Young Thinkers: Peace as a Duty of Reason – A Conference on Immanuel Kant with Fabio Minazzi and Mario Capanna, and the Presentation of the Manifesto for Peace in the 21st Century

Peace is not a naive utopia, but a duty of reason”: this is the central message of the conference The Image of Peace in Immanuel Kant, scheduled for Friday, November 6, from 9 a.m. to noon, at the University of Insubria campus at 3 Via Dunant in Varese. The event is part of the 18th edition of the Young Thinkers project, promoted by the University of Insubria and the Galileo Ferraris Scientific High School in Varese.

Organized by Stefania Barile, the conference will explore the philosophical and political thought of Immanuel Kant, with particular reference to his work Perpetual Peace, which will be the focus of a presentation by Fabio Minazzi, former professor at the University of Insubria.

In an era marked by ecological crises, geopolitical tensions and uncertainty about the future, philosophy offers critical tools to understand the contradictions of the present and imagine possible paths towards change. The aim is to foster political awareness and civic engagement among younger generations, encouraging them to move beyond a vision of human beings as mere cogs in an economic and functional system.

In this context, the Manifesto for Peace in the 21st Century will be presented. The document was developed by students from class 5GS of the A. Manzoni Social Sciences High School in Varese as part of a workshop coordinated by their teacher, Stefania Barile. The former students Clara Cereda, Giulia Ferrari, Giada Mentasti and Riccardo Marasciulo will present their work.

The event will conclude with an online contribution by Mario Capanna, who will offer a critical reflection on the students’ work and discuss the urgent need for a world parliament: a supranational governance structure that could help institutionalize peace, overcome nationalistic approaches and address the global challenges of our time.