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Like every year, Atreju – the signature event of Italy’s leading party, Fratelli d’Italia, led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni – will be held in Rome.
The four-day event, titled “10 years of love for Italy,” will see political confrontations, cultural moments of general interest and even solidarity markets ready to animate Castel Sant’Angelo, the location designated to host the event. Premier Meloni called Atreju the first open party par excellence, precisely because it is aimed at hosting all representatives of the Italian and international political world.
The program of the event has not yet been announced, but the poster is ready (at the centre, on a blue background, is the image of Giorgia Meloni in a patriotic pose, with her right hand on her chest) as well as the lineup that includes the Premier’s speech on Saturday 17, on the closing day of the political kermesse.
“Welcome back Italian pride”
Atreju originated in 1998 and at the time represented an official event of Azione Giovani, headed in Rome by Giorgia Meloni. Since 2014, the responsibility for its organization has passed to Gioventù Nazionale, the new recruits of Fratelli d’Italia.
The event includes, on an annual basis, the participation of numerous personalities from the political world, regardless of political faith.
In this regard, this edition is marked by a long-distance debate between the organizers and PD Secretary Elly Schlein, who reportedly declined the invitation because the confrontation between political forces “is done in the parliament.” For several days now, Italian media outlets have been reporting about the dynamics that led to Schlein’s refusal, and Giorgia Meloni did not fail to state her own point of view, saying: “Atreju is the first open gathering par excellence, it was the first event to imagine confrontations between very different leaders. There was a time when Fausto Bertinotti was not afraid to show up and confront other leaders. I always showed up. The leaders who have participated during these 25 years have been from all sides, I remember left-wing government leaders like
Gentiloni or Letta. It would be one of the first times that someone says no, but I don’t feel like judging her. I won’t get into it, the event will still happen as planned.”
Guests from past editions
Speaking of guests from past editions, the heartfelt participations of Fausto Bertinotti (as recalled by Meloni herself) and Gianfranco Fini in 2006, and of Mario Capanna and Marcello De Angelis in 2007, should not be forgotten, as well as the participations of Silvio Berlusconi, Giovanni Lindo Ferretti, Matteo Renzi, Viktor Orban and Giuseppe Conte.
In 2021 – when the festival took on the name “The Conservative Christmas,” precisely because it was held during the weeks leading up to Christmas and not in September as usual – during the many debates, topical issues such as production and solidarity were discussed. At that time the meeting was attended by Francesco Lollobrigida, now Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry, as well as Giancarlo Giorgetti, Luigi Di Maio and Marina Calderone.
In addition, significant space had been devoted to the climate emergency and energy transition. Nicola Procaccini, Roberto Cingolani and Fabio Rampelli had lent their voices to the keynote panel.
Atreju and the people
Atreju thus represents a space for discussion that Fratelli d’Italia, as always, will use to take stock of the past and carefully analyze future prospects, looking closely at the government agenda. All this without forgetting moments of entertainment. It will have, as already anticipated, a space also for culture, which has always been one of the protagonists of the kermesse.
An event, then, around which orbit many other small planets, all dedicated to people, to those who, together with representatives, define the intrinsic meaning of politics.