This tribute to Igor Bestuzhev-Lada takes the form of an analysis of his relationship with Alberto Gasparini: two halves of a whole who carried out a number of initiatives concerning the prediction of the future. In this case, we are interested in those initiatives involving Bestuzhev-Lada which lead to the development of predictive studies in Italy, in particular at the ISIG in Gorizia and at the University of Trieste. As director of the ISIG and of the Department of Human Sciences at the University of Trieste, the author focuses on the efforts to build a network of relations with futurologists and to conduct research on futures studies. Joint initiatives with Bestuzhev-Lada were set up in Madrid, Moscow, Gorizia and Trieste (1990-1992), with exchanges of researchers between Italy and Moscow. The first events (congresses, conferences, summer schools, etc.) started dialogue and thus paved the way for the refoundation of the Italian journal “Futuribili” (1994). The third phase saw the foundation of the International Futures Researches Academy (1999-2000) based in Gorizia, which institutionalised the collaboration with Igor Bestuzhev-Lada and the Russian Futures Studies Academy of Moscow. This actually was a highly complex operation, involving the dissemination in international academic circles of the idea of social prediction, the gathering of support and enrolments, the formulation of initiatives, programmes and of the articles of constitution. The following years saw the launch of activities, first of all at the ISIG in Gorizia and at the RFSA in Moscow, and participation in events by members of IFRA. The activities included the publication of books and of the journal “Fututribili”, complementary research projects in Italy and Russia, joint international summer schools and the organisation of conferences and congresses.
