June 17: World Day to Combat Desertification

PRESS RELEASE

SASSARI. The future of the planet is also at stake in the fight against desertification. On the occasion of the World Day established by the United Nations, the University of Sassari – through the Desertification Research Unit (NRD) – and the Institute for BioEconomy of the CNR (CNR-IBE) are promoting a day full of initiatives, including science, territory and active citizenship. The appointment is for Tuesday 17 June, with online and in-person events, dedicated to the 2025 theme: the restoration of degraded lands.

The day will open at 10:00 with the international webinar in English “Innovations for tackling desertification”, in which the Monalisa and Terrasafe projects will be presented, involving NRD Uniss and CNR IBE. The meeting will be an opportunity to share innovative solutions, case studies and multidisciplinary approaches in the fight against desertification.

Registration: Zoom webinar link

In the afternoon, starting at 3:00 pm in the Barbieri Hall of the Department of Agriculture (viale Italia 39, Sassari), a webinar in Italian will be held, coordinated by NRD and CNR, focused on the dialogue between scientific research, businesses, citizens and local administrations. A final round table will propose ideas for a shared and sustainable vision of land management.

Afternoon event registration: Google Form

The day will close with a screening of the documentary “Deserts on the move: Europe” by director Ingo Herbst, produced in collaboration with the festival Pensieri e Parole: libri e film all’Asinara.

The Desertification Research Unit (NRD) of the University of Sassari has been active for over twenty years in interdisciplinary research on climate change, sustainable management of natural resources and international cooperation. Its approach combines science, training and action on the field to address environmental challenges in vulnerable territories.