Strengthening Youth Opportunities in Naples and Campania through U.S. Relations

The opportunities for the youth of Naples and Campania that can arise thanks to the relationship with the USA. This was the theme of the reflection proposed by Tracy Roberts-Pounds, the United States General Consul in Naples, to the members and guests of the Rotary Club Napoli Nord, chaired by Francesco Tavassi, during the convivial meeting organized at the Hotel Excelsior in Naples. The meeting took place within the program 'Support for Youth: the future of opportunities', initiated by Francesco Tavassi. Tracy Roberts-Pounds began her career at the American State Department in 2000. From 2018 to 2021, Roberts-Pounds headed the regional office for peace and security at the Bureau for African Affairs. Previously, she served as the director of International Media Relations at the Bureau of Global Public Affairs, and oversaw the department's six regional media hubs and foreign language spokespersons. An expert on the Middle East, where she also held the position of Foreign Policy Advisor, she worked in Washington for the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, and had diplomatic assignments in Kuwait and Syria. 'The diplomacy of the United States places central importance on the valorization of this territory and on the relationship with the new generations in Italy,' explained Tracy Roberts-Pounds. 'Our commitment materializes in the promotion of exchange programs, such as the Fulbright program scholarships, for studying in the USA, and the International Visitor Leadership Program, the State Department's most important professional exchange program. But also in a series of initiatives directly on the territory. In collaboration with the University of Federico II, we have created the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs, which will guide participants in the realization of their entrepreneurial projects and in creating a network. It is then known that U.S. companies of the caliber of Apple, Cisco, and Micron have collaborated with Italian companies in making the technological hub of San Giovanni a Teduccio attractive. Similarly,' concluded Consul Roberts-Pounds, 'I highlight the growth of the aerospace sector in Campania, attended to and strengthened by investments from American companies.' Consul Roberts-Pounds thanked the Rotary Club Napoli Nord for the proposal, under consideration, to become our honorary member. But we intend to do much more: we are already working to structure a multi-year plan of collaboration with the Consulate, which helps to spread the knowledge of the numerous opportunities that the U.S. Diplomatic Headquarters in Naples offers to our youth, startups, and innovative and sustainable ecosystems and sectors,' commented President Francesco Tavassi in conclusion.