Rough translation: 

Here's the Plan ₿ forum
"The pride of lugano", says folletti

Starting tomorrow, the highly anticipated conference, Bitcoin the queen of Europe, begins. On the eve of the event, we interviewed the mayor [of Lugano] who played a key role in creating this event that will attract, for the first time, thousands of people around the world.

A chat with the "Lord of the house" (no clue what the meant here) on the eve of the most important Bitcoin conference in Europe. We interviewed Michele Foletti, mayor of Lugano, a city that in 24 hours will become the center of glboal attention from the world of decentralized tech and finance. The countdown is almost over, and tomorrow, Friday 25th October, the veil will lift on the third edition of the Plan B Forum, the reference conference for Bitcoin and decentralized tech.

This year too, the event will be hosted at the Lugano Congress Palace - including satellite events in Piazza Castello, Villa Ciani, Aula Magna, and Parco Ciani - where over 100 international speakers, thousands of attendees, and a series of enterpreneur activities will gather to explore these sectors in depth and discuss their exponential growth in the near future, with a central role in financial, technological and social innovation.

Among the most anticipated speakers are names like Adam Back, Nick Szabo, Paolo Ardoino e Stella Assange, wife of Julian Assange, the founder of wikileaks, who will be accompained by her father and brother. Alongside keynote speeches, there will be thematic panels, workshops, interactive masterclasses to explore technical, economic and social aspects related to Bitcoin.

There will be no shortage of side events, such as the free initiatives by "Spazio 21", the meeting and formation space open for everyone (not sure if this is the best translation, but whatever), and the Super League match between FC Lugano and Young Boys on the 27th of October, where Forum participants can assist by the symbolic amount of paying 1 CHF.

The latest goalpost, so to say, it confirms the vision and the effort of a municipal administration that, especially through Plan B, has transformed the city on the river of Ceresio to an international hub for decentralized tech and economic experimentation.

On the eve of this crucial appointment, we reached out to the mayor of Lugano Michele Foletti, to give him the possibility to express his views, and future prospects of a project like plan B, which is redefinint in an extraordinary and innovative way, the tech and financial role of the city. 

> Mayor Foletti, we are on the eve of the for this third edition of the Plan B Forum, what are your thoughts?

"I am very enthusiastic about welcoming the third edition of Plan B Forum. It is extraordinary to see how this initiative has grown so rapidly and how Lugano has become a reference point for the cryptocurrency world in Europe and beyond. Our commitment to make Lugano into the capital of tech and financial innovation keeps yielding tangible results. In short, it's a great moment of pride for our city."

> What should we expect, especially when compared to the two previous editions of what will be considered the msot important Bitcoin Conference in Europe?

"This year the forum will be even richer in content and speakers of the highest caliber. We will have experts, innovators and leaders from all around the world to talk not only Bitcoin and Blockchain, but also about the social implications of this tech. Our goal is to continue to grow this event, making it increasingly international and strategic for those who operate in this sector. There will be new collaborations and partnerships that will further evolve Plan B (this last sentence's translation is a bit rough sorry)"

> The Forum, moreover, always represents an important way to take stock annually of the evolution of Plan B project: do you want to anticipate something in this regard?

"I can say that the assessment is very positive. Plan B has made great progress both at local and international level. We have seen a significant increase in cryptocurrency adoption in Lugano, with over 400 stores that now accept Bitcoin, Tether and LVGA as forms of payment. Also our commitment in training young people and local businesses on blockchain technologies is bearing important fruits. During the Forum, we will present details of new projects and partnerships that will further consolidate Lugano's role as hub of financial innovation"

> This ambitious project, born in Lugano, is slowly expanding in the entire world. This January, the Plan B forum will land in El Salvator, will the representatives from Lugano be there? 

"Absolutely. We'll have an official delegation to strengthen our bond with El Salvador, the first country to adopt Bitcoin as it's legal tender. This collaboration will represent a unique opportunity for trade. El Salvador opened the door, and Lugano, with Plan B, wants to continue on this path to promote the global adoption of cryptocurrencies and decentralized tech."

> In general, how would you assess the evolution of the project Plan B almost two years after its launch?

"The evolution of the project has been extraordinary. In less than 3 years we grew the interest and participation of international actors, and have contributed to position Lugano as a reference point for Bitcoin and in general digital innovation. We've been able to build an ecosystem that not only promotes innovation, but also offers real opportunity for the economic future of our city. And we're not stopping at this, the next few years will be crucial in further affirming our position as an innovative and up to date city"

(jeez it shows that I don't read much stuff in italian anymore, I struggled with this, it's embarassing lol also the article really repeats itself a lot, they had a certain amount of space to fill and they just rolled with it, huh?)