Internet Society Italia celebrates its 25th anniversary
Internet Society Italia, the italian national chapter of the Internet Society celebrates its 25th anniversary this year and is marking the occasion with a special event. The Internet Society, or ISOC, is the international organisation that promotes the Internet as an open, secure and accessible resource for all.
On 28 November 2025, in Novara, at the Auditorium of the University of Eastern Piedmont, a full day of reflection and dialogue will take place under the title “Out of the Box – The Internet as a Common Good”. More than just a celebration, the event is an important opportunity to encourage collective thinking about our digital lives and to develop ideas and proposals for more conscious and inclusive uses of the Internet.
The words of Stefano Giordano, President of Internet Society Italy, clearly highlight the importance of the themes addressed throughout the day:
“The Internet has transformed every aspect of our lives, from entertainment to education, from healthcare to transport. It is essential, however, to remember that the network does not belong to a handful of monopolists but to its users. Without the contribution of each individual, from end-users to public administration representatives, the network would not exist. This is the founding principle of the Internet Society, which has always supported the development of an open, secure, reliable and universally accessible Internet. The event ‘Out of the Box: The Internet as a Common Good’ will explore how this vision is reshaping various sectors and how we can ensure that this universal right reaches the 2.6 billion people who still lack Internet access.”
Programme
The day will open with institutional greetings from the Mayor of Novara, Alessandro Canelli; the Director of the Department of Economics and Law at the University of Eastern Piedmont, Massimo Cavino; and Stefano Giordano, President of Internet Society Italy, who will introduce the event and launch a wide-ranging discussion.
Internet and Health
The first panel, “The Internet and Health”, moderated by science journalist Gianluca Dotti, will bring together experts with diverse yet complementary backgrounds: electronic engineer Gianluca Mazzini, CEO of Lepida SpA, will present the viewpoint of digital infrastructures; neuropsychiatrist Narciso Mostarda, Director General of ARES 118 in the Lazio Region, will reflect on the impact of digital technologies on healthcare service management; and Professor Luca Ragazzoni, anaesthetist and Director of CRIMEDIM at the University of Eastern Piedmont, will provide the perspective of emergency medicine and academic research.
Internet and Human Development
This will be followed by the panel “The Internet and Human Development”, moderated by Riccardo Saporiti, which will focus on how new forms of intelligence – natural, artificial and collective – can help tackle contemporary complexity. Speakers will include anthropologist Veronica Barassi, Professor of Communication Studies at the University of St. Gallen, who will examine the relationship between society and technology; computer engineer Federico Galatolo, researcher at the University of Pisa, who will present a technical-scientific perspective; and psychologist and psychotherapist specialising in adolescence Alberto Rossetti, who will offer a sensitive and human-centred view of the more intimate effects of digital technologies on our lives.
Internet and Work
The third panel of the morning, “The Internet and Work”, moderated by Simona Buscaglia, will address the transformations of work in the digital era. Contributions will come from Andrea Casalegno, CEO of TOPIX, sharing his experience in digital networks; Roberto Moriondo, Director General of the Municipality of Novara, offering an institutional point of view; and labour lawyer and activist Giulia Druetta, who has long been involved in defending the rights of platform workers.
The Internet as a Common Good
The morning will conclude with the panel “The Internet as a Common Good”, moderated by Antonio Baldassarra, CEO of Seeweb and DHH, focusing on rules and responsibilities in Internet governance. Speakers will include Nicola Blefari Melazzi, Professor at the University of Rome Tor Vergata and President of CNIT; Stefano Quintarelli, computer scientist and entrepreneur; and Guido Scorza, lawyer, journalist, professor and member of the Italian Data Protection authority.
In the afternoon, thematic working groups will take place. These will provide an opportunity to explore in depth the key topics of the day—business, education, data and information—and to contribute to defining a shared direction for the debate on digital life in Italy.
Guided by social psychologists, the groups will offer two hours of collaborative discussion: participants will identify three shared priorities for each area, formulate an operational recommendation addressed to institutions and policymakers, and draw up a list of practical actions to bring back to their own professional and organisational contexts. Each group will have a limited number of places (maximum 15 participants) to ensure high-quality dialogue and the production of concrete outcomes.
The initiative is made possible thanks to the support of the Internet Society and the Internet Society Foundation. Among the event’s partners is also GARR, which has long been one of the members of ISOC Italy and supports its activities.
Registration for the event is open until 26 November 2025 at the following link: https://Novara-IsocIT.eventbrite.it
[Please note that the event is in Italian only]
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