RIMINI (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The 46th edition of the Rimini Meeting closed with a record 800,000 visitors, confirming its role as one of the most significant cultural gatherings in Europe.
“We are very grateful for this Meeting, which was able to offer spaces for dialogue and hope in a world that is unfortunately increasingly marked by conflict,” said Bernhard Scholz, president of the Rimini Meeting, as he reflected on this year’s event.
Under the theme “In Deserted Places We Will Build with New Bricks,” the Meeting explored responses to some of today’s deepest challenges: loneliness and social fragmentation, conflicts and wars, as well as environmental and economic crises.
From the opening encounter with Israeli and Palestinian mothers—who turned the pain of loss into a journey of reconciliation—to testimonies from Hiroshima survivors Toshiyuki Mimaki and Masao Tomonaga, the call for peace ran like a red thread through the week.
Europe was another central focus, with interventions from European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, European Commission Vice President Raffaele Fitto, Mario Draghi, and Enrico Letta.
The programme also featured discussions on the future of democracy with Patrick Deneen and Joseph Weiler, reflections on the role of Christians in society with Luke Bretherton and Pierpaolo Donati, and dialogues with writers and personalities such as Javier Cercas, Colum McCann, Katerina Gordeeva, and Diane Foley.
Institutional participation was strong: Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, several cabinet ministers, regional governors, and parliamentarians from across the political spectrum all took part. The ecclesial presence was equally notable, including Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, Italian Bishops’ Conference leaders Cardinal Matteo Maria Zuppi and Archbishop Giuseppe Baturi, as well as bishops from conflict zones such as Syria, Ukraine, South Sudan, and Algeria.
On the cultural front, the Meeting’s performances drew large audiences. Highlights included The Rock, a theatrical and musical tribute to T.S. Eliot featuring Sergio Castellitto, Alessandro Preziosi’s staging of The Confessions of Saint Augustine, and Giacomo Poretti’s play The Trouble with Having a Soul. Concerts by The Sun, a tribute to Claudio Chieffo, and the Meeting Music Contest showcasing young artists were also well received.
This year’s edition hosted 150 conferences with some 550 speakers from Italy and abroad, alongside 17 major performances—all frequently sold out. Tens of thousands of children and young people participated in the Youth Village Yoga and Enel Sport Village, while exhibitions saw increased attendance compared to 2024. More than 150 partner companies contributed not only financially but also culturally and strategically.
Media coverage was broader than in past years, with national and international outlets broadcasting the main sessions. The effort of 3,000 volunteers—60% of them under 30—was once again decisive in making the Meeting possible.
The event has thus reinforced its identity as a hub of dialogue, collaboration, and community-building. In a message to participants, Pope Leo XIV encouraged this mission, saying: “In today’s deserts, we can build together with new bricks—concrete signs of hope and peace.”
The 47th Rimini Meeting will take place at the Rimini Expo Center from August 21–26, 2026, under the title drawn from Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy: “The Love that Moves the Sun and the Other Stars.”
– Photo IPA Agency –
(ITALPRESS)
