Con Dacia Maraini la piazza è confronto e riflessione

Seven great figures of Italian culture will enliven the eighth edition of Pescasseroli Legge, directed by Dacia Maraini and organized by Fiorella Graziani, from August 7 to August 29 in the picturesque center, the heart of the Abruzzo National Park.

From the discussion of civil rights to the challenges of contemporary economy, from the memory of anti-fascism to care as a collective experience, and the cultural roots of Italian identity: these will be some of the themes central to the meetings of the literary festival.

The event, traditionally held in the setting of Piazza Umberto I, will feature Valentina Petrini and Vincenzo Paglia, Carlo Cottarelli, Tiziana Ferrario, Paolo Di Paolo, Concita De Gregorio, and Aldo Cazzullo, authors capable of interpreting and narrating the great issues of our time through literature, journalism, essay writing, and popular science.

"Feeling the breath of a square in listening, in a small mountain town, gives security and confidence," says Dacia Maraini. "Only by reasoning together do we create a common future, a project based on the exchange of ethical and aesthetic emotions.

In a time marked by wars, social conflicts, economic transformations, and profound changes, literature continues to represent a privileged space for dialogue and reflection. The authors we will meet this year will help us better understand the complexity of the present through stories, ideas, and testimonies that speak to everyone."

The festival will open on August 7 with Professor Carlo Cottarelli presenting "L'economia facile" (Solferino), a book that makes the main economic mechanisms influencing everyday life accessible to readers, from public debt to inflation, from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan to the cost of living, offering concrete tools to navigate the challenges of the present.

The meeting will be moderated by journalist Domenico Ranieri.

Readings will be curated by Andrea Casanova Moroni.

On August 8, journalist and writer Valentina Petrini will present "Il prezzo della libertà. Sibilla e Anna, una storia di disobbedienza" (Solferino), a book that sensitively addresses the theme of individual freedom through the stories of two women united by suffering and the struggle for the right to choose until the very end of their lives.

Petrini will engage in a discussion with Monsignor Vincenzo Paglia, author of "La vita e l’attesa" (Vita e Pensiero), reflecting on the themes of death and the Christian afterlife, assuring us that everything will be welcomed—and gathered—at the moment of leaving the historical time of life, to be brought to its fulfillment. "Yes, we are mortal, but not for death."

The meeting will be moderated by journalist Paola Cutini.

Readings will be entrusted to Andrea Casanova Moroni and Alice De Matteis.

At 9:45 PM, there will be a concert by the Decima Sinfonia choir from Pescasseroli conducted by M° Anna Tranquilla Neri, featuring:

Francesco Mammola - mandolin

Alfonso Brandi - guitar

Antonello Iannotta - percussion

Carlo Parente - organetto

Barbara di Mario - piano

After the mid-August break, meetings will resume on August 20 with Tiziana Ferrario presenting her book "Anna K" (Fuoriscena), a novel dedicated to Anna Kuliscioff, a central figure in Italian political and social history. Through the final years of her life, the book provides a portrait of a woman who fought for rights, social justice, and women's emancipation during one of the most delicate phases in the country's history.

The meeting will be moderated by journalist Maria Rosaria La Morgia.

Readings will be curated by Alice De Matteis.

On August 25, Paolo Di Paolo will present "Un mondo nuovo tutti i giorni. Piero Gobetti, una vita al presente" (Solferino), an essay that retraces the human and intellectual journey of one of the most important figures in Italian anti-fascism, highlighting his surprising relevance and the strength of his thought.

The author will engage in dialogue with Prof. Ernesto Salemme.

Readings will be entrusted to Alessandro Scafati.

On August 28, Concita De Gregorio will arrive in Pescasseroli with "La cura" (Einaudi), an intense and deeply personal work that transforms the experience of illness into a universal reflection on the meaning of solidarity, human relationships, and the ability to care for others.

The meeting will be moderated by journalist Paola Cutini.

Readings will be curated by Barbara Amodio.

The festival will conclude on August 29 with Aldo Cazzullo presenting "Francesco. Il primo italiano" (HarperCollins), a journey to explore the figure of Saint Francis of Assisi, interpreted as one of the personalities that contributed most to the construction of Italy's cultural, linguistic, and spiritual identity.

The author will engage in dialogue with journalist Eugenio Murrali.

All meetings will be free of charge and will feature artistic director Dacia Maraini in dialogue with the authors.

Over the years, “Pescasseroli Legge” has established itself as one of the most significant cultural events of the Apennine summer, capable of combining the quality of literary proposals with the extraordinary beauty of the landscape of the Abruzzo, Lazio, and Molise National Park, transforming the historic center of Pescasseroli into a square open to dialogue and cultural growth.

The festival is organized with the support of the Center for the Book and Reading of the Ministry of Culture, the Abruzzo, Lazio, and Molise National Park, the Abruzzo Region, and the municipality of Pescasseroli.

The 2026 edition also benefits from contributions from Concessionaria Sterpetti di Avezzano, Villa Parco, City Net Ecologia & Ambiente S.r.l., Cantina Tollo, and Banca del Credito Cooperativo, Pescasseroli branch, partners who share the festival's commitment to promoting reading, culture, and the enhancement of the territory.

The organizational direction of the festival is entrusted to Fiorella Graziani, and the technical direction to Peppe Vitale with the support of the Association Pescasseroli È W.
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