This year, the traditional cap toss moves to the heart of the city: on Monday 14 July, the University of Trieste, with the support of the CRTrieste Foundation, will host for the first time in Piazza Verdi, on the Triestestate stage, the official PhD Graduation Ceremony.

Starting at 9:00 p.m., the Graduation Day 2025 will feature a renewed format that not only celebrates the academic achievement of 150 new researchers from around the world, but also opens a window for the public into the future of science and the perspectives enabled by research outcomes.

This new format continues the tradition of recent initiatives that have brought the University and the city closer together, especially during the events celebrating the Centenary of the University of Trieste.

Guest of honour for the evening will be Rosario Rizzuto, Director of the Department of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Padua and former Rector of the same institution. His keynote speech is titled: “RNA and Gene Therapy: New Technologies for Personalised Medicine.”

The evening will be hosted by journalist Marinella Chirico, who will introduce the scheduled speakers.

Live music will be performed by the band “Ben & the Soul Sisters,” featuring vocalists Joy Jenkins, Michela Grilli, and Sara Roversi, accompanied by Marco Ballaben on keyboard.

The Triestestate summer festival, which includes the Graduation Day 2025 in its official programme, is organised by the Municipality of Trieste – Department of Culture and Tourism, in collaboration with the Department of Education and Family Policies, the Department of Urban Planning, and with the support of PromoTurismoFVG and the Trieste Convention & Visitors Bureau.