The UEF at the 41th Ventotene International Seminar

31/08/2025
culture | democracy | federalist-action
italy | uef

The “Altiero Spinelli” Institute of Federalist Studies has been organizing an international seminar on the island of Ventotene for 41 years. This island off the Italian coast is the place where Altiero Spinelli, author of the Federalist Manifesto of Ventotene, was imprisoned during the Second World War.

Every year, young federalists gather here to discuss federalist ideas on European and global issues with the leading experts of the Union of European Federalists, JEF Europe and World Federalist Movement. The seminar is a unique and intense experience on federalist studies.

30 participants, 60 hours of training and debates, 20 speakers. Here we are building the future of Europe!

LINK HERE FOR THE BROCHURE


PROVISIONAL PROGRAM FROM  THE ALTIERO SPINELLI INSTITUTE

SUNDAY, AUGUST 31
17.00: Opening of the 41th International Ventotene Seminar
Welcome to participants and introduction to the seminar on Federalism
Representatives of the federalist associations that attend the Seminar will have the opportunity to present their organisations during this opening session.

  • Chair, Jacopo Provera, Deputy Director Spinelli Institute.

 

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 1

9.30 – 10.30 What is federalism and who are federalists

  • Luisa Trumellini, President of the Istituto di Studi Federalisti Altiero Spinelli
  • Brando Benifei, MEP S&D, Board Member of the Spinelli Group
  • Sara Bertolli, Secretary General of JEF Italy

10.30 – 11.30: Working groups

11.45 – 13.00: Debate

16.30 – 17.30: The Federal State. Which model for Europe?

  • Giulia Rossolillo, Professor of EU Law at the University of Pavia, Director of The Federalists
  • Alexiane Terrochaire-Barbançon, VP of JEF Europe

17.30 – 18.30: Working groups

18.30 – 20.00: Visit to the tomb of Altiero Spinelli in the cemetery of Ventotene and tour of the places of his confinement

 

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2

9.30-10.30: European unification process as a laboratory for supranational democracy. The policy of enlargement in the EU, the question of sovereignty and a new concept of the people

  • Luca Lionello, Professor of EU Law at the University Cattolica Sacro Cuore in Milan, Chair of the PC 1 at the FC
  • Debora Striani, Board Member of JEF Italy and VP Assembly of Più Europa

10.30 – 11.30: Working groups

11.45 – 13.00: Debate

16.30-17.00: Joint meeting of the participants of the two seminars with representatives of the Jean Monnet House on the Ventotene-Houjarray School on European Memories - Margherita Orsi (Jean Monnet House)

17.00 – 18.00: Building European defence and reforming the EU: two sides of the same coin

  • Domènec Ruiz Devesa, President of the Union of European Federalists
  • Kati Systä, Board Member of JEF Europe

18.00 – 19.00: Working groups

19.00 – 20.00: Debate

 

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3

9.30 – 10.30: The ecological transformation. Challenges and opportunities

  • Chloè Fabre, President of UEF France
  • Benedetta Veneruso, Co-opted FC member JEF Europe

10.30 – 11.30: Working groups

11.45 – 13.00: Debate

17.00 – 18.00: The international disorder. Wars, instability, end of multilateralism: the future of democracy under threat

  • Daphne Gogou, Board Member of the UEF
  • Nea-Maria Törmänen, Co-opted FC member JEF Europe
  • Nicola Vallinoto, Board Member of the WFM

18.00 – 19.00 Working groups

19.00 – 20.00 Debate

 

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 4

9.30 – 10.45: Federalism to govern interdipendence: common institutions and cooperation

  • Roberto Castaldi, Secretary General of Movimento Federalista Europeo
  • Fernando Iglesias, Co-President of World Federalist Movement
  • Dvir Ezra

10.45 – 11.45: Working groups

12.00 – 13.00: Debate

17.00 – 18.15: Trade, economic and technology war. The challenges for Europe and the world

  • Antonio Argenziano, Treasurer of UEF, President of MFE Lazio
  • Giorgia Sorrentino, President of JEF Italy

18.15 – 19.15: Working groups

19.15 – 20.00: Debate

 

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 5

10.00 -12.30: Conclusions on the Seminar - Our commitments as federalists: Innovation and tradition in our organisations.

Final discussion with representatives of the federalist associations participating to the seminar.

  • Chair, Jacopo Provera, Deputy Director Spinelli Institute
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