PaceFest 2025 starts on July 31st

CALTABELLOTTA – The “City of Peace” is preparing to host the fourth edition of PaceFest , scheduled from July 31st to August 3rd in the evocative setting of the Villa Comunale . A necessary, free, and desired festival, this year presents itself with the evocative title “Beyond the Silence,” an invitation to break the indifference and give voice to those who resist, speak out, and tell their stories.

The program focuses on the Claps case , white-collar mafias, and the issue of public water , but also includes books, poetry, theater performances, concerts, astronomical observations, and children's workshops. The festival is organized by the Fuoririga association , with journalistic direction by Gero Tedesco and the collaboration of Michele Ruvolo .

Notable guests include Gildo Claps , Elisa's brother, along with Gianmarco Saurino , star of the Rai series "Per Elisa." Vito Fiorino , a witness to the 2013 Lampedusa shipwreck, and Admiral Vittorio Alessandro will share their stories of the sea and migration. Prosecutor Salvatore Vella , the Honorable Calogero Pumilia , journalist Giacomo Di Girolamo , and Mayor Biagio Marciante will lead a crucial debate on new forms of crime, corruption, and water management.

The 2025 PaceFest Award will be awarded to journalist Elvira Terranova , an authoritative figure in judicial and anti-mafia information.

The festival will also host book presentations by important authors: Filippo Roma (Le Iene), Dimitri Cocciuti , Attilio Bolzoni , Franco Castaldo and Gianfranco Jannuzzo , who will share anecdotes and memories of his “Italia Amore mio”.

Theater will take center stage with the debut of "Senza Memoria," a show that tells the stories of Giancarlo Siani, Giuliano Guazzelli, and Stefano Pompeo , directed by Endrit Hyseni . A strong female presence features Lucrezia Galasso , Francesca Licari , Valentina Vetro , Monica Brancato , and Italian Poetry Slam champion Gloria Riggio . The closing concert will be "The Aesthetics of Sting" by the Toscanini Conservatory of Ribera.

For the little ones, the “ History in your hands ” workshops return with the archaeologists of PastActivity , and for everyone the evocative Peace Walking through the streets of the village.

"We'll talk about changing mafias, fewer luparas and more white-collar crime," Gero Tedesco emphasizes, "about the thirst for public water and stories that spark consciences. Because culture, now more than ever, must shed light."

"PaceFest is a highly anticipated event that fosters cultural and tourism development," said Mayor Marciante. "We thank the City Council," added Manuela Lino, president of Fuoririga, "for supporting us and allowing us to make free choices."

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