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‘It’s the best thing that’s happened to me’

French-Moroccan Mehdi Drissi has worked in Kenya, Brazil, France and now Italy. The chief of media relations at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations talks to The Local about what Rome has to offer to those with an international mindset.

'It's the best thing that's happened to me'
Mehdi Drissi is chief of media relations at FAO. Photo: UN/FAO

How did you first come to live in Rome?

I was working for the French foreign service and moved to work at the embassy in 2004; I enjoyed Rome as soon as I moved to the city.

After four years at the embassy I was about to be transferred when I was recruited by FAO [the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations] and posted to Paris.

A year and a half ago, I was offered the position of media relations chief and immediately accepted; it was a great job in a great city.

How does working for FAO compare to the French embassy?

When you work for the French government you are engaged in bilateral cooperation between France and Italy.

When you move to the UN it’s multilateral and you become an international civil servant. You are in a multicultural environment, which is such an enrichment. It’s the best thing that’s happened to me.

How does Rome compare to other cities you have lived in?

Every experience is a good one. I enjoy living in Rome as I did in South America and Africa.

To succeed in an international career you have to have a capacity for adaptation. A lot of people complain about how chaotic Rome is, but I never complain.

Above all, I am Mediterranean so I feel at home!

What are the advantages?

I’m lucky to be living in Rome, because of everything the city offers us. Not only in its beauty, but in everything you can do – culture, sport, and there are a million things to do just outside Rome.

There’s life outside of FAO; my friends at work are from other countries but I have a lot of Italian friends.

Would you recommend Rome to people with an international career?

Definitely. I would put Rome at the top of the list; it’s so cosmopolitan thanks to the presence of so many foreign representations.

It’s an extremely important political and diplomatic place. Career-wise, it is an extremely important step to be here and a very fruitful experience.

What advice do you have for those wanting to work at an international organization or embassy in Rome?

Try to define exactly what you want to do, then go for the right agency where a lot of possibilities exist at all levels.

I would also recommend young Italians with a good academic background think about joining an international organization, through programmes developed by the Italian government. 

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TRAVEL: How to visit the Pantheon in Rome

The Pantheon has introduced an entry fee for tourists for the first time this summer. Here's what to know about paying the historic site a visit.

TRAVEL: How to visit the Pantheon in Rome

If you’re planning to visit Rome’s Pantheon this summer, you’ll now need to purchase an entry ticket.

Since July 2023, visitors who aren’t resident in Rome have been subject to a €5 fee to be allowed access to the historic temple.

Here’s what you need to know to plan your visit.

Opening hours

The Pantheon is open almost every day of the year from 9am until 7pm, with last entry around half an hour before closing time (though the ticket office closes at 6pm).

Exceptions are August 15th (Italy’s Ferragosto holiday), Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.

Tickets

Tickets can be bought online in advance, or on site.

To purchase a ticket online, you’ll need to go Italy’s State Museums website, here, and create an account.

Once that’s done, you’ll be taken to the Pantheon’s ticket calendar, where you’ll able to choose a slot between 9am and 6pm and pay by card.

You’ll then receive a ticket via email with a QR code that you can use to access the monument.

READ ALSO: TRAVEL: How to visit the Colosseum in Rome

The official Pantheon website says that tickets can also be purchased in person for the same price at the entrance to the site, using cash or card.

While there’s usually a queue to get into the Pantheon, it tends to move relatively quickly as the space inside is not huge; most visitors tend to stay for around 20-30 minutes.

If you want to purchase a guided tour, this can be done online via the website. Tours range in duration from 25 to 45 minutes, and cost between €15 and €30.50.

Rome's Pantheon will introduce an entry fee from July.

Rome’s Pantheon will introduce an entry fee from July. Photo by Alberto PIZZOLI / AFP.

Who doesn’t have to pay/gets a discount?

Under-18s are excluded from the entry fee requirement, subject to ID checks, as are Rome residents.

In the absence of clarification from the culture ministry, it’s likely that access will be granted to residents via a MIC card – a €5 card that gives residents one year’s free entry to many of Rome’s museums and historic sites.

As the Pantheon has been a consecrated Catholic church since 609 AD, Masses are held there, and worshippers will not be charged entry – though the site is closed to tourists during religious services.

READ ALSO: TRAVEL: Nine tips for making the most of a Rome city break

Teachers, students enrolled in courses relevant to the Pantheon, and disabled people and their carers will also be exempt from paying – see the culture ministry’s guidelines (in Italian) for more detail.

Young people between 18 and 25 years of age will be able to enter for €3, subject to ID checks.

How to get there

The closest metro stop to the Pantheon is Barberini on Metro Lina A, about 700m away.

The Pantheon is right in the heart of Rome and a short stroll from other sights such as the Spanish Steps, the Trevi Fountain, and Piazza Navona.

Buses with routes that go along Via del Corso or the eastern side of the lungotevere, the roads flanking Rome’s River Tiber, will take visitors close to the site.

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