A festive weekend on the East Campus

600 members of the USI and SUPSI academic community gathered on Friday for a welcome lunch on the new campus, and on Saturday, over 2,000 residents participated in "Festa in corte". It was a weekend full of celebrations in the new plaza, which opened up to its host community.

The official welcome was given on Friday by the Dean of the Faculty of Informatics, Marc Langheinrich, the Dean of the Faculty of Biomedical Sciences Giovanni Pedrazzini and Emanuele Carpanzano, Director of the Department of Innovative Technologies at SUPSI. The social event - which included risotto, ice cream and music - was organised by USI and SUPSI to welcome the tenants of the East Campus while promoting mutual acquaintance.

On Saturday the square was set up to welcome "Festa in corte", the day of celebration promoted by the Neighborhood Committees of Viganello, Pregassona and Molino Nuovo in the plaza of the new USI and SUPSI East Campus in Viganello with the collaboration of USI-Università della Svizzera italiana, SUPSI-Scuola universitaria professionale della Svizzera italiana, the City of Lugano and two sponsors: Bancastato and LaMobiliare.

The Plaza was brought to life with thematic villages, stands, a macaroni lunch, music, and many diverse and entertaining activities like a burst of coloured confetti. The official greetings were given by the presidents of the three district commissions Michele Amadò (Viganello), Marco Imperadore (Pregassona) and Giovanni Zedda (Molino Nuovo), by USI Rector Boas Erez, by SUPSI Director-General Franco Gervasoni and by the Municipal of the City of Lugano Tiziano Galeazzi. All speakers underlined the festive spirit that marked the day and the possibility to make the large inner plaza of the Campus - almost as big as Piazza della Riforma - come to life with initiatives addressed to everyone. The organisation was handled by about thirty volunteers coordinated by Sophie Maffioli. 

Festa in corte has capped the path to the discovery of the new Campus started in 2018 by USI, SUPSI and the City of Lugano with various mediation initiatives to make citizens and the academic community acquainted with the building under construction before the construction site was even completed. The event was also one of the highlights of USI's 25th anniversary celebrations.

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