The lecture is named after the visionary mayor of Florence, an advocate for peace, social justice and dialogue among civilisations.
2024 Giorgio La Pira Lecture: Sir Mohammed Ibrahim
Sir Mohammed Ibrahim, a Sudanese-British businessman, leads the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, dedicated to enhancing governance and leadership across Africa.
2023 Giorgio La Pira Lecture: Romano Prodi
Former Italian Prime Minister and Former European Commission President Romano Prodi delivered the second Distinguished Giorgio La Pira lecture at the Florence School of Transnational Governance’s Palazzo Buontalenti. A joint initiative with Fondazione CR Firenze, the lecture is about building bridges between Europe and other continents.
Romano Prodi’s talk focused on China and the United States, and how the European Union positions itself between these two superpowers.
The Distinguished Giorgio La Pira lecture returned after a break forced by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Former Italy PM Romano Prodi in conversation with Alex Stubb on global politics
2019 Giorgio La Pira Lecture: HE Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
Her Excellency Ellen Johnson Sirleaf delivered the very first Distinguished Giorgio La Pira Lecture. On the occasion, we interviewed the Nobel peace laureate and former President of Liberia.
Johnson Sirleaf talks about the changing relationships between Africa and Europe and some of the world’s pressing issues, such as climate change: “When you see a young Swedish lady leading millions around the world to go to the streets….then you know it’s beginning to strike home,” she says referring to Greta Thunberg and the climate strikes.
The Nobel peace laureate is a strong advocate for women’s rights. Some progress has been made towards gender equality, but we need to speed up because “at the current pace it would take at least 100 years to achieve full gender parity.
”The world is too interconnected to not appreciate the value of diversity."
The conversation also touches upon young Africans and the opportunities to study in an international context at the School of Transnational Governance. “Absolutely critical,” says Johnson Sirleaf about these opportunities. “The world is too interconnected to not appreciate the value of diversity”.
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf about global challenges and tomorrow's leaders