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      • Venice
        • 12 July 2013
         
         

        Building a responsible citizenship: values, ideas, participation

          The opening premise of this ASL session was that any examination of the concept of responsible citizenship must first focus on the value system that underpins the relationship between citizens and their leaders. At the heart of this relationship (often perceived as dichotomous in nature) is a paradigm now challenged by growing grassroots demand for proof of legitimacy. Rising to such demands is a clear priority for leaders capable of steering and shaping the course of events.

        • Venice
          • 12 July 2013
           
           

          Smart cities in a multipolar world: infrastructure, services, sustainable transport

            Driving discussion at this ASL session on smart cities was the recognition that, in the midst of the polycentric globalization process unfolding, cities are becoming hubs of increasingly smarter networks capable of galvanizing and generating new momentum for innovation and growth. Any satellite photo will suffice to reveal a web of interconnected urban expanses, serving as crossroads and convergence points for tangible and intangible infrastructure.

          • Venice
            • 12 July 2013
             
             

            (R)evolutions in the digital ecosystem: rethinking business, consumers and government

              The aphorism “The fast will eat the slow” was held up at this ASL seminar as the harsh law governing the digital ecosystem of today and tomorrow. To be “fast”, however, implies being able to rely on technologically-advanced infrastructure capable of sustaining competition at an international level. Indeed, major firms are continuing to invest in technology, even in the midst of the current crisis, precisely because of their acceptance that competitiveness drives economic growth, and that improving education and speeding up bureaucracy are not sufficient alone.

            • Venice
              • 12 July 2013
               
               

              Challenges and opportunities for a changing society: older, wiser, healthier

                The point of departure for discussions at this ASL session was an acknowledgement that the gradual but inexorable process of population aging is having profound effects on the demographic and economic structure of societies. In this regard, the participants pointed to forecast trends that speak volumes: in all developed countries, and especially in Italy, Japan and Germany, the proportion of elderly people relative to the total population will continue to rise substantially.

              • Venice
                • 12 July 2013
                 
                 

                Global energy outlook and the big transitions

                  Given the unique role played by the energy sector in the global economy, the current recession makes it imperative to take stock of the major trends unfolding in the industry. Before the crisis, the sector seemed on the verge of a major restructuring, due to the combined impact of new sources of natural gas and mounting environmental concerns. The effects of the intervening global downturn, though yet to be fully gauged, are in any event set to be asymmetrical.

                • Venice
                  • 12 July 2013
                   
                   

                  Governing complexity in the country system: challenges, priorities and Italy’s choices

                    Debate at this ASL session focused on framing the complexities of Italy’s economic system within an international context widely held to be in a state of crisis. It was submitted that a closer look at the real economy reveals a need to bolster the international competitive ranking of Italian firms and sectors with reforms capable of shaping the future evolution of the country’s education and research sector, the functioning of the labor market, and the banking and financial system.

                  • Naples
                    • 5 July 2013
                     
                     

                    The changing Mediterranean: the quest for growth and the Gulf factor

                      Discussions at this 2-day event got underway with the observation that the Mediterranean Sea clearly connects Europe not just with North Africa, but also the Middle East, the Anatolian Peninsula, and the Persian Gulf. All these axes present opportunities for growth through greater interdependence, in spite of the current difficulties being experienced by European economies and the political uncertainty holding back those on the southern shores of the Mediterranean.

                    • Rome
                      • 25 June 2013
                       
                       

                      New infrastructure to help Italian business compete on the international scene

                        This National Interest roundtable served as an opportunity to present and discuss the preliminary findings of the study initiated by Fondazione Enel, in conjunction with the LUISS Guido Carli University and Aspen Institute Italia. Those in attendance were provided with an abridged version of the final report which will be presented in the fourth quarter of the year.

                      • Milan
                        • 17 June 2013
                         
                         

                        E‐commerce, security, distribution channels: opportunities and challenges for businesses and consumers

                          At this national roundtable discussion, it was observed that the global phenomenon known as e-commerce is bringing about a paradigm shift in distribution models for products and services. In a scenario of constantly increasing online sales, growth in this sector seems unlikely to slow down, thanks also to the spread of new technologies – such as smartphones and tablets – that are making the consumer experience even more effortless. Globally, the number of cell phones far exceeds not only that of televisions, but also mundane everyday items such as toothbrushes.

                        • Milan
                          • 28 May 2013
                           
                           

                          Youth and Italy’s future: what new leaders need to know

                            By way of opening premise at this Aspen Junior Fellows meeting, it was observed that the current crisis is an accelerator of change and, like the Chinese ideogram for the word “crisis”, can be seen as posing both a problem and an opportunity. Small wonder then that young people are a prime focus of attention, given that they also represent both of these conditions. Having inherited a legacy of curtailed or betrayed hopes, younger generations appear defeatist.

                          • Milan
                            • 27 May 2013
                             
                             

                            High-tech life sciences in Italy

                              It was remarked from the outset of this National Interest roundtable that the health and life sciences industry is crucial to the Italian production system due to the simultaneous existence of a number of particular factors, namely: the global nature of markets and the supranational character of competition; the potentially strategic role of public actors, owing to their ability to influence supply and stimulate investment; and the highly specialized nature of the professional skills involved.

                            • Milan
                              • 20 May 2013
                               
                               

                              Italy’s food and agriculture industry: a key sector for global markets

                                Discussions at this National Conference hinged on the central observation that the Italian economy can only be revived by capitalizing on the country’s flagship production sectors, with the food and agricultural industry singled out as being of prime importance. Indeed, it was noted that the sector has continued to be a standard-bearer for “Made in Italy” excellence even amid the economic downturn.

                              • Rome
                                • 25 April 2013
                                 
                                 

                                Aspen and Treccani Institutes join forces for Machiavelli showcase

                                  Aspen Institute Italia and the Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana (or Treccani Institute), founded by its namesake Giovanni Treccani and chaired by Giuliano Amato, is holding an exhibition entitled “Niccolò Machiavelli. The Prince and his times. 1513-2013” in Rome at the Vittoriano Museum Complex from April 25 to June 16, 2013. Organized under the High Patronage of the President of the Italian Republic, the exhibition will mark the fifth centenary of the writing of The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli.