As part of the bilateral Summit between France and Italy, held on 25 June 2026 in Antibes, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Italian Republic, Antonio Tajani, and the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of the French Republic, Jean-Noël Barrot, announced the launch of the ‘Young Talents’ programme, which aims to identify and bring together men and women who have already demonstrated excellence and are expected to play a leading role in the development of Italian-French relations. This announcement represents a concrete step towards achieving the objective of strengthening ties between our civil societies and the younger generations, which was one of the priorities of the bilateral Summit.
The programme, whose first edition will be held in 2027, will bring together around twenty women and men under the age of forty each year, active in the political, economic, cultural, scientific, media and voluntary sectors, who share a commitment to promoting, renewing and fostering friendship between France and Italy.
The young people will take part in an ambitious programme, which will take place alternately in France and Italy and will enable them to discuss issues crucial to the future, deepen their understanding of French and Italian perspectives, meet highly inspiring figures and forge bonds that are set to grow stronger over the years.
The initiative, funded by the Italian and French Ministries of Foreign Affairs and the Kering Group, aims to strengthen dialogue and cooperation between the younger generations in Italy and France. The aim is, on the one hand, to establish a stable and dynamic network capable of fostering and deepening reflection on the key strategic issues of our time; and, on the other hand, of encouraging the development of synergies that can strengthen bilateral relations, thereby helping to tackle contemporary challenges.
