Europe Day 2026 in Venice

#FestaEuVenezia2026

From 4 to 31 May 2026, the Europe Day will take place in Venice. Now in its 14th year, this major Venetian event serves as a testament to the pro-European spirit of the City of Venice and the institutional partners who have long supported it.

This year’s edition is entitled “Europe Day in Venice – A Space for Democracy”.

 
The event aims to celebrate the two most significant historical dates for Europe:
- 5 May 1949: the founding of the Council of Europe under the Treaty of London
- 9 May 1950: the birth of the European Union with the ‘Schuman Declaration’ delivered during the Paris speech (click here to find out more)
 

The date of the event is significant, as 9 May marks Europe Day. Indeed, on 9 May 1950, just a few years after the end of the Second World War which had devastated the Old Continent, Robert Schuman, the French Foreign Minister, presented a proposal to create an organised Europe, essential for maintaining peaceful relations between its member states. The proposal, known as the ‘Schuman Declaration’, is considered the birth certificate of the European Union.
Around this symbolic date each year, Europe Day is celebrated with various events organised by the European institutions and the Member States. 

To see the communication on the European Commission website click here.

Initiative included in the program of the "Città in Festa" of the City of Venice
logo città in festa
 
Some figures from the 2025 event in Venice:
  • around 25 events, including seminars, celebrations, screenings and meetings, over the course of almost a month
  • around 30,000 attendees, including young people and members of the public, in person
  • high public approval of the initiatives, rated 9–10/10 in the satisfaction survey
  • around 30 partners actively involved, including local, national and European institutions and organisations
  • massive social media coverage with hundreds of posts and stories on Facebook, Instagram and X (Twitter), generating thousands of interactions including comments, likes and shares
  • dozens of articles in the local press
  • over 4,000 people reached via the three newsletters sent by email
 

Programme of initiatives for 2026: link to the press release

MONDAY MAY 4 
CAFFÈ EUROPA series of meetings
‘European heritage at risk: rebirth, resilience, reimagination’
ore 16.30 Caffè Florian, Piazza San Marco, Venezia
Free drinks while stocks last
 
TUESDAY MAY 5 
Exhibition opening
‘The Founding Mothers and Fathers of the European Union’
ore 11, Centro Commerciale Nave de Vero, Via Pietro Arduino 20, Marghera (VE)
Free entry
 
WEDNESDAY MAY 6 
EPAS 2026 Project Awards Ceremony for schools in Veneto
"European Parliament Ambassador School"
ore 10.30-13, Sala conferenze, Centro Culturale Candiani, Mestre
Admission is open to the public and to the schools taking part
 
THURSDAY MAY 7 
Webinar Lessons from Europe
'The European Union and the green transition: where are we now?’
ore 10.00-11.30, online meeting open to the public
 
European menu and European information stand
‘Europe at Lunch’
ore 11.30-14.30 Ristorante Universitario Rio Novo,
Fondamenta del Rio Novo 3647, Venezia
Entry reserved for canteen users
 
7-10 MAY 
Visit to the Biodiversity Gateway
ore 14, 15, 16, 18 Palazzina Canonica, Riva dei Sette Martiri, Venezia
Free admission upon booking
 
FRIDAY MAY 8 
Webinar Lessons from Europe
'The Quantum Leap: How the European Communities Became a Union’
ore 10.00-11.30,  online meeting open to the public
 
Screening of the film ‘Les chants des forêts’
Part of the ‘PAVÈ - Venice Bike Festival’
ore 18 Auditorium M9 - Museo del '900, Via G- Pascoli 11, Mestre
Free admission upon booking
 
8-10 MAY
European Parliament simulation in Venice 
VeUMEU Venice Universities' Model European union
ore 10 VIU, Isola di San Servolo, Venezia
Entry restricted to enrolled students
 
Visual installation of ‘Il canto del ghiaccio’
Part of the ‘PAVÈ - Venice Bike Festival’
ore 10-19 Foyer M) - Museo del '900, Via G. Pascoli 11, Mestre
Free entry
 
MONDAY MAY 11 
‘A Concert for Europe’
ore 18 Conservatorio Benedetto Marcello San Marco 2810, Venezia
Free admission, subject to availability
 
WEDNESDAY MAY 13 
Conference: ‘Women and Artificial Intelligence’
ore 10.30-13.00 Campus San Giobbe dell'Università Ca' Foscari, Venezia
Free admission, subject to availability
 
Award ceremony for the Veneto schools’ competition
“Let’s Become European Citizens”
ore 10-12.30 Sala Conferenze, Centro Culturale Candiani, Mestre
Admission is open to the public and to the schools taking part
 
THURSDAY MAY 14 
Webinar Lessons from Europe
'From idea to funding: a guide to European project design’
ore 10-11.30  online meeting open to the public
 
FRIDAY MAY 15 
Meeting of the Venice Provincial Student Council
ore 10-13 Sala Conferenze, Centro Culturale Candiani, Mestre
Entry for students only
 
MONDAY MAY 18 
CAFFÈ EUROPA Series of meetings
"International organisations and the protection of democratic values"
ore 16.30 Caffè della VIU, Isola di San Servolo, Venezia
Free drinks while stocks last
 
WEDNESDAY MAY 20 
We Are the Green Deal: Science Café
"THE EARTH BY FIRE AND SWORD: how can we remain indifferent or even be deniers?"
ore 17 Serra dei Giardini, Castello 1254, Venezia
Free drink with advance booking
 
FRIDAY MAY 22
Ocean Schools Programme
‘How many forms are there in the world? The biodiversity around us and beyond’
ore 11-12 Digital event on the Zoom platform
Aimed at nursery and primary schools
ore 18-19 Evento finale a Ocean Space, Campo San Lorenzo, Venezia
con l'artista Claudia Losi
Event open to the public and participating schools
 
World Biodiversity Day
Visit to the Biodiversity Gateway
ore 15, 16, 17 Palazzina Canonica, Riva dei Sette Martiri, Venezia
ore 18 Presentazione prodotti editoriali Biodiversity Gateway
Free admission upon booking
 
SATURDAY MAY 23 
Free guided tour of M9
MUSEUM OF THE 20TH CENTURY
Temporary exhibition ‘Pertini. The Art of Democracy’
ore 11-12 e 16-17 percorso tematico europeo,
M9 - Museo del '900, Via G. Pascoli 11, Mestre
Free admission upon booking on 11 May
 
MONDAY MAY 25
CAFFÈ EUROPA Series of meetings
"Protection of human rights and the ECHR"
ore 16.30 Caffè del cortile dell'Università Ca' Foscari Venezia
Free drinks while stocks last
 
TUESDAY MAY 26
Presentation of the "European Funding Guide 2026"
and of the activities of the Europe Direct centres in Veneto
ore 11-12.30 online meeting open to the public
 
WEDNESDAY MAY 27
Webinar "Explore the World... Veneto on the move!"
"Diploma in hand – what to do abroad"
ore 19 Online meeting open to the public upon registration
 
VENICE BOAT SHOW
Screening of the documentary
"Ocean with David Attenborough"
ore 15 Tesa 102, CNR-ISMAR, Auditorium Tagliapietra,
Arsenale di Venezia
Entry upon registration
 
27-28-29-30-31 MAY
EMD European Maritime Day
SALONE NAUTICO VENEZIA Arsenale di Venezia
Admission with a ticket for the Venice Boat Show
 
THURSDAY MAY 28 
VENICE BOAT SHOW
Tesa 90 Stand CCIAA di Venezia Rovigo - Assonautica Venezia
ore 10-20 Infodesk Europe Direct Venezia Veneto
ore 16 Talk "La Blue Economy in Europa"
 
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BLUE LIGHTING | 4-11 MAY 
Facciate di Ca’ Farsetti e Ca’ Loredan a Venezia,
Municipio di Mestre, Torre civica di Mestre
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EXHIBITION | 5–31 MAY
THE MOTHERS AND FATHERS FOUNDING THE EUROPEAN UNION
Centro Commerciale Nave de Vero, Via Pietro Arduino 20, Marghera (VE)
from Monday to Saturday from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm and Sunday from 10:00 am to 9:00 pm
Exhibition opening Tuesday, 5 May at 11:00 am
Free entry 

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EUROPEAN FLAG GIVEAWAY | 4–29 MAY 2026
Infodesk Europe Direct del Comune di Venezia
Via Spalti 28, Mestre-Venezia
ore 9.00-13.00 lunedì, martedì, giovedì e venerdì
Free delivery while stocks last

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Ultimo aggiornamento: 28/04/2026 ore 11:40