Forlì hosts the first European Youth Event in Italy organised by our University

The EYE comes to Italy for the first time. This is the largest event aimed at young people organised every two years by the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

On the occasion of the forthcoming European elections (8 and 9 June 2024), the European Parliament is financing four national EYE events, which will be held in two capitals, Berlin (Germany) and Vilnius (Lithuania), in Brežice (Slovenia) and in Forlì (Italy).

Eye Forlì activities will begin on the afternoon of 17 May in Piazza Saffi, with an opening ceremony to commemorate the first anniversary of the floods in Emilia-Romagna: a music and dance performance starting with a new arrangement of some songs from the album Anidride Solforosa by Lucio Dalla, in the presence of the authorities and representatives of the European institutions.

On 18 and 19 May, four thousand young people aged between 16 and 30 will be able to take part in more than two hundred workshops, artistic activities, debates, meetings and sports tournaments provided by 150 youth organisations, the University of Bologna and European institutions. EYE Forlì will end in the afternoon of 19 May with a party at the Forlì Campus of the University of Bologna. A group of young percussionists will perform in the Campus garden. The musical instruments will be made from recycled materials. Over the course of three evenings, the city of Forlì will host meetings with authors, guided tours and concerts, organised by local businesses.

"We are delighted that the European Parliament has chosen to fund four national EYE gatherings to coincide with the forthcoming European elections, and we are delighted to be able to host this event in Forlì," said Prof. Raffaella Campaner, Vice-Rector for International Relations. "We are particularly pleased that this event combines cultural commitment with social and civic engagement. This event is not limited to the three official days, from 17 to 19 May, but a much broader initiative that will involve the whole university and the region over the coming weeks. I would like to thank all those involved, especially Punto Europa, the civil institutions of the Municipality of Forlì, the Region, and of course my colleagues at the University of Bologna and all the participants".

Emanuele Menegatti, President of the Forlì Campus, added: "It is indeed a great honour to host the First Italian edition of the European Youth Event here in Forlì. It is a unique opportunity for us to introduce the many young people who will be attending the event to our campus, which in its more than 30 years of existence has always been characterised by its openness to European and international studies".

Giuliana Laschi, professor at the University of Bologna and EYE Forlì Coordinator, emphasised: "Today we are presenting the EYE Forlì programme, with 200 activities proposed by Italian and European youth organisations. We have worked towards an open, inclusive and accessible event, also thanks to the support of the sponsors and the regional and local authorities. There will be three days of celebration, reflection and discussion, organised by young people for young people, in preparation for the upcoming European elections. We will not talk about young people, but it will be the young people themselves who will meet to draw the future they would like for the European Union, sharing their priorities. Punto Europa will do its utmost to ensure that their suggestions do not fall on deaf ears but are taken on board; so that it is not just a ceremony, but a real meeting of minds, ideas and suggestions".