Objective data tell us that Italian astrophysicists are among the best in the world. For this reason, I am proud to have been asked to serve and represent them as the INAF president. Fundamental research, and in particular astrophysics, create the cultural and technological spin-offs which the country needs today.

INAF is a tremendous organisation that inherits a great tradition but is forward looking at the same time. INAF's soul is its people, men and women, that do, and make possible, astronomy and astrophysics from the ground and from space, with theory, observations and technology, that have ideas and a drive to work. People that should be proud to belong to a single team, that, with its diverse origins and traditions has vision and but one aspiration: to observe and understand the sky with the best possible instruments.

I have been an astrophysicist all my life, around the world (USA, Europe, France) and in Italy, where I have spent the same amount of time (about 20 years) as an employee of a research institute (CNR) and as a university professor. My scientific experience, for what it is worth, is divided between observations from space and the ground, instrumentation and theory. In Europe I learned vision and optimism. The second is easy, partly innate, the first is acquired and allows one to be without bounds. For the INAF of the future, at such a difficult time, we must all have clear vision.

What will tomorrow's INAF be like? I don't know, because the future will be built by all of INAF, by those who are within it, are entering or hoping to enter it, from Observatories, institutes and universities. Together with the new CdA, I will roll up my sleeves to stand for INAF and make it as great (and even greater) as we can, and above all, respected both in Italy and Europe.

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