The Pensare Contemporaneo Festival in Piacenza from 24 to 27 September

The objective, the organizers explained, is to help the public recognize crossings as a constitutive condition of existence. Let’s Cross invites us to reflect on change as a permanent movement that transforms us and puts us in relationship with others, with the spaces we inhabit and with the time we are given. A Piacenza Culture Network project, promoted by the Municipality of Piacenza and the Piacenza and Vigevano Foundation, in collaboration with the Emilia Romagna Region, the Province of Piacenza, the Emilia Chamber of Commerce, the Diocese of Piacenza-Bobbio, created by the Piacenza Theater Foundation. For the fourth year, the Festival is curated by Alessandro Fusacchia, supported by Tlon co-founders Andrea Colamedici and Maura Gancitano for the philosophical direction.

The psychologist and psychotherapist Matteo Lancini will inaugurate this new edition of the Festival on Thursday 24 September at 6.30 pm in Piazza Cavalli. From 9pm, the square will also host philosophical concerts including those by singer-songwriters and writers Levante and Vasco Brondi. Also on the program is the philosophical concert by singer-songwriter Marco Castello, scheduled for the last evening of the Festival, Sunday 27 September at 9pm, again in Piazza Cavalli.

The International “Contemporary Thinking” Award has been reconfirmed, established by the promoters of the Festival and assigned to personalities who have been able to significantly change, at an international level, the way of thinking about contemporary society. After the South Korean philosopher Byung-chul Han and the Chilean writer Benjamín Labatut, awarded in previous editions, this year the commission awards Jimmy Wales, founder of Wikipedia, who made knowledge a common good: open, free and built collectively by millions of strangers who choose to trust each other. An idea of ​​knowledge that is born in transit and crosses every border, linguistic and disciplinary, without maps already drawn. Author of the recent essay The Seven Rules of Trust (2025), Wales will hold a speech on Let’s Cross. Leaving/Arriving during the closing and award ceremony, Sunday 27 September at 6.30 pm at the Palazzo Gotico.

For the fourth edition, the Festival has confirmed some partnerships, among these, the one with the Inequalities Diversity Forum, to organize joint events also on Europe and between universities: the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, the Polytechnic of Milan, the University of Parma and the Nicolini Conservatory of Piacenza. Furthermore, the international projection of the Festival returns, thanks to a strategic agreement with the Brussels-based think tank Friends of Europe. The creation of the Contemporary Thinking Festival is made possible thanks to a group of important sponsors and patrons, of national as well as local importance, starting from the main sponsor Banca Generali, followed by Coop San Martino, Poste, Gas Sales, Piacenza intermodale, Confindustria Piacenza, ALS, CA-Indosuez, Conad and Trenitalia as Official green carrier, as well as numerous other supporters.

The following will participate in the Festival: journalist and presenter Marianna Aprile; the journalist, writer and feminist Lucie Azema; the economist and statistician Fabrizio Barca; the diplomat Piero Benassi; the author, journalist and science communicator Silvia Bencivelli; the philologist and writer Johnny L. Bertolio; the journalist and presenter Serena Bortone; the innovation economist Francesca Bria; the singer-songwriter and writer Vasco Brondi; the author and radio host Matteo Caccia; the journalist and writer Mario Calabresi; the Undersecretary of Culture Giampiero Cannella; the singer-songwriter Marco Castello; the doctor, neurophysiologist, professor of Physiology Matteo Cerri; the theologian and chancellor of the Pontifical Academy for Life Don Andrea Ciucci; the poet Giorgio Maria Cornelio; the journalist and director of Il Post Francesco Costa; the actor and author Giobbe Covatta; the film producer Carlo Cresto-Dina; the presenter, author and writer Serena Dandini; the playwright, director and actor Gabriele Di Luca; the director Giorgio Diritti; the mathematician Marcus du Sautoy; the historian and psychologist Alexander Etkind; the former Chief of Police and Director General of Public Security Franco Gabrielli; the biologist, journalist and science communicator Barbara Gallavotti; the specialist in Neurology and full professor of Neuropsychology and Cognitive Neuroscience Vittorio Gallese; the writer and exhibition curator Hélène Giannecchini; the journalist and podcaster Bruno Giussani; the poet Mariangela Gualtieri; the essayist, audiovisual producer and cultural researcher Ingrid Guardiola; the philosopher and writer Alexandre Lacroix; writer Gary Lachman; the psychologist and psychotherapist Matteo Lancini; the writer Vincenzo Latronico; the singer-songwriter and writer Levante; the actor and director Luigi Lo Cascio; the writer, poet and essayist Dacia Maraini; the philosopher and essayist Michela Marzano; technology policy and geopolitics specialist Asma Mhalla; the writer and anthropologist Matteo Meschiari; the linguist and neuroscientist Andrea Moro; war reporter and documentary maker and Albert-Londres Prize winner Sophie Nivelle-Cardinale; the actor, author and podcaster Mauro Pescio; the artist and researcher in the field of art, science and technology Oriana Persico; innovation and technology expert and essayist Alec Ross; the author and curator of Biennale Tecnologia Guido Saracco; the journalist and essayist Beppe Severgnini; the director, playwright and theater author Gabriele Vacis.