The promotion of a new generation of entrepreneurs with a strong social impact in Africa, the model of university cooperation promoted through the SACRU network of Catholic universities, and a project to promote women's access to decision-making positions and power. Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore presented the initiatives that will characterize the University's presence at the Italian Pavilion at the Dubai Expo during the event "Paths for intercultural dialogue towards EXPO DUBAI".
Three events linked by their international scope and connection with the thematic weeks of Expo. "Intercultural dialogue and global dimension are two aspects that universities and universal expositions have in common: two elements that can promote social, cultural and economic growth” – said the Rector of Università Cattolica Franco Anelli. “The university is a privileged place for the construction of dialogues, especially in their intercultural dimension. Initiatives such as today's are really precious for this work of education to dialogue". The presence of Università Cattolica at Expo Dubai will also be an opportunity to create and consolidate ties with its Alumni community in the Emirates.
For Giovanni Bozzetti – Professor at Università Cattolica and author of the book Emirates: nothing is impossible. A guide to the new world centre of business – "Dubai will represent an unmissable opportunity to relaunch the Italian economy and the Made in Italy for the entire national entrepreneurial system. This is, therefore, an invitation to all entrepreneurs to relaunch that form of creativity aiming to beautiful and well-made products that only Italians have always been able to translate into an opportunity for all the markets of the world”.
Davide Rampello, Artistic Director of the Italian Pavilion at Expo Dubai, explained Italy's interpretation of the Expo theme “Connecting minds, creating the future”. “We understand very well how important it is to provide people with both real and immaterial infrastructures. But we also think that, today more than ever, people must be able to believe in values in order to be together”. Therefore, “the interpretation I have given of ‘putting minds together’ is ‘beauty unites people’. Beauty, however, understood not as an aesthetic value but as it was conceived: harmony of the beautiful, the good, the true and the just".
The first event will be on October 14th, with “E4Impact Foundation. A University Alliance for high-impact entrepreneurs in Africa.” On the occasion of the Global Business Forum Africa scheduled for Expo on October 13th-14th, 2021, the E4Impact Foundation, of which the Università Cattolica is a founder, will talk about its work to promote a new generation of high-impact entrepreneurs in Africa. Representatives of E4Impact's African partner universities and two young African entrepreneurs trained by the programs promoted by the Foundation will participate. The purpose is twofold: to identify social and environmental challenges that can be addressed through the development of entrepreneurial, technical and financial skills; to expand the continental network of entrepreneurs and identify new partners.
On 18 November, during the Expo Thematic Week of Tolerance, Università Cattolica will organize "The SACRU Alliance: an innovative model of university cooperation inspired by human brotherhood". The Strategic Alliance of Catholic Research Universities, whose seat of Secretariat is Università Cattolica, is an international network that brings together eight Catholic universities, born in response to Pope Francis' call for the creation of a global educational pact. Through the work of the Working Groups, the alliance promotes a model of university cooperation inspired by the values of brotherhood and tolerance, with the aim of educating the new generations, opening them to international and intercultural stimuli and providing them with the fundamental tools to guide the sustainable development of social and scientific innovations, put at the service of the common good.
On the margins of the International Women's Day, 6 March, 2022, the third event will take place, entitled "More Women Leadership for a Better World: Care as a Driver for Our Common Home". In line with the fifth goal of the 2030 Agenda, which calls for achieving gender equality and empowerment of all women and girls, the joint international project between SACRU and Centesimus Annus Pro Pontefice Foundation aims to identify areas where the comparative advantage of women is empirically demonstrated, in order to propose a regenerative process capable of breaking down the barriers that hinder their presence in positions of power.
The initiative was attended, remotely connected from Abu Dhabi, by Nicola Lener, Ambassador of Italy to the UAE and Ministers Noura Al Kaabi, Minister of Culture and Youth of the UAE, Omar Al Shamsi, Ambassador of the UAE to Italy and Abdullah Al Saleh, Undersecretary of State for Foreign Trade of the UAE.
