The inaugural ceremony was hosted at the magnificent Palazzo Altemps, at the theater of the Museo Nazionale Romano where the EPLO Rome Office is also seated. The inauguration ceremony also boasted the presence of esteemed jurists, distinguished professors, and representatives from prominent international organizations.

His Excellency Mr. Sergio Mattarella, President of the Italian Republic, Her Excellency Ms. Katerina N. Sakellaropoulou, President of the Hellenic Republic, His Excellency Mr. Rumen Radev, President of the Republic of Bulgaria, His Excellency Mr. Jorge Carlos Fonseca, former President of the Republic of Cabo Verde, and His Eminence, the Metropolitan of Italy and Exarch of Southern Europe, Policarpo graced the event with their presence

The event was also honored with the presence of the following Ambassadors in Italy: Sonia Silvia Brito Sandoval, Ambassador of the Multinational State of Bolivia, Sebastien Foumane Ambassador of Cameroon, Ambassador Yiorgos Christofides, Embassy of Cyprus, Chévez Efrén Arnoldo Bernal, Ambassador of El Salvador, Eleni Sourani, Ambassador of Greece, Saywan Barzani Ambassador of Iraq, Oh Hyunjoo Ambassador of Korea, Samuel Tamba Musa, Ambassador of the Republic of Sierra Leone, and the Ambassador of Tahiti to Italy.

Also, the Ambassadors to the Holy See and the Vatican: Boris Sahakyan, Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia, Georgios Poulidis Ambassador of Cyprus, Aikaterini- Katia Georgiou, Ambassador of Greece, Augusto Jiménez Dubón Ambassador of Honduras, Sigita Maslauskaitė-Mažylienė Ambassador of Lithuania to the Order of Malta and the Vatican, and Rajae Naji Ambassador of Morocco. Ambassador Andreas Mavroyiannis, a member of the International Law Commission of the United Nations and former permanent representative of Cyprus to the United Nations attended the event as well.

Mr. Josip Brkić, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina also honored the EPLO with his presence in the ceremony. From the Ministry of Culture of the Italian Republic, Mr. Francesco Gilioli, Head of Cabinet of the Minister, Mr. Edoardo Zannoli, Ms. Francesca Agostino from the official cabinet of the Minister and Mr. Massimo Osanna, Director General of Museums, participated in the ceremony.

The event was chaired by Professor Daria de Pretis, former Vice-President of the Italian Constitutional Court, University of Trento.

The ceremony was followed by a one-day conference covering the “Reform of the State in light of New Challenges” broaching key themes of migratory challenges and global health emergencies.

Professor Giuliano Amato, President Emeritus of the Italian Constitutional Court, former Prime Minister, Professor Spyridon Flogaitis, Director of the EPLO, Professor Sabino Cassese, former judge at the Italian Constitutional Court, and Professor Stéphane Verger, Director of Museo Nazionale Romano, carried out the welcome addresses.

Mr. Luigi Carbone, President of the Chamber of the Italian Council of State chaired the conference’s first session which covered the subject of “Climate Crisis”. Ms. Cecilia Kinuthia-Njenga, Director of UNFCCC from the University of Nairobi, Kenya, Mr. Fabio Venuti, Head of Cabinet, Office of the Director-General of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, and Mr. George Kremlis, Director of the Climate and Circular Economy Institute of the EPLO were the honorable speakers of the first session.

The second conference session, “The Challenge of Migration, with a focus on Regional Approaches to Migration and Asylum Policy” was chaired by Professor Mario Savino, Tuscia University of Viterbo. H.E. Mr. Jorge Carlos Fonseca, former President of the Republic of Cabo Verde and Mr. Josip Brkić, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bosnia and Herzegovina were the special guest speakers of the second session. Professor Kristin Fabbe, School of Transnational Governance of the European University Institute, Mr. Vincent Cochetel, Special Envoy for the Western & Central Mediterranean Situation, Mr. Gianluca Rocco, Director of the International Organization for Migration Mission in Greece and Dr. Markos Karavias, Director of the Mediterranean Migration Policy and Asylum Hub of the EPLO were the keynote speakers during the second session.

Professor Giulio Napolitano of the University Roma Tre presided over the conference’s third session. Professor Matteo Gnes of the University of Urbino Carlo Bo, Professor Enrico Giovannini of the Tor Vergata University, and former Minister of Infrastructure and Sustainable Mobility of the Italian Republic, and Professor Maria De Benedetto of the Roma Tre University were the orators of this session.

The fourth and last session of the conference was devoted on “Cultural Heritage Policies in Times of Change” and was led by Professor Lorenzo Casini of the IMT School of Advanced Studies Lucca. Professor Massimo Osanna of the University of Naples Federico II, Director-General of Museums at the Ministry of Culture, Professor Mark Thatcher of the Luiss University, Professor Maria Luisa Catoni of the IMT School of Advanced Studies Lucca and Professor Catharine Titi, Research Associate Professor, FCIArb at the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) and CERSA, University Paris-Panthéon-Assas were the main spokespersons of the last plenary.

The concluding remarks were delivered by Professor Sabino Cassese, Judge Emeritus of the Italian Constitutional Court, and President of the European Scientific Council of EPLO.

A piano concert by composer Georgios Andreou and vocalist Korina Legaki at the end of this ceremony and event was enthusiastically welcomed by the audience.