Borghi in Dialogo — 2nd Edition
The cultural festival of the lower Maira Valley, centered in San Damiano Macra
About Borghi in Dialogo
A festival that gives a voice to the villages of the Maira Valley
Borghi in Dialogo is the itinerant cultural event that brings the lower Maira Valley to life in the province of Cuneo, with its hub located in San Damiano Macra, the lead municipality. For a few days, this Piedmontese village and the nearby towns of Cartignano and Roccabruna become a stage for author meetings, photography exhibitions, concerts, guided hikes, and family workshops. It is an opportunity to discover authentic corners of the Cuneo mountains, far from mass tourism circuits, and to reflect on themes that deeply affect alpine communities.
Born from the 'Borghi ritrovati' project
The festival is promoted as part of the Borghi ritrovati project, funded by the PNRR (Mission 1, Component 3 – Investment 2.1, Attractiveness of historic villages). San Damiano Macra is the lead partner, with Cartignano and Roccabruna as associated municipalities: the three villages have become hubs for culture, ecology, and well-being. The initiative is intended as a mountain-focused continuation of the well-known Il Ponte del Dialogo festival in Dronero. The goal is to use culture as a lever to revitalize the territory, connect people, and tell the story of the valley to both residents and visitors.
San Damiano Macra, the heart of the festival
The core of the program is concentrated in San Damiano Macra. Here, the main events come to life: current affairs debates at the Ala del Pelerin, photography exhibitions dedicated to the memory of the village and its people, literary presentations, meetings on the Occitan language and culture, and concerts hosted in the parish church. During the festival, new spaces regenerated by the project are inaugurated, such as the renovated Ala del Pelerin and the civic library, a tangible sign of how culture can breathe new life into mountain villages.
A widespread event in the lower valley
The itinerant format is the festival's greatest strength: each day takes place in a different village, inviting the public to travel and explore the entire lower Maira Valley. Cartignano opens the festival, San Damiano Macra hosts the most extensive days, and Roccabruna contributes with its workshops. The common thread is dialogue: between generations, disciplines, and the past and future of these valleys. A small but significant festival that proves how even the most intimate villages of Piedmont can become places of encounter and culture.
Borghi in Dialogo — edition 2026
The second edition of Borghi in Dialogo confirms the itinerant format across the three villages of the lower Maira Valley, with San Damiano Macra as the hub of the program. It starts on Thursday, June 11, in Cartignano and continues in San Damiano Macra from Friday, June 12, to Sunday, June 14, with a final widespread event on Sunday, June 21, between San Damiano Macra and Roccabruna. The days interweave literature, current affairs, Occitan culture, music, nature, and family activities, and also mark the inauguration of newly regenerated spaces such as the Ala del Pelerin and the civic library.
Programme Borghi in Dialogo 2026
Thursday, June 11 — Cartignano
- 21:00 — Multi-purpose structure (Via Copetto): Paolo Paci presents the book La montagna delle illusioni, in conversation with Secondo Garnero.
Friday, June 12 — San Damiano Macra
- 21:00 — Ala del Pelerin: Luca Romano ("L'Avvocato dell'Atomo") on Nuclear energy and the challenges of the energy transition, in conversation with Tommaso Rovera.
Saturday, June 13 — San Damiano Macra
- 9:30 — Bar Colombero: inauguration of the photography exhibition Il Rio Alto o l'Alto Ri(v)o. La Borgata Rio di San Damiano Macra, curated by Giorgio Einaudi.
- 10:00 — Parish hall: opening of the participatory photography exhibition Apri il cassetto, porta una storia, curated by Luca Prestia.
- 11:00 — Inauguration of the Ala del Pelerin and the civic library.
- 15:00 — Ermanno Giraudo presents his book of fairy tales.
- 16:30 — Myths and realities of the Occitan language, a meeting on Occitan language and culture with Andrea Giraudo and Guido Canepa.
- 18:00 — Mario Dalmasso presents La delicatezza del silenzio.
- 21:00 — Parish church: concert Arie tra parole e musica, with soprano Elda Giordana and pianist Federico Bersia.
Sunday, June 14 — San Damiano Macra
- 10:00 — Hike to the Pagliero hamlet and inauguration of the GTA Point, with guide Silvio Bellino (mandatory booking by June 12 at [email protected]).
- 15:00 — Giorgio Einaudi tells the story of the territory.
- 16:00 — Rossana Dassetto Daidone presents Barbìs. All'ombra dell'Uja.
- 17:30 — Mauro Garofalo discusses his book L'ultima foresta (Aboca).
Sunday, June 21
- San Damiano Macra, 17:00-19:00 — creative workshop for families with children aged 6 to 11, with Milena Bellonotto.
- Roccabruna, 9:30-12:30 — workshop Podcasting: the voice of storytelling, with Chiara Deiana (mandatory booking at [email protected]).
Highlights Borghi in Dialogo 2026
Prices Borghi in Dialogo 2026
Practical information — Borghi in Dialogo
How to get there
San Damiano Macra can be reached by car from Cuneo by traveling up the lower Maira Valley along the SP422 (approx. 30 km). The main venue for meetings is the Ala del Pelerin, in the town center; concerts and events are also held in the parish church and parish hall.
Admission
Events are free and open to the public. Some activities, such as guided hikes and workshops, require mandatory booking.
Information and contacts
For the updated program and bookings: official website of the Borghi ritrovati Valle Maira project (www.borghiritrovativallemaira.it) and email [email protected].
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Where does it take place — Borghi in Dialogo
Ala del Pelerin
Via Cavour 30, 12029 San Damiano Macra