Thursday, 26 November 2020, is the date set for the Conference of Science Attachés on the subject of “Science Diplomacy and integrated promotion”.
The Conference, held online, will take off with an inaugural session opened, at 10:00, by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Luigi Di Maio, followed by addresses by the Minister of Universities and Research, Gaetano Manfredi, the Minister for Technological Innovation and Digitisation, Paola Pisano, and the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Elisabetta Belloni.
At 10:30, there will be the award ceremony of the 2020 Farnesina Awards:
- “Italian Bilateral Scientific Cooperation Award”
- “Italian-speaking innovation”
The Conference will continue, from 11:00 to 13:00, with a panel entitled “The role of research and innovation as a driver of the competitiveness of the Italian System: Science Diplomacy, the role of Science Attachés and the available tools”, introduced by the Director-General for Cultural and Economic Promotion and Innovation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lorenzo Angeloni, and moderated by author and TV host, Federico Taddia. The participants in the panel are the Scientific Advisor of the “Leonardo da Vinci” National Museum of Science and Technology, Barbara Gallavotti, the Director of the One Health Center of Excellence at the University of Florida, Ilaria Capua, astronaut Luca Parmitano, the President of AISUK, Association of Italian Scientists in the UK, Antonio Guarino, the Senior Vice President of Avio Spa, Angelo Fontana, and theoretical physicist and author Carlo Rovelli.
The aim of the Conference, organised with the contribution of APRE (Agency for Promoting European Research), is to promote the actions, instruments and successes of Science Diplomacy, and provide an update, with the Science Attaché network, on the results of the work carried out to date and the future prospects, with a view to the integrated promotion of the “Italian System”, also taking into account the “digital revolution” imposed by the Covid19 emergency. The central theme will be the growing role of the science and technology research sector in driving the competitiveness of the “Italian System”, enhancing the Government’s commitment to promoting innovation and its impact on the Italian entrepreneurial fabric. The importance of supporting investments and fostering international cooperation in the science and technology sector as a driver of the competitiveness of the “Italian System” and, more generally, of the impact on our quality of life, will also be discussed.
The event will be live streamed on the YouTube page of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
Conference of Science Attachés – 26 November 2020
Science Diplomacy and Integrated Promotion
Opening Session (10:00-11:00)
10:00 Minister Luigi Di Maio
Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation
10:10 Minister Gaetano Manfredi
Minister of Universities and Research
10:20 Minister Paola Pisano
Minister for Technological Innovation and Digitisation
10:30 Ambassador Elisabetta Belloni
Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Award ceremony of the 2020 Farnesina Awards:
“Italian Bilateral Scientific Cooperation Award”
“Italian-speaking innovation”
Conference of Science Attachés – 26 November 2020
Science Diplomacy and Integrated Promotion
High Level Panel (11:00-13:00)
“The role of research and innovation as a driver of the competitiveness of the Italian System: Science Diplomacy, the role of Science Attachés and the available tools”
Welcome address and introduction by Ambassador Lorenzo Angeloni
Director-General for Cultural and Economic Promotion and Innovation (Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
Dr. Barbara Gallavotti, Scientific Advisor of the “Leonardo da Vinci” National Museum of Science and Technology
Prof. Ilaria Capua, Director of the One Health Center of Excellence at the University of Florida
Col. Luca Parmitano, Astronaut
Prof. Antonio Guarino, President of AISUK, Association of Italian Scientists in the UK
Mr. Angelo Fontana, Senior Vice President of Avio Spa
Prof. Carlo Rovelli, theoretical physicist and author
Moderator: Mr. Federico Taddia, author and TV host
FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT:
https://www.esteri.it/mae/it/politica_estera/cooperscientificatecnologica
What does Science Diplomacy mean?
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation promotes the internationalisation of Italian research and science diplomacy as fundamental tools for developing cooperation between Italy and the rest of the world. The Ministry operates on the conviction that there can be no economic development without innovation and support to science research.
Promoting Italian science and technology abroad: the role of science and technology attachés and experts
The Directorate-General for Cultural and Economic Promotion and Innovation, through the Central Directorate for Innovation and Research, can rely on a network of Science Attachés and Experts, appointed pursuant to art. 168 of Presidential Decree 18/1967 and art. 16, paragraph 1, of Law 401/1990, who mostly come from other Government branches and public entities and operate to improve and enhance excellence in science and technology research and to support the development of Italian businesses operating in advanced technology sectors.
At present, Science Attachés and Experts have been appointed to Italian diplomatic offices abroad in European countries (Belgrade, Berlin, Brussels – Representation to the EU, Geneva – International Organisations, London, Moscow, Paris – Italian Institute of Culture, Paris – International Organisations, Stockholm and Zurich), the Mediterranean and Middle East (Cairo, Tel Aviv), the Americas (Boston, Brasilia, Buenos Aires, Mexico City, Houston, Ottawa, San Francisco, Santiago – Italian Institute of Culture, Washington), Africa (Dakar, Nairobi, Pretoria) and Asia, Australia and Oceania (Canberra, Chongqing, Hanoi, New Delhi, Beijing, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore, Tokyo).
Two Space Attachés have also been appointed to Italy’s Permanent Representation to the EU in Brussels and to the Italian Embassy in Washington.
Enforcement Protocols (EP) implementing the bilateral Science and Technology Cooperation Agreements
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as part of its actions for promoting the “Italian System”, is forcefully committed to facilitating the process of internationalisation of the Italian research and innovation system, with a view to fostering dialogue, supporting the competitiveness of our technology companies and enhancing the value of our science network abroad. In this regard, the Enforcement Protocols (EP) implementing the bilateral Science and Technology Cooperation Agreements signed by Italy are fundamental tools for bilateral cooperation, aimed in particular at supporting the visibility of Italian research and technology across the world, facilitating contacts between Italian universities and research centres and their foreign counterparts, co-financing joint science projects of great importance and researcher mobility.
In particular, through the EP, the Foreign Ministry provides financing for two types of projects:
- Projects of Major Relevance. Bilateral research projects that aim to strengthen science relations between Italy and its foreign counterparts, also with a view to fostering economic benefits for our country.
- Researcher Mobility Projects. Projects enabling researchers engaged in joint research programmes, within the framework of an Enforcement Protocol, to obtain funds for travel and accommodation expenses.
To date, bilateral Enforcement Protocols have been signed with the following countries:
- Argentina (2017 – 2019, in the process of being renewed);
- Canada – Quebec (2017-2019);
- Chile (2018-2020);
- China NFSC (2019 – 2021, extended);
- China MOST (2019-2022, extended);
- South Korea (2019-2021);
- Egypt (2016 – 2018, in the process of being renewed);
- Japan (2017 – 2019, in the process of being renewed);
- India (2017 – 2019);
- India – industrial research (2018-2019, in the process of being renewed);
- Mexico (2018 – 2020);
- Montenegro (2018-2021, extended);
- Poland (2019 – 2021, extended);
- Serbia (2019 – 2022, extended);
- Slovenia (2018-2021, extended);
- USA (2019 – 2021);
- South Africa (2018 – 2021, extended);
- Sweden (2018-2020);
- Vietnam (2021 – 2023).
