A review of the Balzan Prizewinners’ Interdisciplinary Forum 2021

On 30 June 2022, the time had finally come: at the invitation of the Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences, many interested parties gathered in the Aula of the University of Bern for the Balzan Prizewinners’ Interdisciplinary Forum, which had been postponed for more than six months due to the Covid-19 pandemic. That afternoon, the scientists and scholars who had been awarded the Balzan Prize 2021 presented the research activities for which they had been awarded the Balzan Prize.

For the ceremonial prelude, the Inferno quartet – four young, multiple award-winning women musicians – performed Alexander Glazunov’s 3rd String Quartet and the “Dance of Yao and Galob” in very warm temperatures. The music developed an acoustics of its own in the auditorium - a real sound experience for all those present.

This was followed by the welcome addresses from Prof. Christian Leumann, Rector of the University of Bern, Prof. Marcel Tanner, President of the Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences and Alberto Quadrio Curzio, President of the Balzan International Foundation. They all underscored the importance of interdisciplinary exchange, which was experienced in actual practice at events such as this Forum. The speakers added that the younger generation in particular benefited from this exchange.

After the welcome addresses, the interdisciplinary forum itself started with the first “Chair”, introduced by Prof. Luciano Maiani, Chairman of the Balzan Prize Committee. During the first “Chair”, the Balzan Prizewinners from the fields of physics, mathematics, natural sciences and medicine presented their research activities. Prof. Jeffrey Gordon gave the first presentation, about his work on intestinal flora and its role in health and disease. Prof. Gordon showed how important the microbiome is for the development of children in particular and how research on it can solve social and health problems such as malnutrition.

Moving on from something very small, the next subject concerned something very large: the exploration of the universe. Prof. Thibault Damour and Prof. Alessandra Buonanno, who share the Balzan Prize for their research on gravitation and its physical and astrophysical aspects, showed the audience a new research approach to understand the universe better.

After an ample coffee break, the Forum continued with the second “Chair”, presented by Alberto Quadrio Curzio, President of the Balzan International Foundation. In this “Chair”, researchers from the humanities and social sciences as well as art and culture were awarded for their scientific and academic activities. Prof. Saul Friedländer was awarded the Balzan Prize 2021 for his Holocaust and genocide research, but was unable to attend in person. Instead, Prof. Thomas Maissen asked him some questions, which the historian answered in a pre-recorded video interview. Afterwards, Prof. Christina Morina, Deputy Supervisor, presented the research project - supported by the Balzan Prize - on “Bystanders” in National Socialism and showed why the insights from it are of great importance for current conflicts as well.

The final presentation was given by the Buccellati couple: Prof. Giorgio Buccellati and Prof. Marilyn Kelly-Buccellati described their research activities on the Art and Archaeology of the Ancient Near East. They were able to make accessible their discoveries during the excavations in the ancient town of Urkesh in Syria by means of a sophisticated system of web sites. The Buccellatis demonstrated how important it is to incorporate and use modern technology in the discovery of ancient civilizations.

Towards the end of the Forum, there was an open round with all the 2021 Balzan Prizewinners, in which the latter could ask each other questions about their respective fields of research and the audience could also get involved.