Casa Carlo Cattaneo, a historic and symbolic building in Castagnola, became the new headquarters of IBSA Foundation for scientific research. This site of cultural importance was transformed into a laboratory for research and thought, establishing a new point of reference for the city.
The grand opening of the Foundation's new headquarters was held on 20 September 2023, and was attended by Mayor Michele Foletti, Roberto Badaracco of the Ministry for Culture, Sport and Events, and other political and institutional representatives of the Canton of Ticino and of the City of Lugano. A musical performance by the Castagnola Philharmonic, comprised of 40 top musicians conducted by Maestro Mauro Ghisletta, accompanied the event.
The decision to choose Casa Carlo Cattaneo as the new home of IBSA Foundation for scientific research is the fruit of a shared vision, one that is perfectly aligned with the goals of the Municipal Lines of Development. The city’s districts are the most genuine embodiment of our city's culture and tradition, an invaluable resource that must be nurtured, developed and promoted. Thanks to the wealth of experience that IBSA Foundation for scientific research has accrued over the years, it will be able to blend seamlessly into this district, with positive impacts on quality of life for the entire population.
Michele Foletti - Mayor of Lugano
The Mission of IBSA Foundation at its new headquarters
In 2022, to celebrate its tenth anniversary, IBSA Foundation began the process of moving into the historic Casa Carlo Cattaneo. In this place so steeped in history, the Foundation is undertaking to disseminate scientific knowledge and promote culture, in keeping with Carlo Cattaneo’s own way of thinking.
With the goal of driving both technical and civic progress, IBSA Foundation aims to make science a subject matter that is open to all, while also offering support for talented young people and developing and promoting the community and surrounding areas.
“IBSA Foundation for scientific research has always had an innovative vision of scientific knowledge, of its dissemination, of research, and of how science and culture together can benefit individuals in a way that goes beyond the mere healing of disease” - stated Arturo Licenziati, President and CEO of IBSA Group.
A growing cultural and scientific commitment
Over the years, IBSA Foundation has become a pillar of the Ticino cultural community, partnering with important institutions such as the Università della Svizzera italiana (USI), the City of Lugano Cultural Division, the MASI museum and the LAC cultural centre. It has fostered strong ties and relationships abroad as well, with museums and institutions in Italy and across Europe, constantly working to keep the community at large informed about its initiatives and the timetable of its projects.
The new headquarters will be the location of all of the Foundation’s activities: events open to the public and to schools, and spaces for researchers and students alike to conduct their activities.
Specifically, it will host workshops for Lugano's primary schools, as part of the project Let’s Science!, as well as events linked to initiatives like the SciArt SwitzerlAnd project and scientific forums, transforming the centre into the local reference point for Culture and Health. It will also become the permanent home to several exhibitions, including an in-depth exploration of the life of Carlo Cattaneo, the great philosopher, politician and theorist of federalism, and champion for the marriage of technical and humanistic thought.
“To support young researchers and to appeal to the younger generations using simple, accessible and engaging language, while ensuring that each piece of information we put out is thoroughly well-grounded: these are the foundational elements of the dissemination of scientific knowledge that we promote here at IBSA Foundation” - explains Silvia Misiti, Director of IBSA Foundation for scientific research
Place, History and Vision
IBSA Foundation’s grand opening at the historic Casa Carlo Cattaneo signifies not only a new chapter for the Foundation itself, but also the embodiment of Carlo Cattaneo's own vision. Just as he saw the importance of balancing technical progress and civic concerns, the Foundation intends to meld science with culture, recognising that the value of this approach goes beyond the healing of disease, its aim being rather to influence each individual’s overall well-being. Drawing inspiration from a place with deep roots in the history of Lugano, IBSA Foundation aims to form a solid bedrock in which science, culture and community coexist in perfect harmony, respecting, developing and promoting the local area and its historic heritage.
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