The 104th International Session of the EYP in Pordenone, Italy

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 complimented 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.

As part of our ongoing partnership with Insurance Europe, we hosted an Ask Me Anything session with Insurance professionals Bart Janknegt and Roxana Bulatu, after the Opening Ceremony of Pordenone. Here participants could ask anything they may want to know about financial literacy and insurance.

Taking the input from the speakers and experts, the young participants finalised their proposals after three days of committee discussions.  They are now available in the Resolution Booklet. Some of the proposals include:

• Tackling the housing crisis: Young Europeans call for stronger action to make housing more affordable and accessible, emphasising social housing, and ensuring housing remains a fundamental social right rather than a financial asset.
• Protecting European industries: Participants advocate for stronger safeguards for sectors such as agriculture, including support for small farmers and measures to ensure fair competition with imported goods.
• Boosting sustainable construction: Participants call for increased investment in renovation and new construction, support for small and medium-sized enterprises, and the adoption of digital and environmentally sustainable practices across the building sector.
• Revitalising communities and inclusion: Young people highlight the need to strengthen rural regions and address migrant homelessness, calling for improved infrastructure, access to services, and inclusive housing policies that support both local populations and newcomers.

Following the vision of its Head-Organisers, the session gave its participants a chance to really connect to the region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia: from the session venues in historical villas to the Cultural Day, which featured several activities taking them to Carnia, Trieste, and cultural activities inside Pordenone.

The event could have not taken place without the work of its National Organising Committee, EYP Italy, as well as its volunteers: Anita Broshka, Leonardo Mantovani, and Mattia Zen as Head-Organisers, João Silva as President and Luka Đorđević as editor, together with their respective teams. Their hard work and dedication shaped the vision of the event and made it a memorable one for all participants. Thank you to all who took part in Pordenone 2026!

Beyond all the local partners and institutions who hosted us and provided support, Pordenone International Session was also made possible by the partners who supported the event, among others Insurance Europe, E.ON Foundation, and IPSOS