News

• Italy (2017-2018)
• AII Permanent Secretariat
• Amb. Pigliapoco

The Permanent Secretariat of the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative hosted the official presentation of the 20th edition of the Adriatico Mediterraneo Festival, reaffirming its longstanding support for one of the Adriatic-Ionian region's leading cultural events.

Taking place in Ancona from 26 August to 30 September 2026, the Festival will feature more than 30 events, including concerts, exhibitions, talks, film screenings and literary encounters, bringing together artists, writers and cultural figures from across the Adriatic and Mediterranean regions.

Celebrating its twentieth anniversary, this year's edition places a special focus on Italy, in the framework of its Presidency of both the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative (AII) and the EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region (EUSAIR), highlighting the role of culture in fostering dialogue, mutual understanding and regional cooperation. The Adriatico Mediterraneo Award 2026 will be dedicated to the memory of Fabio Pigliapoco, honouring his commitment to intercultural dialogue and his longstanding support for the Festival.

Speaking during the press conference, Filippo Alabardi, Executive Officer of the AII Permanent Secretariat, reiterated the Initiative's strong commitment to cultural cooperation as a fundamental pillar of regional integration. "The Adriatic-Ionian Initiative has always supported the Adriatico Mediterraneo Festival because it fully reflects our mission of building bridges between peoples, cultures and communities. International cooperation is not achieved only through institutions and diplomacy, but also through initiatives like this, which bring people closer together and foster greater mutual understanding."

By hosting the launch event once again, the AII Permanent Secretariat renews its commitment to promoting dialogue, cultural exchange and cooperation throughout the Adriatic-Ionian region, recognising culture as a powerful instrument for strengthening mutual trust, bringing communities together and reinforcing shared European values.

• Italy (2026 - 2027)

The Adriatic and Ionian Initiative (AII) welcomes the Ministerial Meeting of the Friends of the Western Balkans Group, hosted by the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Antonio Tajani, in Rome on 10 July.

The meeting brought together the Foreign Ministers of Italy, Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Greece, Slovakia, Slovenia and, for the first time, Hungary, together with the Ministers of the six Western Balkan partners, reaffirming the strategic importance of EU enlargement and the commitment to advancing the European integration of the region.

The adoption of the Rome Charter represents an important political signal in support of a credible, merit-based and inclusive enlargement process, reaffirming the principles of equal membership, the absence of additional accession conditions and a tailored approach for each candidate country.

The AII strongly supports this renewed political momentum towards the European integration of the Western Balkans, a region that has always been at the core of the Initiative's mission. The emphasis placed on regional connectivity, infrastructure, energy cooperation, food security and institutional capacity building is fully consistent with the AII's long-standing commitment to fostering regional cooperation, stability and sustainable development across the Adriatic-Ionian area.

The AII remains committed to supporting initiatives that strengthen dialogue, cooperation and European integration, working alongside its Participating Countries and institutional partners to contribute to a more connected, resilient and united South-East Europe.

• Italy (2026 - 2027)

The Adriatic and Ionian Initiative (AII) welcomes the Ministerial Meeting of the Friends of the Western Balkans Group, hosted by the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Antonio Tajani, in Rome on 10 July.

The meeting brought together the Foreign Ministers of Italy, Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Greece, Slovakia, Slovenia and, for the first time, Hungary, together with the Ministers of the six Western Balkan partners, reaffirming the strategic importance of EU enlargement and the commitment to advancing the European integration of the region.

The adoption of the Rome Charter represents an important political signal in support of a credible, merit-based and inclusive enlargement process, reaffirming the principles of equal membership, the absence of additional accession conditions and a tailored approach for each candidate country.

The AII strongly supports this renewed political momentum towards the European integration of the Western Balkans, a region that has always been at the core of the Initiative's mission. The emphasis placed on regional connectivity, infrastructure, energy cooperation, food security and institutional capacity building is fully consistent with the AII's long-standing commitment to fostering regional cooperation, stability and sustainable development across the Adriatic-Ionian area.

The AII remains committed to supporting initiatives that strengthen dialogue, cooperation and European integration, working alongside its Participating Countries and institutional partners to contribute to a more connected, resilient and united South-East Europe.

A new international training initiative aimed at empowering the next generation of leaders in the Adriatic-Ionian and Western Balkan region has been launched under the framework of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation’s “Youth Exchanges 2026” programme.

The project, entitled “Business Management: Economic Diplomacy and Integrated Promotion. From the Olivetti Model to the Digital Challenge”, has been awarded to ISTAO – Adriano Olivetti Institute and seeks to promote the Italian model of “Humanistic Capitalism” as an innovative approach to governance, entrepreneurship and international cooperation.

The initiative aims to strengthen Italy’s soft power and economic projection in the Western Balkans by training young professionals capable of combining technological innovation, social responsibility and sustainable development. Inspired by the vision of Adriano Olivetti, the programme will foster a new generation of leaders able to connect local realities with international economic and institutional networks.

The project will involve 40 young participants under the age of 30 - including 30 participants from Croatia, Serbia, Albania and Slovenia, and 10 Italian participants - through a comprehensive training pathway focused on three main pillars:

• Capacity building and transfer of competences;
• Economic diplomacy and integrated promotion;
• Development of operational synergies through a dedicated co-design laboratory.

The programme will be implemented in two phases.

The first phase, taking place online between June and August 2026, will engage all 40 selected participants through a distance-learning programme delivered entirely in English on ISTAO’s e-learning platform. The training will include ten interactive sessions led by Italian and Balkan mentors and experts.

The second phase, scheduled for September 2026 in Ancona, will consist of a two-week residential programme hosted at ISTAO headquarters. Based on merit and participation during the online phase, 16 participants — 8 Italian and 8 from the Balkan area — will be selected to take part in advanced co-design workshops, leadership activities and technical visits to internationally oriented companies in the Marche region, with a particular focus on mechatronics and blue economy sectors.

Participation in the programme is fully funded, including accommodation costs.

The call is open to young aspiring managers, entrepreneurs and public officials aged between 23 and 30, holding a Master’s degree or equivalent qualification in economics, political science, management engineering or related fields, with a strong command of English.

Applications must be submitted by 23 June 2026.

Further information and the full call for applications are available in the official documentation published by ISTAO: https://istao.it/management-dimpresa-diplomazia-economica-e-promozione-integrata-dal-modello-olivetti-alla-sfida-digitale/