The event “World Science Day for Peace and Development – Trust, Transformation, and Tomorrow: The Science We Need for 2050” was held on 10 November in the Council Hall of the Department of Energy at the Politecnico di Milano. It was organized by Emanuela Colombo, the Politecnico di Milano’s Delegate for Science Diplomacy and Coordinator of the UNESCO Chair in Energy for Sustainable Development, in collaboration with Alessandro Perego, Vice-Rector for Sustainability and Impact; Ilaria Valente, Vice-Rector for International Relations; and Paolo Biscari, Vice-Rector for Talent Development— all members of the Politecnico di Milano’s governance.

The initiative, which drew a very large audience and completely filled the room’s 150 seats, offered an opportunity to reflect on the role of science as a tool for dialogue, trust, and international cooperation.

The event opened with remarks from the Rector of the Politecnico di Milano, Donatella Sciuto, who highlighted the importance of the scientific community’s contribution to building a future grounded in knowledge and shared responsibility. Throughout the afternoon, the three panels—featuring speakers from the Ecole National d’Ingénieur de Tunis, the Africa Nelson Mandela Institution of Science and Technology, Addis Ababa University, the University of Professional Studies Accra, the FAO Partnership, the IAEA Collaborative Center, and the UN-mandated Space Mission Planning Advisory Group—were moderated by Ilaria Valente and Paolo Biscari, and focused respectively on the themes of Trust, Transformation, and Tomorrow. The closing remarks, summarizing the main insights from the three panels, were delivered by Alessandro Perego.