La Storia nel Futuro in Emilia Romagna 2008

[paolo marenco]

This is the Forum about "La Storia nel Futuro in Emilia Romagna" conferences that start by Engineering Faculty Bologna University , Aula Magna , March 6th 2008, 4pm with Bonfiglioli Riduttori - Power and Control Solutions story. Here the attendees can comment the conferences. At the end of the conference cycle - May 21st- a number of attendees will be selected by Bologna University to participate to the 4th Silicon Valley Study Tour , between August and September 2008. See attached pdf Program

[paolo marenco]

good Sara , I think this Network hold you in contact with many opportunities , in Italy and abroad....good to follow it!

[Maria]

Me too!
I haven't passed the selection :-(
I think that I will not take part at conferences and program next year, because I will graduate in July and I probably will work , al least I hope so.
"La storia nel fututro" is a good initiative.
Good luck to all!

[Gius]

I think that we don't have to care about politics now, not yet. All the five companies of "La Storia nel Futuro 2008" conferences here in Bologna have passed through many historical and political eras: cold war and first republic (here in Italy), post-communism and second republic and now globalization (third republic???) and they are still making the difference. So, the lesson is, whatever politics class in the "button room", we must focus on what can makes the difference and take care of it. I understand general skepticism on those arguments, but I don't think that today's politics class (in general) is worst than previous. We have the whole in our hands.

[Philipp Schatzer]

Gius, I agree with you, but I have to add something. It's true that the important thing is to put the focus on the own goals, but if politics puts constantly obstacles in the way of motivated and ambitious people (young entrepreneurs and so on), it is clear that a lot of those leave the country, and mostly not with a smiling face, to go where it's easier to realize the dreams and literally "where the ground is more fertile". Obviously there are always single women and men that are tough enough. Fortunatly. But I think that you agree with me, if I say that with much more efficient and flexible politics the boudary conditions change and a lot of people, that think about to leave, change their idea. What do you think?

[Gius]

Philipp, obviously if boundary conditions change, everybody will take advantage. And this is what I hope too. I think that in the long term, if most "minds" leave the country the whole Italian economy will suffer the consequences and at this point things must change. For now, I think that possibility of work abroad is a great opportunity for us and not a makeshift solution.

[Fabio]

Yes, I want to think the future is in our hands. I mean, in the hands of our generation. Unfortunately, the evidence is that we have a political class too mature just to see how the world turns quickly. Less bureaucracy, as you ask Philipp, is right. But I do believe people like we are should have more influence on society. Assuming roles of responsibility, not only in the economic or technical fields, can be a starting point. Bye

[Veronica Lenzi]

Hi guys.

I do agree with you on your critic to our actual political situation.

Here in Brussels, where I am making a short internship right now, I was impressed by the way decisions are taken, that is through long, intense, informal meetings where no redundant speeches take place, as people (mostly diplomats) are evidently accostumed to go straight to the point.

A particularly interesting experience I have had here concerns industrial lobbies. I wished to write a few lines about that since I do believe nothing like that could ever happen in Italy at the actual stage of relations between political institutions and industrial world. In the EU the European Commission openly ask for files and opinions from industrial representations, in order to take decisions with a better judgement. Obviously, every lobby does its own interest. Anyway, the competitive system which comes out enable institutions to compare each lobby's statements and push them to do their best to find coherent and working proposals. I believe this is a good example of an healty bridge between enterprises and public power.

Another aspect that set us apart from the U.S. and also from some other European countries is related to think tanks, namely the economic ones. Our lack of autonomous organizations (at least from the intellectual point of view) which try to influence or “inform” politicians using scientific analysis or academic points is an evidence of a bigger problems in the triangle enterprises-society-institutions.

What do you think? I really would appreciate some examples able to contrast what I wrote. That would make me happier.

See you soon on these pages! :)

[paolo marenco]

Veronica, i think that your experience must be very useful...how can I say? we know that lobbies here in Italy are (quite always ) connected to dirty business. I think that a very new bottom up lobby is Partnership for Growth, the initiative promoted by the US Embassy of Rome, Amb Ronald Spogli, since 2006 to aggregate different projects promoted by private entities to open italian young graduates and start ups to the best of US technology in Silicon valley, managed by Italians. Our network, italian angels for growth, Mind the bridge, SVIEC, Baia, Competere, consist in a very new example of a bottom up lobby that started with a "light umbrella" of a foreign Embassy...quite unique approach...we don't have yet "power" towards italian Institutions...let'hope in the near future

[Fabio Rotundo]

Tthe future will be in our hands as long as we get involved and active in the decision making processes. One of the main goal of our generation should be indeed to make the technical and economic fields closer to politics, society and institutions. According to me, that would be a starting point. Another question would be the courage to make long-term decisions....

[paolo marenco]

Hi guys and girls! tomorrow March 2 at 5 pm there is an interesting La Storia nel Futuro conference in UNI Genova about www.accent.it. For the first time we try to web cast, real time. This is the link:

http://130.251.8.204/
I hope it works!...if yes, you can comment the conference in the Forum "La Storia nel Futuro a Genova Conference 2008-9"
Paolo
335/6930552

[paolo marenco]

Hei Bologna people...sorry not to have La Storia nel Futuro in your University this year...maybe you can make pool car for some cool conferences in Torino and Novara.... hope to meet you!