Presentation
In the framework of the initiatives that will mark throughout Europe the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Rome Treaties, the President of the Senate, Mr Franco MARINI, and the President of the Chamber of Deputies, Mr Fausto BERTINOTTI, have invited their counterparts from the other Parliaments of the European Union member states, from the European Parliament and from the Parliaments of the candidate countries, to take part in a series of events to be hold in Florence and Rome on 22nd and 23rd March 2007, respectively. Each Parliament was represented by its President as well as by a Member of Parliament having an institutional responsibility for European Union affairs.
The initiative was aimed at involving EU parliaments in a common reflection on the possible ways of bringing forward the European integration process and will consisted of:
- - a seminar, on "What is Europe lacking?", to be held on 22nd March in cooperation with the European University Institute in Florence at his headquarters in Fiesole. It was divided into three sessions - political, economic and social -, each of which opened with contributions by two authoritative scholars. In the evening of 21st March a concert organised by the Florence city council took place at the municipal theatre;
- - a celebration ceremony, "A Political Europe and Her Role in the World", which took take place in Rome, in the Plenary Hall of the Senate, on 23rd March with the participation of distinguished European personalities.
At the end of the ceremony all the participants were received by the Italian President of the Republic at the Quirinale, where they visited an exhibition of masterpieces from all EU member states, before its official opening. The President of the Republic hosted a luncheon in honour of the Presidents of Parliament.
The luncheon was followed by a visit to the Orazi and Curiazi Hall, in the Campidoglio, where the Rome Treaties were signed.