Edition 2024 – Identity

“Your identity is like your shadow: not always visible, yet always present.”

Fausto Cercignani

From 20 to 24 June 2024, more than 200 well-known guests from over 30 countries – writers, artists, scientists, intellectuals, politicians and economists – met to discuss identity, understand its problematicity, share its richness and reverse it, in fundamental aspects, perception and definition. The intent was to recover its meaning by keeping at the center of our relationship with each other.

A multidisciplinary reflection that celebrated the union between literature and the other arts, opening, at the same time, medicine, science, geopolitics.

For the ninth consecutive year, the Festival has produced for RAI 1 the format Taobuk Gala, conducted by Antonella Ferrara and Massimiliano Ossini. The event, scheduled for Saturday, June 22 in the frame of the Ancient Theatre of Taormina, counted a live audience of almost 5,000 people and aired on July 3 in the second evening on RAI 1, totaling a share of 400,000 spectators.

Taobuk welcomed guests of international fame, present exclusively for Italy, including the Nobel Prize for Literature Jon Fosse, American writers Jonathan Safran Foer and Glenn Cooper, the Serbian artist Marina Abramovic, the Spanish writers Fernando Aramburu and Rosario Villajos, as well as the acrobatic dance ensemble Momix with its artistic director Moses Pendleton. Important also the institutional presences that have taken part to the debate, between which they are signaled: Gennaro Sangiuliano, Minister of the Culture; Matteo Piantedosi, Minister of the Interior; Renato Schifani, President of the Sicilian Region; Paolo Gentiloni, European Commissioner for the Economy.

From the launch of the theme (31 January 2024) to 5 July, 1091 articles in the press, agencies, web, radio and TV mentioned the Festival.

From 20 to 24 June Taobuk focuses the spotlight on the concept of identity with 200 international guests

The Mediterranean as a catalyst for reflection and questions on the theme of Identity was the protagonist of the V Observatory created in collaboration with the Representation in Italy of the European Commission and LUISS University, a journey between different cultures and identities to understand the relationship between East and West.

The creativity of the 2024 edition has brought the prestigious signature of Arnaldo Pomodoro, through the work The antenna of time, which has established a bridge between past and future, the union between different worlds, between ego and alteron.

The cycle of talks Taobuk Ai Edition has instead reconstructed that natural bridge of communication between humanistic, literary and scientific culture, an interculturality more necessary than ever to interpret the technological acceleration and create tools for managing progress.  The Session, held on Friday, June 21, was curated by Corriere della Sera journalist Massimo Sideri and supported by TIM Main Partner.

The Talks dedicated to the Life Sciences, held on Saturday, June 22, were designed to deepen the role of our country in the international panorama of research and innovation. This was an opportunity to reflect on the issues and actions needed to strengthen the Italian scientific ecosystem and promote innovation in the sector. In collaboration with the University of Messina and Reale Mutua and curated by Carmen Mortellaro, professor at Saint Camillus International University in Rome, the cycle of conversations brought to the stage in Taobuk central nodes for the renewal and progress of the country.

In collaboration with Eni, Gold Partner of Taobuk 2024, the panel “Mediterraneo: individual and collective identities. From grecità to contemporary” has proposed a broad spectrum reasoning on the Mediterranean of cultures and civilizations with the participation of Lucia Nardi, Head of Corporate Culture Eni, Marco Aime, anthropologist, Azza Branches, writer, Marina Valensise, INDA Managing Director, and the moderation of Massimo Sideri, Corriere della Sera.

Thanks to the support of BPER, Gold Partner of the festival, the headquarters of Palazzo Duchi di Santo Stefano hosted BPER Agorà, a privileged space for the festival’s events, dedicated to dialogue between the cultures and peoples of the Mediterranean.

Every year Taobuk chooses a theme, around which the calendar of meetings takes shape, with the competition of authoritative writers, thinkers and artists, in a tight flow of ideas, news.