The EYP held its first International Session of 2026 in the last week of March, gathering around 200 young participants in Pordenone, Italy, to Rethink the Cities of Tomorrow.

Under the theme Urbs ad Mensuram Hominis – Redesigning Cities to Fit Human Needs, Pordenone as a small city itself provided the perfect location for discussions around urbanisation, development, and global-local relations. The participants were divided into 11 different groups, each focussing on one key topic closely tied to urban life.

During the session, the participants’ research was complemented by the input of experts on the topics discussed in their working groups. Each of the groups was visited by an academic or professional in the field, where the participants got to ask questions specific to their discussed topic, and get inspired to produce high-quality academic output at the end of the event. Some notable experts were Anacláudia Rossbach from the UN committee on housing, or Denys Sviatokum from the Ukrainian Dual-Use Technology Cluster.

In collaboration with Insurance Europe, an Ask Me Anything session was held after the opening ceremony, where insurance professionals Bart Janknegt and Roxana Bulatu answered participants’ questions on financial literacy and insurance.

After three days of committee discussions, the participants finalized their proposals, which are available in the Resolution Booklet. Key proposals include addressing the housing crisis by promoting affordable social housing, safeguarding European industries (especially agriculture), boosting sustainable construction, and revitalizing communities through inclusive policies.

The session also allowed participants to engage with Friuli-Venezia Giulia region, through historical venue settings and a Cultural Day with activities in Carnia, Trieste, and Pordenone.

The event was made possible by EYP Italy’s National Organising Committee, head-organisers Anita Broshka, Leonardo Mantovani, Mattia Zen, President João Silva, Editor Luka Đorđević, their teams, and volunteers. It also received support from partners such as Insurance Europe, E.ON Foundation, and IPSOS, as well as local institutions.