The second edition of the “Italo-Maltese Journey to Space” jointly organised by Xjenza Malta and the Italian Embassy to Malta, was held in style at the Esplora Planetarium Hall on 4th December, in an evening that brought together the full spectrum of the space community.
Diplomats, government representatives, senior officials from the Italian Embassy and Xjenza Malta, leaders from academia and industry, innovators, students and the media convened for what proved to be a flagship occasion for bilateral cooperation in Space.
The Italian Space Day, celebrated every year on 16th December, is an event dedicated to highlighting Italy’s role in space activities, scientific research and technological applications related to space. Established in 2021 by the Presidency of the Council of Ministers in collaboration with the Italian Space Agency (ASI), the day commemorates the launch of Italy’s first satellite, San Marco 1, on 15th December, 1964. This was a historic achievement that made Italy the third country in the world to place its own satellite into orbit, after the Soviet Union and the United States.
From the outset, the atmosphere during the second edition of the “Italo-Maltese Journey to Space” was one of high-level engagement. The programme set out how Space now underpins communications, navigation, financial services, security and high-tech solutions that touch daily life, while making the case for deeper practical collaboration between Italy and Malta. Discussions focused on accelerating research into services that reach users, broadening awareness of satellite data across public administration and business and ensuring that capabilities are interoperable and future-proof.