The European University Institute (EUI) in Fiesole, near the Italian city of Florence, and UNICEF are promoting a 12-week program for unaccompanied foreign minors (UAMs), young adults, Italian high school students and members of the academic community to promote leadership skills, empathy and civic engagement.

Over 17,000 unaccompanied minors present in Italy

"With over 17,000 unaccompanied minors currently in Italy, the need for inclusive and sustainable approaches is more urgent than ever," the EUI explained in a statement.

With U-LEAD, each week a diverse group of boys and girls participating in the program examine questions such as "Which rights matter most to us? How can we protect them? How can we contribute to the places we now call home?"

The program offers young people from different backgrounds the space and tools to connect, plan and lead initiatives benefiting the local community.

The European University Institute has 24 member States, over 1,000 students and more than 100 institutional partners.

'Local project geared toward European solutions'

"U-LEAD was developed through months of consultations with over 50 local stakeholders, reception centers, NGOs and local authorities," said Andrew Geddes, director of the EUI's Migration Policy Center and co-creator of the program.

"This foundation ensures that the project is locally relevant while also geared toward European-wide solutions."

Jointly developed by the EUI's Migration Policy Center and UNICEF's Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia (ECARO), and supported by the City of Florence, U-LEAD transforms Florence "into a true civic innovation lab."

The current edition builds on a successful pilot held in June 2025, which showed the program's strong potential to promote inclusion and civic participation among young people from different backgrounds.