The 21st edition of the Trento Festival of Economics will be held from May 20 to 24, 2026. Following the format devised in 2022 by Il Sole 24 ORE Group together with Trentino Marketing, on behalf of the Autonomous Province of Trento and with the support of the Municipality and the University of Trento, the format has seen the ‘squirrel crowd’ (i.e., the public) grow extraordinarily, reaching over 140,000 attendees in four years. It was precisely the event’s huge popularity and its packed programme of sessions that prompted the organisers to introduce a significant change in 2026: extending the event to five days, bringing together leading figures from the worlds of economics, academia, politics, and the business community at both national and international levels.
These five days in Trento will be a key opportunity for anyone looking to understand where the world and the economy are heading today, as captured by the theme of the 2026 edition, which runs throughout the Festival: “From the market to the new powers. The hope of young people”. A highly topical issue, selected by the event’s Advisory Board, chaired by Fabio Tamburini, Editor-in-Chief of Il Sole 24 Ore and Chair of the Scientific Committee, comprising Elena Beccalli, Marco Fortis, Paolo Magri, Emma Marcegaglia, Giulio Sapelli, and Giulio Tremonti.
On the one hand, the title captures geopolitical scenarios where market forces and globalization have lost their role as key reference points, giving way to new centres of power such as Big Tech firms (which concentrate wealth and control the keys to artificial intelligence), and the autarchies of Russia and China. On the other hand, there are the hopes of young people, although in the midst of fears and uncertainties. Europe finds itself in a particularly vulnerable position, caught between pressure from Trump, an economic slowdown, a lack of leadership, and an increasingly acute demographic crisis. The answer to these challenges hinges on one priority: restoring young people’s hope for the future by making Italy and Europe attractive places for the younger generation.
Fabio Tamburini, Chairman of the Advisory Board and Scientific Committee of the Trento Festival of Economics, Director of Sole 24 Ore, Radio 24, and Radiocor, explains: “The belief that the market is a perfect regulatory mechanism for international economic relations has collapsed. Today, the five Big Tech companies - Nvidia, Apple, Microsoft, Alphabet, and Amazon - have an economic weight equivalent to that of the 27 countries of the European Union, with the difference that, however imperfect, these countries are democracies. On the other hand, the five major tech firms are led by five CEOs who hold the world’s fate in their hands without being subject to any democratic scrutiny”. In this shift of paradigm and power, a significant role is played by both the collection and processing of data, which, thanks to artificial intelligence, is acquiring extraordinary capabilities (but also highly dangerous ones), and by the massive energy demands of AI technology companies to power their data centres. And then there’s the changing world of work: “These issues still suffer from a very low level of awareness, in contrast to the demographic crisis, which is now a daily concern yet for which no solutions seem to be found”. Tamburini adds: “Whilst the centre of development has shifted towards Asia - where population and economic growth are concentrated, with India and China leading the way and Africa set to play an increasingly significant role - Europe and Italy are facing an irreversible decline, caught between a demographic winter and a brain drain”.
These topics will be addressed in Trento with contributions from leading figures from the national and international academic world (111), economists (35) and Nobel laureates (4), government ministers (16 confirmed to date), representatives of institutions (87) and the economic and financial business community (over 90) at an event that has taken on a growing international dimension, as evidenced by the many foreign media partners and the increasing number of speakers from abroad.
Five days that will bring over 700 speakers to Trento for more than 300 events, all guided by a single principle: that of dialogue, reasoning, argumentation, and open debate free from prejudice, giving space and voice to young people, who will take centre stage.
Thanks to the initiative “Le voci del domani” (Voices of Tomorrow), promoted by the Festival’s Scientific Committee, young people aged between 18 and 30 will be able to put themselves forward as speakers at the Festival: an extraordinary opportunity for them to take the floor and bring their points of view to the forefront of public debate at a Festival which, this year more than ever, is calling upon the very generation that is experiencing first-hand the major economic, social and geopolitical transformations. Applications are open until April 8 on the website ilsole24ore.com/vocideldomani.
There is also great anticipation for Fuori Festival, the programme conceived four years ago by Il Sole 24 Ore Group to introduce the broadest possible audience of young people and families to economics and major current affairs by engaging popular communicators and celebrities who speak the language of young people - directly to them. This has proved to be a winning formula, as witnessed by the overwhelming popularity it has enjoyed with audiences of all ages. This year’s programme offers an even wider range of events, workshops, and debates on social economy, the world of work, science communication, health and wellbeing, and sustainability. There are two new highlights: firstly, Radio 24 is moving to Piazza Fiera with an innovative mobile studio for its live event broadcasts. Secondly, the debut of Casa Sole, a new hub to meet and engage the public, where visitors can learn about and meet representatives from all the organizations within the Il Sole 24 ORE Group. There is also a packed programme of evening events to suit all tastes: classical music concerts - featuring the return of Uto Ughi - and pop concerts with Arisa and Angelica Bove, as well as theatre performances blending wit and humour with Elio and the artists from Zelig Lab. Last but not least, not to be missed is the conversation between the presenters of Radio 24’s La Zanzara, Giuseppe Cruciani and David Parenzo, with Fedez and Mr Marra.
“Economie dei Territori” (Local Economies) is also included in the program - an initiative bringing together a series of events which give voice to local businesses and institutions through in-depth explorations of regional organisations. Then there are the sessions “Incontri con l’autore” (Meet the Author), featuring book presentations, as well as the Festival Bookshop in Piazza Duomo, organised by Associazione Librai del Trentino. The city of Trento will once again offer a wide range of artistic and cultural attractions throughout the Festival. A carefully curated mix of events aims to create a Festival that bridges academic insight and real-world economics, connecting local economies with the global landscape. The Festival is an event taking place across the city of Trento, capable of intertwining the needs and opportunities of businesses, institutions, young people, and families, with a particular focus on students from schools in Trentino and the rest of Italy.
The Festival and the Fuori Festival 2026 are also fostering inclusivity, thanks to the organisers’ focus on gender equality since the very first edition in 2022, with a commitment, year after year, to ensure a balanced gender representation on the panels of pannellists. This year, the female presence among the speakers stands at around 31%, while in 2022 it was at 27%.
THE FORMATS and STRANDS OF THE FESTIVAL
The event programme features a wide range of sessions, which once again this year take various formats: KEYNOTE SPEECHES, DIALOGUES, and PANELS.
The theme of the 2026 edition will be explored across 14 key areas: GEOPOLITICS, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, ENERGY, SPACE ECONOMY, BUSINESS ECONOMY, DIGITAL ECONOMY, ECONOMIC POLICIES, SUSTAINABILITY, DEMOGRAPHY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION, MEDICINE, HEALTH AND HEALTHCARE, CURRENT AFFAIRS, WORK AND NEW PROFESSIONS, URBAN TRANSFORMATION.
THE PROTAGONISTS OF THE PROGRAMME
A stellar line-up is set for the opening event of the 2026 Trento Festival of Economics, which will be held on Wednesday, 20 May. One of Italy’s most pressing current issues will be addressed: young people and the brain drain. The panel discussion, “Italy is not a country for young people – how can it become one?”, will feature Lavinia Biagiotti Cigna, Chair and CEO of the Biagiotti Group, Diana Bracco, President and CEO of the Bracco Group, Marina Brambilla, Rector of the University of Milan, Maurizio Gardini, President of Confcooperative, Renato Loiero, Adviser to the Prime Minister, and Alessandro Molinari, Managing Director and General Manager of Itas Mutua. A dialogue between Alessandro Benetton and the director of Il Sole 24 Ore Tamburini will follow.
Confirmed speakers at the Festival’s opening ceremony, on Wednesday, 20 May at 5.00 pm, are Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, President Emeritus of the Pontifical Council for Culture, who will speak with SKY TV Editor-in-Chief Tonia Cartolano. Prior to the dialogue a video message from Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament, will be shown. At the Festival’s closing event on Sunday, 24 May, an interview with the President of Confindustria, Emanuele Orsini, will take place - to be led by the Editor-in-Chief of Il Sole 24 Ore, Fabio Tamburini.
4 Nobel Laureates will participate in the 21st edition of the Festival. The French economist Philippe Aghion will explain to the audience in Trento “The economic theory of creative destruction”, for which he has just been awarded the 2025 Nobel Prize in Economics (alongside Joel Mokyr and Peter Howitt).
Jan Račinskij, president of the human rights organization Memorial International, who won the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize, is attending the Trento Festival for the first time.
The Festival will see the presence of Christopher Pissarides, winner of the 2010 Nobel Prize in Economics, Regius Professor at the London School of Economics and co-founder of the Institute for the Future of Work, renowned for his contributions to the theory of market frictions in labour supply and demand (for which he was awarded the prize by the Swedish Academy together with Peter Diamond and Dale Mortensen). Tawakkol Karman, winner of the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize for her non-violent struggle for democracy and her defence of women’s rights in Yemen, and founder of the Tawakkol Karman International Foundation will also join the event.
Geopolitics will take centre stage in the 21st edition of the Festival, which is centred on analysing the new international balance of power. In this regard, the partnership with ISPI (the Institute for International Political Studies) has been confirmed. It will host five panel discussions, including one on the hopes of young people in Europe featuring Paolo Gentiloni, Chair of the EIB Global Advisory Board, and Romano Prodi of the University of Bologna; and one on young people’s hopes for the UN, featuring Staffan De Mistura, the UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy for Western Sahara, and Paolo Magri, Chair of the ISPI Scientific Committee. The other three panels will examine China’s current rise, the Middle East in turmoil, and Trump’s US in the run-up to the mid-term elections.
Still on geopolitics, the discussion “War and Peace” between Ferruccio de Bortoli and Marco Tronchetti Provera, executive vice-president of Pirelli is not to be missed, alongside the interview by Il Sole 24 Ore editor-in-chief Fabio Tamburini with Romano Prodi on the ‘slippery slope’ on which we find ourselves today, and which seems doomed to lead us to the brink of a third world war, as Pope Francis predicted a full 10 years ago. This is a trend that must be reversed by prioritising compliance with international norms, as highlighted by the panel discussion “The Rise and Fall of International Law”, featuring Ambassador Maurizio Massari and Giuseppe Nesi, member of the UN International Law Commission, and by the address from Father Enzo Fortunato, President of the Pontifical Committee for the World Day of the Child, who will examine “The Age of Predators”. Also not to be missed is the appointment with Giulio Tremonti, Chair of the Chamber of Deputies’ Committee on Foreign and European Affairs, who will give a talk entitled “Whatever mistakes: causes and responsibilities for the next financial crisis”.
The US President and his approach to international economic relations will be examined from various perspectives: Richard Robb, from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, will explain how American capitalism is changing, while Donato Masciandaro, from Bocconi University, will analyse the links between the euro and the dollar in the Trump era. Marco Fortis, vice president of the Edison Foundation, and Giuliano Noci, pro-rector of the Politecnico di Milano, will speak on “Trump: the global sledgehammer”.
Against the backdrop of a powerful USA, Europe finds itself increasingly struggling: Marco Buti and Marcello Messori of the European University Institute, Miguel Ángel Fernandez-Palacios, Spanish Ambassador in Italy, and Gianfelice Rocca, Chairman of the Techint Group, will analyse Europe’s role in the current global turmoil. Enrico Letta, from IE University Madrid, will present a talk on “One Europe, one market”, while Sergio Fabbrini, from Luiss Guido Carli University, will speak on the topic “Europe in the trenches”. Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, President of Italo, Fondazione Telethon, and Manifatture Sigaro Toscano, will explain why a United States of Europe is needed. Lilia Cavallari, Chair of the Parliamentary Budget Office, and Francesco Maria Chelli, President of the National Institute of Statistics, will analyse Italy’s situation based on data.
Several international speakers will offer fresh perspectives: for the first time in Trento, Yaser Faquih, Chief Economist and Deputy Minister for Economic Research and Strategic Insights at the Ministry of Economy and Planning of Saudi Arabia, will be speaking on the future of the global financial system. From China, Zhiyi He, Dean of the Global Institute for the Advancement of Industry and Technology at Nankai University, and Yang Yao of the China Centre for Economic Research, will be in conversation with Giovanni Tria of the University of Rome Tor Vergata. Yang Wang, Vice-President of the University of Hong Kong, will discuss Beijing’s resilience and how China is planning for its future, alongside Kerry Brown of King’s College London, Alicia Herrero, Chief Economist for Asia-Pacific at Natixis Corporate and Investment Banking, and Ivan Cardillo, President of the Institute of Chinese Law. Events not to be missed include the sessions with Bruna Szego, Chair of the European Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing Authority (AMLA), and two professors from the Chinese Communist Party School, Xu Jie and Yang Zhen, who will present on “Multilateralism put to the test”.
On the subject of ‘new powers’, no fewer than 13 panels will be dedicated to analysing the role of Artificial Intelligence: among them, Paolo Benanti, chair of the committee for artificial intelligence at the Department for Information and Publishing of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, and Sabino Cassese, Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa, who will discuss “Digital empires, old and new globalisation”.
Gian Maria Gros-Pietro, Chairman of Intesa Sanpaolo, will be interviewed by Maria Latella on artificial intelligence and the new finance.
“Power of information, social networks and AI” will be discussed by Alberto Barachini, Undersecretary to the Prime Minister’s Office, responsible for information and publishing, Prime Minister’s Office; and Michele Corradino, Section President of the Council of State.
The discussion on the topic “Should we trust artificial intelligence or not” will feature Franco Bernabè, president of Techvisory, an AI start-up, Andrea Zoppini from Roma Tre University, and Bishop Nunzio Galantino. Paolo Savona, former chairman of Consob, will examine generative artificial intelligence in terms of efficiency and respect for human rights, whilst Vincenzo Carbone, director of the Italian Revenue Agency, will explain how tax audits have evolved in the era of artificial intelligence and in the context of new relationships with taxpayers. Returning for the second consecutive year to the Festival of Economics are Vittorio Pisani, Chief of Police and Director-General of Public Security, who will discuss security and artificial intelligence, and Salvatore Luongo, Commander-General of the Carabinieri, who will outline the Carabinieri Corps’ investment in the next generation, combining technology and tradition.
The changing nature of work is undoubtedly one of the key areas to examine in order to understand where the world is heading. Giuliano Noci, Vice-Rector of Politecnico di Milano, and Gabriele Fava, President of INPS (Italy’s National Social Security Institute), will present a research project entitled “Next Gen Power: young people steering the future (without needing rear-view mirrors)”. The project was commissioned by the Politecnico di Milano and Cassa Padana and involved 4,000 young people.
The discussion will naturally also explore AI’s impact on the world of work and the new jobs it will create, starting with how factory work is evolving with the arrival of humanoid robots, as Giuliano Noci speaks with Andrea Stroppa, Elon Musk’s spokesperson in Italy.
“Work in a stranglehold: Artificial intelligence, low wages, and the need for better training” will be discussed by Marco Bentivogli, coordinator of Base Italia; Silvia Castagna, entrepreneur and member of the Artificial Intelligence Commission for Information under the Presidency of the Council of Ministers; Rosario De Luca, president of the National Council of Labour Consultants; and Marina Salamon, president of Alchimia. Fabio Pinelli, Vice-President of the High Council of the Judiciary, will introduce the panel discussion entitled “Professions and the justice system in the age of artificial intelligence”, featuring Tatiana Biagioni, President of the Italian Labour Lawyers’ Association, and Vito Pace, President of the National Council of Notaries. Nicholas Eberstadt of the American Enterprise Institute, Daniela Fumarola, General Secretary of CISL (Italian Confederation of Workers’ Trade Unions), and Maurizio Tarquini, Director General of Confindustria, will exchange views on the labour market, productivity, social spending, and inactivity. Meanwhile, on artificial intelligence, productivity, and employment, speakers will include Roberto Viola, Director-General of DG Connect at the European Commission, and Gregorio De Felice, Chief Economist and Head of Research at Intesa Sanpaolo. Franco Gallo, Luiss Guido Carli University, will speak on “Taxation, solidarity and subsidiarity”.
Another area closely linked to artificial intelligence is the energy sector, which is becoming increasingly strategic for Big Tech companies that need to power the data centres used to train the large language models underpinning these new advanced technologies. “Artificial Intelligence and Data Centres: Where Will the Energy Come From?” is the title of the panel discussion featuring Antonio Zoccoli, President of the National Institute of Nuclear Physics, and Davide Tabarelli, President of Nomisma Energia, who will also speak at the session on Asia’s energy needs alongside Alessandro Lanza, Director of the Eni Enrico Mattei Foundation.
Leading figures from the energy sector will also come to Trento: Paolo Scaroni, Chairman of Enel, and Antonio D’Amato, Chairman of Seda International Packaging Group, will discuss the future of the Green Deal.
Among the must-attend events in the strand dedicated to Urban Transformation, renowned architect Carlo Ratti, director of the Senseable City Lab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, will explain how artificial intelligence can improve cities. Meanwhile, the mayors of Rome, Milan, Trento, and Treviso - Roberto Gualtieri, Beppe Sala, Franco Ianeselli, and Mario Conte - will discuss what it means to govern cities today.
Raffaele Fitto, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission, Maurizio Fugatti, President of the Autonomous Province of Trento, and Roberto Simoni, President of the Trentino Federation of Cooperation, will discuss “Europe and territorial cohesion: the right to continue living in the place one calls ‘home’”.
Furthermore, to mark World Biodiversity Day on May 22, the Festival of Economics will host several events at Muse; among these, Andrea Illy, president of illycaffè, will explain the tools and strategies to regenerate ecosystems.
In the strand on Medicine, Health and Healthcare, Immaculata De Vivo, from Harvard Medical School, will speak on “Optimism and Gratitude: The Invisible Capitals of the Economy”; Fabrizia Lapecorella, Deputy Secretary-General of OECD, will address the topic of the longevity economy; and Maurizio Landini, General Secretary of CGIL (Italy’s largest trade union confederation), will take part in the panel dedicated to “National Health Service Emergency”.
In the section on demography, Giulio Tremonti will share his thoughts on the links between the demographic crisis and the democratic one. The editorial team of Il Sole 24 Ore will return with the annual report analysing the quality of life of children, young people, and the elderly in Italy’s provinces.
Following the huge success of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympics, Olympic and Paralympic athletes will join Giovanni Malagò, president of the Milan-Cortina Foundation, at the Festival of Economics to reflect on the transition from Olympic medals to the economy of life.
Once again, alongside analyses by economists and academics from around the world, this year Il Sole 24 ORE Group is presenting the perspectives of entrepreneurs to encourage discussion and the exchange of ideas and practical experiences between the academic world and the business community. In addition to those already mentioned, the Trento Festival of Economics will also be attended by Emma Marcegaglia, Chair and Chief Executive Officer of Marcegaglia Holding; Luigi Abete, Chair of Confindustria Cultura Italia; former Confindustria Chairs Vincenzo Boccia and Carlo Bonomi; and Francesco Gaetano Caltagirone, Chair of the Caltagirone Group.
In Trento, the business world will also discuss the challenge of Italian exports in an increasingly unstable scenario, with Federico Silvestri, CEO of Il Sole 24 ORE Group, and Maurizio Tarquini, Director General of Confindustria. They will also address the global expansion of Made in Italy, with contributions from Eraldo Minella, strategic advisor at Il Sole 24 ORE Group, Massimo Pozzetti, CEO of Pastiglie Leoni, and Luigi Riva, President of Assoconsult. The Trento Festival will also provide an opportunity to present Il Sole 24 Ore NextMed, the Group’s new initiative dedicated to the economies of the wider Mediterranean, during the panel discussion “The Mediterranean: Geography of the Future”, which will feature, among others, Marco Magnani of Luiss Guido Carli University and Marco Minniti, former Minister of the Interior and President of the Med-Or Foundation.
The financial sector will also have its say in Trento. ABI President Antonio Patuelli will explain why banks are a key strength of Europe. Fabrizio Testa, Chief Executive Officer of Borsa Italiana, Euronext Group, will speak on stock market investments and algorithms. Edward Freeman, Darden Business School, University of Virginia, will address stakeholder capitalism and the role of youth. Fabrizio Palenzona, Massimo Ponzellini, and Luigi Bisignani will participate in the session “The night of the Republic, old and new protagonists”.
Leading writers and commentators from Il Sole 24 Ore will join the Festival, including sociologist Aldo Bonomi; Roberto D’Alimonte, LUISS Guido Carli University; Giuseppe Lupo, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore; Fabrizio Onida, Bocconi University; and Alessandro Rosina, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore.
Political leaders have already confirmed their participation, including 16 ministers, along with Maurizio Leo, Deputy Minister of Economy and Finance, and Federico Freni, Undersecretary of State for Economy and Finance, who will discuss tax and capital markets reform. Elly Schlein, Secretary of the Democratic Party, will also attend.
A large number of university and business school rectors will be in Trento: Elena Beccalli, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore; Max Bergami, Dean of the Bologna Business School; Francesco Billari, Bocconi University in Milan; Paolo Boccardelli, Luiss Guido Carli University; Marina Brambilla, University of Milan; Rita Carisano, Director General of Luiss Guido Carli University; Stefano Caselli, dean at SDA Bocconi School of Management, Flavio Deflorian, University of Trento, Anna Gervasoni, LIUC Università Cattaneo, Giuliano Noci, Vice-Rector of the Politecnico di Milano, Maria Cristina Pierro, University of Insubria, Donatella Sciuto, Politecnico di Milano, as well as Franco Bernabé, President of the University of Trento, and Paola Severino, President of the School of Law at Luiss Guido Carli University.
The panel of moderators is also noteworthy, featuring not only the return of Barbara Carfagna and Maria Latella, but also the participation of editors in chief Tommaso Cerno of Il Giornale, Andrea Malaguti of La Stampa, Agnese Pini of Il Quotidiano Nazionale, Mario Sechi of Libero, Gian Marco Chiocci of TG1, Antonio Preziosi of TG2, Giuseppe De Filippi of TG5, Giuseppe De Bellis, Executive Vice President of Sport, News and Entertainment at Sky and Editorial Director of SkyTg24, Ferruccio de Bortoli of Corriere della Sera and Osvaldo De Paolini of Il Giornale.
The list of events includes those organised in collaboration with Aspenia, GEI (Italian Association of Business Economists), Isea (Institute for Applied Economic Studies), ISPI (Institute for International Political Studies), the School of International Studies at the University of Trento, and SIE (Italian Economic Society).
FUORI FESTIVAL
----Full Program of Panels and Guests in the Dedicated Press Release----
ECONOMIE DEI TERRITORI
“Economie dei territory” (Local economies) is the format that provides the Festival with a concrete look at the changes affecting communities, work, business, and institutions. A journey that focuses on local areas as the setting against which the major transitions of our time are played out: demographics, housing, innovation, mobility, participation, sustainability, and quality of life. The various events will highlight opportunities and challenges that directly affect younger generations, including access to employment, the attractiveness of local communities, training and skill transfer. It will also be an opportunity to reflect on how proximity economies, research, manufacturing, services, and public administration can foster development and social cohesion. It is a wide-ranging programme of sessions that showcases the region as a dynamic hub for innovation, responsibility, and future opportunities. A programme that is expanding to include distinguished guests, thanks to: Altroconsumo; Associazione Artigiani Trentino; CALRE–Conference of European Regional Legislative Assemblies; the Provincial Commission for Equal Opportunities between Women and Men; Confindustria Trento; Confprofessioni Trentino; the Council of the Autonomous Province of Trento; Federpreziosi; Fiavet Trentino Alto Adige; FIMAA Trento; FIPE - Italian Federation of Public Businesses; Fondazione Caritro; Fondazione Demarchi; Fondazione Edmund Mach; Fondazione Negrelli; Young Entrepreneurs Group (Tertiary Sector); Young Entrepreneurs Group (Confindustria Trento); IPRASE; New Humanity - Movimento dei Focolari; Employment Service of the Autonomous Province of Trento; Pensplan Centrum; Trentino Digitale.
INCONTRI CON L'AUTORE
“Incontri con l'Autore” (Meet the Author) is one of the programmes most appreciated by the public, a special forum to have a dialogue on books, ideas, and current affairs. Like last year, in 2026 it will host some of the most influential voices in journalism, economics, and culture, thanks to a renewed partnership with several Italian publishers. Among the protagonists are Claudio Cerasa and Mario Calabresi; Franco Gabrielli and Carlo Bonini; Giovanni Bazoli and Tommaso Arenare, Andrea Colamedici and Marianna Aprile, Mariangela Pira and Serena Mazzini, Massimo Scaglioni, Linus and Massimo Beduschi, Luca Mari, the French-Indian economist Navi Radjou, and the booktoker Megi Bulla.
TRENTO FESTIVAL OF ECONOMICS ALL YEAR ROUND
One of the new features introduced by Il Sole 24 ORE Group to the Trento Festival of Economics format is that the event now extends throughout the year, beyond its usual dates and outside the Trentino region. Two initiatives have been organised: firstly, the fifth edition of the international roadshow ROAD to TRENTO, organised in collaboration with Italian embassies worldwide, to bring the Trento Festival of Economics abroad. In 2026, it includes Brazil and Vietnam, after previous stops over the past four years in Lugano, San Francisco, Abu Dhabi, Johannesburg, New Delhi, London, Berlin, New York, and Paris.
Secondly, there is the Festival’s promotional tour, which consists of four stops: at the Piccolo in Alessandria, at the University of Perugia, at the CUOA Business School in Vicenza (Altavilla Vicentina), and at the Banca del Ceresio in Lugano.
THE FESTIVAL WEBSITE AND HOW TO ACCESS EVENTS (festivaleconomia.it)
The festivaleconomia.it website (also available in English) is a go-to resource to discover themes, guests, and events that will shape the Festival. It is packed with content and services designed to make it easy to navigate the festival’s extensive programme.
This year, too, to attend the in-person events and follow the latest news during the five days of the festival, a single simple registration will suffice. Open to those aged 18 and over, it only needs to be completed once on the Festival’s website. Those who have already registered in 2025 can simply request the new, updated QR code for this year’s event. By registering, you will also gain access to a personal area where you can plan your days at the festival and watch talks via live and on-demand streaming. Registration is required, but does not guarantee a place at the events, which are free to attend and subject to availability.
FOR THE FOURTH YEAR, A SUSTAINABLE AND ACCESSIBLE FESTIVAL
In the previous three-year period, the Festival of Economics obtained certification for its sustainable event management system in accordance with UNI ISO 20221:2012. Trentino Marketing, with the full support of the Il Sole 24 ORE Group, is committed to renewing the organisation’s management system in accordance with the UNI ISO 20121:2024 international standard for 2026 as well.
Water dispensers and recycling stations will be installed throughout the festival area. In addition, all the Festival venues will be equipped with a detailed technical sheet, available on the official website, providing comprehensive information on accessibility for individuals with motor disabilities. To facilitate optimal accessibility, a dedicated email has been established for all related enquiries: inclusione@trentinomarketing.org. Moreover, the Festival will collaborate with the Mondo Doula Association to create a welcoming space for families.
For the first time this year, some locations will offer the possibility to view on the big screen the real-time transcription of the interventions, and over 100 events streamed on the festival website will be accompanied by accessible transcription, to promote the full participation of people with hearing disabilities both in person and online.
MEDIA PARTNERS
Alongside the media outlets of Il Sole 24 ORE Group - joined this year by IlSole24OreTV - the 2026 Trento Festival of Economics boasts a line-up of highly prestigious media partners. Sky Tg 24 returns to Trento with a studio that will broadcast live from Piazza Duomo with an open-air media centre. The Financial Times, ElEconomista.es, and the leading Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf are also renewing their partnership. This year, they will be joined not only by the LinkedIn News platform but also by the Danish newspaper Politiken, the Japanese Yomiuri Shimbun, and the Chinese Wenhui Daily, reflecting the growing international interest in the Trento Festival of Economics. These partnerships underscore the quality of the Festival format devised by the Il Sole 24 ORE Group and the event’s international profile.
MEDIA COVERAGE OF IL SOLE 24 ORE GROUP
The Il Sole 24 ORE Group will once again be drawing on its full range of journalistic resources to cover the festival, producing a series of special editions of the newspaper with dedicated supplements from Thursday to Tuesday, which will explore the main themes addressed over the five days of the festival. Journalists from Il Sole 24 Ore and Radiocor Press Agency will be closely involved to ensure maximum coverage of the event, working in coordination with the multimedia editorial team, which will provide content for digital platforms, social media channels, and the new satellite television channel IlSole24OreTV.
Radio 24 will take centre stage even more as it moves to its new premises in Piazza Fiera, which this year will become the beating heart of all Il Sole 24 ORE Group activities. This is where Radio 24’s studio stage will be located, completely revamped. It is precisely from here that live broadcasts and programmes will be produced, the Group’s live podcasts will be recorded, and the presenters’ live shows will take place. As part of the 2026 changes, Casa Sole will also be established in this location, a new space designed as a hub to meet and engage with the public.
Content from the Festival of Economics will also feature in a new podcast series, produced by Il Sole 24 Ore and Radio 24, allowing listeners to revisit and explore some of the most significant talks and topics in greater depth. In the meantime, the podcast “The Great Voices of the Festival of Economics” is available on 24orepodcast.com, on the websites of Il Sole 24 Ore and Radio 24, and on all major audio platforms.
THE PARTNERS OF THE TRENTO FESTIVAL OF ECONOMICS 2026
Confirming the high regard in which companies hold the event’s format, the 2026 edition of the Trento Festival of Economics has seen a further increase in the number of partners signing up: 53 organisations have already confirmed their participation.
The TOP PARTNERS of 2026 are: CONFCOOPERATIVE, ENEL, INTESA SANPAOLO.
The MAIN PARTNERS are: ANGELINI PHARMA, AUTOSTRADE PER L’ITALIA, GRUPPO FS, ITAS MUTUA, MUNDYS. OFFICIAL PARTNERS are ABI – ASSOCIAZIONE BANCARIA ITALIANA, ACEA, ALES ARTE LAVORO E SERVIZI, AMPLIFON, AUTOSTRADA DEL BRENNERO, BANCOMAT, CASSA DEPOSITI E PRESTITI (CDP), CERVED, CONAI - CONSORZIO NAZIONALE IMBALLAGGI, CONOU – CONSORZIO NAZIONALE OLI MINERALI USATI, DLA PIPER, DOLOMITI ENERGIA, ENGINEERING, FINCANTIERI, GRUPPO IMQ, INPS, JEEP®, REKEEP, RINA, SACE, SIMEST, SNAM, TERNA, UNI ENTE ITALIANO DI NORMAZIONE, UNIEURO, UNIVERSITÀ LUISS GUIDO CARLI, VEOLIA.
The SUPPORTERS are: ARVEDI, BONELLIEREDE, CONSORZIO DI TUTELA MOZZARELLA DI BUFALA CAMPANA DOP, GETRA, MUSE, POLTRONA FRAU, PORSCHE CONSULTING, RUMMO, STARTING FINANCE AND UNIVERSITY BOX.
ANDREA BOCELLI FOUNDATION - ENTE FILANTROPICO and FONDAZIONE CARITRO have once again chosen to be protagonists as partners of FUORI FESTIVAL.
The Trento Festival of Economics 2026 is also held in collaboration with the EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, the EUROPEAN COMMISSION, THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SERVICE, INVITALIA, the EUROPEAN UNION – NEXTGENERATIONEU, OSPEDALI IRCCS ISTITUTO CLINICO HUMANITAS AND HUMANITAS SAN PIO X.
TRENTINO HOSPITALITY
The event hospitality of the Festival of Economics will take place during the initiative at Palazzo Roccabruna, home of the Provincial Wine Cellar and Trentino products. It will be managed by Trentino Marketing, the Chamber of Commerce of Trento, and the Trentino Federation of Cooperatives, and it will underline the message of these days: “Savoring Togetherness”. The Trentino Lounge will host four chefs from local restaurants: Gianpaolo Burba from the Maso Burba restaurant in Piano di Commezzadura; Stefano Croce from Agriturismo El Mas in Moena; Luca Zotti from the Lusernarhof restaurant in Luserna; and Sandro Favè from the Rifugio Passo Valles, located on the homonymous Passo Valles.
The students from the Rovereto Hotel Management Vocational Training Institute will also be involved; together with their teachers and guided by Chef Stefano Goller, they will be the driving force behind the kitchen and dining room, combining training and gastronomic culture within the major international event.
UNIVERSITIES and BUSINESS SCHOOLS INVOLVED
48 Universities and Business Schools have joined the 21st edition of the Festival: Bologna Business School; Cepii; Darden Business School University of Virginia; European University Institute; IE University; Luiss Business School; Harvard Medical School; HKUST (Hong Kong University of Science and Technology) Hunan University; King's College University; Free University of Bolzano; Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston; Pekin University; Politecnico di Milano; Politecnico di Torino; School of international and public affairs Columbia University; Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa; SDA Bocconi School of Management; Bocconi University of Milan; Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore; La Sapienza University of Rome; Luiss Guido Carli University; University of Bari; University of Bergamo; University of Florence; University of Milan; University of Naples Federico II; University of Naples "Parthenope"; University of Eastern Piedmont; University of Insubria; University of Molise; University of Bologna; University of Ferrara; University of Foggia; University of Miami; University of Milan Bicocca; University of Modena Reggio-Emilia; University of Nankai; University of Padua; University of Perugia; University of Siena; University of Rome Tor Vergata; University of Turin; University of Trento; University of Cambridge; University of Chicago; Roma Tre University; San Raffaele University of Rome; Sciences Po’ University.
THE NUMBERS OF THE TRENTO FESTIVAL OF ECONOMICS 2026:
The figures for the 2026 Programme of the Trento Festival of Economics are as follows. The event is coordinated by its Scientific Committee, chaired by Fabio Tamburini, Director of Il Sole 24 Ore, Radio 24 and Radiocor press agency, and comprising Professor Luigi Bonatti, Professor of Economic Policy at the University of Trento, Professor Ericka Costa, Associate Professor of Business Economics in the Department of Economics and Management at the University of Trento, and economic historian Adriana Castagnoli, former lecturer in Contemporary History at the University of Turin.
- 4 NOBEL LAUREATES
- 16 Ministers (already confirmed to date)
- 111 SPEAKERS FROM THE ACADEMIC SECTOR
- 35 NATIONAL and INTERNATIONAL ECONOMISTS
- 87 REPRESENTATIVES FROM the INSTITUTIONS
- Over 90 MANAGERS & ENTREPRENEURS
- Over 700 speakers in total
- Over 300 events in total
For further information:
PRESS OFFICE IL SOLE 24 ORE GROUP: Ginevra Cozzi, 335 1350144, ginevra.cozzi@ilsole24ore.com; Elettra Occhini, 348 8910904, elettra.occhini@ilsole24ore.com
PRESS OFFICE OF THE AUTONOMOUS PROVINCE OF TRENTO: Giampaolo Pedrotti, 335 7611026, Martina Valentini 338 9180001, Stefano Voltolini 333 4902087, USPAT.festeconomiatrento@gmail.com
PRESS OFFICE OF THE TRENTO FESTIVAL OF ECONOMICS: ufficiostampa@festivaleconomia.it, Tel. 0461 497930
PHOTOS AND VIDEOS from the press conference in Milan, March 31, 2026: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1OiFLdGvabF7xQzG6NI49-JQp_Kc6vwlp?usp=sharing
