Rimini dominates the Italian headlines

It’s that time of year again – August, and the traditional ‘Rimini Meeting’ which sees some of the highest-profile politicians/leaders/thinkers on both the national Italian and International stage come to the Adriatic Riviera capital to speak to large audiences on a wide range of themes.

It’s a media bonanza, and so it’s no wonder that the headlines of all the Italian newspapers over the weekend have been dominated by speeches made here in Rimini.

For example, the Italian foreign Minister, Franco Frattini, appeared at the Meeting yesterday, amidst widespread criticism of the Italian government’s handling of immigration in general – and in particular the recent tragic case of a boatload of illegal immigrants, where only five survived the journey from the African coast to the Italian island of Lampedusa. Frattini used his platform at Rimini to hit out at critics, and to suggest that the problem lies with the EU.

You can see Frattini’s intervention, and lots of other debates over at http://www.meetingrimini.tv

Other big names that will be appearing at the Rimini Meeting this week include Tony Blair (wednesday 26th), James Murdoch (today, 24th), and George W. Bush’s little brother and Republican party hopeful Jeb Bush (28th).

The Rimini Meeting is organised each year (it is now in its thirtieth edition) by the Catholic movement Comunion and Liberation