Riccardo Petrella, 79, Italian living in Belgium. Emeritus Professor, Catholic University of Louvain (Belgium).

Dr H.C. of eight universities from Sweden, Denmark, France, Canada, Argentina and Belgium.

His research and teaching fields have been regional development, poverty, science and technology policy, globalisation.

During 15 years he worked at the European Commission in Brussels as director of FAST (Forecasting and Assessment in Science and Technology).

Founder of the Group of Lisbon ("Limits to Competition"), the International Committee for the World Water Contract (together with Mario Soares) ("The Water Manifesto"), the" University for the Common Good" in Italy, Belgium and France, the Agora of the Inhabitants of the Earth ("In the name of the Humanity").

Publications:

• Limits to Competition, MIT Press, Boston
  
• Le bien commun, Labor, Bruxelles
  
• The Water Manifesto, ZED Books, UK
  
• Il diritto di sognare, Sperling & Kupfer, Milano
  
• Pour une nouvelle narration du monde, Ecosociété, Montréal
  
• Au nom de l'humanité, Couleur Livres, Mons
  

He is an honorary citizen of Waremme (Belgium) and (Rosario) Argentina.