Culture meets breathtaking beauty of the Castellana CavesThe Apulian karst site once again hosts the exhibition “Episodes", a series of literary presentations organized by the Possible Book During the spring, the events will take place in the "Grave," the chasm at the entrance to the caves, where the enchantment of stalactites and stalagmites, sculpted by nature over the centuries, reigns supreme.
The theme of sustainability
The common thread of the 2017 edition – the fourth – of the show will be the sustainabilityA theme that will be explored through history, philosophy, art, and the environment, to capture all its nuances and the evolution of human thought. The idea naturally ties into the concept of "Limes," the boundary, which has always been present in ancient cultures, especially in religion. Consider the Judeo-Christian tradition, which is based on the boundary between good and evil, the boundary that Adam and Eve crossed by breaking the divine prohibition, as soon as they ate the forbidden fruit.
There's no shortage of references to this theme in Greek culture: consider the concept of humanity represented as a "split apple" in Plato's Symposium, or the "Hybris," the arrogance of man who claims to equate himself with the divine, surpassing the limits imposed upon him. And so, in a journey that also includes Galileo, Machiavelli, and Wells, we arrive at discussions of sustainability and limits even today, with references to nihilistic philosophy.
"Reflecting on limits," explains the artistic director of Libro Possibile, Rosella Santoro, "attempting to distinguish them and reaffirm the validity of some, as well as questioning our desires, goals, and spaces of freedom, are among the most pressing challenges. In this year's festival, we will attempt to discuss ethical and environmental sustainability, looking back."
The events on the bill
The three unmissable events of the 2017 edition of the festival are based precisely on sustainability. The first guest will be the historian and journalist Paolo Mieli, which on March 24th at 19.30 pm, starting from his latest essay “At war with the past”, will hold a lecture entitled “Learning from the past”Mieli will introduce the concept of "sustainable history," one that isn't "caged" by preconceptions and oversimplifications, but instead continually rereads past events, questioning them to analyze the present with a more critical eye.
From history to philosophy, with the master lecture of Remo Bodei, Entitled “Man and Nature: Our Limits”, scheduled for April 6th, again at 19.30 pm. Starting from his latest essay, "Limit"The philosopher will address the ethical aspect of sustainability, explaining how the concept of boundaries has evolved throughout history. For humanity, what once represented a prohibition—the Greek "Hybris"—has become a challenge today: boundaries fascinate because they represent the unknown. "Thus," writes Bodei, "they become invariably temporary, shifting with individuals like the horizon, closing in order to open, made to be surmounted."
The festival concludes with a new addition: a duo combining music and science in the name of sustainability will be performing in the "Grave" on April 28th at 7:30 p.m. Let's talk about the musician. Niccolò Fabi and the essayist – as well as member of the WWF scientific council – Mario Tozzi, who will present the show “Sustainable Music”An event that invites reflection and explores the complex relationship between humanity and nature through music and news. In the show, Fabi performs unreleased songs, which are complemented by Tozzi's scientific commentary on the ecosystem, the fate of our species, and that of our planet.
“The fourth edition of Episodi – explains the president of the Castellana Caves, Domi Ciliberti – marks an undeniably valuable union between culture and tourism. We imagined the Grave delle Grotte di Castellana cavern as a natural pantheon where poems, poetry, thoughts, moments of profound reflection, and everything related to the themes of beauty and thought could resonate freely. When the area's outstanding figures decide to network, as happened between the Grotte di Castellana and Libro Possibile, a happy cross-fertilization is created that benefits the entire region.
Culture and charity
The “Episodes” review will support the project BNL for Telethon, donating all ticket proceeds to the Telethon Foundation's research projects on rare genetic diseases. This choice perfectly aligns with the philosophy of Libro Possibile and the Castellana Caves, which have always organized cultural initiatives with charitable implications.
BNL's partnership with Telethon is one of the most important fundraising projects in Europe: the Bank has supported Telethon for 25 years; a collaboration that has raised over €280 million since 1992. This sum has helped the Telethon Foundation fund 2.607 research projects, involving 1.594 researchers and studying 546 genetic diseases.
The events are paid, at a cost of 4 euros, with limited seating.
Tickets can be booked:
– by telephone at 0804998221 (open 10am to 12:30pm every day);
– online, by filling out the booking form available at booking.grottedicastellana.it
It is also possible to purchase tickets directly at the box office, on the day of the event, starting from 17.30 pm.
