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ISTAO Launches MAECI-Funded Youth Exchange Programme on Humanistic Capitalism and Economic Diplomacy
A new international training initiative aimed at empowering the next generation of leaders in the Adriatic-Ionian and Western Balkan region has been launched under the framework of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation’s “Youth Exchanges 2026” programme.
The project, entitled “Business Management: Economic Diplomacy and Integrated Promotion. From the Olivetti Model to the Digital Challenge”, has been awarded to ISTAO – Adriano Olivetti Institute and seeks to promote the Italian model of “Humanistic Capitalism” as an innovative approach to governance, entrepreneurship and international cooperation.
The initiative aims to strengthen Italy’s soft power and economic projection in the Western Balkans by training young professionals capable of combining technological innovation, social responsibility and sustainable development. Inspired by the vision of Adriano Olivetti, the programme will foster a new generation of leaders able to connect local realities with international economic and institutional networks.
The project will involve 40 young participants under the age of 30 - including 30 participants from Croatia, Serbia, Albania and Slovenia, and 10 Italian participants - through a comprehensive training pathway focused on three main pillars:
- Capacity building and transfer of competences;
- Economic diplomacy and integrated promotion;
- Development of operational synergies through a dedicated co-design laboratory.
The programme will be implemented in two phases.
The first phase, taking place online between June and August 2026, will engage all 40 selected participants through a distance-learning programme delivered entirely in English on ISTAO’s e-learning platform. The training will include ten interactive sessions led by Italian and Balkan mentors and experts.
The second phase, scheduled for September 2026 in Ancona, will consist of a two-week residential programme hosted at ISTAO headquarters. Based on merit and participation during the online phase, 16 participants — 8 Italian and 8 from the Balkan area — will be selected to take part in advanced co-design workshops, leadership activities and technical visits to internationally oriented companies in the Marche region, with a particular focus on mechatronics and blue economy sectors.
Participation in the programme is fully funded, including accommodation costs.
The call is open to young aspiring managers, entrepreneurs and public officials aged between 23 and 30, holding a Master’s degree or equivalent qualification in economics, political science, management engineering or related fields, with a strong command of English.
Applications must be submitted by 23 June 2026.
Further information and the full call for applications are available in the official documentation published by ISTAO: https://istao.it/management-dimpresa-diplomazia-economica-e-promozione-integrata-dal-modello-olivetti-alla-sfida-digitale/
From 18 to 20 May 2026, Skopje hosted the 11th Annual Forum of the EU Strategy for the Adriatic-Ionian Region (EUSAIR), gathering representatives of governments, European institutions, regional organisations, civil society, academia and youth from across the Adriatic-Ionian macro-region.
On 20 May 2026, within the framework of the 11th EUSAIR Forum held in Skopje, Councillor for Culture of the Municipality of Ancona Marta Paraventi paid an institutional visit to the Museum of Contemporary Art Skopje to further strengthen cultural relations between Ancona – Italian Capital of Culture 2028 - and Skopje - European Capital of Culture 2028.
The meeting represented an important step in the international outreach strategy launched by the Municipality of Ancona in preparation for 2028 and aimed at identifying concrete areas of cooperation between the two cities, both committed to promoting cultural dialogue, inclusion, creativity and intercultural exchange across Europe and the Adriatic-Ionian region.
The initiative was made possible thanks to the support of the Italian Embassy in Skopje and the cooperation of the Permanent Secretariat of the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative (AII), based in Ancona, further confirming the Initiative’s role as a facilitator of regional dialogue and people-to-people connections across the Adriatic-Ionian macro-region.
Among the participants were Filippo Alabardi, Executive Officer of the AII Permanent Secretariat; Laze Tripkov, representative of the City of Skopje; Jovanka Gjorgjeva Kuzmanoska from the Ministry of Culture; Avni Qahili, Director of the Museum of Contemporary Art; Jovan Grdanoski, Office Manager of the Museum; Vesna Dabevska from the administrative office; Angelika Apsis, Head of Marketing and Public Relations; as well as curators Blagoja Varashanec, Ira Dinovski and Vladimir Janchevski.
The encounter highlighted the strategic relevance of cultural diplomacy in fostering regional cooperation and strengthening ties between local communities in the Adriatic-Ionian area. Skopje, as a multicultural and dynamic Balkan city shaped by different languages, cultures and identities, offers important opportunities for dialogue with Ancona, whose cultural vision for 2028 is strongly rooted in its Adriatic, Ionian and Mediterranean vocation.
A particularly symbolic element of the visit was the presence at the museum of Monte Conero, an artwork by Italian artist Corrado Cagli, which represents a meaningful cultural connection between the Marche region and North Macedonia and further underlines the longstanding cultural ties linking the two territories.
“The meeting with Skopje represented an important milestone in the international path of Ancona 2028,” stated Marta Paraventi. “Two Capitals of Culture in the same year - one Italian and one European - have the opportunity to build a concrete dialogue focused on youth, creativity, inclusion, heritage and new forms of cultural cooperation.”
Councillor Paraventi also took part in the mission in her capacity as Secretary General of the Forum of Adriatic and Ionian Cities (FAIC), reaffirming Ancona’s ambition to strengthen its role as a bridge between Italy, the Balkans and the wider Adriatic-Ionian macro-region.
The visit further demonstrated how the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative continues to promote cooperation not only at governmental level, but also through cultural and institutional exchanges capable of creating long-term partnerships and fostering a shared regional identity based on dialogue, mutual understanding and common European values.
On 29 May 2026, at 18:00, the Pinacoteca Civica Francesco Podesti in Ancona will host the presentation of Mare Nero, the latest book by journalist and writer Marco Ansaldo, in collaboration with the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative (AII).
The event will offer an opportunity to reflect on geopolitics, international conflicts, regional balances and the strategic role of seas as spaces of exchange, tension, mobility and dialogue. Through the lens of the Black Sea region, the discussion will also touch upon broader dynamics involving the Mediterranean, the Adriatic and the Balkans, areas that are increasingly central to Europe’s political and cultural future.
The choice of venue is particularly symbolic. The presentation will take place next to the famous Pala Gozzi by Titian, a masterpiece of the Renaissance that also represents a powerful testimony to Ancona’s historical role as a maritime crossroads connecting different peoples, cultures and trade routes across the Adriatic and the Mediterranean.
In this context, the event also acquires a special significance within the broader path towards Ancona Italian Capital of Culture 2028. The cultural project promoted by the city aims to strengthen Ancona’s vocation as a bridge between Italy, the Adriatic-Ionian region, the Balkans and the wider Mediterranean area, fostering dialogue and cooperation through culture.
Marco Ansaldo, an expert on international affairs and geopolitical dynamics, is among the personalities involved in the Ancona 2028 dossier and has contributed, together with the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative, to the development of initiatives placing culture, geopolitics and territorial cooperation at the centre of regional dialogue.
The event further reflects the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative’s commitment to promoting cultural diplomacy and fostering spaces for discussion on the future of Europe and its neighbouring regions through exchanges between institutions, intellectuals and local communities.
Event Details
📖 Presentation of the book Mare Nero by Marco Ansaldo
📅 29 May 2026
🕕 18:00
📍 Pinacoteca Civica Francesco Podesti
🤝 In collaboration with the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative (AII)
On 18 May 2026, in the framework of the 11th EUSAIR Forum held in Skopje, the Secretary General of the Adriatic and Ionian Initiative, Amb. Giovanni Castellaneta, held a bilateral meeting with Nevena Jovanović, State Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia.