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      • Rome
        • 4 December 2017
         
         

        Democracy and leadership in a new digital agorà

          Kick-starting this Meeting for the Friends of Aspen group was the observation that an end to information asymmetries, the achievement of absolute net neutrality, the elimination of any intermediation, and the attainment of pure democracy were just some of the benefits that were to be delivered by the big data revolution. Today, however, there has been a shift from widespread techno-optimism to an outlook of doom and gloom, predicated on market concentration, political manipulation and control, and even regard of the development of the internet as a threat to democracies.

        • Rome
          • 29 November 2017
           
           

          The grand energy transition: Eastern Mediterranean, North Africa and Europe

            The Eastern Mediterranean region is undergoing a profound transformation as regards the energy sector, in the context of a changing energy landscape in terms of demand, supply and available technologies. The MENA region as a whole is fast becoming a major energy importer, just as the US has already become a major exporter – and possibly a “swing producer” directly affecting world energy prices.  Inevitably, various geopolitical considerations come into play along the path to a new equilibrium.

          • Rome
            • 28 November 2017
             
             

            The Rule of Law in the European Union and in its member states

              The financial crisis, the economic crisis, a crisis in the traditional workings of democracy, “Europe in crisis”: these were the phenomena highlighted by participants at this Aspen Junior Fellows Meeting as currently unfolding against a general backdrop of economic woes that are fomenting populism and racism. The risk – it was stressed – is that respect for the rule of law will be undermined within the European Union, despite this being one of the founding principles of the EU.

            • Bresso (Milan)
              • 27 November 2017
               
               

              Future by quality: life sciences and research in Italy

                Underpinning discussions at this National Interest debate was the premise that the life sciences sector will be strategic in driving the recovery in competitiveness of advanced economies and ensuring a future based on quality. It was noted, in this regard, that recent findings highlight that, at a global level, the sector is experiencing a marked period of prosperity, with the pipeline of research having reached record levels, propelled in part by innovations linked to the spread of genomics and precision medicine.

              • Rome
                • 21 November 2017
                 
                 

                The future of health: technology and sustainability of the welfare system

                  It is already possible to live to the age of 120, and in the future this will remain true. The new scenario – ushered in by major scientific advances and by the growing progress in personalized medicine – is also going to introduce the problems of preserving the quality of such a long life and ensuring that the economic and social system is capable of sustaining it.

                • Milan
                  • 20 November 2017
                   
                   

                  Urban transportation: challenges for local development

                    The participants at this National Interest event highlighted that local public transport is a key factor for local development, both in terms of the opportunities for connection that it offers individuals, businesses, and institutions (including universities, for whom it is particularly crucial), and because it improves the livability of the urban environment thanks to the greater average sustainability provided in comparison to the alternative of private vehicle use.

                  • Rome
                    • 16 November 2017
                     
                     

                    Making the most of Italy’s energy resources

                      Proceedings at this National Interest roundtable got underway with the observation that the energy profile of the planet is set to change over the next few decades, with rising population and improving standard of living trends leading to an increase in energy demand.

                    • Rome
                      • 10 November 2017
                       
                       

                      The political legacy 2017

                        The focus of discussion at this year’s annual conference for the Aspen Junior Fellows was the political legacy of 2017, marked by the various outcomes of elections around Europe, the uncertain course of Brexit negotiations, the emergence of the new American administration’s policy stances, and the Catalan independence referendum.

                      • Milan
                        • 6 November 2017
                         
                         

                        Creating a better financial system

                          The areas examined by the participants during this National Conference were twofold. On the one hand, the debate focused on the role of the banking system and how it is perceived by savers. It was suggested that banks deal in buying and selling trust, so safeguarding such trust is imperative. Nearly ten years on from the outbreak of the global crisis, such confidence has been severely dented. The media has helped fuel public hostility towards the banking world, as several polls demonstrate.

                        • Turin
                          • 27 October 2017
                           
                           

                          Industrial renaissance: digital disruption and the post 4.0 economy

                            A report on “Digital disruption and transformation of Italian manufacturing”, which focuses particularly on the case of Piedmont within the context of Northern Italy, was presented at this International Conference as a catalyst for discussion on the topic of “digital disruption”, examining both the great opportunities as well the risks and social costs that this entails.

                          • Bologna
                            • 23 October 2017
                             
                             

                            Growth, innovation, competitiveness: Big Data as a strategic resource

                              Participants at this National Interest event noted that Big Data represents a great opportunity for the Italian system. In point of fact, the internet and digital technologies are radically changing the process of data collection, transfer, and storage, with far-reaching impacts on the business world and society in general. The pervasive spread of new technologies has ensured that a growing number of interconnected devices are simultaneously active, thereby generating increasing amounts of data.

                            • Venice
                              • 13 October 2017
                               
                               

                              From millennials to the silver economy: different generations of consumers

                                Kick-starting discussions at this Aspen Seminar for Leaders session was the observation that the traditional concept of the “generation” has made a comeback in public debate. This, in the age of breakneck disruptive change and without there having been, as in the past, any war or pestilence between generations – at least, not in the western world. The return of the concept of the collective as embodied by generations might appear to be in contradiction with an era as “me”-focused as is the present day.

                              • Venice
                                • 13 October 2017
                                 
                                 

                                Focusing on new mobilities: the Internet of Things and the self-driving revolution

                                  The self-driving revolution is at our doorsteps. Driverless and autonomous vehicles are becoming a reality faster than anyone would have expected just a few years ago. And, for better or for worse, the consequences for the socioeconomic fabric will be radical. Cities will be redesigned, roads will become safer, cars will turn into mobile offices, millions of jobs in the transportation industry will be displaced and free time will surge.

                                • Venice
                                  • 13 October 2017
                                   
                                   

                                  Italian competitiveness: culture, manufacturing, tourism

                                    Participants at this Aspen Seminar for Leaders session noted that culture has played, and will definitely continue to play, a key role in Italy’s economic and social development. From a historical standpoint, it has been a strong factor in the formation of identity and in integration, for a country whose unification took shape in literature before doing so on the battlefields of the Risorgimento.

                                  • Venice
                                    • 13 October 2017
                                     
                                     

                                    Focus on industry: digital transformation and new geoeconomic scenarios

                                      For the first time, recovery and optimism dominated the debate at this year’s Aspen Seminar for Leaders “Focus on Industry” session. Against the backdrop of an economic climate that has finally returned to growth, the seminar participants dwelt more on the strengths of the Italian system and the opportunities to be seized than on the country’s systemic weaknesses and lost opportunities. While acknowledging that the international scenario is unfavorable, with the headwinds of protectionism blowing from Trump’s America, it was highlighted that global trade is still ongoing.