Meloni Reflects on India Visit

New Delhi: Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni shared an anecdote from his 2023 visit to India in his new book, reminding that the roads of New Delhi were decorated with posters bearing his smile welcoming his arrival, and later thanked him for his visit.

In “Giorgia’s Vision,” based on conversations he had with journalist Alessandro Sallusti, Meloni says the stunt prompted Italian Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani, who accompanied him on the trip, to joke that he would get “a million votes” if he ran in the New Delhi constituency.

“When I arrived, every few steps along the way there was a poster with my face and the words ‘Welcome.’ When I left, the posters had the same image but now it said ‘Thank you for visiting.’

“My colleague Antonio Tajani, who was with me, joked: ‘With all these posters, if you run for the New Delhi constituency, you will get a million votes,'” the Italian Prime Minister said, recalling his March 2023 visit.

Meloni visited India twice in 2023; first for the 8th Raisina Dialogue in March and then for the G20 Summit in September.

The Italian leader, who shares a warm rapport with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and is affectionately referred to by social media users as part of the “Melody” duo, writes in ‘Keeping Heads High Among World Elders’ that successful diplomacy often requires going beyond rigid formalities and finding your “personal key” to connect with others.

“A few witty words, a personal story, a shared interest – all can make a big difference,” he observes.

The 49-year-old actor explains this approach with a series of anecdotes.

For example, sometimes meaningful diplomatic relationships begin with seemingly small moments: a cigarette by the sea, a conversation about Middle Earth from “The Lord of the Rings,” a bouquet of roses or a children’s toy from Japan.

One example he cites is how he built some of his most “solid diplomatic relationships” during informal smoke breaks.

This happened during his first meeting with Tunisian President Kais Saied, whom he described as a “strong-willed leader” and “skilled negotiator”.

After the bilateral meeting, which lasted about two hours, Saied invited him to enjoy the sea view from his home.

Meloni, who admitted that he started smoking again after 13 years, hesitantly asked if he could light a cigarette.

The demand unexpectedly changed the atmosphere.

“He was very happy! He took out his own pack of cigarettes and that coffee and cigarette break became our moment,” he recalls.

In the book, he warmly reflects on his interactions and personal friendships with many foreign leaders.

Among them is Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, whom he describes as one of the most spontaneous and interesting people he has ever met.

Meloni, who is fluent in Italian and has an in-depth knowledge of Italian politics, described how Rama regularly exchanged messages with him about current events.

She also recalls her friendship with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, who shared her fondness for Italian wines and once surprised her with a bouquet of orange roses on her birthday.

According to Meloni, former Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who is also a fan of Italian wines, gifted her “a giant Hello Kitty doll for his daughter Ginevra” during the G7 summit in Hiroshima.

In Poland, then-prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki appealed to another passion of his.

“When I visited Warsaw, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, knowing how much I loved Tolkien, took me for coffee at a ‘Lord of the Rings’-themed café. We stood there talking about the huge, magnificent map of Middle Earth,” he added.

Another gesture that particularly touched him came from Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. Before the bilateral meeting in Rome, he had his memoir “I am Giorgia” translated into Uzbek and presented a hardcover copy to him as a gift.

Structured as a series of intimate conversations with journalist Sallusti, “Giorgia’s Vision” moves beyond a traditional political memoir into a broader conversation on “leadership, national identity, meritocracy, family, faith, and the future of Western civilization.”

The foreword of the book was written by US Vice President JD Vance.

Published by Rupa Publications and priced at Rs 695, the book is now available for purchase from online and offline stores.