USI welcomes the dialogue between Switzerland and Italy

Following the previous editions held in Rome, Berne and Milan, today and tomorrow the USI Lugano campus will host the fourth edition of the “Forum di dialogo tra Svizzera e Italia” (Forum of dialogue between Switzerland and Italy). 

The Forum is a joint initiative of the Embassy of Switzerland in Italy, the Embassy of Italy in Switzerland, Limes-Rivista Italiana di Geopolitica (Italian geopolitical magazine), and Avenir Suisse (free-market liberal think tank), in collaboration with ISPI (Italian Institute For International Political Studies), USI, the City of Lugano, and the Canton Ticino, with the support of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs and the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. 

The Forum was opened this morning by the Rector of USI Boas Erez, the Mayor of the City of Lugano Marco Borradori, and by the respective foreign ministers of Switzerland and Italy, Federal Councilor Didier Burkhalter and Hon. Minister Angelino Alfano. After the keynote speeches of Eng. Carlo De Benedetti and architect Mario Botta, a roundtable discussion with Limes and Avenir Suisse directors Lucio Caracciolo and Peter Grünenfelder was held, focusing on the challenges that both countries are currently faced with. 

The series of meetings that will take place today and tomorrow on the Lugano campus, which will be attended by several professors of USI, will focus on four main topics: the Swiss-Italian commitment to promoting the Italian language; migrations, from hospitality to integration; industry 4.0; transportation.

The Forum will close tomorrow with a session open to the public and a presentation of the results of the four workgroups, starting at 1:30PM in the USI Auditorium.

The scope the Forum intends to pursue is to focus on common features between Switzerland and Italy, such as the language, that can bolster the political-cultural exchange between the two countries and strengthen a deep relationship in many areas, political, economic, financial and cultural. At the same time, the initiative aims to bridge the knowledge gap that marks the bilateral relationship despite the intense and consistent relationships.

For the live streaming: www.rsi.ch/live-streaming