(Adnkronos) – “Dear friends, this week my mandate as German ambassador to Italy ends. And that’s not all: after 40 years of diplomatic service I will now retire”: Hans-Dieter Lucas entrusts his farewell message to a short video posted on the website of the diplomatic representation in Rome at the conclusion of his two-year term as German ambassador to Italy.
“With my wife and our two dachshunds we are about to begin our return journey to Germany. Obviously we are not leaving Rome and Italy lightly. They have been two very rewarding years for us. In these two years we have learned to love Italy in a new way, the beauty of its culture and its landscapes, but above all its people,” he explains. “We were very moved by the fact that we were welcomed with open arms from the very beginning. But that’s not all: in my work I have always found in Italy a reliable friend of Germany. As major industrial nations, both countries have a great responsibility for the future of Europe and are determined to shoulder it,” he says.
“It is not easy for us to leave Rome but I am very optimistic about the relations between our two countries as they are based on a solid common foundation of values and interests. Therefore there could not have been a better place to end my diplomatic career. And one thing is already certain: we will return often and very willingly to Italy and Rome,” he concludes with a greeting in both languages: “So all that remains for me is to say goodbye, thank you very much for everything und Auf Wiedersehen!”.
