Today, Friday, April 21 at 4:30 PM, at the conference hall of the ex Conservatorio Sant'Anna, Via Libertini 1, Lecce, the volume *A New World - Emperor Charles V and the Beginnings of Globalization* (edited by Anna Trono, Paul Arthur, Alain Servantie, and Encarnación Sánchez García, published by Tab Editorial Group s.r.l.) will be presented.
The event will begin with an introduction by
Sen. Hon. Prof. Adriana Poli Bortone, President of the Agenzia per il Patrimonio Culturale Euromediterraneo, Architect
Fabia Anna Cicirillo, Councillor for Education, Culture, and Heritage Promotion of the City of Lecce, and a board member of the same Agency, followed by the
presentation of the book *A New World - Emperor Charles V and the Beginnings of Globalization* by
Prof. Anna Trono, who co-edited the publication alongside
Paul Arthur,
Alain Servantie, and
Encarnación Sánchez García, published by Tab Editorial Group s.r.l.
Following the presentation, a round table and an open debate will take place, aimed at promoting the Charles V Emperor Itinerary in Puglia and Salento. The round table will involve local stakeholders (administrators, associations, teachers, and researchers) in a participatory strategy for the efficient and responsible management of the itinerary and its recovery, use, management, and enhancement.
Participants in the round table will include:
- Mino Buccolieri - Coordinator of the Environmental Education Center (CEA) of the Municipality of Porto Cesareo (co-financier of the book on Charles V)
- Salvatore Coluccia - President of the UNESCO Club Galatina
- Antonio Costantini - Former President of Italia Nostra Lecce (expert in fortified farmhouses)
- Luigi De Luca - Director of the Polo Bibliomuseale di Lecce and Coordinator of the Library and Museum Hub of Puglia
- Diego Frigino - Cultural Routes Expert and Geography Teacher at ITES A. Olivetti, Lecce
- Adriana Greco Bozzi Colonna - Head of the FAI Delegation in Lecce
- Giovanni Serafino - President of the Tourism Section of Confindustria Lecce
- Carmen Valente - Manager and President of the Salento-Murge Network
All invited guests will actively participate in the debate on the enhancement of the European cultural itinerary of Charles V Emperor, with a focus on good governance and territorial development.
The volume brings together studies and research on Charles V of Habsburg. By uniting distant lands with different languages and customs, the greatest European monarch of the first half of the 16th century ruled over a territory that spanned from the Netherlands to the German lands, from Spain to the Kingdom of Naples, as well as an ever-expanding American domain. Emperor Charles V had a profound attachment to the state he governed and aspired to become the ruler of the entire world: master of the Mediterranean, conqueror of new overseas territories, and a precursor of a united Europe.
His aim to provide political and religious unity to diverse territories and populations, varying in language, culture, and institutions, makes Charles V one of the most significant figures in Western civilization, with innovative principles and actions for his time. His far-sighted vision, closely aligned with today’s strategies for a united Europe, was officially recognized by the Council of Europe in May 2015, certifying the
*European Routes of Charles V* as a Cultural Route of the Council of Europe, a key driver for developing European identity.
The "
Cultural Route of the Council of Europe" certification is a mark of excellence that fosters the creation of networks for implementing innovative activities and projects across five priority sectors: cooperation in research and development, promotion of European memory, history, and heritage, cultural and educational exchanges for young Europeans, contemporary artistic and cultural practices, and sustainable cultural tourism and development.
The Salento region preserves important traces of the presence of Emperor Charles V not only in military architecture but also in local traditions, culture, and folklore. These elements preserve the historical memory of events and figures connected to Charles V, which some communities revive through historical reenactments, conferences, academic seminars, and cultural festivals.
The presentation of the volume *
A New World - Emperor Charles V and the Beginnings of Globalization* seeks to engage local administrators, stakeholders, and the broader community in actively participating in the creation of a Charles V Cultural Route in Salento, linking it to the European cultural itinerary of Charles V Emperor.
This event marks the conclusion of a series of meetings aimed at promoting the European cultural itinerary of Charles V Emperor, previously held in Minervino di Lecce in August 2022, Torre Lapillo (Porto Cesareo) in September 2022, and Brindisi in February 2023. An additional meeting is scheduled in Trani on April 16, 2023."
