The University of Padova's Human Rights Centre "Antonio Papisca" and the UNESCO Chair in Human Rights, Democracy and Peace express their deep sorrow for the passing of Emma Bonino.

The collaboration with Emma Bonino began in January 1993, when Antonio Papisca was called to join the Group of Experts established at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, under the chairmanship of Prof. Giovanni Conso, tasked with drafting the Italian proposal to the Security Council regarding the creation of the International Criminal Tribunal for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in the former Yugoslavia. Emma Bonino had just founded the association "No Peace Without Justice," with the specific goal of promoting the establishment of a permanent international criminal court. The association would later become one of the founders of the Coalition for the International Criminal Court.

Five years later, in July 1998, Antonio Papisca, Emma Bonino, European Commissioner, and Mary Robinson, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, came together in Rome, in Piazza del Campidoglio, on the occasion of the event organised by Mayor Francesco Rutelli to celebrate the conclusion of the Diplomatic Conference and the adoption of the Statute of the International Criminal Court (Rome Statute).

In September 2007, Emma Bonino, Minister for European Affairs, took part at the Scuola Grande di San Rocco, in Venice, in the solemn ceremony for the awarding of diplomas and the inauguration of the 11th academic year of the European Master's Degree in Human Rights and Democratisation (E.MA). This is a project promoted by the Human Rights Centre of the University of Padova, involving 41 European universities.

In September 2013, in the Sala Zuccari of the Senate of the Republic, Emma Bonino, Minister of Foreign Affairs, spoke at the presentation of the Italian Yearbook of Human Rights, published by the Human Rights Centre of the University of Padova.

Her commitment to human rights as both an activist and a politician extended beyond campaigning and denunciation; indeed, it culminated in legislation that has significantly shaped Italian society and initiatives that continue to characterise Europe’s international standing, in defence of humanitarian law, international cooperation with impoverished nations, the rule of law, and international criminal justice. Italy’s and Europe’s debt to Emma Bonino is immense and will become even more apparent. Her integrity, authority, and determination leave an irreplaceable void in the international community.