At the heart of the three days of celebrations was ‘EUIdeas – The Power of Knowledge’, the Institute’s new flagship research and engagement festival. It showcased universities as indispensable social institutions capable of strengthening democratic life, public dialogue and the collective imagination in uncertain times.
EUIdeas: reimagining Europe through knowledge
Held on 8 May at the EUI’s Badia Fiesolana, EUIdeas brought together academics, policymakers, civic leaders, alumni, students, and members of the public for a full day of debate, exchange, and reflection.
Rather than presenting research as something confined to academia, the festival positioned knowledge as a shared European resource capable of shaping democratic resilience, guiding public policy, and helping societies navigate geopolitical instability, technological transformation, and social fragmentation.
Opening the event, EUI Provost for Research and External Relations Giacomo Calzolari invited participants to reflect collectively on the role of universities in contemporary Europe. “We want to open the Institute, and together with all of you, ask how knowledge can help us reimagine Europe, renew institutions, strengthen connections and cohesion, and orient collective choices in uncertain times,” he said.
The programme explored themes including democracy, climate governance, migration, security, artificial intelligence, academic freedom, culture, and the future of universities.
In her keynote address, former President of the European Court of Human Rights and EUI alumna Síofra O’Leary emphasised the relationship between academic freedom and democratic society. “There is a need for universities not only to defend and future proof academic freedom but also to deserve it," she said. "In return for the freedom to think, learn, and teach, academics need to communicate their research - and its usefulness - to society, getting the message across that the freedom of knowledge institutions is a freedom which protects that of society as a whole.” Joseph H. H. Weiler, former President of the EUI and European Union Jean Monnet Chair at the NYU School of Law, described universities as essential spaces for reasoned democratic debate. “Where else, other than the university, should challenging and difficult views be debated seriously,” he asked. “Where the megaphone is left outside and what wins is not ‘who shouts louder’, but argument and reason prevail.”
The festival intentionally moved beyond traditional conference formats, combining academic discussions with participatory public events, including historical quizzes, a live AI debate, a re-enactment of an International Criminal Court case, and collaborative workshops exploring the future of democracy.
The final reflections were led by EUI researchers, reinforcing the role of younger generations in shaping Europe’s future. “We, as researchers, make the future of the EUI, but through our education and our research here, we also shape the future of Europe,” said PhD researcher Aurora Hamm.
Closing the festival, Patrizia Nanz contributed to an EUI time capsule containing hopes and visions for the future. She shared, “I hope that the researchers standing beside me today are among those who will have the courage to imagine and the power to shape the world for the better.”
Opening ceremony brings together Europe’s leading voices
The anniversary celebrations began on 7 May with an opening ceremony bringing together distinguished guests, National and European authorities, past and current members of the EUI community, and the Florentine public, including students from the Liceo Artistico di Porta Romana.
During the event, held at Teatro del Maggio Fiorentino, leading European voices reflected on the challenges and opportunities shaping Europe today.
Portuguese President António José Seguro emphasised the need to protect Europe’s founding values for future generations. “The Europe I want for my children and for future generations is a Europe that continues to be synonymous with peace, freedom, and prosperity,” he said. “Not because it has always been so, but because we made the choice, generation after generation, to build it that way.”
European Parliament President Roberta Metsola stressed that “knowledge and freedom are inseparable,” while European Commission Executive Vice-President Roxana Mînzatu described the EUI as “the best place to ask the most difficult, the most critical questions.”
In a conversation with Financial Times correspondent Henry Foy, European Council President António Costa reflected on the economic and geopolitical challenges facing Europe, including energy crises, wars, competitiveness, and digital transitions.
The ceremony also saw the launch of the new EUI ‘Reimagining Europe Award’, recognising members of the EUI community making a lasting impact across Europe. The inaugural 2026 laureate is Sabino Cassese, former Judge of the Italian Constitutional Court.
The Institute was additionally awarded the Romanian Order of Cultural Merit in recognition of its contribution to European research and education.
Ministerial Summit and the Florence Declaration
The focus on knowledge and universities continued through the high-level Ministerial Summit hosted on the afternoon of 7 May at the Badia Fiesolana as part of the anniversary programme.
Bringing together European ministers, institutional leaders, and academic representatives, the summit explored how universities can respond to today’s geopolitical, democratic, and technological transformations while reinforcing Europe’s education and research systems over the coming decades.
Participants endorsed the Florence Declaration on Universities and Europe’s Future, renewing support for the EUI, reaffirming the relationship between universities and society, and launching a Europe-wide debate on the future role of higher education.
OPEN: Art and science meet at Palazzo Buontalenti
The interdisciplinary exhibition OPEN transformed Palazzo Buontalenti into a vibrant public venue dedicated to the encounter between art and science. The inauguration in the evening of 7 May illuminated the courtyard with artistic performances.
Curated by Sergio Risaliti and Stefania Rispoli, and developed with historian Johanna Gautier-Morin, OPEN explores the invisible structures shaping economic and social life through installations, films, sound works, and participatory spaces by international artists including Berlinde De Bruyckere, Agnieszka Polska, Eglė Budvytytė, Elena Mazzi, and Leone Contini.
The exhibition will remain open until 12 October 2026, exclusively on Monday and Saturday afternoons. Visitors can enjoy guided tours led by MUS.E art historians, and FAI Firenze volunteers.
President Mattarella’s visit highlights Italy’s enduring support for the EUI
On 8 May 2026, President of the Italian Republic Sergio Mattarella visited the EUI as part of the anniversary celebrations. Welcomed by EUI President Patrizia Nanz at Palazzo Buontalenti, the occasion highlighted the deep and longstanding relationship between Italy and the EUI, as well as the Institute’s role in educating future European generations.
During his time at the Institute, President Mattarella toured Palazzo Buontalenti and the newly inaugurated spaces hosting OPEN, the anniversary exhibition exploring the relationship between art, science, and society.
The presidential engagement also underscored the significance of the restoration and redevelopment of the historic Medici site, carried out in partnership with Italy’s State Property Agency Demanio and supported by Fondazione CR Firenze, reinforcing Palazzo Buontalenti’s role as a place dedicated to knowledge, education, and civic engagement.
Alumni and community at the centre of the anniversary
A defining element of the celebrations was the participation of the EUI’s alumni community, whose members have helped shape Europe’s intellectual and public spheres since the Institute’s founding.
More than 200 former researchers, graduates, faculty, and staff members from over 40 countries returned to Florence to reconnect with the Institute and participate in discussions about Europe’s future, reflecting the EUI’s longstanding influence across academia, policymaking, law, journalism, and international institutions.
The dedicated alumni engagement event on 7 May event was held at Palazzo Buontalenti, where Johanna Mair, Director of the EUI’s Florence School of Transnational Governance remarked in her welcome address: “As alumni, you can be ambassadors - connecting us to your institutions and countries, bringing your own questions and expertise into this beautiful palazzo, and helping us keep the EUI at the forefront of thinking and practice on transnational governance.”
The programme featured the EUI Alumni Association annual conference, titled ‘Geopolitics of knowledge in an increasingly polarised world’, where participants examined contemporary challenges in knowledge production amid geopolitical tension, democratic backsliding, and rising cultural polarisation.
Circolazione dei Saperi and the Exchange of Knowledge
In the afternoon of 9 May, the event Circolazione dei saperi – tra storia, scienza ed economia took place at the Museo Galileo in downtown Florence. Jointly organised by the EUI’s Economics Department, History Department, and Museo Galileo, it offered an engaging and thought-provoking discussion on the circulation of knowledge across disciplines and societies.
Moderated by the Head of the Economics Department Fabrizia Mealli and Museo Galileo Director Roberto Ferrari, the discussion explored knowledge as a dynamic force shaping historical, scientific, and economic processes. Through complementary perspectives, participants reflected on the connections and exchanges that emerge across geographical and cultural contexts over time. As Professor Francesco Drago, who remarked: “Having ideas is not enough: institutions are needed to allow those ideas to circulate.”
Historical Archives Open Day connects Europe’s future with its memory
The anniversary celebrations concluded on Europe Day with the annual Open Day at the Historical Archives of the European Union at Villa Salviati, welcoming over 2,000 visitors.
The programme combined cultural performances with activities aimed at audiences of all ages. Through guided tours, concerts, performances, workshops, and interactive archival activities, visitors were invited to explore the documentary heritage of European integration and engage directly with the historical sources that continue to shape contemporary Europe.
This year’s programme also featured performances and readings curated with Drag Queen Priscilla and archivists from the Historical Archives, including readings of selected archival documents and Julián al matrimonio, an inclusive tale presented in collaboration with Collettivo Favolosə.
“This is our 12th Open Day at the Historical Archives of the European Union, celebrating Europe Day”, said Dieter Schlenker, Director of the Archives. “This year we are particularly delighted that it coincides with the 50th anniversary of the European University Institute. Once again, we were happy to share our common European heritage with so many visitors coming to Villa Salviati.”