150 years after his death, Alessandro Manzoni’s legacy will resonate more powerfully than ever. Tomorrow, 14 December 2023, in Lecce, the Euro-Mediterranean Cultural Heritage Agency will honor this enduring cultural influence with a special event at the ex Conservatorio Sant'Anna, via Libertini 1, starting at 5:30 p.m.
The event is titled Alessandro Manzoni. La tradizione in viaggio a 150 anni dalla scomparsa (Alessandro Manzoni: Tradition on the Move, 150 Years after His Death).
This gathering will explore the rich memory of Italian literature, offering a comparative and dialogical journey into Manzoni’s roots through the lenses of language, history, literature, philosophy, and religion.
Organized by the Agenzia per il Patrimonio Culturale Euromediterraneo and curated by Prof. Pierfranco Bruni—renowned writer, intellectual, poet, Italianist, former director of Mibac, and Nobel Prize nominee—the event is part of the national scientific project Manzoni 150. This initiative, celebrating the 150th anniversary of Manzoni's death, involves cultural associations and schools from across Italy.
The event has the patronage of the Chamber of Deputies and the Municipality of Milan, along with prestigious cultural institutions such as the Sindacato Libero Scrittori Italiani in Rome and the Associazione Verso un Nuovo Rinascimento.
A key feature of the program is the presentation of a new book published by Solfanelli Editore, Alessandro Manzoni a 150 anni dalla morte - L'Italiano tra letteratura, filosofia e storia (Alessandro Manzoni 150 Years after His Death – Italian between Literature, Philosophy, and History). This volume serves as the foundation for the Lecce chapter of the Manzoni 150 project, and is patronised by Regione Puglia, the Municipality of Lecce, and the University of Salento.
The proceedings will open with institutional greetings, followed by a keynote speech by Prof. Pierfranco Bruni. Prof. Annarita Miglietta, Professor of Italian Linguistics at the University of Salento, and Prof. Marilena Cavallo, a member of the Manzoni 150 Scientific Committee, will also address the audience. Senator Adriana Poli Bortone, President of the Agenzia per il Patrimonio Culturale Euromediterraneo, will moderate the event.
In addition to the contributions of experts and institutional guests, students from the Liceo Classico e Musicale ‘G. Palmieri’, Liceo Scientifico ‘Giulietta Banzi Bazoli’, Liceo Scientifico ‘Cosimo De Giorgi’ and Liceo Artistico e Coreutico ‘Ciardo Pellegrino’ will actively participate, accompanied by their teachers.
The students will engage in a Lectura Manzoni and a debate on The Language and the Novel: Characters Between National Identity and Risorgimento Tradition, with the goal of involving younger generations in this important commemoration. Their participation will encourage a deeper understanding of the cultural and historical legacy embodied in Manzoni's work.
The Lectura Manzoni will begin with Brevi riflessioni su Manzoni, tra Risorgimento e identità nazionale, in opere poco note by Matteo Colapietro, Beatrice Balducci, and Luigi Macri from the Liceo Scientifico 'Giulietta Banzi Bazoli', coordinated by Prof. Anna Rita Faggiano.
This will be followed by Una scelta coraggiosa by Sara Caretto, Class V B of Liceo ‘Cosimo De Giorgi’, under the guidance of Prof. Rosa Magarelli.
Students from Liceo Classico e Musicale ‘G. Palmieri’, coordinated by Professors Stefano Fonte, Silvia De Sario, and Laura Russo, together with participants from Liceo Artistico e Coreutico ‘Ciardo Pellegrino’, coordinated by Professors Antonella Gravante and Margherita Prisco, will engage in a debate reflecting on Manzoni’s pivotal role as a bridge between revolutionary and Romantic phases, from the Risorgimento to the 20th century.
Manzoni’s legacy continues to unite and inspire the most dynamic elements of Italian and European culture, embodying the ideals of freedom, independence, and justice. His works remain a testament to his role as both the spiritual architect of Italy’s unification and a father of the nation.
As Senator Adriana Poli Bortone, President of the Agency, remarked: “This event is one of many high-profile initiatives the Agency has undertaken to promote and celebrate our cultural heritage. It is a valuable addition to the mosaic of cultural projects that the Euromed Agency has championed for the past 20 years to promote art, beauty, and knowledge.”
