Every year, on April 22, the world stops to celebrate Earth Day: the largest international event dedicated to the environment, now in its 56th edition in 2026.
Born in 1970 in the United States on the initiative of Senator Gaylord Nelson, with the aim of raising public awareness of environmental problems, today it involves 193 countries, thousands of organisations, schools and millions of citizens. The theme chosen for this year, Let’s go back to dreaming, is not an invitation to utopia but a concrete challenge: imagining how the places in which we live can function better and what actions are needed to get there, through workshops, meetings and shared experiences.
In Italy, the celebrations extended throughout the week from 13 to 22 April, animating parks, squares and public spaces with initiatives designed for all ages.
Rome and the Village for the Earth
The heart of the Italian celebrations was in Rome, where from 16 to 19 April the Villa Borghese park hosted the Earth Village, considered by the Washington international network to be among the best Earth Day events globally.
A packed calendar of over 600 events took place between the Galoppatoio and the Terrazza del Pincio: more than 30 sports disciplines, a biodiversity village managed by the Forestry Carabinieri, spaces dedicated to science and the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda, green markets, street food, live music and aperitifs at sunset with international artists. Young Europeans were involved in the drafting of a Dream Manifesto, while the March for the Earth crossed the city together with guests from the world of culture. The 2026 edition received the Representative Medal of the President of the Republic for its high social value.
OnePeopleOnePlanet closes Earth Day at the Nuvola di Fuksas
On April 22nd, the official Earth Day, Rome hosts the final event of the celebrations with the historic OnePeopleOnePlanet Multimedia Marathon, staged at the Nuvola di Fuksas. The evening opens with a tribute dedicated to the composer Ryuichi Sakamoto, entitled Searching for Sakamoto, with Serge Colbert and Valentina Urbini, and then turns into a major event with guests from the world of entertainment, journalism and culture. Serena Brancale, PIF, Sveva Sagramola, Santo Versace and Massimiliano Ossini will take turns on stage, with the conduction entrusted to Carolina Rey and Chiara Giallonardo. To close the evening, the traditional Concert for the Earth of Earth Day Italia.
Turin
In Turin the highlight will be the great Earth Day at the Royal Museums, scheduled for 25 April, with over 60 initiatives including talks, workshops, performances, family activities and music on issues of environmental, social and economic sustainability. At the same time, associations such as FIAB promote sustainable mobility and daily behavior that is more respectful of the environment. Here is the complete program of the day.
Milan
In Milan the initiatives are distributed widely throughout the city. Plogging Days take place between 18 and 22 April, which combine sporting activities and waste collection, involving citizens and volunteers. These are accompanied by workshops, awareness meetings and neighborhood initiatives, many of which are free to enter.
The art world contributes to the celebrations with two significant works. In Milan, the Ma-Ec Gallery hosts the exhibition of the artist Avvassena, entitled Cosmic Twinship, curated by Alisia Viola: a journey that crosses body, language and matter, relating the individual dimension to the universal structure.
The artist Daniel Salvi presents “The flower of childhood”, an unpublished work whose proceeds will be donated to the non-profit association Colors for Peace. The work reflects on the link between nature and childhood, recognizing in both a condition of fragility and need for care: in the tulips, the central element of the work, this correspondence takes shape as an image of a delicate childhood that asks to be protected.
Florence
In Florence, the University is promoting the Unifi Green Week, from 18 to 24 April: the university is transformed into a hub dedicated to sustainability with workshops, guided tours and activities also open to citizens, built around 22 April as the central moment.
Palermo
In Palermo, Earth Day is intertwined with the Mediterranean Climate Festival, where students, experts and institutions discuss climate change, energy and food, starting from concrete situations. The Mediterranean, among the areas of the planet most exposed to the effects of global warming, thus becomes the starting point for a collective reflection on what can be done.
The 56th edition of Earth Day confirms how this event is not just a symbolic anniversary, but a moment of active participation that crosses different cultures, generations and disciplines. Let’s go back to dreaming is not a slogan, but a method: that of those who believe that change starts from the ability to concretely imagine a better future and work together to build it.
