On Wednesday, 16 September 2026, at 8:30 AM, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will deliver the annual State of the Union Address (SOTEU), streamed live with simultaneous interpretation in all 24 official languages of the European Union.

To mark the occasion, Europe Direct Venezia Veneto of the Municipality of Venice, in collaboration with six other Europe Direct centres across Italy, is organising a public viewing of the 2026 State of the Union Address, followed by a citizens’ debate and discussion. The collaboration involves the following Europe Direct centres:  Europe Direct Siena , Europe Direct Trapani Sicilia, Europe Direct Chieti , Europe Direct Venezia Veneto , Europe Direct Emilia-Romagna, Europe Direct Molise and Europe Direct Lombardia. 

The event will take place from 8.30 am to 12.00 pm at the offices of Europe Direct Venezia Veneto of the Municipality of Venice, located at Via Spalti 28, Mestre - Venezia. Admission is free upon registration and subject to venue capacity. For those unable to attend in person, the event can also be followed via online livestream through the following link.

SOTEU is the annual State of the Union Address delivered by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen before the European Parliament. In this speech, she reviews the achievements of the past year and outlines the European Union’s priorities for the year ahead. It is one of the key moments in the European institutional calendar, opening a broader discussion among citizens, institutions, and civil society on the future of the EU.

SAVE THE DATE #SOTEU2026

Per il SOTEU 2026  Europe Direct Venezia Veneto del Comune di Venezia mira a rafforzare la rete italiana Europe Direct, ascoltando insieme il discorso sullo stato dell’Unione dalle sedi territoriali degli Europe Direct Siena , Europe Direct Trapani Sicilia, Europe Direct Chieti , Europe Direct Venezia Veneto , Europe Direct Emilia-Romagna, Europe Direct Molise ed Europe Direct Lombardia. L’iniziativa infatti è realizzata contestualmente online e in presenza presso le sedi individuate da ciascuno degli Europe Direct indicati e vedrà il coinvolgimento di giovani, giornalisti, referenti dei media territoriali e cittadinanza tutta.
A conclusione della visione del SOTEU2026 ci sarà un dibattito rivolto a tutti i cittadini e cittadine, con un’attenzione particolare ai comunicatori e ai giornalisti, ha l’obiettivo di far conoscere l’importanza del SOTEU, il ruolo che svolge nel contesto dell’Unione Europea, le motivazioni del SOTEU nel calendario politico europeo e, soprattutto, la possibilità di portare la voce dei territori locali, attraverso il Dibattito, in un più complessivo quadro europeo.

For SOTEU 2026, Europe Direct Venezia Veneto of the Municipality of Venice aims to strengthen the Italian Europe Direct network by bringing together audiences across the country to follow the State of the Union Address from the local offices of  Europe Direct Siena , Europe Direct Trapani Sicilia, Europe Direct Chieti , Europe Direct Venezia Veneto , Europe Direct Emilia-Romagna, Europe Direct Molise and Europe Direct Lombardia. The initiative will take place both online and in person at the venues identified by each participating Europe Direct centre. It will involve young people, journalists, local media representatives, and citizens from across the participating regions. Following the live screening of SOTEU 2026, an open debate will be held for all citizens, with particular attention to communicators and journalists. The discussion aims to highlight the significance of the State of the Union Address, its role within the European Union, and its importance within the European political calendar. Above all, it seeks to provide an opportunity for local communities to bring their perspectives and voices into a broader European conversation.