The Italian Permanent Representation to the International Organizations in Paris and the Italian Embassy in France jointly organized a conference "Made in Italy for the Moon" on the occasion of the National Space Day, an event promoted by the Farnesina and the entire Italian diplomatic-consular network in the world. The event was hosted at the headquarters of the European Space Agency (ESA) in Paris, for the first time hosting a national Member State event.

The Conference was dedicated to deepening the contribution of the Italian space ecosystem in view of the return to the Moon and, in perspective, the discovery of Mars and saw the participation of representatives of the Italian Space Agency (ASI), ESA, the diplomatic corps, stakeholders of the industrial and academic system as well as students.

In opening the proceedings, the Italian Ambassador in Paris, Emanuela D'Alessandro, recalled the commitment of our country in the space sector since the launch into orbit, in 1964, of the first Italian satellite San Marco. Italy's renewed commitment to the sector makes it a leading global partner, particularly for its unique excellence in human and robotic space exploration. The historic bilateral partnership between Italy and France in particular constitutes an excellence at European level that contributes directly and substantially to the achievement of the strategic autonomy of the European Union in the sector, as also provided for by Article 7 of the Quirinale Treaty.

Ambassador Luca Sabbatucci, Permanent Representative to the International Organizations in Paris, highlighted the decisive role that Italy plays in the European framework. ESA is in fact the epicenter of Italian interests in the space sector "in strategic, commercial and technological development terms," the Ambassador underlined. Our country is among the top three contributors to the agency, with Germany and France, and is the first for optional programs. With Earth Observation and Transport Systems, Human and Robotic Space Exploration is one of the Italian priorities in ESA.

Italy has in fact developed more than 50% of the pressurized modules of the International Station and is preparing to play a leading role also in the next steps on the Moon and Mars, through ESA and directly with NASA.The Conference was divided into a round table with representatives of ASI, ESA and Telespazio, Thales Alenia Space Italy and ALTEC, dedicated to the commitment of both the institutions and the Italian industry in the development of innovative technologies for future lunar missions, highlighting the excellence of our country. The itinerant project "The cities of the universe" created by the Polytechnic of Milan and sponsored by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, dedicated to Italian space design, which constitutes a unique excellence of our country, was presented during the conference,.

The meeting was closed by the Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano, who spoke from the Houston Space Center, sharing his experience in space and his expectations for the future.

The exhibition "The Cities of the Universe", which over two hundred participants were able to admire in the prestigious ESA headquarters, will further be exhibited in Paris with an installation in the main gallery of the OECD.