From the utopia of the 'promised land' to the heterotopia of a 'permitted land

By chasing microcosms of territory reacting to the leap in epoch, you find yourself narrating festivals in a geography of major events that question the intimacy of the links between representation and representation. Is it the society of the spectacle that becomes rampant augmented reality in artificial intelligence eventology? Or is it the metamorphosis of a crisis of representation of the interests and passions that karstly condense into oases of representation of the resilient society? Reflexive wedge answer from the director of the recent Festival dell'Economia del Sole 24 Ore defined as 'a Davos of the people'.

On the subject of the upcoming Symbola festival at the weekend in Mantua, I wondered about the sense and meaning of this festival, which for 20 years has summoned 'an ecology of the people'. I reread the Ravello manifesto (2004): 'We cannot disregard the recognition and enhancement of social capital, of the talents kept in the folds of the territory and in the dense fabric of communities. Territory-community as key words to mobilise a conscience of place, of a dispersed vulgarity to be summoned by holding a summer seminar (2005) to take a voice in the ecological transition. It was a strong call from the 20th century to list oneself in the marketplace of politics to have a voice instead of going down the long and uncertain path of a crisis of representation with the light word of festival making. I have always discussed this with Ermete Realacci, the founder and forerunner with Lega Ambiente of this political knot, and with Assunta and Fabio Renzi, his partners in weaving and reweaving in the folds of the territory and parks, the becoming of a possible crossing from the utopia of the 'promised land' to asking for the heterotopia of a 'permitted land'. From then to now, this asking for the permitted land as an ecological good in order to have the promised land of another development model has always syncretically characterised Symbola. Already in its naming itself Symbola - from symbàllò, to put together - it was clear that it was setting out on the path by practising Alexander Langer's teaching 'ecological conversion can only be affirmed if it appears socially desirable'. A path from the reflexive edge of small communes, villages of tiny lives of abandonment and a few things that preside over the great resources of the new century: water, forests, air, which we lacked in the Covid exploded in the concentrationary space. With seminars that looked back to maintain and preserve, but walking as questioning clerics those of the many and great things that are produced in the districts and supply chains of Made in Italy in metamorphosis, looking at the bombastic and regulating announcements that glided from the great Brussels. Turning festivals into an ecology of the mind event from Sym- dance and high to tell the story of how it was possible to "hold together social cohesion and competition, advanced technologies and traditional knowledge, and face global challenges starting from the strength of the territories". A vision that inspired the heterotopia of the Assisi manifesto: an economy on a human scale against the climate crisis with the adhesion and signatures of a territorial caravan that, starting then from Ravello, had crossed middle Italy, stopping in the emblematic Treia to arrive in Mantua, the hub city of that platform of the Po Valley cape where, more than elsewhere, production is needed to compete.

Weaving and reweaving green economy and green society into a people's ecology brought together those of small things and those of big things looking at Europe. Tearful words come forth about coming together, in a world wounded by armed conflicts and humanitarian dramas, lost in the face of the prospect of trade wars, and shot through with geopolitical tensions. "These are bad times, men say. Live well and times will be good. We are the times' with this phrase from St Augustine last year the festival was convened, adding with Realacci-like optimism of reason with his being good, 'We are the times. Vision, courage, community'. We meet again in Mantua after the recent Confindustria forum in Bologna in continuing to search for the future starting from Made in Italy, small municipalities and territories in transition. Inside the contradictions of hypermodernity questioning the capitalism of networks and what alliances for energy, for artificial intelligence in the climate crisis, in the globalization in pieces... Hoping that "If Italy makes Italy. Sustainability, Europe, Future'. Will it be enough? Let's hope so.

bonomi@aaster.it