About Us

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The first edition of the “Manifesto for a free and united Europe” (The Ventotene Manifesto)

WHO WE ARE, WHAT WE WANT

The Ventotene Lighthouse is the brainchild of a group of federalists and individuals from other democratic political traditions, convinced that the time has come to overcome national divisions and embark on a political path that will guarantee peaceful progress, sustainable development and a prosperous future for humanity.

The future of humanity is threatened by growing international disorder. Large and small powers are using the revival of nationalism to justify their fight for international supremacy.

The Ventotene Manifesto indicates the dividing line between reaction and progress: it lies between those who want to maintain absolute national sovereignty and those who want to build a ‘solid international state’.

To face the existential challenges of climate change, the destruction of biodiversity, recurrent pandemics and the senseless arms race, we need a group of countries, a global governance, willing to reform the multilateral world institutions that are currently in crisis.

The European Union – which represents the world’s first example of supranational unification – can play an important role in this direction, together with other states whose governments agree to cooperate to build a global governance.

And on this basis, working towards the creation of genuine cosmopolitan citizenship, the cause of human rights will be advanced.

The Ventotene Lighthouse aims to develop a movement of ideas and political initiatives with a view to ending the ancien régime based on the absolute sovereignty of nation states. The reform of the UN, aiming to create the world’s first supranational institutions, will enable the peoples of our Earth-Homeland to live together peacefully, united in their cultural and national diversity.

This is our undertaking and the challenge of our time: to think and act like a citizen of the world. The Ventotene Lighthouse wishes to engage with the younger generations and all progressive forces, with the idea of creating a new global network.

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