Chantar l'Uvern — International Mother Language Day in Salbertrand

A stop in the heart of the Gran Bosco of Salbertrand

In the town of Salbertrand, in the upper Susa Valley, the headquarters of the Gran Bosco Natural Park hosts one of the most significant stages of Chantar l'Uvern, the festival that brings music, theatre, cinema, and the spoken word in the Occitan language to the valleys of the Metropolitan City of Turin from Candlemas to May 1st. Here, the event holds special significance: it coincides with International Mother Language Day, an observance promoted by UNESCO to defend the world's linguistic diversity.

A conference on women's poetry

The core of the Salbertrand event is the conference «Women's Poetry in the Occitan Valleys», a high-profile meeting focusing on the poetic voices of women in the Occitan dialects of the Piedmontese Alps. The panel features scholars from the Universities of Turin and Grenoble, including Matteo Rivoira and Miriam Lerda, who share research, texts, and the historical context of a tradition that has often remained on the margins. The scientific portion is intertwined with musical interludes by Marzia Rey and Flavio Giacchero, who accompany the meeting with sounds and melodies from the Occitan repertoire.

The Chantar l'Uvern festival

Born in 2006 during the Turin Winter Olympics, Chantar l'Uvern is a travelling cultural festival involving about thirty municipalities across the Susa, Chisone, Sangone, and Germanasca valleys. It is organised by the Alpi Cozie Protected Areas and the Chambra d'Oc Association, with the Giaglione Oral Memory Documentation Centre and the support of the Piedmont Region and the Metropolitan City of Turin. Its goal is to promote minority languages — Occitan, Franco-Provençal, and French — alongside the biodiversity and identity of the alpine territory through shows, conferences, book presentations, screenings, and language courses.

Why it's worth attending

The Salbertrand stop is perfect for those who want to get closer to the Occitan culture of the Turin valleys in an intimate and authentic setting. It is not a mass festival, but a gathering where the mother tongue returns to the spotlight, blending rigorous research with the warmth of folk music. The setting of the Gran Bosco, one of the most important protected areas in Piedmont, adds a natural link between linguistic heritage and environmental heritage to the afternoon.

• Municipality: Salbertrand (Metropolitan City of Turin, Piedmont)
• Theme: Women's poetry in the Occitan valleys
• Languages: Occitan, Italian
• Setting: International Mother Language Day