Today Ministerial Meeting on Science and Technology Opened in Trieste

Thu, 20/09/2012

The Ministerial Meeting on Science and Technology was officially opened today in Trieste at Synchtron facility (Elettra) and Free Electron Laser Laboratory (Fermi) under the chairmanship of the First Deputy Minister of Education of Ukraine, Sulima Yevhen.

CEI Secretary General, Amb. Gerhard Pfanzelter welcomed the participants underlining the role of the CEI in promoting cooperation in science and technology, especially through the well-established relations with the centres of excellence based in Trieste. Italian Minister of Education, University and Research, Prof. Francesco Profumo underlined that ''the Italian government strongly believes in the effective role played by the CEI in promoting regional cooperation, a crucial element for European integration”. He added that “in particular, the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region - with ELETTRA’s support - is active with regard to the development of the Adriatic-Ionian macro-region and the creation of a link to the Baltic and Danube regions”. Moreover, he provided participants with an update on the C-ERIC Consortium as a concrete example of research cooperation in the CEI Region. Profumo’s contribution was followed by a speech on “Frontier Research through C-ERIC Consortium” delivered by the President of Elettra/Fermi Laboratories, Prof. Carlo Rizzuto. The idea is to use the two state-of-the-art facilities based in Trieste - the Sincrotron Radiation Laboratory “Elettra” and the free Electron Laser Laboratory “Fermi” – and to facilitate their access in favour of the scientists and scientific communities in the CEI Member Countries.
Adriano De Maio, President of the AREA Science Park, briefed the participants on the possibilities of strengthening cooperation with CEI countries especially in the field of research and innovation.
The afternoon session will continue at the International Centre for Theoretical Physics – ICTP (UNESCO – IAEA) and back to back with the Ministerial Meeting, a Conference on “Renewable Energy in a Bio-Based Economy - The Option of Next Generation Biofuels” will take place on 20 September at the Headquarters of the International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) of UNESCO and IAEA.