The opening ceremony for University’s 800th academic year was held on Thursday 19 May 2022 in the Aula Magna “Galileo Galilei” at Palazzo Bo, Padua.

The ceremony was attended by the President of the Italian Republic, Sergio Mattarella. Besides the address of the Unipd Rector, Daniela Mapelli, there were speeches by the President of the Italian Senate, Maria Elisabetta Alberti Casellati, the President of the Council of Students, Emma Ruzzon, the Minister for University and Research, Maria Cristina Messa, and the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola. Professor Carlo Fumian’s inaugural lecture, “Above all liberties”: learning, speaking and arguing according to conscience”, will close the ceremony.

In recognition of the University of Padua’s place among the oldest universities in the world, the ceremony was preceded by a procession of rectors from Italian and international universities, which started from Palazzo della Ragione and end at Palazzo del Bo, where the rectors joined the academic, political, religious, military and civil authorities in attendance. 

The ceremony is streamed live, as well as on the university’s Facebook page and Youtube channel.

Speeches

Rector’s address, Daniela Mapelli
President of the Student Council, Emma Ruzzon
Inaugural lecture of Carlo Fumian: “Give me the liberty to know, to utter, and to argue freely according to conscience, above all liberties”