The five days of ESOF2020 were marked by a renewed desire for discussion and sharing on issues of great scientific and social impact of our time, after months of distancing. ESOF’s bet that Trieste in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic could reconnect and rekindle an increasingly necessary dialogue between science, politics, economy and society seems to have been won: with 150 events, more than 700 speakers, and remote connections from all over the world to follow the high-profile panels proposed by this first hybrid edition, with face-to-face and remote sessions that have run continuously since September 2nd.
During the closing ceremony of ESOF2020 – EuroScience Open Forum, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte took part in a public demonstration of encrypted fiber optic communication with Italian quantum technology, performed for the first time in Italy. The demonstration was carried out by the “Quantum Communications” group of the National Research Council (CNR) of Florence thanks to the “Quantum FVG” project, funded by the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia and coordinated by the University of Trieste.
Scientists and authorities took part in the final ceremony, which saw the passing of the baton from Trieste to the Dutch city of Leiden, which will host the 2022 edition of ESOF: Giuseppe Conte, Prime Minister of Italy; Stefano Patuanelli, Italian Minister of Economic Development; Stefano Fantoni, Champion of ESOF2020; Michael Matlosz, Euroscience President; Massimiliano Fedriga, President of the Friuli-Venezia-Giulia region; Roberto Dipiazza, Mayor of Trieste; Henri Lenferink, Mayor of Leiden; Mariachiara Tallacchini, Professor of Science, Law and Democracy; Massimo Inguscio, President of the Italian National Research Council (CNR); Roberto di Lenarda, University of Trieste Chancellor; Massimiliano Fuksas, Architect; Angelo Bassi, University of Trieste; Alessandro Zevatta, Italian National Research Council (CNR); Ferry Breedveld, Champion of Leiden European City of Science 2022; Corinne Hofman, Champion of Leiden European City of Science 2022; and Paolo Glisenti, Italian Commissioner General of Expo 2020 Dubai. Silvia Bencivelli, a science journalist, moderated the ceremony.
