The Trans-Regional Seapower Symposium is the flagship international conference organized by the Italian Navy, now in its fourteenth edition. It will take in Venice from October 8th to 10th and focus on the underwater environment, based on a schedule including discussions and working sessions as well as meetings and cultural events. The Venice Symposium is unique on the international scene, as it is designed as a moment of analysis and synthesis involving the maritime cluster in its broadest sense (international organizations, industry, academia, research centres, military). The special character of the Venice Symposium is evidenced by the invitation of 106 Chief of Navies from around the world and about 400 top representatives of entities belonging to the broader international maritime cluster, including political figures.
a) Theme and topics
"A spotlight on the depths: the Underwater as the new frontier for humankind" – the theme of this edition – has the aim to promote, in a shared commitment, a safe, secure and sustainable use of the underwater dimension of the maritime environment. Oceans and seas cover more than 70% of the Earth’s surface and play a crucial role in all our lives. This is the motto of the Symposium: “We come from the sea and we depend on the sea”, exploring and understanding the underwater world is therefore essential for addressing pressing global challenges.
b) Working sessions
The discussions will be conducted through three working sessions analysing environmental, security, technological, and governance aspects, led by key figures in their respective fields.
Session 2 (9th October - AM): «Safeguarding the underwater – new solutions and technologies for new challenges». Identifying trends and capacitive development lines of technology in the underwater dimension, determining their impact for the future Navies, as well as identifying which technologies could provide a competitive advantage in terms of knowledge, control, and security of the underwater dimension.
Session 3 (9th October – PM): «Framing the underwater –governance in a complex environment». Start a discussion on the need to have shared regulations, at national and international levels, that regulate interactions in this dimension.
