"Researchers are the storytellers of Europe"

This is how Carlos Moedas concluded his speech at yesterday's high-level event 'EU Research and Innovation in our daily life'. More than 1000 participants present in the hemicycle of the European Parliament listened to these words.

Aware that in research "the impact is not always visible", the Commissioner for Science and Innovation urged researchers to tell the story of their projects to the general public.

Bertrand Piccard, UN ambassador for the environment, supported Moeda's words by saying that "Europe must not be shy" in showing the products of research and innovation. 

Four projects represented REA at this high-level event

Michele Punturo, coordinator of GRAWITON, participated in the opening session where he explained the work of his young team of MSCA-funded researchers – what he called "the largest observation campaign in history of human kind on gravitational waves".

Antonio Scafé, coordinator of Advanced Forest Fire Fighting, was invited to present the outcomes of his project in a session dedicated to security. He stressed that forest fires are a global and increasing threat, thus the need for a structured and integrated approach, only possible at European or international level.

In the exhibition area, Jean-Eric Paquet and other VIPs tested the INCEPTION glasses that transported them to a renaissance square in Florence through augmented reality, while COURAGE exhibited a very visual display of counter-culture of the soviet era.

Ahead of the 2019 European Parliament elections, this event is a demonstration of the most impactful EU-funded research. Antonio Tajani, President of the European Parliament, confirmed his strong support for European researchers and reassured the attendees that, with increased funding, Horizon Europe will be able to retain Europe's best scientists.

You can watch the recorded plenary session and the session dedicated to security on the European Parliament website.