The University of Genoa (Unige) introduced itself to South Africa through an intense day of meetings at the Genoa Pavilion in the Ocean Live Park in Cape Town. During the wait for the start of the longest and most arduous 12,500-mile leg, from the “Mother City” to Brazil, these are the most important days to promote Genoa and Liguria in this striking South African setting, on the third leg of The Ocean Race. Unige, represented by Paola Dameri, the Rector’s delegate for international cooperation and Smart Cities, illustrated the University’s activities and international relations. Laura Gaggero, deputy rector responsible for research, spoke on international cooperation by exploring the themes of European funds, Erasmus + projects and Capacity Building in Higher Education. Enrico Rizzuto, vice president of the Centro Studi del Mare (Marine Study Centre), illustrated the Machine Learning Genoa Centre and The Ligurian Innovation Ecosystem in Robotics and Artificial Intelligence.
“It was,” confirmed Paola Dameri, “a valuable opportunity to develop collaboration opportunities such as excellence in research and higher education, and international cooperation, with a specific focus on the Centro Studi del Mare, the Ligurian Ecosystem of Innovation and Smart Cities, including the context of European funding.”
Students of Hout Bay International School were the protagonists of a well-attended meeting in the Genoa Pavilion. They looked into issues relating to sustainability, concentrating on compost, biodegradable materials and the circular economy.
The Genoa Pavilion is a highly popular attraction also in Cape Town. Some international television crews used the iconic backgrounds of Genoa and Liguria for interviews with important regatta people. The “immersive room” set up by ETT, a Genoese company in the SCAI Group, was highly considered. It is a really immersive experience, promoting Genoa and Liguria with an emotional sequence of spectacular and rhythmic videos. The narration ideally follows the race route around the world, with the projection of regatta legs until the arrival in Genoa for the Grand Finale. “Virtual Reality” viewers are also available to visitors, thanks to which they can explore the iconic areas of the Old Town, with its squares and some buildings, including Palazzo San Giorgio. Lastly, one of the most eagerly awaited events on the Ocean Live Park calendar is the World Pesto Championship event.