Regione Veneto
9-10-11.04.2026 International Festival of European Geopolitics
From Thursday 9 to Saturday 11 April 2026, the International Festival of European Geopolitics will be held in Mestre-Venice at M9 - Museo del '900, organised by the international magazine ATLANTIS, published by Mazzanti, in collaboration with Europe Direct Venezia Veneto of the Municipality of Venice and the Council of Europe based in Venice.
The International Festival of European Geopolitics is an important event for in-depth analysis and dissemination of geostrategic policies from a supranational and European perspective rather than from the point of view of individual countries. This does not mean ignoring the role and contribution of Italy with its specific history, cultural and anthropological identity, and economic and productive interests, but rather placing them in a broader continental context, as is essential at this historical juncture.
The aim of the project is to bring together seemingly different worlds and sectors in order to address a complex topic and make it accessible to everyone.
Three days of meetings and debates on the role of Italy and Europe in world governance, with many national and international personalities.
The meetings will be held in the “Cesare de Michelis” auditorium of the M9 - Museo del '900, in Via G. Pascoli 11, Mestre-Venice.
Admission is free until all seats are taken.
The event will also be streamed live on the Festival's Facebook page.
Diplomacy and International Relations
Economics and Finance
Environment
Cultural Heritage and Tourism
Security, Defence and Intelligence
Rights, Humanitarian Defence, NGOs
Information and Journalism
=> Go to the official website for the full programme and any updates on the International Festival of European Geopolitics
Eleonora Lorusso
Journalist
Greetings from the Authorities
Arduino Paniccia
Military and Geopolitical Analyst
Roberto Papetti
Editor-in-Chief of Il Gazzettino
Veronica Guagliumi
EREB, International Development Planning
Valeria Mantovan
Councillor for Culture and Education, Veneto Region
Federico Moro
Secretary General, Robert Kennedy Foundation
Caterina Spezzano
Ministry of Education and Merit
Joining us via video link from the Italian Embassy in Washington
Francesca Vanoli
Head of the Education Office, Italian Embassy in Washington
Moderator:
Eleonora Lorusso
Journalist
Luigi Brugnaro
Mayor of the City of Venice
in conversation with
Elisa Billato
Journalist, Editor-in-Chief of Rai Veneto
Followed by
Umberto Vattani (via video link)
Ambassador, President of Venice International University
Rossella Vitali
President of the Lions International MD Italy Council of Governors
in conversation with
Fabio Finotti
Lecturer in Italian Literature at the University of Trieste, former Director of the Italian Cultural Institute in New York
American Voices
(a programme featuring interviews conducted by Eleonora Lorusso)
Matteo Legrenzi
Lecturer in International Relations at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice
Tony Loffreda (via video link)
Senator, Canada
Roberto Nigido (via video link)
Ambassador
Gianluca Pastori
Lecturer in the History of Political Relations between North America and Europe at the Catholic University of Milan
Moderator
Domitilla Savignoni
Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Foreign Affairs Desk, Mediaset
Paolo Casardi
Ambassador and Co-President of the Circolo Studi Diplomatici
Stefano Cont
Director, Capabilities, Armaments and Planning Division, European Defence Agency
Claudio D’Angelo
General, Lecturer at the University of Trieste
Alessandro Politi
Director of the NATO Defence College Foundation in Rome
Raffaele Speranzon
Senator, Foreign Affairs Committee of the Senate of the Republic
Francesco Zampieri
Researcher at the Centre for Maritime Military Studies in Venice
Moderator
Giovanni Perria
Journalist
Francesca Lazzari
Head of AVSI Foundation’s Lebanon Office
Adriano Benedetti
Ambassador, Circle of Diplomatic Studies
Eugenio Capozzi
Lecturer in Contemporary History at the Suor Orsola Benincasa University of Naples
Massimo Donà
Lecturer in Theoretical Philosophy at the San Raffaele University of Milan
Giuseppe Limone
Lecturer in Philosophy of Law at the Federico II University of Naples
Moderator
Andrea Scazzola
Journalist
Maurizio Melani
Ambassador, Co-President of the Circle of Diplomatic Studies,
Lecturer in International Relations, Link Campus University
Benedetta Liberali
Associate Professor of Constitutional Law, University of Milan
Davide Rossi
President of the Federation of Associations of Istrian, Fiuman and Dalmatian Exiles
Sirio Zolea
Director of the Interdepartmental Research Centre on Space Policy at Roma Tre University
Moderator
Massimo Nava
Journalist
SPEECH (via video link)
Oksana Amdzhadin
Ambassador of Ukraine to the Italian Republic
Andrea Bos
President of Hydrogen Park
Gabriele Cafaro
Head of Fincantieri’s Underwater Division
Francesco Ruggiero
Captain, National Underwater Division
Angelo Giuliana
Managing Director, MedITech
Sabrina Zuccalà
President, National Division for Drones, Aerospace, Underwater and Defence
Moderator
Maurizio Cerruti
Journalist
Carlo Carraro
Emeritus Rector of Ca’ Foscari University
Paolo Guerrieri (via video link)
Lecturer in International Affairs at Sciences Po Paris
Piero Martin
Lecturer in Experimental Physics at the University of Padua
Maurizio Melani
Ambassador, Co-President of the Circolo di Studi Diplomatici
Vincenzo Marinese
Vice-President of Confindustria
Moderator
Gianluca Versace
Journalist
Isabella Rauti
Under-Secretary of State for Defence
EUROPE: AN OPPORTUNITY FOR POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT
Mario Schwetz
Director of the Italian Office of the Council of Europe
Carlo Nordio
Minister of Justice
Manlio Graziano
Geopolitical Analyst
Director of the Nicholas Spykman International Centre for Geopolitical Analysis
with Eleonora Lorusso
SHORT CLOSING CONCERT
Federico Motta
Cello
