"Nature has offered us the richness of biodiversity: a thousand-year harmony among the planet's life forms, capable of adapting over time to climatic, geological and environmental challenges. A balance seriously threatened, in recent decades, by the impact of short-sighted human activities, which have compromised the very environment in which humans live, as well as endangering the survival of numerous animal and plant species, generating worrying knock-on effects on the entire living system". This is stated in a statement by the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella on the occasion of World Biodiversity Day, stressing that the theme chosen this year, "Harmony with Nature and Sustainable Development", "recalls the urgency of rethinking the humanity-nature relationship, promoting growth models capable of combining economic development and the protection of life on the planet". "The value of biodiversity," says the Head of State, "is at the center of international strategies for sustainable development, and Italy has taken significant steps in terms of principle, clearly stating, through the reform of Article 9 of the Constitution that took place in 2022, that 'the Republic protects the environment, biodiversity and ecosystems, including in the interest of future generations'. Young people's concern for the future of the planet should be looked upon with consideration: their environmental consciousness, based on respect, responsibility, and daily commitment, is an essential resource for a more conscious society, one that knows how to preserve and enhance the richness of biodiversity, in the interest of humanity".