A Memorandum of Understanding between universities to kick off the "Italian-German Dialogues for Europe" was signed today in Berlin, at the Italian Embassy by the Rector of the Luiss Guido Carli University in Rome, Paolo Boccardelli, and the Director of the European School of Technology and Management in Berlin, Joerg Rocholl. Ambassador Catalina Cullas, Director for Relations with EU Countries at the German Foreign Ministry, and Minister Plenipotentiary Alessandro Gaudiano, Deputy Director General and Central Director for European Countries at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, also attended the signing.
The initiative, supported by the Embassy, the German Embassy in Rome, Confindustria and the German industry association BDI, aims to foster dialogue between Italy and Germany, involving the worlds of academia, economics, culture and civil society, with a special focus on the younger generations and their projection in the European context. Collaboration between the two universities is expected to take the form of various forms of meetings and university exchanges and culminate in the launch of the 'Italo-German Dialogues for Europe', which will be held in alternate years in Rome and Berlin, according to a note, bringing together senior representatives of institutions and the economy with a view to strengthening Italian-German ties.
The signing was followed by a panel dedicated to the theme 'Italy, Germany and the E.U. facing the challenges ahead' with speeches by Paola Severino, President of the Luiss School of Law, Lars-Hendrik Roeller, founder and director of the Berlin Global Dialogues of Esmt, Stefan Pan, Vice President for the E.U. of Confindustria, and Tanja Goenner, Director General of BDI, with the moderation of journalist Gordon Repinski of Politico.
Ambassador Armando Varricchio emphasised that the initiative is part of the activities envisaged by the Italian-German Action Plan signed by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Chancellor Olaf Scholz, the implementation of which, a year after its signing, has already contributed significantly to the further strengthening of political, economic, scientific and cultural relations between the two countries. "It is certainly of crucial importance," he continued, "to reflect together on the relations between our two countries in the current phase marked by important developments both in bilateral relations - reaffirmed this year at the highest level on the occasion of the State visit of the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella - and in the European and international spheres." "With the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding together with an academic institution of excellence such as Esmt Berlin and the launch of the 'Italo-German Diaologues for Europe', Luiss University strengthens its commitment to promoting cooperation between the founding countries of the EU, called upon to lead a phase of profound geopolitical, socio-economic and technological transformation," Boccardelli stated. "In the wake of a path that our University has been pursuing for some time now," Severino added, "this initiative places education and culture at the centre of a common project to build a shared and cohesive European future. A project that pays particular attention to young people, who will be the protagonists of this change'. "Through our partnership with Luiss University, we intend to position education, research and cultural exchange as fundamental pillars for shaping a united and forward-looking European future," said Rocholl, President of Esmt Berlin. "This collaboration reflects our common commitment to empower the new generations to lead with creativity," he concluded, "innovation and a deep sense of responsibility towards society and the world.
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