The Meeting for Friendship among Peoples, one of Europe's most important cultural events, returns to Rimini for its 47th edition. Over six days, the festival will host a rich programme of talks, exhibitions, performances, concerts and sporting activities, bringing together leading figures from the worlds of culture, politics, science and religion.
The title of the 2026 edition, “The Love which moves the sun and the other stars”, is taken from the final verse of Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy. The theme invites reflection on the meaning of love as a force capable of helping people understand a present marked by fragmentation and conflict, while rediscovering the origin and destiny of the world entrusted to humanity. Through conferences, exhibitions and debates, the Meeting will explore whether this fundamental human experience can generate reconciliation and new forms of social life, turning Rimini into a laboratory for cultural and civic dialogue.
A highlight of this year's edition will be the historic visit of Pope Leo XIV on the afternoon of Saturday, 22 August, followed by a Holy Mass for the city of Rimini and the entire Diocese.
The programme includes more than 150 conferences featuring around 500 speakers, 12 exhibitions and 13 performances, some of which will be staged in the prestigious setting of the Teatro Galli and the Augustinia Court.
At the heart of the event are approximately 3,000 volunteers from around the world, who help manage the many activities and spaces of the Meeting, including the Children's Village, with educational workshops and exhibitions, and a 12,000-square-metre Sports Village dedicated to a wide range of sporting activities.
Faithful to its international and innovative spirit, the Meeting also offers live streaming of many of its main events in Italian, English and Spanish, allowing audiences from around the world to follow the programme both during and after the festival.