"It is a great honor to be able to represent my country's national flag in Shanghai. This dynamic city is our most important consulate in China," he said. "On behalf of the Italian government, I am here to promote and protect our country's interests, coordinate the activities of Italian entities and organizations and work with authorities, business groups, associations and universities to strengthen the relations between Italy and Shanghai and the Yangtze Delta region."
Assigned to Shanghai in January last year, Roscigno arrived during a busy time. Aside from being the Year of Italy in China, plans were in motion for the arrival of two very important visitors - Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Massimo D'Alema.
"It was an exciting and happy year. Lots of promotional events concerned with art, music, architecture, economic research and cultural exchange were held in the city.
"Italy has a great and unique cultural heritage so its promotion is important. Culture is a universal value all over the world. It offers opportunities to create understanding between people and to open the way for political and economic relations."
shot by MIllionaire Magazine In Roscigno's eyes, it is the common awareness of having thousands of years of civilization that built a strong friendship between the people of China and Italy. The affinity stimulates a growing exchange of economy, culture, science, tourism and other areas such as environmental protection.
"Italy is a country that is good in the technology and practices of environmental protection and anti-pollution. Our environmental cooperation with the municipal government is very advanced and can help reduce air pollution and promote energy-saving in the city."
Captivating, fascinating and sometimes peculiar, Shanghai is an interesting city when seen through the eyes of a foreign observer. Roscigno called the cosmopolitan city a showcase for China.
To his delight, he said he has found locals to be curious about Italy. "They ask me about cinema, soccer and food. Soccer is tops among things they would like to talk about. I also find there are many Italian restaurants around the city. Food is something closely related to culture. I am glad that Italian cuisine is becoming popular among Shanghainese, young and old."
With increasingly close ties in cultural exchange, Italy's industrial investment in Shanghai and the Yangtze River Delta region has also increased. Roscigno, however, said that China's investment in Italy is quite small and he hoped that there will be more coming to Italy. "More Italy in China and more China in Italy. This is, as our ambassador in Beijing puts it, what we want to achieve."
The exchange of talent between China and Italy contributes to this goal. A Sino-Italian joint campus program was started last year. Shanghai's Fudan and Tongji universities have both teamed with the universities of Bocconi, Luiss, Politecnico Milano, Politecnico Torino and Bologna to set up a joint campus providing academic degrees in engineering, economics and management.
"The program is of crucial importance to the cultural and educational exchange between China and Italy," Roscigno said. "With the same long history, I hope students of both countries can learn more about each other so they can work together tomorrow."
Roscigno, who joined the foreign service in 1981, has served in New York, Beirut and Los Angeles, successively. However, his appointment to Shanghai was unexpected.
"I was very surprised at that time. It was an urgent assignment as the former consul general retired and we could not leave the Shanghai consulate vacant."
Roscigno phoned his wife Agnes and asked her to "please have a glass of wine and sit down. I have news for you: we're moving to China." With the great support of his family, he accepted the assignment without hesitation.
shot by Metrozine MagazineNow his five-year-old daughter has started her new life in Shanghai. When talking about her, Roscigno lets down his diplomat's guard and speaks in tender and soft tones. As a father, he loves his daughter very much but feels sorry he does not have much time to play with her.
"I would like to take her to Century Park in Pudong or private clubs, but time is so limited. She takes the school bus early in the morning before I wake up and I come back home late at night when she has already gone to bed. I now have her photo on my cellphone screen so that I can see her whenever."
Roscigno said it was while he was a university student that he set a goal for himself of having some sort of international career working around the world. From the start, he has had a clear understanding of the sacrifices and dedication that would have to be made to be a diplomat.
"You don't have any private time and you are on the job 24 hours. It takes some young people some time to learn that, but I knew it from the beginning. Almost every night there are some events or a dinner to attend where I often am required to give a speech. The job is nice but stressful."
He added that to be a good foreign services officer, such sacrifices are a basic commitment to the work. Others include having the qualities needed to socialize and get to know other people, being curious and open to other cultures and being willing to interact.
After getting a doctorate in International law and European studies at the University of Rome, Roscigno didn't take the bar exam, instead he sat for his foreign services exam.
"Viewing it as a big honor to work for the government, protecting the country and general interest of the Italian community, I took the test. It went on for several rounds, from a personality test to five written tests involving history, economics, international law and foreign languages, to oral subjects such as Italian law and regulations."
"I thought that being a major in law would give me more chance to have options in my life, especially in international law. It is a complicated field, where international rules often conflict with national laws, and national laws often conflict with each others across the borders. As a consul, I can also apply it in the work, which is very important."
During his 26 years of diplomatic life, New York was the first overseas assignment for him as vice consul. He said his Shanghai stint somehow reminded him of his many years in the Big Apple.
However, from 1995 to 1999, the four years he spent in Lebanon left the deepest impression. "Sometimes we heard the bombs around us. I witnessed the clashes and saw the suffering of people at refugee camps. It is unfortunate for anyone to lose their home. Peace is of great significance to the world."
In contrast, Roscigno said his days in Los Angeles were more relaxed. He had a nice house in Beverly Hills where many Hollywood stars lived. Parties and dinners with film directors and actors provided a relaxing end to his busy days of foreign services work.
Now that he is in Shanghai, he is looking forward to the city's hosting of the 2010 World Expo. "It is a big event with millions of people attending. I think Italy is the best in some fields and we want to showcase our skills in design, architecture, environment, fashion, art and food to the world."
In closing, Roscigno said he would very much like to come back to Shanghai as a tourist after his consulate days in the city end. "I will bring my daughter. She is studying Mandarin now and by that time she should be fluent in Chinese. It is a way to recall the happy years my family spent here."