Identity
«Numerous institutions were established during the Cold War, reflecting that war’s political mechanics and its rationale to a greater or lesser degree. That period was followed by a global “30-year peace” and then by our current crisis. Of all those institutions, Aspen continues to be the one best able to interpret the spirit of our present age».
President, Aspen Institute Italia
Aspen Institute Italia is a private, independent, international, nonpartisan and nonprofit association. Its work is based on debating and exploring issues of strategic importance for contemporary society and on the exchange of knowledge, information and values.
The Aspen Community is made up of Sustaining Members, Ordinary Members, Friends of Aspen, Aspen Junior Fellows, Aspen University Fellows, Aspen Junior Fellows Alumni, Italian Talents Abroad and the Aspen Corporate Initiative.
Aspen Institute Italia’s headquarters is in Rome. A second office is based in Milan and a third in Venice.
The Aspen Institute was founded in the United States in 1950, while Aspen Italia opened in 1984 with a strong focus on transatlantic relations that it has maintained right up to the present day. Over the years the Institute has contributed to Italy’s political, economic and cultural life with debates, roundtables, conferences and seminars and with its journal – Aspenia (first published in 1995) and Aspenia online (founded in 2008) – as well as with numerous studies and research projects. Aspen Institute Italia also launched an annual Award for scientific cooperation between Italy and the United States in 2016.
«I believe very strongly in this global civil society and in its independent organizations: in these organizations, such as Aspen for example, one can speak with even greater freedom than one speaks in confidential conversations of a diplomatic nature»
Francesco Cossiga (1928–2010)
Honorary President of Aspen Institute Italia 1984–2010
Mission and Method
Aspen Institute Italia’s mission is to internationalize the country’s entrepreneurial, political and cultural leadership through the free exchange of different ideas from different backgrounds in an effort to identify and to promote shared values, knowledge and interests. The Institute focuses on the most topical issues and challenges facing the worlds of politics, the economy, culture and society, paying particular attention to the Italian and international business communities.
The Aspen method affords priority to debates behind closed doors, facilitating interpersonal relations and enabling the issues at hand to be discussed in a frank and open fashion. The aim is to allow business management a break from having to constantly focus on specific concrete problems in order to seize the broader opportunities surrounding them, providing a neutral ground for debating strategic issues and envisioning potential solutions.
Being a member of Aspen means being part and parcel of a project built on the exercise of value-based leadership. It means seeking solutions to problems on a neutral debating ground. The aim is not to achieve unanimous or merely reassuring answers but to highlight the complexity of phenomena in the contemporary world and to stimulate the kind of in-depth cultural exploration that can generate universal values and ideals capable of inspiring modern, aware leadership.
Aspen Institute Italia debates are attended by leaders from the worlds of industry, the economy, finance, politics, and the social and cultural spheres in a confidential setting allowing freedom of expression. Meetings with the press are occasionally held to acquaint national and international media with the Institute’s analyses and proposals. Aspen Italia also grants exclusive coverage to national TV networks and press sources, as well.
Funding
The Institute is funded by the dues paid by Sustaining Members and by the Friends of Aspen.
_____________________________
Transparent Administration (Amministrazione Trasparente)
Organization, management and oversight model – arts. 6 and 7 Legislative Decree dated 8 June 2001 no. 231 (Modello di organizzazione, gestione e controllo – artt. 6 e 7 Decreto Legislativo 8 giugno 2001 n. 231)
Ethical Code (Codice Etico)