This Zoom Conference, March 22nd. 8 AM to 9:20, is first-ever of its kind: a real time classroom dialogue and presentations between Italian and American high school students about environmental problems facing Venice. The conference has been organized and sponsored by The Silvio Laccetti Foundation of Fairview, NJ and the education office of the Italian Consulate in N.Y.C.

Also cooperating are the Ca' Foscari University of Venice, two Italian High Schools and two US high schools and the education office of the Philadelphia Italian Consulate. 

The main objectives of the Zoom Conference are: 1. Live, real time exchange of ideas and concerns about the environmental problems of Venice among American and Italian students, with a view to establishing permanent linkages and future expansion of involved schools. A special focus is on cruise ships destroying the lagoons and canals of Venice. 2. Presentation of Davos platform on sustainable eco-culture, and consideration of Action Items for high school students.

This first effort is to be followed by other ones, with other schools, creating a zoom-nexus of US-Italy learning exchanges which will endure.

Program
8:00 AM – Opening Remarks & Introductions……………………..Annavaleria Guazzieri, Ph.D.; Patrizia Calanchini Monti, Ph.D.; Zef Ferreira
8:03 AM – The Dangers of Le Grandi Navi………………………..…………...Mauro G. Raguseo; Alexa Borino; Gianna Alberti
8:13 AM – The Ecological Implications of Climate Change on the Lagoon of Venice …….……Paola Donà & Michele Ferrini
8:23 AM – The Effects of Mass Tourism on the Social & Cultural Interrelations in Venice….… Caterina Boscolo Bielo & Roberto Bottazzo
8:33 AM – Coastal Cities and Natural Disasters: How to Build Resilience in Times of Climate Change Adaptation…………………………Silvia Torresan, Ph.D. & Beatrice Sambo
8:48 AM – Open Discussion Among Students……………………………………Stacey Camilleri
9:00 AM – What Individuals and Small Groups Can Do……………………Connor Cunningham
9:10 AM – Cooperative Environmental Programs………………………..………..Beatrice Sambo
9:15 AM – Closing Remarks…………………………………………..…..…Silvio Laccetti, Ph.D.