How many anniversaries does 2022 bring with it. And how many events that have occurred up to now. Hence the stratification and the incredible richness of the new, the 19th, edition of Passepartout which will be held from 3 to 12 June. The festival of the Astense Library “Giorgio Faletti” it is carried out with the Municipality, the Piedmont Region, CR Asti and CRT Foundations, Reale Mutua Assicurazioni.
The theme does not examine a single episode but a theme that faces everyday life: “Fragile West”starting with the publication of that «Sunset of the West» by Oswald Spengler who prophesied, with greater or lesser precision, many of the phenomena we are witnessing today. Thus geopolitics and history are practically omnipresent, but there is space to address issues of economy, society, environment, photography, art and literature. There are the centenarians, from the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb, to the march on Rome (addressed in the “Century of dictators”), from the foundation of “The liberal revolution” by Piero Gobetti to the essay “Public opinion” by Walter Lippman, from the birth of Beppe Fenoglio to the publication of James Joyce’s “Ulysses”, from the women protagonists to the first law on natural parks signed by Benedetto Croce. The fragility appears above all in recent years: «Today the conviction seems to have disappeared – he explains Roberta Bellesini, president of the Library – to have the tools to manage unpredictable events, the idea of invincibility. We realize that there are more and more weaknesses that we are facing right now ».
The city councilor for Culture Gianfranco Imerito he declares himself «extremely happy with the work done, which has led to a very nice program. The goal is to make Passepartout grow more and more ». Mario Sacco, president of the CR Asti Foundation, sponsor of the festival, and one of this year’s speakers, recalls: «It is important to think about the territory, addressing the business world. We acknowledge that the Library is doing a great job ».
The scientific director Alberto Sinigaglia underlines: «It was a team game, the city is increasingly involved in this festival. This is why we are thinking of calling it Asti Passepartout, putting the name of the city, as other events do ». And on the strong presence of geopolitics, he recalls: «It is not just an obligation, but a dramatic necessity, observing the most recent events. We are touching naked nerves, global issues. It’s not just a little history problem to review. The huge problem of disinformation is at stake. A non-theoretical problem, because information is used to make informed choices ».
The guests
The meetings will take place between the courtyard of the Library and Stage 19, introduced by Roberta Bellesini. As usual, admission will be free. All the meetings will also be streamed on the festival’s Facebook page, and subsequently made available on the YouTube channel, which has almost 6,000 subscribers and has largely exceeded one million views.
The philosopher will speak of the “Fragile West” Maurizio Ferraristhe journalist Federico Rampinithe ambassadors Stefano Pontecorvo and Gianpaolo Scarantedad Enzo Bianchithe journalist and writer Aldo Cazzullowhich will deal with the condition of women. Christian Grecodirector of the Egyptian Museum of Turin will talk about the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun while Pietrangelo Buttafuoco will tell the most recent discovery (50 years) of the Riace Bronzes. Between history and politics the intervention on the century of the dictators with Alessandra Tarquinithe analysis of the «Liberal Revolution» by Piero Gobetti with Fulvio Cammaranoin an evening dedicated to the memory of the former minister Antonio Martinorecently deceased who had accepted the invitation to Passepartout. The idea of democracy will be analyzed by the philologist Luciano Canfora. While Lippmann’s “public opinion” will be an opportunity for Alessandra Ghisleri to explain how he sees public opinion changing in the age of social media. We will talk about justice with the former magistrate of “Clean Hands” Gherardo Colombo and the former President of the Constitutional Court Gustavo Zagrebelsky. The fragility of the environment will be discussed with the art historian Salvatore Settisbut also with Roberto Ragazzonidirector of the Asiago astronomical observatory and builder of the telescope of the “Cheops” satellite, in dialogue with Giovanni Caprara. The critic Michele Smargiassi will talk about the photographer Luigi Ghirri and the writer Gianni Celati. The internationally renowned architect from Asti will deal with the ecology of the cities Carlo Ratti. Economics will be discussed with the entrepreneur and politician Guido Crosettoand in another meeting with the president of the CRT Foundation Giovanni Quagliathe president of the CR Asti Foundation Mario Saccothe Economist Giuseppe Tardivo and Luca Ubaldeschi, director of the «Secolo XIX». Finally literature: Beppe Fenoglio will be told by the anthropologist Piercarlo Grimaldiwhile Masolino D’Amico will focus on J’s novel Watershedames Joyce. At the same time, the Asti d’Appello Award is preparing a meeting on Joyce and the Bloomsdaythe reading aloud of Dublinese’s masterpiece on the day in which it is set, June 16.