The Conference “for the art of listening”, free entrance, of a multidiscipline character, subdivided into 3 thematic sections: one dedicated to the academic world and to theoretical speculation; one dedicated to the intervention procedures utilised by institutions; and one to the immediate witnesses of the immigrants, conceived essentially “to treasure the experience in mind”.
Seminars: During each edition the Festival realises theme seminars, free and open to a public of experts involved in various disciplines (for instance: Food and Globalisation; Woman and Globalisation; University and Brain Drain; Evolution of Familiar Cultural Models; Religion and Violence…)
Exhibitions: Each edition of the Festival presents photographic exhibitions and theme pictorial exposures which involve research institutions, religious communities, world associations (for instance: The Life of Man in Religions, Women in Cultures and Religions, the World of Immigration through the Childrens’ Eyes, the India of Contradictions, the Images of the Alterity, The Book of Inter-religious Peace…)
Training courses and specialisation: Each Festival edition offers both training courses and specialisation for free, addressed to public employees, educators, business managers but also open to sensible citizens, interested in fostering new abilities in the mediation field.
Culture award: Within the Festival a person who has devoted himself to the dialogue between cultures and religions is identified and receives an honour. The nominee is designated by a national commission made up of experts in dialogue and mediation, academic Professors, and Religious exponents.
Video productions: In collaboration with departments and university centres, the Festival carries out both documentary videos and interviews in order to give voice to those engaged in an active way in the inter-religious and intercultural debate and also to give voice to those who are deprived of media accesses.
Prize contest: The festival promotes a “you and I in front of the mirror” prize contest organised in numerous sections with the idea of encouraging constructive reflection on the alterity. Some possibilities which reflect personal methods and original themes are: respect, people of different culture and religion who live together, tolerance, your own concept of diversity, the complex perspectives of globalisation.
Intercultural and Inter-religious Dictionary: The Festival has supervised the “Intercultural and Inter-religious Dictionary”, an important editorial effort conceived to foster a climate of sharing and dialogue which correctly divulges terms that have become already familiar but often misused. For this ambitious project, an open field of ideas, academic Professors, Italian or foreign sector experts, researchers of various disciplinary fields have persevered to foster an exchange of ideas. The Dictionary is not only a popular and scientific text, open to enrichment with the passing of time, but it represents a real ideal place for dialogue, an opportunity to reflect and to suggest innovative and creative solutions in handling conflict.
Performances: The Festival is convinced that the artistic and musical forms can be capable of drawing together cultures and spreading in a privileged way such values as respect and sharing. Thus, it leaves a lot of space to these artistic expressions. Each edition organises courses of concerts (“music from all over the world”) and quality performances, choosing as a venue for the events historical palaces, antique Churches, picturesque landscapes in the historical city of Pisa which is rich on art and history. We may also add on that culture of “Tuscany” which is open and tolerant.
