The European Challenge: Back to the Future, University of Padua, 22 February 2014

The Spinelli Project 30 years later

The relaunch of Spinelli’s European idea endorsed by young people, as an alternative to the decadence of Europe and as a chance towards a genuinely democratic political Union.

The Conference is organized within the Project "Europa Ludens", now at its 10th edition, in collaboration with the Human Rights Centre of the University of Padua, Associazione Docenti Europeisti per la Cittadinanza (the Association of Europeanist Teachers for a New Citizenship - ADEC), and the European Parliament of the Students - PES.

The initiative takes the cue from the 30th anniversary since the European Parliament has adopted the Draft Treaty on the European Union, known as the “Spinelli Project”, and aims to become an opportunity to reflect on the originality of the idea of Europe therein.
Furthermore and most importantly, the Conference’s objective is to relaunch the above-mentioned idea, in a crucial historical moment, by giving voice to young people and looking to the future.

As a matter of fact, the "Spinelli Project" envisaged Europe as a true expression of the European citizens and of a united European people. This idea is deemed by young students as the only chance for their future

Several delegations of high-school students from Padua will be participating in the conference by giving reports. The aforementioned institutions of education have been providing workshops on the content of the “Spinelli Project".

Conference Program

9:30 A.M.

Welcome address

Giuseppe Zaccaria, Chancellor, University of Padua
Marco Mascia, Director of the Human Rights Centre of the University of Padua
Gianna Miola, Deputy Director General, Department of Education of the Region of Veneto
Giulio Zennaro, President of Associazione Docenti Europeisti per una nuova Cittadinanza (Association of Europenist Teachers for a New Citizenship-ADEC)
Raffaele Morini, President of the European Parliament of Students (PES)
Renato Milan, Staff of Europa Ludens

10:00 A.M.

Reports on the Workshops enabled by the students of PES on the "Spinelli Project", regarding the Treaty establishing the European Union (1984)

1. The "Spinelli Project ": "a door that makes possible the transition from cooperation to joint action"
2. Article 3 "Citizenship of the Union": the future of European citizenship as seen by young people - the Europe we want
3. Article 4 "Fundamental Rights": The economic and social rights for a social market economy
4. Article 71 "Revenue": economic, monetary, and fiscal policy of the European Union

11:00 A.M.

The good politics of Spinelli: the project, method, and agenda
Pier Virgilio Dastoli, President of Consiglio Italiano del Movimento Europeo (the Italian Council of the European Movement)

11:30 A.M.

Round Table- Students question teachers

Giorgio Anselmi, Director of the review "L’Unità Europea" 
Pier Virgilio Dastoli, President of Consiglio Italiano del Movimento Europeo (the Italian Council of the European Movement)
Francesco Gui, Coordinator of the Project “L’Università per l’Europa: verso l’Unione Politica”(“University for Europe: towards the political Union”)
Antonio Papisca, Jean Monnet Professor ad honorem, University of Padova

Chaired by
Elisa Di Ilio, Founder of PES

12.30 P.M.

Closing remarks

Initiative promoted by:
University of Padua, Human Rights Centre
PES - European Parliament of Students
ADEC-Associazione Docenti Europeisti per la Cittadinanza (Association of Europeanist Teachers for a New Citizenship)

In collaboration with:
Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence of the University of Padua
AUSE -University Association for European Studies
Young European Federalists
European Federalist Movement
Staff of Europa Ludens
CIME- Consiglio Italiano del Movimento Europeo
Università per l’Europa: verso l’Unione Politica 
Review "L’Unità Europea"

More information about this Conference, including photos and videos of the event, are available in Italian. Accessing the Italian page of the Conference, you are leaving the English version of the website.