In recent weeks, several controversies have arisen over the decision of the provincial council of Trento, governed by the League, to remove the organization of the next Festival of Economics from the publisher Laterza and the scientific director Tito Boeri. Many spoke of a political choice, while the junta made it clear that it was economic reasons.
The three days of events had been organized by this management for 15 years, but for the next three years it will be in the hands of the Sole 24 Ore Group, which won the tender.
Today, in Trento, there was the press conference for the presentation of the new project in the presence of Edoardo Garrone, president of Gruppo 24 Ore, Giuseppe Cerbone the CEO of the Group, Fabio Tamburini director of Il Sole 24 Ore and Federico Silvestri CEO of 24 Event Hours. Maurizio Fugatti, President of the Autonomous Region of Trentino-Alto Adige from 7 July 2021 was also present for the institutions.
«This is an open project that also wants to involve the University and the Municipality. The will, as a provincial government, is to organize an event in collaboration with these entities, “explained Fugatti.
It is not yet clear whether Laterza will also be involved: «Ours is an open project. We have kept the communication channels open. Our attitude has not changed, we also evaluate a possible collaboration. The dialectic is the engine of the world and for this reason we will listen to all the proposals »explained Silvestri.
Moreover, Giuseppe Laterza, in an interview with La Stampa had made it known that he was ready to move the entire Festival to another city: «We were asked to formulate a project because a new procedure had been established for deciding on the Festival. We presented it, of course, and it turned out that there is at least one more from Sole 24 ore. The technical committee approved both of them, giving ours even a higher score, but the Province ended up choosing the other, asking us if anything to collaborate. In a subordinate role. Which is unthinkable ».
La Stampa has therefore nominated Turin as a city ready to welcome the new Festival. In a broader operation, to which the most modern and dynamic forces of the city adhere: the scientific community, in its most diverse articulations, the social partners, businesses and trade unions.
In the next three editions of the Festival organized by the 24 Ore Group, however, there will be some innovations with the aim of involving families and especially young people. An Fuori Festival will be set up with events and contents aimed at infotainment with the influencers as protagonists.
The director of Il Sole 24 ore Tamburini specified that there will be three main strands: one academic, one related to the industrial economy and one close to the real economy of the area. «The Festival will start on June 2nd. It will not be the Festival of Il Sole 24 ore, but that of the economy of the city of Trento. We want to enhance the city and Trentino »said Tamburini.
The whole 24 Ore Group will be present in the new Festival. «We plan to offer a very rich schedule, but limiting the events. We will try to rationalize the schedule by giving the right weight to all the interventions. There will also be Radio 24 and the Radiocor press agency ».
As for the controversy that arose around the figure of Giulio Tremonti, Laterza had declared: «Tito Boeri’s ideas of the left are challenged, yet the Festival has always been open to all ideas, political choices have never been made. Giulio Tremonti, called instead by the Sole 24 Ore, is the connecting line between Lega and Forza Italia, he was a deputy and minister. More political choice than this “.
Today it was made clear that the former minister of the Berlusconi government will be there and will have a role. But “he will make a contribution as an economist and not as a former minister. Both in the scientific committee and in the editorial one there will be different and opposing visions ».
The squirrel, the historical symbol of the Festival, is not yet certain of its presence. The trademark has been filed by the province and there will be a dialogue to understand whether to use it or not. Instead the orange color will most likely remain unchanged.