The American pop singer Madonna announced an art project that includes youth during her 66th birthday celebrations in Pompeii.

During a tour of the Pompeii archaeological park on Friday with her manager, Gabriel Zucchello, the American pop star met a group of teenagers participating in "Sogno di Volare" or "Dream of Flying".

As part of the project, now in its fourth year, hundreds of young artists perform comedy adapted from Aristophanes, starting from the Pompeii amphitheater, Teatro Grande, and then they tour other Italian theaters. Madonna announced that she will fund "Dream of Flying" for one year - at around 250,000 euros (275,000 US dollars).

Zucchello said, "This project generously supported by Madonna is strategic for Pompeii because it is aimed at the people who live in this wonderful and complex area, especially the youth." He pointed out that many of the involved children live in poor southern cities where school dropout and unemployment rates are higher.

Zucchello announced that the show funded by the Madonna Foundation will be on stage at Teatro Grande in Pompeii in May 2025.