After three intensive days, the S&D Group closes its first international School of Democracy in Reggio Emilia (Italy), where 100 young students, selected from almost 1000 applicants, from 40 different countries, were invited to participate.
 
The young participants have been debating with MEPs, NGOs executives, and leading academics, including Jean Paul Fitoussi, Nadia Urbinati and Carlo Feltrinelli, on issues such as migration, populism, economic reforms and the controversial EU-US free-trade agreement.
 
Taking the floor during the final "graduation ceremony", the S&D Group president, Gianni Pittella, praised the students for their enthusiastic and visionary participation:
 
"I am pleased to announce that this School of Democracy will become an annual event organised by the S&D Group. This is because you made a success of it and represent a promising hope for Europe and all our countries.
 
"Europe needs a future generation of leaders who will be able to address the difficult challenges ahead of us without diverting from our democratic values".
 
As agreed with the local authorities, the next edition of the School of Democracy will be held in Reggio Emilia.

S&D press contact