“ROOTS, discovering what unites us” is the title of the 2026 event. Memory, dialogue and a culture of encounter are the key words proposed by the young organisers of Loppiano’s May Day to suggest new paths of peace and social friendship to be travelled together.
On the day we celebrate Labour Day, Loppiano hosts a new edition of the Loppiano May Day, the Festival of Fraternity which, since 1973, has drawn young people from all over Italy and Europe to its plateau.
The experience of fraternity based on the Gospel, lived out in this small town among people of different cultures, languages, religions and countries, has inspired this festival, where diverse voices come together to create a unique and transformative experience. Every year, it is the young people themselves who choose the theme and bring their creativity and talents to bear to create a fresh and engaging festival featuring performances, art workshops, dance, music, theatre, seminars, testimonies, moments of intercultural and interreligious dialogue, expos and exhibitions. Thus, over time, Loppiano’s Primo Maggio has grown into a space for reflection and experience on the great challenges of the present: peace, dialogue, justice, fraternity and care for Creation.
“Roots, discovering what unites us” is the title of the 2026 event. “In these times we are living through, marked by conflict, fear, death, inequality and precariousness – particularly for children, young people and our peers living in countries at war – we feel that we too cannot live in peace whilst remaining indifferent. Our peace cannot exist without that of others,” explain Emily and Kiara Zeidan, two of the young organisers of the festival. “That is why with ‘Roots’ we want to delve deep, to remember our diverse origins and cultural, family, social and religious roots, not to barricade ourselves behind the walls of difference, fuelling fear and mistrust towards others, but to create something new together. To contribute, through dialogue, to building a culture of encounter, to weaving bonds of social friendship, promoting a more just and fraternal world”.
The programme
May Day in Loppiano begins at 11:00, with a moment of reflection and provocation from the stage of the Auditorium (Via San Vito, 48 – Figline e Incisa Valdarno, FI). Then, at 12:00, the opening of the International Expo of Fraternity, the experiential heart of the day. A miniature world recreated, where over 30 groups welcome visitors by offering spaces for lively and personal dialogue. Through stories, traditions, languages and testimonies, each stand represents a haven that preserves its own identity whilst, at the same time, opening itself up to encounter, where diversity becomes an opportunity for mutual understanding and for overcoming stereotypes and prejudices.
Among the countries and geographical areas represented are Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ethiopia, the Philippines, France, Guatemala, Ireland, Madagascar, the Middle East, Mexico, Myanmar, Nigeria, the Dominican Republic, Spain, the United States and Venezuela.
Numerous local, national and international associations are also taking part in the Expo, including Associazione Amici del Valdarno – Comunità Islamica, APS Amici di Santa, Centro Sportivo Italiano, Città Nuova Editrice, Economia Disarmata, Friendly T-shirt, Gen Rosso, Gen Verde, Istituto Universitario Sophia, Movimento Laudato Si’, Nuovi Orizzonti, Polo Lionello Bonfanti, helping to make the Expo a tangible space for dialogue and fraternity.
The Expo is also hosting the fourth stage of the CSI in Tour 2026, the Centro Sportivo Italiano’s travelling sports village, where visitors can try out sports and recreational activities free of charge, guided by instructors and entertainers, in an experience open to all that celebrates sport as a universal language capable of breaking down barriers and fostering inclusion and connection.
In the afternoon, at 4.00 pm, the stage of the Auditorium will come alive with ‘Ciò che ci unisce’ (What Unites Us), a musical theatre production resulting from a workshop that has involved, over the past year, a group of young creatives and professionals, produced in collaboration with Coesioni srls and F.G.B. service, with the contribution of the Dancelab Armonia Cultural Association, the participation of the band AsOne, and the singers Sophitz and Chiara Parise.
Music, dance, theatre and words intertwine in a show that gives voice to stories of life, fragility, migration, inclusion and hope, taking the audience on a journey that leads from personal and cultural roots to the discovery of shared ones, which make encounter and brotherhood possible. “It is into this depth that we wish to delve,” comment Emily and Kiara Zeidan. “Into this living, hidden and precious terrain, which reminds us that no one flourishes alone. Because only by tracing our roots can we truly meet one another. Only through encountering diversity can we discover that we are part of a single humanity. Only together can we build a different future!”
The day of 1 May in Loppiano culminates in a surprising collective outdoor performance in which all participants in “Roots” will take centre stage.
Loppiano’s May Day 2026 is an event of United World Week co-funded by the European Union through the Erasmus+ Youth Programme.
How to take part
To take part in May Day in Loppiano, the festival of fraternity, simply purchase a pass on the day of the event.
