EU Commission: Von der Leyen at the Vatican for new European Bauhaus today. Audience with Pope Francis tomorrow

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will be received by Pope Francis at the Vatican tomorrow, Friday 10 June. During the visit, she will also meet with the Secretary of State, Card. Pietro Parolin, and the Secretary for Relations with States, Mgr. Richard Gallagher. The details of the talks have not been made public, but the focus will certainly be on Ukraine and the EU’s role in securing peace. According to a statement from Brussels, President von der Leyen will arrive at the Vatican today to participate in the opening of an event at the Pontifical Academy of Sciences entitled “Reconstructing the Future for People and Planet – a New Bauhaus Initiative”. She will then travel to the MAXXI, the National Museum of 21st Century Arts in Rome, to participate in the opening session of the New European Bauhaus Festival. This event, called for by Ursula von der Leyen herself, will last until 12 June and will bring together architects, artists, designers, scientists, entrepreneurs and citizens to help shape a future that is “sustainable, inclusive and beautiful”. The main venue for the events is Brussels, but other events are also planned in all EU countries (https://new-european-bauhaus-festival.eu). During the opening event, President von der Leyen will talk with Architect Diébédo Francis Kéré, winner of the 2022 Pritzker Prize, and there will also be connections with some of the countries participating in the Festival and with the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola. President von der Leyen’s agenda for today also includes meetings with the President of the Italian Republic, Sergio Mattarella, and with the Mayor of Rome, Roberto Gualtieri.
Valentina Bombelli