On 6 December 2022, H.E. Ms. Rommanee Kananurak, Ambassador of Thailand to Italy and the current Chair of ASEAN Committee in Rome (ACR) together with ACR Ambassadors and officials from ACR Embassies visited the Asia Institute, University of Bologna. The delegation met with Professor Raffaella Campaner, Vice Rector for International Relations, University of Bologna and discussed ways to promote academic cooperation between ASEAN and the University which is in line with ASEAN-Italy Development Partnership: Practical Cooperation Areas (PCA 2022-2026) in which socio-cultural cooperation is identified as one of the practical areas of cooperation.

 

Later, the delegation attended a briefing by Professor Antonio Fiori, President of Asia Institute on the background and activities of the Institute as well as future cooperation on education between ASEAN and Asia Institute. The Institute also arranged a joint meeting with the shareholders of the Asia Institute from Bologna Municipality and Emilia Romagna Region to explore how to develop and promote economic cooperation and business opportunity in potential areas such as automotive industry, agriculture, medical and pharmaceutical, and energy sector with Italy. This activity is part of ASEAN Committee in Rome (ACR) activities undertaken by Thailand as the current Chair.

 

Moreover, on 7 December 2022, Ambassador Kananurak also met with Professor Matteo Vignoli, Founder of Future Food Institute and representatives. The representatives of Future Food Institute shared a briefing on the work of the Institute with foreign agencies and international organizations in the areas of food and agriculture. Both sides discussed various ways to develop cooperation on agriculture and food innovation between Thailand and the Future Food Institute.