Fabio Petito, Professor of International Relations at the University of Sussex, will deliver the prologue entitled “Dialogue, religions, geopolitics”. Archbishop Gherardo Gambelli of Florence, and Dr. Margaret Karram, President of the Focolare Movement, will take the floor.
Everything is ready for the inauguration of the 17th Academic Year of the Sophia University Institute, scheduled for Tuesday 4 March 2025, starting at 5.00 p.m., at the Aula Magna of the same Institute, in Loppiano (Figline and Incisa Valdarno – FI).
The ceremony will open with greetings from the Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Margaret Karram, President of the Focolare Movement, and from the new Chancellor of the Institute, Gherardo Gambelli, Archbishop of Florence, on his first visit to Sophia. Afterwards, the Rector, Declan O’Byrne will deliver his lecture.
Fabio Petito, Professor of International Relations and Director of the Freedom of Religion or Belief & Foreign Policy Initiative at the University of Sussex, as well as scientific coordinator of the Religions and International Relations Programme of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and ISPI, (Institute for International Policy Studies) will give the prologue entitled “Dialogue, Religions, Geopolitics“.
In typical Sophia style, an international academic community and laboratory of life, training, study and research, to which the Professors, Students and all the Staff contribute “in a spirit of communion and in the exercise of their respective expertise and responsibilities” (Statutes, art. 6), the speech will be followed by a moment of dialogue, reflection and perspective. Chancellor Gambelli, Vice-Chancellor Dr. Margaret Karram and the entire academic community will discuss their respective visions of Sophia in the current academic and social context. Andrea Gagliarducci, journalist and Vatican reporter (Eternal Word Television Network and ACI Stampa) will be the moderator.
Valerio Pianigiani, Mayor of Figline and Incisa Valdarno, Bishop Stefano Manetti of Fiesole and Paolo Cancelli, Director of Development, Promotion and Orientation at the Pontifical Antonianum University have also confirmed their presence.
The event is open to the public and access will be permitted until 4.45 p.m. You can download the poster here.
For information write to info@sophiauniversity.org or contact tel. 055.9051500.