Young Villa Vigoni
Villa Vigoni is becoming younger. Since 2022, young people from Germany and Italy have secured a prominent place in our strategic orientation. In addition to our established event series Vigoni Forum for Students, we have introduced innovative formats specifically aimed at a younger audience, such as the Autumn School in European Studies, the Vigoni Forum for Lawyers, Young Chefs, and the Four-Nation Doctoral Colloquium.
Our network of young professionals and students has significantly expanded, fostering valuable international connections in various academic subjects and fields of work.
Alongside our regular formats at our institute, we coordinate several projects for young people that allow them to take the initiative and develop new communication, professional, and media skills. They can thereby realise creative ideas and strengthen both their teamwork and leadership abilities. Particularly successful projects include the Erasmus+ funded youth participation project The Memories of the Others about persecution under Nazi Fascism in Italy and the conclusions that can be drawn from this for our democracy today. Among past projects, particularly remarkable are German-Italian Young Voices, which was devised in preparation for the 2024 European elections, and the Young Manifesto #NextGeneration, which aimed to formulate and disseminate political positions for the future of young people in Europe.
Younger generations are now also institutionally anchored with us. The introduction of the Young Association Membership provides individuals up to 35 years old with lasting benefits such as participation in events of interest and networking opportunities. To ensure that the concerns of young people are sustainably integrated into the design of future programmes, a Young Programme Advisory Board has also been established, consisting of volunteer Vigoni alumni. In this way, Villa Vigoni is moving into the future with fresh ideas and energies.
Our initiatives are continuously being developed and expanded to various fields of study and professions. Our ambition and goal is to inspire young people from Germany and Italy to actively promote friendship between our two countries and equip them with the necessary resources to help shape a democratic Europe.
