It is a simple melody, which we all know, that which was chosen to represent the European Union: Beethoven's Ode to Joy taken from his Ninth Symphony, referred to simply as "the ninth". The text was written by Friedrich von Schiller in 1785 and expresses an idealistic vision of the brotherhood of men. Beautiful, but unnecessary. That moment of the symphony is so engraved in the collective memory that words become superfluous. In fact, when the Council of Europe, in 1972, and the European Union, in 1985, adopted this particular piece of Beethoven as their anthem they decided that the music alone was enough to express the ideals of liberty, peace and solidarity. An air that resounded at the Colle on 9 May last, while the European flag was hoisted on the flagpole next to Maria Dolens. With this there are now one hundred flags representing one hundred countries and organizations that have signed up to the Peace Memorandum pledging to put the pursuit of human rights as pivotal in their journey. Moreover, if «the peoples of Europe, in creating an ever-closer union among themselves, have decided to share a future of Peace», as we read in the introduction to the Charter of Fundamental Rights, proclaimed on 7 December 2000 in Nice and adopted on 12 December 2007 in Strasbourg, then they should feel right at home at the Colle di Miravalle.

Together with the Foundation President, Marco Marsilli, and local and international authorities, there were hundreds of young people listening to Beethoven, namely students who approached the event in different ways, thereby enriching the significance of the anniversary. In these pages you will find an overview of the work carried out within the «Progetto Ambasciatori» (Ambassadors Project), organized by the Antonio Megalizzi Foundation, and with the «Schools beyond Regions and Borders» initiative which involves 7 Nations.

Of course, young people were to be at the center of everything, since it is they who have «the right and the duty to build a new Europe», as Councilor for Education, University and Culture of the Province of Trento, Mirko Bisesti, highlighted in his speech.

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