Europe at a Crossroads: The End of an Era or the Dawn of a New Beginning?

In an era where certainties seem to crumble one after the other, from geopolitics to climate change, passing through the end of Europe as we know it, a pressing question arises: how can we interpret and, above all, orient our future? This is the question that animates “Nel Futuro – Il Tramonto dell'Europa?”, a new series of meetings promoted by the Association Fare arte NEL nostro tempo.

After an initial, stimulating journey in 2024, the association continues its mission to delve into the major transformations that are reshaping our present. The West finds itself at a crucial crossroads, with cultural, political and economic paradigms undergoing profound change. Geopolitical tensions, war conflicts that shake our consciences, unprecedented migratory challenges and the urgency of an increasingly looming environmental crisis, outline a scenario of growing complexity. Added to this is a worrying retreat in international commitment on vital issues such as climate, education and cooperation, which almost seem to be falling into oblivion.

Faced with this instability, “NEL” proposes a bold and interdisciplinary approach. It is not just about analyzing, but about putting different knowledge and languages ​​into dialogue to build a more complete understanding and, why not, to imagine new solutions. Science, with its ability to reveal the profound dynamics of change, will confront philosophy, the guardian of ethical questions and the roots of our thinking. Diplomacy will offer an expert look at international relations and prospects, while contemporary art, with its visionary strength, will be called upon to give shape to new narratives and visions of the world, challenging the perception of a possible end of Europe.

The program, which will run from June to December 2025, will feature authoritative voices from different fields: economists, historians, philosophers, diplomats, artists and international curators. The goal is not only to provide tools for analysis, but to create spaces for listening, discussion and, above all, collective imagination. The future, after all, is not an ineluctable fate, but an open field to be questioned and, if possible, reinvented.

The title itself, “The Sunset of Europe?”, is not chosen by chance. It recalls one of the most powerful images of European historical and philosophical thought: the sunset intended not as an end, but as a critical passage, a moment of reflection, assessment and, perhaps, regeneration. An invitation not to resign ourselves to a hypothetical end of Europe, but to seize the crisis as an opportunity for rebirth.

The events will be held in the suggestive settings of Lugano and Milan, involving prestigious institutions and offering the public a cultural journey of high intellectual and emotional density.

Is this the end of Europe? Here's the program

TUESDAY 10 JUNE 2025 – 17.45 PM THE SUNSET OF EUROPE? Ciani Patio Nursery School, Lugano – Viale Carlo Cattaneo 5 In collaboration with the University of Italian Switzerland and the MSE Association – Multiculturalism SolidarityEurope.

The meeting will open with the video “The Polar Stream” by Roberto Ghezzi, and will then address crucial issues such as “Universities and research in Europe and Switzerland: current problems and perspectives”, with the Rector of the Università della Svizzera Italiana, Prof. Luisa Lambertini. It will be followed by a reflection by Lorenzo Balbi, Director of the MAMbo in Bologna, on the role of the museum in today's society. The discussion will be moderated by Pietro Montorfani.

SATURDAY 18 OCTOBER 2025 – 15.00 PM Hall of the LAC, Lugano In collaboration with LAC edu.

An in-depth look at democracy, starting from classical political thought with Prof. Giovanni Giorgini of the University of Bologna, and then analyzing the new world configurations together with Bernardino Regazzoni, former Ambassador of Switzerland to Italy, France and China. The meeting will end with the “Carte Bianca” by Giovanna Manzotti, who will present videos by contemporary artists.

THURSDAY 6 NOVEMBER 2025 – 18.00 PM National Museum of Science and Technology Leonardo da Vinci, Milan In collaboration with the Association L'uomo e il clima, as part of the International Year of Glacier Conservation promoted by the United Nations.

This event will feature Giulio Boccaletti, an Italian-British physicist and writer, who will explore the possible transformations of the West in the near future. Chiara Cappelletto, professor of Aesthetics at the University of Milan, will reflect on the human reaction between nature and culture. Angela Vettese, an art historian, will offer a vision of wars and climate threats through the eyes of artists. David Pizzigoni will close the meeting with a screening of photographic works by artists, inviting a collective reflection. Artists Giovanni Ozzola, Gianluca Bonetti and Anna Vivante will be present.

For those who wish to participate in the events or simply learn more about this fascinating and indispensable series of meetings that questions the possibility of an end to Europe as we know it and, at the same time, seeks its rebirth, it is possible to consult the dedicated page on the website of the Association Fare arte NEL nostro tempo.

Admission to all events is free until all seats are taken. Some events will also be streamed on the association's channels, to allow a wider audience to participate in this fundamental discussion about our future.