The presentation event of the essay 'La era de la revancha' (The era of revenge-Ed. Anagrama), by journalist Andrea Rizzi, offered a penetrating analysis of the complex dynamics shaping the contemporary world at the Italian Embassy in Madrid on Tuesday evening. In his introduction, Ambassador Giuseppe Buccino Grimaldi highlighted the relevance of the work, describing it as 'an important, thought-provoking book, not just a book on international relations, a polyphonic book'. The author, Andrea Rizzi, Global Affairs correspondent for El Pais, outlined an articulated picture, in which 'revanchism' manifests itself both at the international level, through the ambitions of powers such as Russia and China, and at the national level, fuelling polarisations and divisions.
"We are in a new epoch, a new paradigm whose symptoms had been taking shape for some time. A paradigm with an undercurrent of revenge, with powers such as Russia and others seeking to reconfigure the order to suit their interests,' Rizzi noted.
In an interview with the author, Teodora Danisi, the embassy's cultural advisor, noted that "the title is a clear reference to the French revanche, understood as the recovery of lost territories, as may be Ukraine for Russia or Taiwan for China". He wondered whether the current polarisation has not already taken the world order created after World War II a step further.
And she echoed what Ambassador Buccino Grimaldi pointed out: "We were used to international law as a right that in some respects even became ius cogens, that is, a cogent right that applied always and in any case, without problems of prescription and territoriality". Whereas 'today the picture changes and becomes more complicated', the ambassador noted.
Rizzi clarified that the revenge in the West, to which he refers in the essay, "is not a territorial conquest, in the classic concept of revanchism, but rather a desire to liberate economic and cultural territories on the part of classes that have felt dissatisfied with the functioning of the system, especially after the fall of the Berlin Wall, with the affirmation of neo-liberal globalisation, which has produced great benefits for humanity, but also elements of pessimism". A malaise from which nationalist and ultra-right forces in particular have been able to take advantage. And he pointed out that what is at stake today is not a return of the great powers to the Yalta order, with the division of zones of influence. But 'the very principles of territorial integrity, of sovereignty enshrined in the Helsinki conference', which opened the door to détente between East and West.
The author emphasised 'the urgency of a refounding of the European project', so that it could respond to global challenges and promote effective multilateralism. And he noted encouraging signs of "a very strong maturation of a new Europeanism". An awakening, however, that is possible 'only by developing an all-round integration' among European partners, not only on the military front, but also 'for economic integration, for the defence of democratic systems and with a reconsideration of international relations in this new era'.
Rizzi also warned of the risks of information manipulation and the impact of artificial intelligence on democracy. And he called for 'deep reflection on the need for a collective commitment to defend democratic values and promote an international order based on law'.
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