On days 9th , 10th and 11th of May 2008, was held in Riccione the " 1st International Symposium of the "Europa" Lodges which brought together all the Lodge called "Europe" from Italy and the European countries. This symposium was designed, organized and conducted by the Loggia Europa No. 765 Orient of Riccione, led by W\M\Luigi L\, and supported by the Grand Orient of Italy and by the Emilia Romagna District College. We all expected that it would have been an excellent and useful occasion to convene all the Lodges called "Europa" of our continent who had enthusiastically joined the initiative.

The symposium was attended by nearly all the European lodges called Europa :

• EUROPA 92-1078, Florence;
  
• EUROPA No.1165 of Cagliari;
  
• PEDEMONTNA No.696 of Turin.
  
• CHAINE D'UNION EUROPEENNE No.183 of Longwy.
  
• EUROPA ZU NEUEN WELTEN of Vienna;
  
• Hermannus VAN-204 TONGEREN of Utrecht;
  
• EUROPA UNITA No.27 of Bucharest.

We have received warm messages sent by the Grand Master of Grand Lodge of Austria Michael Kraus and by the Worshipful Masters of the lodges:

• LES EUROPEENS No.1051of Neuilly Bineau;
• La Cité de l'Europe No.110 of Calais;
• EUROPA No.901 of Rome.

On the evening of May 9th a preliminary meeting between the Masters of the Lodges was held, in which it was decided to guarantee the continuity of this initiative and to maintain these meetings annually, each year in different locations ,starting from 2009, the year when the meeting will be held in Bucharest.

The next morning we held the Symposium, which had the theme : "Why Are We Called Europe". The Worshipful Master Luigi Liverani was the moderator of the event. The Mayor of Riccione brought the city's greetings to all the participants.

The lecturers were:

• Bro\Antonio P\; scientific director of Hiram who gave a memorable Lectio Magistralis on the theme: "Europe as a union of peoples";
• The President of the College of the Venerable Master of Emilia-Romagna, Bro\Gianfranco M\;
• Brother Jannuzzelli A\, who read the fraternal greetings of the Grand Master of the G\O\I, M\W\Bro\Gustavo Raffi, who unfortunately was absent for commitments abroad.
• The Worshipful Masters of all Lodges. Each one explained the history and motivation of why they have chosen the name "Europe" for their lodges.

The Ritual Work in the first degree was held in the afternoon, the WW\MM\ brought the fraternal 

greetings to all present. It was said that the founding values of Europe must not know national boundaries, especially in a Masonic reality, where the universality brotherhood is an essential value.

The Ritual Work has been enhanced with a splendid musical background, performed by a prestigious duo of cellist. At the end of the Work, the Brothers reunited with relatives and friends at the Gala dinner in the superb setting of the Grand Hotel des Bains, Riccione. This hotel has hosted the entire symposium, they attended.

On the morning of Sunday May 11th the hosts organized a guided tour of the fortress of San Leo, known not only for its architectural beauty, but also because it includes the cell where Cagliostro was imprisoned.

The enthusiasm and harmony that characterized the "Ist International Symposium of "Europe" Lodges" have helped to reaffirm the spirit of brotherhood that animates Masons Fraternity, across any geographic boundary and above all the historical barriers that may have been created in Europe.