I colloqui euro-africani del 1961 tra diplomazia “formale” ed “informale”

This paper analyzes the year 1961 as a critical moment in redefi ning Euro- African relations after the wave of African independences in 1960. Focusing on two case studies—the III Mediterranean Colloquium in Florence and the Eurafrican Parliamentary Conference in Strasbourg—it explores the interplay between formal and informal diplomacy. While the Strasbourg conference represented offi cial efforts toward institutional cooperation, the Florence colloquium fostered cultural dialogue and grassroots engagement. Both aimed to overcome colonial dependency through shared principles of peace, progress, and equality. The analysis highlights the infl uence of Christian-democratic thought and African intellectual traditions, including Negritude and African socialism. These encounters emphasized complementarity over dependency and promoted intercultural understanding. Despite their limited immediate impact, they planted seeds for long-term Euro-African engagement.