Today, April 22, on the occasion of the Day of Italian Research in the World, a delegation from the Consulta dei Presidenti degli Enti Pubblici di Ricerca (CoPER), led by the Minister of University and Research Anna Maria Bernini, was received at the Quirinale by the President of the Italian Republic Sergio Mattarella, in a meeting dedicated to recognising the role of scientific research in shaping the country’s future.
Each year, since its establishment in 2018 by the Ministry of University and Research, in agreement with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the Ministry of Health, the Day highlights the wide spectrum of Italian research and its valuable contribution to international science. This year, the President of CoPER and of INFN Italian National Institute for Nuclear Physics, Antonio Zoccoli, presented the activities and main achievements of Italian research bodies and their tireless commitment to the country’s scientific, technological and economic development.
“It was an honour to be received by the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella on the occasion of the Day of Italian Research in the World Day, and to have the opportunity, together with the Minister of University and Research Anna Maria Bernini, to present the excellent research that Italy carries out at national and international level across many different fields”, said Antonio Zoccoli, President of CoPER and INFN. “Research is one of the fundamental pillars of our society, and it can guide us in these times of great uncertainty”.
In a global scenario such as the current one, characterised by rapid transformations and increasing competition, vision, continuity and strategic planning are indispensable, and the Minister of University and Research Anna Maria Bernini recalled, in this regard, the Ministry’s concrete support for research.
“I would like to thank the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella for the constant attention and sensitivity he has always devoted to research. The Day of Italian Research in the World is an extraordinary opportunity to recognise its strategic value for the country’s future and to highlight the contribution of our researchers, in Italy and abroad, in strengthening Italy’s capacity to innovate, compete and assert itself on the global stage”, declared Minister Bernini. “Today’s celebration is even more meaningful because it is supported by concrete actions. The meeting was also an opportunity to take stock of the path undertaken by the Ministry in recent months and to share with the President of the Republic the measures we are pursuing: real interventions that, step by step, are outlining a clear direction. A direction in which research returns to the centre of public policies and establishes itself as a strategic lever for the country’s development and future”.
Scientific research is today one of the main drivers of growth and competitiveness, and the field in which changes are anticipated and long-term innovations take shape. But it is also a dimension that transcends borders, where dialogue, collaboration and relationships between countries are built: it is an important vehicle for peace and cooperation, as the Covid-19 pandemic has taught us and as demonstrated by major international research infrastructures.
Some moments from the meeting at the Quirinale
