From Risk to Responsibility By Gianluca Spinetti, Global Head of Analytics & Product Development at Sustainable Fitch and Member of the Scientific Committee of the European University Festival Every day, financial markets assign a price to risk. Yet for far too long, climate change has been treated as a distant and uncertain cost — someone else’s problem, at some undefined point in the future. That time is now. And it also represents an extraordinary opportunity. The transit

Starting on 21 May 2026, the European University Festival will officially launch the European call addressed to universities, academies, research institutions and higher education networks across Europe. Participants will have six months to submit projects and proposals dedicated to: 🌍 Climate Action 🔬 Scientific Innovation 🎨 Art & Communication 🍃 Sustainability and Environmental Transition The most innovative projects will be selected by the Scientific Committee, and 24

The European University Festival has initiated an initial exchange with the Fondation Prince Albert II de Monaco on topics related to climate change, sustainability, and the role of universities in developing concrete solutions to global challenges. This first dialogue reflects the Festival’s commitment to fostering connections between research, international institutions, and new generations, encouraging discussion on projects and initiatives dedicated to environmental respo

Climate change is one of the most complex challenges of our time, not only environmentally, but also humanly. In this video, Joshua Freedman (Six Seconds), member of the European University Festival Scientific Committee, highlights how emotions play a central role in people’s ability to remain engaged and active in the face of an ongoing crisis with no clear endpoint. Recent research shows that approaches based on sharing, emotional expression, and collaboration can significa

Starting from this awareness, Chef Igles Corelli developed his Circular Cuisine: an approach that values every ingredient in its entirety, eliminating waste and respecting the land that nourishes us. But sustainability cannot be achieved alone. It requires research, innovation, technology — and above all, collaboration. We are proud to have Chef Igles Corelli as a member of the Scientific Committee for Sustainable Food Systems at the European University Festival. Today more

The European University Festival wishes to express its sincere and profound gratitude to the Italian National Commission for UNESCO for granting its patronage to the initiative, recognizing its cultural, scientific, and international value. This important recognition represents for us a strong sense of responsibility and an additional motivation to continue building a European platform capable of bringing together universities, research, institutions, and new generations .

The European University Festival is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Gabriele Carofiglio to its Scientific Committee . An environmental biologist, science teacher, and representative for the city of Bari, Dr. Carofiglio brings to the Festival extensive experience in education and science communication, with a strong focus on environmental sustainability. Graduated with honors in Environmental Biology and licensed as a professional biologist, he has collaborated wit

The European University Festival 2026 is pleased to announce the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with Plastic Free Odv Onlus , a leading volunteer organization committed to environmental protection and the prevention of plastic pollution. Signed in Brussels on 17 February 2026, the agreement recognizes Plastic Free as an Institutional Partner of the Festival , reinforcing the 2026 edition’s commitment — dedicated to “Europe and Climate Change” — to concrete action i

The European University Festival is honored to announce the appointment of Dr. Federico Belli , Judge at the Court of Appeal of Turin and currently seconded to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg , to its Scientific Committee for the 2026 edition. Dr. Belli’s distinguished judicial career within the Italian Court of Appeal and his service at the European Court of Human Rights—one of the foremost supranational judicial institutions dedicated to the protection of f

Global Head of Analytics, Sustainable Fitch Member of the Scientific Committee – ESG, Sustainable Finance and Impact Evaluation Gianluca Spinetti is Global Head of Analytics at Sustainable Fitch, where he leads a global analytical team operating across multiple sustainability-related products, including research, ESG ratings and scores, Second Party Opinions, and transition assessments. He is also responsible for the development of new products and methodologies. He joined Fi

The European Commission has formally initiated the process that will define the climate and energy policy framework for the period beyond 2030. The discussion concerns several key elements of the European regulatory architecture, including: The potential use of international carbon credits The review of national climate targets The evolution of the Effort Sharing and LULUCF frameworks The pathway toward climate neutrality by 2050 Two public consultations have been opened to c

We are pleased to announce that Professor Katinka Bellomo, Associate Professor at the University of Padova and Lead Author of the upcoming IPCC AR7 Report, has joined the Scientific Committee of the European University Festival. Her research focuses on climatology and the dynamics of the climate system, with particular attention to climate variability, extreme events, tipping points, and ocean–atmosphere interactions in the context of global climate change. Thanks to her dist

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Professor Filippo Giorgi to the Scientific Committee of the European University Festival. Professor Filippo Giorgi is a climatologist of internationally recognized standing and is Professor Emeritus at the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) in Trieste. His scientific work has focused primarily on climate modeling and the study of climate change and its impacts, with a particular contribution to regiona

Professor Carlo Carraro is an internationally recognized climate scientist and a leading expert on climate change. He is a contributor to the Nobel Prize–winning Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and has played a key role in advancing climate science at the global level. His research focuses on climate modeling , regional climate change , and the impacts of climate variability , with a particular emphasis on the Mediterranean region. Professor Carraro scientif

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Virna Meccia to the Scientific Committee of the European University Festival. Dr. Meccia is a researcher at the Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate of the Italian National Research Council (ISAC-CNR) . Her scientific activity focuses on the dynamics and variability of the climate system, with particular attention to the role of the oceans in shaping climate, through the use of climate modelling. She is the author of

It is a great honor to announce that Mr. Joshua Freedman has been appointed Member of the Scientific Committee of the European University Festival . Mr. Freedman is the CEO and co-founder of Six Seconds , the world’s leading global network dedicated to emotional intelligence, operating in more than 150 countries and reaching millions of people worldwide. A globally recognized authority on emotional intelligence, he is a best-selling author, Master Certified Coach (ICF), a

It is a great pleasure to announce that Oscar Generale has been appointed Artistic Director of the European University Festival. A renowned Hollywood producer based in Beverly Hills, Oscar has collaborated with global icons such as John Travolta, Morgan Freeman, Gerard Butler, and many other legends of international cinema. Leading global corporations have trusted Oscar’s talent in high-profile campaigns featuring Hollywood celebrities and top-tier brand ambassadors — a testa

Dr. Giorgio Chiellini, Head of Football Institutional Relations at Juventus, is a member of the Scientific Committee of the European University Festival - Climate Change. In this role, he contributes to the selection and evaluation of the most promising sports-related projects submitted by universities, academies, and sports institutions across Europe. Widely regarded as one of the greatest defenders of his generation, Chiellini enjoyed a distinguished playing career spanning

The Global Concert for Climate Action is an extraordinary event that brings together artists, activists, and citizens from around the world.

We are delighted to welcome Professor Michael Oppenheimer, Professor Micheal Oppenheimer, Geosciences and International Affairs, Princeton University, Participant in the Nobel Prize winning Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)., as one of the key representatives of the festival. His presence and expertise will serve as a profound source of inspiration for all participants.