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
(currently being finalised, list of speakers subject to confirmation)
THURSDAY, 9 APRIL:
Presented and hosted by
Eleonora Lorusso
Journalist
11:00 a.m.
Greetings from the Authorities
11:30 a.m.
Roberto Papetti
Editor-in-Chief of Il Gazzettino
12:00 p.m.
Speech by Maria Tripodi
Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation
3:00 p.m.
GEOPOLITICS IN SCHOOLS
Giovanna Botteri
Journalist
Veronica Guagliumi
EREB, International Development Planning
Federico Moro
Secretary General, Robert Kennedy Foundation
Caterina Spezzano
Ministry of Education and Merit
Live from the Italian Embassy in Washington:
Francesca Vanoli
Head of the School Office, Italian Embassy in Washington
Moderator:
Eleonora Lorusso
Journalist
SPEECH
Valeria Mantovan
Councillor for Culture and Education, Veneto Region
4:15 p.m.
CULTURAL DIPLOMACY FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
Francesco Arezzo
President of the Board of Governors, Rotary International MD Italy
Manfred Nowak
Secretary General, Global Campus of Human Rights
Umberto Vattani
Ambassador, President, Venice International University
Rossella Vitali
President of the Board of Governors, Lions International MD Italy
Moderator:
Fabio Finotti
Professor of Italian Literature, University of Trieste, former Director of the Italian Cultural Institute in New York
THE POLICIES OF THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION AND THEIR GLOBAL CONSEQUENCES
American Voices
Matteo Legrenzi
Professor of International Relations at Ca' Foscari University of Venice
Tony Loffreda
Senator, Canada
Roberto Nigido (remote)
Ambassador
Gianluca Pastori
Professor of History of Political Relations between North America and Europe at the Catholic University of Milan
Moderator:
Domitilla Savignoni
Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Foreign Affairs, Mediaset
SPEECH
Giulio Terzi di Sant'Agata
Chairman of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee
FRIDAY, 10 APRIL:
10:00 a.m.
THE EUROPEAN UNION'S POLICY OF READINESS IN THE FACE OF EXTERNAL THREATS
Paolo Casardi
Ambassador and Co-President of the Diplomatic Studies Circle
Stefano Cont
Director, Capabilities, Armaments and Planning Division, European Defence Agency
Claudio D'Angelo
General, Professor at the University of Trieste
Alessandro Politi
Director, NATO Defence College Foundation, Rome
Stefano Sannino
Former Secretary-General, European External Action Service
Raffaele Speranzon
Senator, Foreign Affairs Committee, Italian Senate
Francesco Zampieri
Researcher, Centre for Maritime Military Studies, Venice
Moderator:
Giovanni Perri
Journalist
11:00 a.m.
SPEECH
Kubilius Andrius
Executive Commissioner for Defence, European Commission
11:30 a.m.
SPEECH
Matteo Perego di Cremnago
Undersecretary of State, Ministry of Defence
12:00 p.m.
THE WEST AND ITS IDENTITY
Adriano Benedetti
Ambassador
Eugenio Capozzi
Professor of Contemporary History at the Suor Orsola Benincasa University of Naples
Massimo Donà
Professor of Theoretical Philosophy at the San Raffaele University of Milan
Giuseppe Limone
Professor of Philosophy of Law at the Federico II University of Naples
Moderator:
Andrea Scazzola
Journalist
3 p.m.
BORDERS AND FRONTIERS IN CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
Davide Cipelletti
Air Division General, Commander of the Air Force Academy
Maurizio Melani
Ambassador, Co-President of the Diplomatic Studies Circle
Benedetta Liberali
Associate Professor of Constitutional Law, University of Milan
Davide Rossi
Professor of Law at the University of Trieste
Sirio Zolea
Director of the Interdepartmental Research Centre on Space Policy at Roma Tre University
Moderator:
Maurizio Cerruti
Journalist
SPEECH
Oksana Amdzhadin
Ambassador of Ukraine to the Italian Republic
4:00 p.m.
ITALIAN EXCELLENCE IN THE EUROPEAN COMMON DEFENCE INDUSTRY
Alessandro Becce
Chief Executive Officer, San Catalgo Container Terminal
Andrea Bos
President, Hydrogen Park
Roberta Pinotti
President of the National Underwater Centre Foundation
First name Last name
Fincantieri
Sabrina Zuccalà
President of the National Centre for Drones, Aerospace, Underwater Activities and Defence
Moderator:
Massimo Nava
Journalist
5 p.m.
THE NEW MAPS OF THE GLOBAL ECONOMY
Carlo Carraro
Rector Emeritus of Ca' Foscari University
Paolo Guerrieri
Professor of International Affairs, Science Po Paris
Piero Martin
Professor of Experimental Physics, University of Padua
Maurizio Melani
Ambassador, Co-President of the Diplomatic Studies Circle
Luigi Zingales
Economist, University of Chicago Booth School of Business
Vincenzo Marinese
Vice President of Confindustria
Moderator:
Fiorina Capozzi
Journalist
SPEECH
Emma Marcegaglia
President of the ENI Enrico Mattei Foundation
10:00 a.m.
EUROPE, AN OPPORTUNITY FOR POLITICAL IMPROVEMENT
Mario Schwetz
Director of the Italian Office of the Council of Europe
in conversation with
Roberto Papetti
Editor-in-Chief of Il Gazzettino
11:00 a.m.
Luigi Brugnaro
Mayor of the City of Venice
in conversation with
Elisa Billato
Journalist, Editor-in-Chief of Rai Veneto
12:00 p.m.
SPEECH
Manlio Graziano
with Eleonora Lorusso
SMALL CLOSING CONCERT
Federico Motta
Cello
