The first day of celebrations for the 50th anniversary of the European University Institute (EUI) opened today at the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino theatre. Throughout the morning, some of Europe’s most prominent figures took the stage in front of more than 1000 people in attendance – as well as viewers following via live stream – to reflect on the EUI as an academic institution at the heart of the development of European thought.
The opening ceremony featured, among others, the President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola, the President of the European Council António Costa, and the President of Portugal António José Seguro. They shared their vision of Europe at a highly unstable moment for the continent, engaging with the audience and, in particular, with students on the importance of fostering critical thinking in navigating a period of geopolitical, economic and social crisis.
Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament
“When I was elected President of the European Parliament back to 2022, my first institutional trip to Italy was to Florence upon invitation of Dario Nardella. That choice was deliberate. I knew that the Historical Archives of the European Union were housed in the European University Institute, and I wanted to pay tribute to the place and the people who helped shape some of Europe’s most transformative decisions. […] The core message, today, I would say is simple: Europe needs new ambition, and Europe needs new confidence. We are Europe: we have the talent, we have the drive, we have the roadmap, we just need the political will to take the next step. I am optimistic about Europe, about our capacity to transform the old continent into the anchor of the future around which the world gathers.”
António Costa, President of the European Council
“It is a pleasure to be back in Florence for the 50th anniversary of the EUI. This presents us with a moment to reflect on and to celebrate Europe’s achievements. The European way of doing things – through diplomacy and multilateralism, with the United Nations system at its heart, in respect of international law, and with decision-making backed by knowledge and science – must continue to deliver real results. The EU is beacon of freedom, democracy, and opportunity, attracting partners across the world for institutional, economic and political cooperation. Instead of spheres of influence, we are building spheres of shared prosperity. A solid network of partners enhances our global outreach and helps stabilise the international rules-based order, so that we can continue to deliver for future generations.”
António José Seguro, President of Portugal
“The Europe I want for my children and for future generations is a Europe that continues to be synonymous with peace, freedom and prosperity. Not because it has always been so, but because we made the choice, generation after generation, to build it that way.”
Patrizia Nanz, President of the EUI
“Let’s ensure that the EUI remains what it was meant to be: a place where Europe reflects upon itself in its full depth: as an excellent research university, as a social space of possibility, as a diplomatic force grounded in principle, and as a shared act of imagination. The EUI has come a long way in 50 years and there is much more to come.”
Armando Barucco, Secretary General of the EUI
“Fifty years ago, the European University Institute welcomed its first 70 researchers. Right after the Nazi-Fascist dictatorship and the catastrophic events of the Second World War, a few Europeans formulated a bold idea that, for Italians, sounds familiar: to create a united Europe, we need to create Europeans. We need to create a strong European identity, not only through economics, but also through culture, education, and a common European university.”
Cristina Scaletti, Mayor of Fiesole
“These celebrations are an extraordinary opportunity to share the idea of Europe. Fifty years ago, one of Italy’s most far-sighted and visionary minds, Aldo Moro, chose the Badia Fiesolana as the seat of the European University Institute. He did so convinced that Europe should be founded on shared values such as freedom, peace, justice and respect for human dignity. He believed that scholars arriving at the Badia would be able to breathe and almost touch the ideals of Humanism and the Renaissance, becoming ambassadors of a shared identity that is our heritage today. From Fiesole emerges this vision of a Europe of values and peace, which we must carry forward with courage – even in a dramatic international context – starting from our universities and research centres, in the spirit of great thinkers such as Giovanni Michelucci, Father Ernesto Balducci, and Piero Farulli.”
Sara Funaro, Mayor of Florence
“The 50th anniversary of the European University Institute is not only the celebration of an extraordinary journey, but also a new starting point – an opportunity to reflect on the Institute’s contribution to making Europe an ever more living project, capable of generating knowledge, public value, inspiration and opportunities for new generations. The bond between Florence and the EUI is profound: this institution is not only a centre of academic excellence, but a laboratory of ideas, a place where knowledge meets, visions are exchanged, and today’s and tomorrow’s leaders are trained. It expresses deeply the idea of Europe we support – a Europe called to renew and relaunch the spirit of cohesion that made it great, while rethinking its role in the world and speaking with one voice on the international stage.”
Eugenio Giani, President of the Tuscany Region
“Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the European University Institute is not merely a formal act, but a reaffirmation of a commitment that Tuscany carries in its DNA: the European spirit is an integral and structural part of our identity. Over the past fifty years, the Badia Fiesolana and Villa Salviati have been the beating heart of critical thought that has contributed to building the Europe we live in today. My hope is to see an ever more united Europe – not just a market or a set of treaties, but a strong political entity capable of defending its borders and speaking with one voice on the international stage. We must strive for a more integrated and inclusive Europe, capable of accelerating the integration of current and future member countries, starting with support for Ukraine.”
Bernabò Bocca, President of the CR Firenze Foundation
“We are delighted to celebrate the EUI’s 50th anniversary; a milestone that confirms the role of an institution that has made Florence a reference point for European research and thought. For over thirty years we have supported its path through projects and initiatives, sharing its vision. This commitment has progressively become a strategic alliance linking international dimension with the civic and cultural vocation of the city. Investing in knowledge today means contributing concretely to building Europe’s future.”
Alessandra dal Verme, Director of the State Property Agency
“I think that sharing is the most important good. It is very important to talk about sharing because this is the only way for us to develop the values we have been talking about so far. These are the targets of the Italian State Property Agency. We want to achieve these targets by managing public real estate. These assets belong to everyone; that’s why it is important to safeguard them. It is important to manage these assets and to share them with public opinion, citizens, and institutions.”
During the event, President Nanz received an award on behalf of Romanian President Nicușor Dan, recognising the Institute’s outstanding contribution to European academic research and excellence in education. President Nanz also awarded Sabino Cassese, former Judge of the Italian Constitutional Court and former member of the EUI High Council, for his commitment to promoting the value of the European Union and the European University Institute, granting him the EUI “Reimagining Europe” Award 2026.
A video message from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was then broadcast: “As we move towards our mission of independence, we need the best advice on the major political questions of our time: how should our institutions adapt in a new era? How do we respond to emerging technologies? How do we defend democracy and the rule of law in a world where ‘might makes right’? This is where politics meets academia, where knowledge meets our values, and where the EUI has always excelled. Fifty years after your founding, we need you more than ever. So happy birthday to the entire EUI community, long live the European University Institute, and long live Europe.”
Roxana Mînzatu, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission, concluded: “The EUI is the best place to ask the most difficult, the most critical questions and to speak with the truth about the challenges that not just Europe but the world is facing.”
In the afternoon, political leaders and ministers from across Europe gathered at the Badia Fiesolana for a Ministerial Summit on the role of universities and how to help rethink the future of education in Europe.
The first day of celebrations will conclude with an evening preview of the OPEN exhibition at Palazzo Buontalenti, in the heart of Florence, home of the Florence School of Transnational Governance. The exhibition will open to the public on the evenings of 8 and 9 May and remain open until 12 October.
Tomorrow, the Badia Fiesolana will host the first edition of the EUIdeas research festival. The event, dedicated to the theme of the power of knowledge, will feature a full day of debate and exchange between the academic community and other actors in society on contemporary Europe. Numerous cultural initiatives, including artistic performances and exhibitions, will take place throughout the day.
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Press inquiries: eui.press@eui.eu
Programme questions and additional info:
Elena Torta elena.torta@eui.eu
(+39) 3495202304
Marilea Poppa marilea.poppa@eui.eu
(+39) 3290966221