UNIVERSITY OF SASSARI CELEBRATES ITS 450TH ANNIVERSARY

February 21, 2012 University of Sassari (Italy, Sardinia) celebrated its 450th anniversary. The solemn meeting at the Municipal Center of Sassari was attended by the President of Italy Giorgio Napolitano. VIR was represented by Igor Loskutov. As a gesture of cooperation and gratitude seeds of barley and oat collected on Sardinia by N.I. Vavilov during his Mediterranean collecting mission in 1926 as well as Vavilov Honorable Silver Pin, his book entitled:"Five Continents" and the book <Vavilov and his Institute. A history of the world collection of plant genetic resources in Russia> were presented to the President of the University.

In the framework of the anniversary celebration a workshop was held where professor Igor Loskutov delivered a report entitled: "Plant genetic resources collections heritage of the humankind", telling about the establishment of the Russian Genebank, Vavilov`s role in its development as well as today`s activities of VIR.