Today, 13 September 2022, at 11:30 AM, the ceremony for the Rita Levi-Montalcini Award for Scientific Cooperation will be hosted at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI). The 2022 edition is dedicated to the development of genomic technologies for sustainable agriculture. This year, the award goes to Prof. Assaf Distelfeld from the University of Haifa, Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology.
The award of this important recognition aimed at promoting the exchange of eminent scholars between Italy and Israel, is one of the major initiatives organised within the scope of the Agreement on Industrial and Scientific and Technological Cooperation between the two Countries. The award – financed by the MAECI’s Directorate General for Cultural and Economic Promotion and Innovation – sponsors the permanence of an Israeli scientist at an Italian University or Research Centre to implement a 4-to-6-month joint research programme.
The annual award ceremony renews the two Countries’ mutual commitment to further boost bilateral dialogue in the field of knowledge and innovation, thus creating new bonds between scientific communities and commemorating the scientific legacy of Rita Levi-Montalcini, a scientist of outstanding value whose life is a continuous source of inspiration.
The event, moderated by the Deputy Director General for Cultural and Economic Promotion and Innovation, Minister Plenipotentiary Liborio Stellino, features contributions by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Marina Sereni, the presidents of Italy’s major research centres, the Rectors of several Universities and representatives from the academic world. The event will also be attended by representatives of the Israeli Embassy, of the Conference of Rectors of Italian Universities (CRUI) and of the Ministry of Education, University and Research (MUR), as well as the niece of Prof Rita Levi-Montalcini, Engineer Piera Montalcini.
