THE FUTURE OF SCIENCE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES
THE FUTURE OF SCIENCE is a cycle of annual international conferences jointly organised by Fondazione Umberto Veronesi, Fondazione Silvio Tronchetti Provera and Fondazione Giorgio Cini.
The idea of these conferences springs from an awareness that the problems and dilemmas generated by unrelenting scientific and technological progress are not being adequately discussed in society as a whole.
As Science exerts an ever more pervasive influence on our lives, society seems ill-informed about the short and long term implications of scientific advance and is unaware of the social, economic and cultural consequences of the continuous technological revolution.
Aim of the Conferences is to underline the importance of scientific development as essential tool to improve the quality of our life and to define a new role of science in the society of the third millennium.
Experts of international renown from various spheres and disciplines are invited to give their points of view on these issues, which are crucial to the destiny of our society, addressing to a public of scientists, philosophers, theologians, industrialists, politicians, economists, journalists, students and anyone might be interested in social, economic and political consequences of constant scientific development.
THE 2008 CONFERENCE
The Fourth World Conference on The Future of Science will once again explore a theme that puts science at the centre of the social debate: Food and Water for Life.
The aim is to offer a global vision of problems such as water scarcity, the development of sustainable agriculture, food safety, food and health; and indicate how science and technology can contribute to solving these problems. Economic, political and ethical aspects will also be discussed.
The conference starts from the premise that all have a right to clean water and wholesome food. These are not only moral imperatives: investment to realize them will bring major economic returns.
As with past Future of Science Conferences, the fourth Conference will take place over three days on the Island of San Giorgio in the Lagoon of Venice. Speakers of international renown from various disciplines will examine problems of food and water in the light of the affirmation of the Venice Charter that major goals of applied scientific research must be the eradication of poverty and hunger, and the provision of water for agriculture and uncontaminated water for drinking. Seeking to draw science and society closer together, the Conference is aimed not just at scientists but also economists, managers, politicians, journalists, students and everyone else interested in the contribution of science to solving major global problems.
