European projects, headquarters in Palermo for the information center: office in a confiscated property

An information desk on the activities, programs, and policies of the European Commission and continental institutions for citizens will be established in a villa confiscated from the mafia, now owned by the City of Palermo. This is the new EUROPE DIRECT Center of the Sicilian capital, managed by InformaGiovani Ets for the period 2026/2030 in collaboration with a network of public entities and social private actors.

Europe Direct is the official information network of the European Commission, in collaboration with the European Parliament and their respective national representations. With the opening of this center, Palermo and its territory will have a direct and free point of contact with EU institutions.

The coordinator of the new Center participated yesterday in Brussels at the first continental meeting of the Network, where members signed agreements with the European Commission.

Over 400 European ED Centers participated in the event in Brussels, including 46 in Italy and three in Sicily (in addition to Palermo, also Trapani and Siracusa).

The purpose of the Center is to provide citizens, businesses, and local authorities with facilitated access to learn about community programs, funding opportunities, European initiatives, and policies that influence daily life. Through participatory formats, events, and training activities, the center aims to inform, stimulate debate, and strengthen citizen engagement in European policies, starting from the needs and voices of those living in the area.

What makes the new Europe Direct in Palermo special is its deeply rooted nature in the city's social context. The permanent headquarters of the center will indeed be located within a villa confiscated from organized crime and returned to the community by the City of Palermo.

Pending the necessary adjustment and modernization works of the villa, the center will be temporarily hosted within another confiscated asset, of smaller size, already managed by the InformaGiovani association. This provisional space will still allow for the start of information and contact activities with citizens through meetings in schools and community centers, personalized consultations, and online information and training activities.

The project is the result of a collaboration between InformaGiovani, the San Giovanni Apostolo Association, the Juvenile Social Service Office of the Ministry of Justice, Caritas, and the Carabinieri Union. A partnership aimed at making the Center a bridge between Europe and citizens, with special attention to those who are further away or difficult to reach through institutional communication. The goal is to speak to all citizens, particularly those who are normally not reached by traditional information channels about the European Union.

To be truly close to everyone, the center will not be limited to the capital. Thanks to collaborations with other municipalities, it will indeed be possible to activate “Antennae” of the Center in other areas of the province. Two are already planned in Petralia Sottana and San Giuseppe Jato, and others may be activated during the five-year period.