International Space Forum at Ministerial Level 2016

42 governmental delegations, composed by Ministers, Ambassadors, Heads of space agencies, representatives of International Intergovernmental Organizations and universities, gathered in Trento (Italy) on 24 October 2016 to contribute to the 1st International Space Forum (ISF) at Ministerial level dedicated to “Space Science and Academy for Global Challenges”. The Forum, jointly organized by the International Astronautical Federation (IAF), the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA) and the Italian Space Agency (ASI), has been an initiative born under the three-year mandate of the ASI President, Prof. Roberto Battiston, as IAF Vice-President for Science and Academy Relations.

This first ISF was meant to encourage a global discussion on the need of promoting a greater involvement of Universities and national Academies in the conception, design and exploitation of peaceful space missions and programs and of fostering space knowledge dissemination and capacity building curricula and research activities at local and regional levels. Three were the topics through which such need was addressed and the global discussion stimulated: Climate Change, Big Data management and Earth Protection.

The first immediate result of the Trento event was the adoption by consensus of the Trento Space Statement, which represents the starting point towards the achievement of the ISF’s goals. A coherent, inclusive and balanced action among different Countries could create a worldwide network of space knowledge and human capital through the sharing of intellectual resources and data processing capabilities. Space Science and Academy require adequate Referents in each Country in order to promote information, exchange of new ideas and standardization of processes and to create a sustainable network of human resources able to expand a confidence building approach for the peaceful use of outer space. The International Space Forum is also a contribution to the preparation of the UNISPACE+50 and the goals of the UN 2030 agenda. Next edition of the Forum will be organized at regional level (Kenya’s candidature is to be confirmed), in order to enlarge the number of representatives from Universities and academies.