Today, the Procuratie Vecchie of San Marco hosted “Origins of Futures,” a day dedicated to dialogue promoted by Edison with the sponsorship of the Venice Sustainability Foundation (VSF), Confindustria Veneto, and the City of Venice. Fifty experts gathered to envision a future marked by sustainability and inclusivity.
The “Opening remarks” were given by VSF president Renato Brunetta, who explained Venice’s role as “a laboratory of innovation and sustainability, where commitment and ingenuity combine to create extraordinary solutions,” and as an example of a place where a sustainable tomorrow can be built, inspiring new generations to rethink cities. Brunetta also clarified the function of VSF, which aims to develop a knowledge-based economy with the goal of doubling the number of teachers and students in the city. He highlighted the ability to attract sustainable finance investors with the project linked to the issuance of ESG sustainable bonds: “We are at the frontier of the future, Venice as a sustainability laboratory and the role of MOSE, which allows us to ‘buy’ time to look to the future.”
Following Brunetta’s address, Romano Prodi delivered the “Keynote Speech” titled “Certain Present, Uncertain Future.” The former President of the Council and the European Commission focused on global challenges requiring vision and cooperation to build a future that combines sustainability and competitiveness. He also touched on themes related to geopolitics and the global economy, focusing on the roles of Europe, the United States, and China.
Throughout the morning, the debate was divided into four working groups – innovation and sustainable progress, community and connections, knowledge and inclusion, imaginaries and trust – generating a reflection on the need to rethink current social and economic models, promoting greater environmental awareness and renewed trust in the collective ability to imagine the future.
