The modern lecture hall on Politecnico di Milano's Mantova Campus is filled with people of all ages, and they all have one thing in common: they have lived through the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021. This historical moment is the focal point of today's event. Lecturer and essayist Giorgia Serughetti wants to understand the hidden side of the pandemic : the long-term effects on population and politics, and what leaders and governments have learnt from it.

Serughetti says it clear: this is a horizontal lecture, open to opinions, questions and discussions. And the audience is quick to embrace the approach. The dialogue flows easily and the speaker highlights numerous topics that may emerge from retrospective analysis of the pandemic: the evolution of the welfare state, new teaching methods, the loneliness of people, the benefits of remote working, and much more.

Nevertheless, Serughettiì's analysis is meant to take a specific turn: assessing the political outcomes and possible future scenarios that result from such a traumatic collective experience. Unfortunately, the general trend goes against the initial idea of international cooperation that Covid-19 brought with it. It is complicated to accept the idea of a pluri-hegemonic world, where the role of the West is declining. However, recognising the signs of this political and historical tendency may help to evaluate the best options and solution for a better political participation. Including trans-feminist and environmentalist voices in the political debate and parliamentary game can help find new solutions for new problems.

As for the rest, one can only hope that leaders did not take the Covid-19 pandemic as a last test before engaging in a final destructive war. In the end, Covid was sadly an experiment of how well states would perform in a closed system and economy without external intervention, instead of becoming a breaking point for international cooperation.