, often written by the diplomat while serving in that specific location.
The Project’s Online Resources and Comprehensive Memory Initiatives
The “La penna del diplomatico” project is more than just an exhibition or a series of books; it functions as a continually growing multi-platform initiative aimed at preserving diplomatic memory.
The project maintains a dedicated digital presence through its website (http://baldi.diplomacy.edu/diplo), which provides updated information and complements the initial published research. The site is a key resource where new titles published by diplomats are regularly added. It also hosts a digital library, allowing users to freely access and download some of the identified books in digital format. Furthermore, research updates and discussions, sometimes focusing on foreign authors or books in other languages, are maintained through a project blog. A distribution list is also managed to share information globally about books published by diplomats.
Complementing the written materials, Amb. Baldi has initiated two distinct projects: the “Immaginario diplomatico” project collects and digitizes over 600 historical photographs of Italian diplomats from 1861 to 1961, making this visual heritage publicly available. Meanwhile, the “Storia orale della diplomazia italiana” gathers and shares interviews (in conversation format/podcasts) with retired Italian diplomatic staff, contributing to an oral history of the profession. Within this context, the series of books Memorie e studi diplomatici supports further historical and scholarly examination of diplomacy. Through this exhibition in Kraków, the project clearly demonstrates that diplomacy is characterized not only by the necessary negotiation and policy work but also by the enduring power of the word, functioning as an essential tool for memory and cultural exchange between peoples.