Nights to be enjoyed in Florence with the Festival d’Europa

Everyone knows Florence for its art and culture and the role is has played in a widespread cultural renewal in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. It is less well known for a minor but nevertheless significant aspect: Florence continuously reflects on the future of Europe. The Tuscan capital is host to the European University Institute, the only academic institution founded by the members of the European Union, which provides an intellectual contribution to the process of European integration. The EUI wishes to enhance this aspect by organising the “Festival of the Europe”, a biennial event which is structured along various lines:

1. A Conference on the State of the Union

2. Collateral events to promote the EU

Nights to be enjoyed in Florence with the Festival d’Europa

Florence will be the European capital for four days thanks to the Festival d’Europa taking place from the 6^th to the 10^th of May 2011 with quite a rich cultural calendar. In particular, the Municipality of Florence has led the programming sector for the cultural events and directly organized a considerable number of them.

Among the most interesting events directly organized by the Florence local government is the Notte Blu, an initiative designed as a version of the Notte Bianca dedicated to Europe, its cultures, traditions, diversities and tastes. Appointment on the night between the 7^th and the 8^th of May. A big collective and city experience over 27 hours in the streets, squares, residences, shops, theatres, cinemas from the city centre to the outskirts of Florence, following the thread running through Europe, but also the many non-Europeans who live, work and study in the Old Continent contributing to its prosperity and development. Therefore, the Notte Blu will be an opportunity for confrontation and reflection, but also and especially a moment of joy, fun and encounter. Full programme available on www.notteblu.eu.

A concert held at the Salone dei ‘500, organized in collaboration with the Hungarian Consulate, will connect the Festival with the celebrations for Liszt’s bicentenary. This is one of the far-reaching cultural initiatives proposed by the European Union Member States and candidate countries such as Turkey and Croatia, invited to participate in the exhibition of Piazza Europa dedicated to the European Union innovation, creativity and future, with the involvement of the Assessorato all’Università, ricerca e politiche giovanili, through “Europe Direct”.