Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and French President Emmanuel Macron have announced an international summit dedicated to addiction prevention and recovery. The meeting, scheduled for 23 October 2026, will take place at the San Patrignano recovery community near Rimini, a facility renowned for its long-standing work in rehabilitation.
The summit builds on the European Coalition against Addictions (ECAD), co-founded by Italy and France on the sidelines of the European Political Community summit on 2 October 2025. Thirty-five countries have since joined the coalition, pledging to combat drug trafficking and promote prevention and recovery programmes.
A platform for shared strategies
The event will bring together ministers, senior officials, and representatives of international organisations to exchange best practices in prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and social reintegration, with particular attention to young people. Organisational responsibility has been entrusted to Undersecretary to the Prime Minister's Office Alfredo Mantovano, who will coordinate several Italian ministries.
At the conclusion of the summit, participants are expected to adopt a final document outlining the coalition's guidelines and operational commitments for the coming years. This will build on the joint declaration signed at the second ECAD meeting in Yerevan, where member states agreed to deepen cooperation.
Meloni and Macron have already sent joint invitation letters to 47 delegations, including heads of state and government, coalition partners, and relevant European institutions.
San Patrignano as a model
Choosing San Patrignano as the venue is deliberate. According to the Italian government's website, the aim is to showcase "a leading experience in the recovery and reintegration of people with addictions" and to highlight the kind of policies the coalition intends to promote. The community, founded in 1978, has welcomed more than 26,000 young people over the decades, offering a free, non-pharmacological programme based on communal living and vocational training.
Studies conducted by the universities of Bologna, Urbino, and Pavia indicate that over 72% of those who complete the programme are considered "fully recovered." The facility currently hosts around 1,000 residents and offers training in more than 20 sectors, with 50 possible activities.
In June 2026, Italian President Sergio Mattarella visited San Patrignano to mark the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. During the ceremony, he praised the work of communities and volunteers, saying, "The recovery and rediscovery of life and a future for so many young people, made possible by the work carried out by communities, organisations and the many volunteers involved, is a resource that enriches our country."
Undersecretary Mantovano, who also attended, highlighted the ongoing challenges, noting that "data from the latest report to parliament remain a cause for concern: one in four young people aged between 15 and 19 say they have used drugs at least once in the past year." He also acknowledged the dedication of those working on the front lines: "Every day, in public services, in therapeutic communities and in scientific societies, tireless women and men sometimes put their own safety at risk to ensure that those who have fallen into addiction can follow the most appropriate recovery path to the very end."
The summit reflects a broader European push to address addiction as a public health and social issue, with Italy and France positioning themselves as leaders in the field. As the continent grapples with rising drug use among young people, the meeting aims to turn political commitment into concrete action.
