On 11 December, the Italian Embassy in Vienna organised in its seat in Palazzo Metternich, “Between Science and Art: Leonardo’s heritage”: a day dedicated to Italian researchers in Austria to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the death of Leonardo da Vinci. Established members of the Italian research community in Austria – who work at Universities, Research Centres and International Organizations – illustrated the most relevant aspects of their activities, explaining how the spirit of Leonardo, the emblem of Humanism par excellence, who placed ingenuity and creativity at the service of stretching the confines of knowledge, inspires their professional lives.
Co-organised with the Austrian Science Fund (FWF), the Day aims to promote and develop forms of networking among the numerous Italian citizens who are making their names known in Austria in the field of research and science. Another parallel aim – with the participation of the Austrian Authorities – is to capitalise on the growing importance that the realm of research is assuming in the fertile context of bilateral relations.
On opening the event together with the President of FWF, Prof. Klement Tockner, Ambassador Sergio Barbanti said: “The Italian community in Austria is witnessing a constant rise, both quantitatively and qualitatively, of the component represented by scientists and researchers and, in this context, I’m also including the many personalities present in the field of human sciences. It is one of the new forms of mobility of Italians abroad, whom we follow with special attention. On behalf of Leonardo, let us, in our Embassy, celebrate the importance of Italian research in Austria in the context of the excellent cooperation that unites our two Countries and in the European spirit that permeates them.”
The event was moderated by journalist Susanna Bastaroli and was accompanied by the performance of piano music by pianist Ryoko Tajika Drei.
The Day’s scheduled speakers included astrophysicist Simonetta Di Pippo, Director of the Vienna-based United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), and Gaia Novarino, neuroscientist at the Institute of Science and Technology (IST) in Klosterneuburg.
