2026: A Year of Milestones for the US and Italy

2026: America250 and Italia80 – A Year of Milestones

The year 2026 marks two major anniversaries: the United States turns 250, celebrating the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, and Italy celebrates 80 years as a republic, born from the 1946 referendum that ended the monarchy.

America250: Reflecting on a Revolutionary Legacy

Across the U.S., events will mark the nation’s 250th birthday with parades, exhibitions, and discussions on democracy, freedom, and civic identity. It’s not just a celebration—it’s a chance to reflect on how far the country has come and where it’s headed.

Italy at 80: Celebrating Democratic Renewal

Italy’s 80th anniversary as a republic honors its post-WWII transformation from monarchy to modern democracy. Nationwide events will celebrate resilience, cultural progress, and the values of liberty and civic participation.

A Transatlantic Connection

Though different in origin, both anniversaries highlight the ongoing work of democracy. The U.S. and Italy share strong cultural and political ties, and 2026 will likely feature joint programs exploring shared ideals and challenges.

As these two nations celebrate, they remind us that democracy is not just a legacy—it’s a living commitment to the future.

#America250 #Italia80 #DemocracyInAction #HistoryMeetsFuture #AmericanSpaces #AboutAmerica

Mission Speaker Program 2024

🇺🇸📣The U.S. Mission Speaker Program special edition for schools and universities!

Topics range from the U.S. Constitution, how the U.S. political system functions, what an electoral college is and why U.S. presidential elections matter.

This is a fantastic opportunity for you, your school or university.

Through the U.S. Mission Speaker Program, Italian high school and university students will have the chance to meet American diplomats working at the U.S. Embassy and Consulates, and American citizens residing in Italy. Students will engage in lectures and interactive discussions with them to explore the role and significance of presidential elections, the U.S. Constitution, and the U.S. political system.

In this special edition, in-person classes will be held throughout October 2024 in various cities across Italy. Please refer to the complete list of eligible cities in the form provided below. If your institution is not located in one of the cities mentioned, do not worry, the Embassy will still reach out to you and try to accommodate your request.

It’s important to note that no costs are associated with participating in this program.

The sessions will be conducted in English, from Monday to Friday, in the morning or early afternoon and will generally last about an hour to an hour and a half.

Requests will be accommodated on a first-come, first-served basis.

For any queries regarding this program, please reach out to Romeculturaloffice@state.gov

To request the participation of a U.S. speaker in your school/university, use this link . 

https://form.jotform.com/241571891484162

The U.S. Embassy to Italy - Ambasciata Americana a Roma will be in touch with you soon.

We encourage you to sign up as soon as possible: spots are limited, and demand is high!

Link to original announcement on the site of the US Embassy to Italy:

https://it.usembassy.gov/education-culture/american-studies/mission-speaker-program/

#EducationDiplomacy - Young G7 for Education

 🇺🇸✈️📚 Education Diplomacy in Action! 📚✈️🇺🇸

🎉 Karoline Steckley, President of the Associazione Italo Americana FVG, led the U.S. delegation at the Young G7 for Education in Lignano Sabbiadoro, Italy, from June 26-30, 2024! 🌟🇮🇹

Our fantastic teen representatives, Tullia Pastorello and Luke Crippa, made us proud! 👏🇺🇸✨

Here's to building bridges and bright futures through education! 🌍🤝💡

#YoungG7 #EducationDiplomacy #USA #Italy #FutureLeaders #ProudMoment

#SportsDiplomacy - Sports Visitor Program 2024

Sports Visitor Program

Sports Visitors are young non-elite athletes and coaches chosen by U.S. missions overseas to visit the United States for a fast-paced two week exchange program. 

These sports-themed programs offer participants the opportunity to interact with Americans and experience American society, culture, and values firsthand. 

The activities include sessions on nutrition, strength and conditioning, gender equity in sport, Title IX, sport and disability, and team building. Special emphasis is placed on the visitors’ development of personal action plans that they use upon their return home.

June 15- June 30, 2024

5 Italian Teenage Girls and 1 Italian Female Coach were selected by the U.S. Mission to Italy to attend a 15 Day program in Los Angeles.  

A group of 50 female teenage girls from around the world attended the Julie Foudy International Leadership Academy in Los Angeles with a fantastic experience including soccer training and a leadership curriculum emphasizing mental health, leadership, and resilience.  

Meet Julie Foudy and some of the young women from previous years in this VIDEO

In addition they had a full immersion in American culture including life on the USC Campus, Hiking on the Hollywood Hills, Attending a professional soccer game as flagbearers, and more.  

2 representatives from Trieste!

Elena Spinelli - Adult Coach / Mentor

Alessia Pittone - Student Participant  

Secretary of Education - June 27, 2024

📚🌍 #G7Education in Trieste - Italy,  June 27, 2024

We were honored to have the U.S. Secretary of Education, Secretary Miguel Cardona , visit our American Space, meet our teen English language learners and dedicated English teachers for our Full Immersion Summer English Academy.  

The Secretary, a former educator himself, never misses an occasion to be in the classroom. 

U.S. Mission to Italy Speaker Program

 

Would you like to know more about culture, society and daily life in the United States? Here is an opportunity for you and your school!

You can engage directly with our U.S. diplomats and American community in Italy. The U.S. Mission Speaker Program brings American Officers from the U.S. Embassy and Consulates as well as American citizens living in Italy together with Italian secondary school and university students. Speakers and students engage in a dialogue about a wide variety of topics and aspects of American daily life through lectures, entertaining discussions, Q&A sessions, and a variety of other formats.

Programs begin in January 2024 and may be conducted in-person or virtually. The program is free of charge to participating schools. The programs take place in English, from Monday to Friday, in the morning or early afternoon and can last approximately 60-90 minutes.

Please note that the participation of speakers is based on availability and scheduling. We require at least one month of lead time to accommodate speaking requests.

For any further questions on this program, please contact Romeculturaloffice@state.gov

To request the participation of a U.S. speaker in your program, please FILL THIS FORM. The Embassy will be in touch with you soon. 

Original post on the Web Page of the U.S. Mission to Italy.

Proposed topics (Other topics upon request):

• U.S. culture and values

• Music, sport, movies, performing arts, etc.

• U.S. Elections

• U.S. Electoral Process and History

• U.S. Education

• Education system, U.S. Higher Education, Study in the U.S., Exchanges, Campus life, etc.

• Climate Change

• U.S. Policies and Initiatives

• STEM

• Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education

• DEIA

• Diversity and Inclusion, Civil Rights and Human rights

• American studies

•  U.S. History, Literature, Arts

• Information Literacy

• Countering Disinformation, Fact-checking, Cyberrbullying, etc.

• Transatlantic Relations

• U.S. Foreign Policy, U.S. and Italy relations, NATO, U.S. and EU, etc.