Cabinet undersecretary Giancarlo Giorgetti and Britain's deputy premier David Lidington are among participants at the high-profile 24th Pontignano Conference - the biggest annual Anglo-Italian meeting - which opens Sunday in the central Italian city of Siena.
Ahead of the UK's withdrawal from the European Union in March, British and Italian experts and government officials attending the event will mull the key role of education, innovation, technology, culture, business and defence in bridging divides between the two countries and forging partnerships to secure a brighter future, the organisers said.
This year's conference is chaired by Italy's former economic development minister Carlo Calenda and Lord David Willets, the UK's former universities and science minister.
Cultural and education body The British Council and the British Embassy in Italy are organising the meeting, in collaboration with the University of Siena and St Anthony's College, Oxford.
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