Peripli Association, the YOU-WB partner in Italy, organized the third workshop in Rome in the framework of Europe for Citizen Project “Youth involvement in a constructive dialogue: Communist Past in Contemporary Western Balkan” (YOU-WB). In a blended format from 01st to 03rd October 2021, this workshop brought together 60 participants: young people, academics, researchers, experts, and civil society activists from Italy, North Macedonia, Albania, and France to discuss the involvement of youth in a constructive dialogue regarding the past focusing on the political culture in Italy since 1989.
In addition to the two days of the workshop, presentation by speakers, and participation of young people, the third day included a virtual visit to the Museum Resistance in Rome.
The first day opened with a welcome video on Italy, and a wide introduction by Prof. Maria Donzelli, President of Peripli and coordinator of the Italian team, who recalled the fundamental values of democracy in Italy, due to the Resistance to Fascism and to the Constitutional Charter, still in force, but underlined the difficulties for maintaining democracy in a country marked by many difficulties.
The intervention of prof. Paolo Mancini focused on the theme “Turbulence, Volatility and Polarization: Italian culture since 1989”. Dr. Rosa Fioravante instead emphasized the theme “Democracy as Ideology: From the fall of the Berlin Wall to the fall of liberalism”.
After extensive discussion, the meeting ended with the song “Bella ciao”, song in 9 languages and which has become a symbol of resistance all over the world.
The second day opened with a video of Giorgio Gaber’s song, “Freedom” and, after an introduction to the day’s work by Dr. Rita Felerico, Vice President of Peripli, saw protagonists, especially the young people of our Association. The meeting was divided into 2 workshops. The first, led by Dr. Loredana Cornero, dedicated to “The evolution of large mass parties in Italy since ’89”, accompanied by cards, videos, welcomed a significant testimony of the journalist dr. Martina Lalovic on “The question of identities and strong emigrations from the Balkan Region”.
The second workshop, led by prof. Beatrice Sica, dedicated to “The current situation of democracy in Italy and its role between the EU and the Mediterranean Region”, also accompanied by cards and videos, welcomed the intervention of prof. Antonio Tursi on the theme “Parties to the digital challenge: between Participation and Partecipationism”.
The day ended with a broad discussion on the proposed topics, a concluding speech by prof. Maria Donzelli on the challenges that await us and the song “Viva l’Italia” by Francesco De Gregori and Lucio Dalla.
The third day was dedicated to a virtual visit to the Museum of the Resistance in Rome.
Full Programme
Workshop report
“Youth involvement in a constructive dialogue: Communist Past in Contemporary Western Balkans” (YOU-WB) project is supported by European Union in the framework of Europe for Citizens, European Remembrance strand and led by Center for Comparative and International Studies.
