On the occasion of the Festival d’Europa, the journal MCM-La storia delle cose publishes an issue devoted to the artistic and cultural relationships always existing between Italy and the other European countries. The journal, freely available during the whole Festival d’Europa in Florence, intends to think back to the evident link between Italy, Europe and Florence through great art masterpieces – from tapestries to works in semi-precious stones, from the goldsmith's art to glass-making, through painting, sculpture, miniature and architecture.
In this issue, a particular importance will be given to design, currently one of the most important forms of art, which has introduced objects of great artistic and technical significance in the daily life of many European and non-European citizens, giving birth to a borderless cultural and aesthetic mass communion. Therefore, art as an instrument to respect but also to go beyond and combine identities and differences.

The accessibility of legal information in the EU and its importance for the exercise of the rights of European citizens is the subject of a workshop taking place in Florence on the occasion of the Festival d’Europa on Friday 6^th May at the Palagio di Parte Guelfa at 9.30 am. The initiative is promoted by the ITTIG, the Institute of Legal Information Theory and Techniques of the Italian National Research Council, with the purpose of presenting the results of some initiatives and projects aimed at fostering the diffusion and knowledge of legal information. The subject affects the daily and professional life of all citizens and, therefore, the meeting is aimed at a public broader than the specialists of the sector only. 
Among the protagonists are some experts who will present specific projects such as a representative of the European Union Publication Office and the representatives of the national governmental Offices working for the diffusion of legal information.

On May 10, from 4 p.m. onwards at the Museo Stibbert there will be a short conference on Frederick Stibbert, a citizen of Europe, and a visit to the Museum that hosts all collections that the Florence-born British Citizen bequeathed to the city, in particular the weapons collection but also many pieces of art and everyday life of the European, Islamic and Far East (especially Japanese) civilizations.
The theme of the conference will be the creation of the Museum by the collector, who was also a traveller and a man of the world, who had been in all countries of Europe and was a symbol of internationalism not restricted by the limits of our continent but roamed also in the Middle and Far East.

An author that in his works has “spoken” about Europe with passion and skill. This author is Hungarian composer Franz Liszt who, in his most important piano compositions has highlighted his belonging to the cosmopolitan European dimension developed through frequent travels in the European continent. The Festival dell’Europa dedicates, in the bicentennial of the composer's birth, a concert featuring Riccardo Sandiford on the piano. The concert will be held on May 9 afternoon at the Lyceum Club Internazionale in Via degli Alfani and will feature major Liszt works with inherently innovative nature like the Sonata in B minor or the “diaries” of Liszt’s travels in Switzerland and Italy, masterfully made music in the Years of pilgrimage, where European nature, art and culture are paid homage by the great Hungarian musician.

A round table to analyse the most significant European and global experiences of participatory democracy will be held in Florence as part of the Festival dell’Europa on May 7, 2011. The debate will be attended also by jurists, politicians and scholars and will focus on what many consider a higher and more evolved form of “participation” and the debate will analyse international experiments and experiences and focus on one of the channels that may be used to revitalise European democracy.
The initiative has been organised by the Balducci Foundation that aims at continuing its activity of promoting opportunities for debate and research on the issue of Europe.

According to European Commission President José Manuel Barroso knowledge and education, low carbon emissions and high employment levels are the top priorities needed to develop the new European economic model and overcome, over a decade, the crisis that has currently struck the EU.
The Europe 2020 programme (which develops the aforementioned goals through seven flagship initiatives) will be discussed during the Festival dell’Europa, through presentations to the public and discussion meetings with authorities and individuals specialised in different sectors.
The flagship initiatives of Europe 2020 range from R&D and innovation policies, with the aim of transforming inventions in products, improving quality and international appeal of the European higher learning institutions. Another essential feature is the development of digital technology as part of the development of a unified market based on ultra-fast Internet access. For what concerns resources the programme considers essential to help transition towards an economy based on an efficient use of low carbon emission resources and it also asks companies to be more environment-aware and choose an industrial policy that fosters a “green” growth.
Lastly, the European Commission has issued recommendations about increasing the level of employment and promoting an European platform against poverty.

Arts and culture are at the heart of the “Festival dell’Europa”, which aims at getting European students currently studying in Florence familiar with the many art masterpieces the city hosts. During the Festival days the Florentine Civic Museums will welcome all university students that are part of the Erasmus programme with a special (2 €) price ticket and special guided tours.
This event will represent a unique chance for European young people to take a closer look at the Italian artistic heritage and especially to the Florence museums and the exhibits they host, as well as to contribute to diffusion of knowledge and cultural enrichment of students coming from European Union countries.

There's Alar, who came to Italy from Estonia thanks to the Leonardo da Vinci programme to pursue specialised training as a chef and develop his professional skills so that, when he will return home