Pordenonelegge, Mattarella: the temptation of illiberal democracy is emerging globally

Mattarella also touched upon the status of women in many countries, ‘from Afghanistan to Iran’. ‘Gender apartheid – that abhorrent form of discrimination between human beings – has sparked protests and dissent, against which persecution, executions and massacres have been unleashed, even recently,’ he said. ‘Figures such as Mahsa Amini’, Narges Mohammadi; the women of Herat. In short, “culture without borders, and therefore freedom, are the pillars underpinning the PordenoneLegge experience, in their universal value.” It is certainly no coincidence that this edition reaffirms its international character and concludes in Prague, on the eve of the 50th anniversary of Charta 1977, the document which, with reference to the Helsinki Final Act, called for freedom’.

In his speech, the Head of State also referred to the Electrolux workers’ dispute. ‘Culture,’ he noted, ‘is an expression of local areas, and openness to other cultures finds its expression in know-how. Culture, as has been noted here, is also part of our civic infrastructure. It is the material culture of rural traditions, craftsmanship, industry and innovation. It embodies the work ethic, represented by the Electrolux workers – to whom I extend a special greeting – who are committed to defending their identity.” The passage in which the Head of State referred to the Electrolux workers’ dispute was met with applause from the theatre audience and the thousands of citizens gathered in the four squares where large screens had been set up to follow the ceremony.

The grand finale of Pordenonelegge was therefore entrusted to the President of the Republic. During the event, he was awarded the new honour of ‘Ambassador of Freedom’, established by the Pordenonelegge.it Foundation to recognise individuals committed to defending the values of freedom.

The Head of State was greeted by the president of the Pordenonelegge.it Foundation, Michelangelo Agrusti; the president of the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, Massimiliano Fedriga; and the mayor of Pordenone, Alessandro Basso. Representing the government was the Minister for Relations with Parliament, Luca Ciriani. The ‘Ambassador of Freedom’ medal was presented to him by Agrusti amidst applause from those present in the theatre and in the city’s squares. Immediately after the ceremony, the Teatro Verdi will give way to music with Il Volo’s ‘Concerto per l’Italia’.

The trio will be accompanied by the Zenith Orchestra, conducted by Maestro Edmondo Mosè Savio. The performance, lasting around an hour and a half, will explore Il Volo’s repertoire, bel canto and the tradition of Italian song, in a musical journey designed to bring together different genres and generations. The concert will open with the Italian national anthem, chosen as a symbolic moment of the evening and as a transition from the official ceremony to the musical celebration. It serves as an ideal bridge to 2027, when Pordenone will be called upon to represent the country in its role as Italian Capital of Culture.

It was the president of the Pordenonelegge.it Foundation, Michelangelo Agrusti, who gave an initial assessment of this year’s event. ‘First and foremost, joy,’ said Agrusti, who is also president of Confindustria Alto Adriatico, ‘a feeling I saw on the faces of the “book-loving public” over these five days and which struck me deeply.’ According to the Foundation’s president, the results of this year’s festival are “plain for all to see”, with the city bustling from the very first day and the venues for the events constantly at full capacity. Attendance figures, Agrusti explained, are expected to exceed the 160,000 mark recorded in 2025. This result was accompanied by a more extensive programme than last year and strong participation in the events featuring authors. For Agrusti, however, the value of the event goes beyond the figures. Pordenonelegge, he emphasised, aims to be a ‘Festival of Books and Freedom’ and to use literature as a ‘vigilant observatory on our times’, fostering dialogue even between diverse and divergent viewpoints. ‘History has unfolded over the past few days at Pordenonelegge,’ observed Agrusti, noting that the festival also serves as a stepping stone towards 2027, when Pordenone will be the Italian Capital of Culture.

Among the authors who took part, from A for Kader Abdolah to Z for Lorenzo Zazzeri, including H for Michel Houellebecq, M for Laura Morante, N for Eshkol Nevo, R for Salman Rushdie and S for Peter Sloterdijk.

All the festival’s events – which, on the final day, were also attended by the editor-in-chief of *Il Sole 24 Ore*, *Radiocor* and *Radio 24* Fabio Tamburini – were free to attend, subject to availability of seats in the hall.

Pordenonelegge (also known as pordenonelegge.it – Book Festival with Authors) is one of Italia’s most important and prestigious literary festivals. Established in 2000, it takes place every year in September in Pordenone, in Friuli-Venezia Giulia. Every year, the festival attracts hundreds of leading figures from the worlds of literature, poetry, journalism, philosophy and the performing arts (including world-renowned writers, Nobel laureates and leading Italian authors). It grew out of a culturally significant initiative spearheaded by figures such as Gian Mario Villalta, Alberto Garlini and Valentina Gasparet.

 Artistic director Gian Mario Villalta highlighted the ‘remarkable circulation of books’, the approximately 60 book launches and the presence of a knowledgeable audience, some of whom had travelled from afar. “Pordenonelegge is also a place where newspapers, publishing houses and universities come together, and where ideas, projects and collaborations are born,” he explained. To round off the event, an honour was bestowed upon the event’s organisers: Michelangelo Agrusti, Gian Mario Villalta, Valentina Gasparet, Michela Zin and Alberto Garlini were appointed honorary members of the Circolo della Stampa di Pordenone for their contribution over recent years to the city’s cultural growth and its national and international profile.